An extra’s tale

Reshi relished the cool wind that gently caressed his cheeks as he left the convience store, making his way home. This night had been better than most. It was a night under a peaceful dark sky and full moon, a contemplative night of

serenity and relaxation. That was rare nowadays. Usually nights would spell

times of crippling loneliness as he would drown under misery and grief. He

would rock back and forth in his dead mother's room as he recall her. His

sweet, kind mother, his innocent younger sister, his stern father and last of

all, his twin. A part of him died when they all died, especially his twin, his

other half. Only now did Reshi experience life without him, and he hated every

second of it. When he recalled them, he couldn't remember the years of fun and

enjoyment.

No.

He'd recall their deaths, eyes wide in betrayal and shock as they bled out from the

grievious wounds.

 "Ahh fuck man. My night was going so good as well, just had to ruin it."

 He was alone now, in a world that seemed three sizes larger and more alien now that his family was gone. In a sense, it didn't feel like his world at all now. As

if he had transmigrated somewhere new, like those protagonists he loved reading

about. Only, instead of being someone with a tragic past who managed to

transmigrate into a better place. Reshi was the opposite, he was forsaken in

some hell hole without his family.

As he passed a dark alley, he heard something. Scuffling, as if there was a fight or

robbery happening.

'Who cares?' He thought to himself. Reshi had finally managed to forsake his little

hero complex, after all. It had cost him everything, 'I guess someone else is having a shit day today.'

Then a scream broke through the melancholy tranquility of night. A desperate, pained female scream, raw with emotion. Reshi paused, turning back to the alley where the scream had come from. He stood still for a moment before turning away again and continuing his way down.

'I ain't gonna change my mind just cause their screaming now, at least have the

decency to suffer in silence like I did.'

Then a second sound pierced through the night. The sound of a wailing boy. His

desperate cries echoing across the deserted street like a haunted ghost.

It was a boy, crying for his mother.

Before he knew what he was doing, Reshi was running back, his cup noodles forgotten. Heart pounding thunderously. He raced into the alley, without a second to think.

Ther was a boy clutching a women who was bleeding out. Standing opposite was a

masked man, a large bloody knife tightly gripped in one hand.

Reshi shook with an insane rage.

"YOU FUCKER", he screamed, charging forward at the attacker without any regard for his own safety.

 Reshi didn't let himself stop running, charging right into the knife's range. He

couldn't. He was scared if he did, he might just stop, not out of fear, but out

of a crippling apathy that had encrusted his heart since the funeral.

 He didn't want to regret anymore.

 The robber recovered from his shock quickly thrusting the blade forward, in an

attempt to make Reshi stop. It didn't work, Reshi caught the blade with his

hand. Well, it was more accurate that the blade pierced his hand, but the

effect was the same. It gave him a split second.

 Reshi swung his left free hand, smashing a heavy fist off the attacker's jaw. The man stumbled back dazed, but Reshi refused to give the bastard a moment's respite. Charging forward he hit him again, and again, and again, until the man dropped onto the floor.

 But still Reshi never stopped.

 "YOU BASTARD", he screamed, as he got on top of the man and kept hitting, and

hitting. Even when his knuckles began bleeding, he kept punching. Tears

streaming down his face as his battered the man, causing the attacker's face to

swell and turn purple under the repeated blows.

He couldn't remember for how long he kept punching. Once he got up, both hands were a bloodied mess. The attacker's face was a mass of swollen purple as he gasped weakly for air in between fits of coughing blood.

 Turning back, Reshi saw the kid. He glared fiercely at Reshi, hands wrapped around his bleeding mother protectively.

 "It's alright kid, I want to help."

He approached slowly, showing the boy he meant no harm.

 "Help me carry her, my apartments close. I've got stuff there that can stem the

bleeding."

 The boy nodded slowly. Reshi then took of his top, tearing the fabric into strips. Using the cloth, he fashioned a make-shift bandage to reduce the blood loss for now. Then together they picked the women up, placing her on Reshi's back so he could carry her.

