kindness begets evil

He doesn't know his name, his parents, or his origins. As a child, he knew nothing but begging, growing up on the streets with empty hands and an empty stomach.

Despite enduring countless hardships, the harsh and ruthless society never tainted his innocent character. Though he was born into despair and hunger, he never lost his kindness or humanity.

He saw the cruelty in people's eyes—disgusted glances, void of pity, even though he was just a frail child.

Spoiled food from two days ago was a feast in his eyes. When he couldn't get even that, he drank salt water from the bore well and slept under flyovers.

What could this helpless child do? In a world where even dogs and cats could live comfortably, he was abandoned by heartless parents.

He fought with street dogs over leftovers in dustbins, his tears dried long ago.

After a few years…

The lonely child had grown into a teenager. Now strong enough to work, he took on various laborious jobs, using his earnings to prepare food and feed orphans in the city.

Seeing the children's smiles as they filled their stomachs brought him satisfaction and happiness.

Though he wasn't considered good-looking as a child, his appearance changed over time. Now, he was a teenager with above-average looks—a slightly dark complexion, well-shaped jawbones, clear eyes, and black hair—your average Indian boy.

His daily routine was the same. He woke early, freshened up at the bore well, neatly combed his thick, curly hair, dressed in patched clothes, and headed to the busy market in search of work.

While looking for work, he heard a commotion. Turning his head toward the noise, he hesitated but then walked toward the crowd, curious about what was happening.

***

"You bastards! If I go back and tell my father what happened here, he'll skin you all alive," shouted a teenage girl, her face filled with disgust.

"Hehe, little lady, you're the one who spilled the coffee we were drinking. We just want compensation. Have a drink with us, and we'll let you go," sneered one of the ruffians, his eyes gleaming with lust.

The girl's expression grew uglier with every passing minute as their lecherous stares disgusted her.

The teenage boy, who had no one to care for him, initially turned to walk away, wanting no part of this mess. But as he turned, he heard the girl cry for help.

"Who do you think you are? A movie hero? There are four grown men who could break every bone in your body if you piss them off," he thought, gritting his teeth.

He clenched his fists, struggling inwardly for a minute, before turning back with determination and walking toward the ruffians.

"Hehe, young boy, do you have a death wish?" one of the ruffians sneered, glaring at him.

The teenage girl looked at the boy with wide eyes. No one else had stepped forward to help her, yet this frail boy was approaching with a sharp, resolute look. She felt a spark of admiration for his courage.

"You grown-ups, it's not right to bully a helpless teenage girl," the boy said with a straight face.

"Boy, if you know what's good for you, you'll keep your distance and mind your own business," another ruffian mocked.

"I don't have a family, but she does. Someone is waiting for her to come home. Let her go before this turns into a commotion that alerts the police," the teenage boy said, his face emotionless.

"Since you don't have a family, maybe you need to learn what happens when you mess with us," the man said, grabbing a plastic pipe.

"Fakhruddin, why are you wasting time? Beat the kid senseless and let's get back to business," another ruffian said, eyeing the girl greedily.

She shrank back, feeling like prey before a hungry wolf, fear etched on her face.

Fakhruddin tightened his grip on the pipe, raising it high before striking the teenage boy with all his strength.

The sharp pain in his cheek stunned the boy. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious from a single blow.

The ruffians laughed loudly, turning their heated gazes back to the teenage girl.

She wanted to check on the fallen boy but froze as the ruffians advanced toward her.

Crack... rumble...

Lightning flashed through dark clouds, and thunder echoed across the sky as rain began to fall.

Splat...

The downpour scattered the onlookers, who hurried to find shelter from the heavy rain.

The teenage boy felt the raindrops on his face, the sharp pain still throbbing in his cheek. Slowly, he stirred from his unconscious state. "Tch... don't blame me. You bastards asked for it," he spat blood to the side and reached for a stone on the ground, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.

Touching his bleeding cheek, he rose to his feet and approached the gang of ruffians. With all his strength, he swung the stone in his hand, aiming precisely. Having already taken a blow to his face, this time he was vigilant, dodging most of the incoming attacks. He struck at their vital points, taking them down one after another. Of course, he wasn't faring well either—he was seriously injured, bleeding profusely.

Seeing the ruffians twitching on the ground, the teenage girl stood dazed for a moment before her eyes caught sight of the boy slowly falling to his knees.

She rushed to him, supporting him with a worried look. "You're injured. I'll take you to the hospital."

"No... No need," the boy said in a stuttering tone. He knew hospital bills were expensive, and he couldn't afford treatment at a private hospital. Government hospitals, in his experience, were hospitals in name only, offering little to no proper care even if you were admitted.

Shaking her head, the girl hurriedly flagged down an approaching auto-rickshaw. "Take us to Napollo Hospital," she anxiously told the driver.

After a few minutes, the auto-rickshaw stopped at the hospital entrance. She pleaded with the driver to help her carry the injured teenage boy inside.

Seeing the hesitation on the driver's face, she quickly stuffed more money than the usual fare into his hand. His eyes lit up, and he nodded, reaching out to support the teenage boy. Together, they carried him into the hospital.