...The hell gate.

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1st October,

I would always find myself wondering why everything is hard. Why is the road of life isn't easy? Why is it always have to be with pain and struggles? I was raised by a single father. He showed me that life's not a rose bed.

He didn't shy away from telling me that I would fail, fall, and even break. He was honest. But, a childlike curiosity always whispered to me, "Why must it always be so hard?".

We, humans, are often told about how hard everything is. We are well known for "the one who wears the crown must bear its weight.". Hence, even tho we had an easy path, we chose a hard one. We were told that we need to have this hard path, so we can be stronger.

I wonder why no one told me, "You don't have to go through the hard path to be better. Take the small, easy one if you aren't ready. You don't have to put yourself through that hell's fire to be better.".

Yes, you should avoid taking a shortcut. But that doesn't mean you have to be hard on yourself to reach the sky.

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Evan puts the brown journal down. He again was inside his thoughts. He was sure of the fact that this Irenie is a rebellious person.

Rebellious is not shouting, or refusing But, having the courage of questioning what you were always taught and go through other's perspectives. Irenie fitted in that definition completely. Which surprised Evan.

He was always this obedient kid and never ask why. He was taught what to think and what not to, and he never questioned how to think.

He puts his glasses down and runs towards the kitchen. He was hungry, and hence searching for something to eat. Sham came behind and murmured, "Are you hungry?". Evan almost fell on the floor. "Holy cat-" He shouted. "Oh, sorry," Sham said. Evan sat beside the dining table.

Sham- "You are finally feeling hungry?"

Evan-".....yes"

Sham-"Thank god! I was so worried about you. you need to eat to survive, how were you even surviving?"

Evan- "Maybe, The feelings inside me were enough to eat me, so I didn't feel hungry."

Sham puts a bowl of noodles on the table. He watches Evan like a father watching his Son.

Sham- "What are you planning to do next?"

Evan- "Vhut yoo meon?"

Evan said in a not-so-clear voice while eating his noodles.

Sham- "You plan to stay here? You worked your whole life to get out of here. What do you plan on doing here?"

Evan- "....."

Sham- "Evan, Living here isn't what those movies show. If you get sick you won't have any medicines or hospital here. When you don't have enough food, you will have to go down the whole mountain to buy some groceries. You don't have that good internet here. You won't have your favorite club's here too."

Sham was worried about Evan. He had seen Evan grow up and put a lot of effort to just be in a better place.

Evan- ".....what do you want to say?"

Evan was not surprised by these questions but, he was hesitant to answer them. He didn't have any plan.

Sham- "this place is for people who have already lived their life and want to spend rest in peace. You still have a life to live. What do you expect you to live here?"

Evan- ".....I will go back to the city, just not now."

Sham- "Wait, are you serious?"

Sham raises his eyes to See Evan who had stopped eating his noodles.

Evan- "More than ever. You are right. I have much to see and live. I want to stay here till I get my life right at its track. I'll leave on new year's eve. So, I hope you understand my perspective."

Evan left the kitchen and went to his room. His head was filled with thoughts asking him why isn't going out to the city right now. But, Irenie's journal answered them. "You don't have to go through the pain you don't want to feel." So, He drifts away to sleep. He was scared and unsure of what he is doing right now.

His head would start to hurt whenever he would even try to think about it. But, He wanted to follow his rhythm on his road.

By _Anna_07_