[Congratulations]
When I woke up, every part of my body was shivering, like I was caught in the middle of a snowstorm, completely unprepared and without a stitch of clothing on. On top of that, the chilly temperature made me feel incredibly weak. It was as if my eyelids were weighed down, making it a struggle to keep them open.
As I tried to wrap my head around what was going on, I suddenly caught the faint yet piercing sound of a baby crying. It was a loud one, cutting through the confusion around me.
It felt a bit odd.
The sound of crying was so near, and for some reason, I could sense my mouth moving non-stop since earlier. My jaw was sore from how many times I kept opening and closing my mouth.
This realization hit me like a ton of bricks, leaving me momentarily stunned. In the end, I just couldn't hide my surprise.
I get that I'm cold, but there's no way I could cry over it, right?
Just thinking about the tears that flowed made me feel an overwhelming sense of embarrassment like I could hardly believe it was happening.
Yet, how could I possibly break down and cry like a little child?
After pondering it for quite a while, I still couldn't come up with an answer. It felt like this situation was stuck in place, and that just added to my frustration.
Is there a way for me to stop crying?
On top of being embarrassing, this whole situation was starting to feel a bit creepier for some reason.
In that instant, my ears picked up on something else. A man and a woman are speaking, their voices blending together in conversation. The warmth that wrapped around me felt like a gentle embrace, gradually soothing my nerves and bringing a sense of calm over me.
This was definitely an improvement. Once my tears dried up, I found myself able to catch their conversation much more clearly.
"Congratulations, Smiour! You're officially the father of this healthy little boy," the woman said with a warm tone. Her voice wavered, suggesting she was likely quite old, much like how my grandmother used to speak.
"Hahaha, he is quite the strong boy! Just take a look at his hands and feet. they'll have no trouble gripping the forge later on," a man's voice boomed, followed by a hearty laugh that rang out in my ears.
I wished he would tone it down a bit because his loud voice was making me feel pretty uneasy. It brought back memories of my uncle, who had this way of speaking that was always loud and filled the room, and his laughter booming like thunder.
After taking in everything they had said up to that point, it became clear to me that this guy was definitely a bit of a weirdo, which explained why his enthusiasm seemed to burst forth so suddenly.
It didn't end there. I was taken aback once more by the voice of a woman who was so near to my ear that I could actually feel her warm breath brushing against every pore of my face.
"I'm relieved that everything turned out okay... Thank goodness! I was worried he wouldn't go through with it."
Her voice was incredibly soft, carrying a hint of weariness, almost as if she had been through a long day. Even I, the listener, couldn't help but feel a wave of concern wash over me. It wasn't just me who felt that way. The other two also quickly hushed their voices as they offered her some encouragement.
Even though they were deep in conversation, I was drifting off and losing focus. Their voices floated around me, almost like a distant hum, while my thoughts wandered off to other places.
I was struggling to piece together what had happened to me, trying to figure out if it was just a few minutes ago, a couple of hours, or maybe even days that had passed since it all went down.
Even though it felt like my head was being stung over and over again, I was able to piece together what really happened to me.
Before all this strangeness kicked in, I used to have some time to unwind at the local bar. It was the only spot in my remote town where folks could gather to drink and chill out, so everyone there felt like a familiar face.
I can't say the alcohol was solely to blame, but it definitely played a major role in making things more chaotic. That night, for some reason, I felt more exhausted than I typically do. On top of that unpleasant incident at work, it put me in a bad mood.
Sometimes, it just takes one person who can't pick up on the vibes to mess things up for everyone. As I mentioned earlier, we're all pretty familiar with each other at that bar. But when he started throwing his arm around me and cracking jokes that missed the mark, I couldn't help but let my feelings take over.
He just kept going, completely ignoring my warning that I wasn't in the mood for jokes that day.
I was genuinely taken aback by how coincidental it was when he made a comment that struck a chord with me. He brought up the fact that I decided against going to college and opted to work at a fast food restaurant, earning a pretty low salary in the process.