It was a quick walk to the apartment, on the way, he got the boy to pick up his bag he had dropped earlier.

When they entered, he laid the lady down on his couch, uncaring about the blood that was ruining the furniture. Quickly he rushed to his cupboard, where his medical supplies were.

 Reshi had signed himself up to the army at 16. At an age where most didn't know left from right, he had been training to protect his country. Back then Reshi had been all about honour and helping the weak. He had foolishly bought into the idea of being a hero and protecting his country. He excelled in the army, but much to the

surprise of his men, he had decided to specialise in field medicine and

healing.

Reshi was more about protecting than killing, so despite his talents

as a soldier, he had decided to become a field medic. Then, after fighting on

the frontline for two years, he'd been given the opportunity to have the army

fund him through medical school. That was what he had been doing before his

family died. Becoming a Doctor. Someone that actively cared about life.

How ironic.

Taking out a suturing kit, clean bandages, and anti-septic he turned his attention onto the lady, feeling his skills and experience take over. It felt weird, like he was almost the person who he was before he died.The women had received a slash on

her midsection. Thankfully it had missed any major organs. It was mainly the

blood loss that was killing her. He applied anti-septic, and stitched the wound

close. Washing the bandages in the remaining anti-septic he covered the

wound tightly.

Sighing heavily he leaned, back. He had ignored the gaping wound in his own hand as he worked. Adressing his own injuries first, Reshi turned his attention to the boy who had been watching him silently. The boy now approached him with apprehensive eyes.

"Uhh, thank you mister, but I don't have anything to pay you with."

Reshi turned back to look at the boy. He could see the fear on his face, that he might be turned away, now that he didn't have money. Or perhaps forced into something to pay him back.

 'Poor boy. It's a fucked world we live in huh.'

"Don't worry about it kid, I don't want your money."

Turning away, he took out the pots of cup noodles he had bought. How coincidental that he had purchased three cups. Busying himself in

the kitchen, Reshi made three cups of noodles and mugs hot chocolate.

Then he brought it over, plating it on the floor next to the couch where the boy was sitting. His dark eyes, watching him warily through a mess of dirty straw hair. He was clearly under fed, giving him a gaunt, half-terrifying look. He gazed at the

food hungrily, but refused to touch it.

Reshi chuckled, "Help yourself kiddo."

Immediately, the boy tore into the cup noodles, relishing it's cheap flavour as if it was the nicest thing to ever existed. Reshi enjoyed the noodles as well. There was something special about them this time. It was odd how cheap pathetic things could, on rare occasions, taste like the nicest thing in the world. Leaving lingering flavours that would grow into reminiscent and fond memories years down the line.

In mere moments the boy had eaten and drank everything. He seemed much more relaxed now, as if the warm food had somehow managed to thaw his cold demeanour.

"What's your name boy?"

The boy looked at him, if no longer warily, at least hesitantly, "Judas."

"That's bit of a fucked name to give someone. Who named you?"

"My father."

Reshi nodded. He didn't want to pry too much into Judas's life. He'd speak to the mother one she woke up. They passed the time in silence. Then Reshi got up. He returned carrying two spare blankets and pillows. One pillow he placed under the

mother's head, before covering her with the blanket.

"I'm guessing you want to sleep here right?"

The boy seemed momentarily shocked, before nodding.

'Poor lad, didn't expect i'd let him stay overnight.'

"Here then. I'll be sleeping in my room."

The mother most likely wouldn't wake until tomorrow anyway, and it was pointless to kick them out now after he had risked so much to keep them safe. That's the

reason he told himself anyway.

When he entered his room, he locked the door. Yes he had helped them, but only an idiot would trust strangers.

Climbing into his bed, Reshi found that sleep came easily to him. It had been a while before he'd been able to sleep without crying or gazing blankly at the ceiling for hours first.

It wasn't bad.