So, I told him that the university he was talking about is super pricey, and not everyone can afford to take that kind of risk with their money.
He started throwing insults at my intelligence. I have to say, another way for me to pursue my studies at university is by excelling and showcasing my intelligence. If I can do that, my chances of landing a scholarship would definitely increase.
There might be some universities out there offering free tuition programs that don't have those specific requirements I mentioned earlier. However, I can't help but think about my background. I come from a low-income family in a small, remote town.
I'm feeling the pinch right now. I barely have enough cash to make it out of town before I run low on gas money. Just the thought of needing a place to stay, food, and all the other essentials while I'm away is already bringing me down a lot.
So here I am, stuck working at a fast-food joint with a pretty lousy paycheck. Honestly, even the way my manager treats me doesn't help the situation at all.
So, in the end, I ended up giving this piece of work to a friend of mine with a solid punch in the gut. Watching him kneel on the floor, his pale face catching the light, brought an immediate sense of pleasure to me.
I'm aware that he had been drinking, but honestly, he crossed a line.
I've been in a few minor scuffles like this before, and while it might seem intense right now, I have no doubt that by tomorrow, everything will be back to normal between us.
For folks like us, this struggle feels pretty insignificant when you think about the reality of waking up early and working our tails off just to put food on the table.
That night, after I had a chance to apologize to the bar owner and everyone else for the ruckus I caused, I decided it was time to leave. Before diving into the night, the owner generously handed me a complimentary bottle of beer to enjoy.
The owner was a genuinely kind man. He seemed to sense that I was having a rough day.
In my small town, the bar was more than just a place to grab a drink. It felt like a second home for everyone. This sense of community was incredibly important, and it inspired all of us to treat each other with the same warmth and kindness. After all, in a place like this, the people around us were all we had.
As I fired up my trusty old Civic, a car that had been handed down from my dad, I hit the road without any particular place to go. The town was pretty remote, with a population that was relatively small—I'd say it was under two thousand. A lot of folks decided to move to bigger cities, which contributed to the low numbers here.
As night settled in, it was rare to spot anyone wandering around outside. Still, I decided to stick to the rules. Whenever the light turned red, I would hit the brakes and take a big swig from the bottle of beer handed to me by the owner.
And I kept going, lost in my thoughts until I suddenly realized I had crossed into the city limits without even noticing. As I recalled how much precious gasoline I had wasted, I made the decision to head home. Just then, a blinding light suddenly shot toward me, illuminating the inside of my car as if it were daytime.
I quickly grabbed the steering wheel and started honking the horn over and over again. My car kind of veered off the road and hit the rough, bumpy ground that was anything but welcoming.
As I pondered the issues that would inevitably arise from all the repairs ahead, I noticed that the bright light seemed to guide the steering wheel to turn in the same direction as I was moving.
Given the brightness and size of the vehicle, it was clear to me that it was a truck. I wasn't surprised to see it here. this lane is definitely the main route for trucks, especially at night when they can drive more freely and reduce the chances of accidents with other vehicles.
It's just frustrating, you know? I had to deal with this totally sleepy driver, and now, because of his lack of professionalism, I'm the one left to deal with the fallout. Even if I make it through this, there's no guarantee that the company he works for will cover all the expenses.
And, of course, here I am without any insurance.
So, I closed my eyes and let myself go, accepting whatever was coming my way.
As I recalled that unsettling coincidence from that night, tears unexpectedly welled up again. The baby's voice I had heard earlier echoed back to me, bringing with it the same strange sensation that had stirred in my mouth before. It was all too familiar and just as uncomfortable as I remembered. This time, though, I finally had a clear answer to that question.
"Darling, your voice is a bit too loud... see? You've made him cry again," the woman leaned in close to my ear, her voice soft and playful. But this time, her gentle laughter didn't help me settle down right away.
"What more can I do? He needs to adapt to this so he can develop into a strong and resilient child. He's Viktor, the son of Smiour."