l
With his hands impersonating a pair of binoculars, Nick inspected the approaching crowd. Most would fail the cut, looking too banal, boring the correct word. But he knew what it took for the act to bear fruits. Careful choosing. Approaching the right person could result in untold riches. Perhaps even as much as a pack of cigarettes. It had happened before. Today, maybe again. His lips stretched to a broad smile as the happy memory whirled cheerfully in his mind.
He zoomed into what looked like an interesting prospect and considered the potential benefactor. He dropped his hands and pinched his chin. He knew how imperative it was for the approach to match the individual. The backward walking stunt seemed the right one to go with. Chatting face to face about their day, or the weather, with one arm extended forward, hand moulded into a pit. He shook his head disapprovingly. He remembered that Mother did not like him doing that. He had fallen and hurt himself too many times. A few of them badly.
The moment had passed, the potential benefactor was now too few steps away for the act to be composed. A new one needed to be found. Amongst the incoming crowd, a familiar shape caught his eye. 'Hang on, what's this, what's this?' Nick raised his binoculars and pinned them on a woman fast approaching. 'Unless my eyes deceive me, tiz the two o'clock woman!' His stomach growled. 'My stomach agrees!'
He veered his sight to the corner of the street. His hands, rock steady. Seconds passed and then a couple of minutes. He was tireless and expectant. And then finally, she appeared. He threw his binoculars to disappear high in the air. 'Alas my brothers and sisters, our time together has come to an end. My angel has arrived!'
The teaser in him watched with satisfaction as his hollering drew a smile on Mother's face along with the accustomed roll of the eyes and shake of the head. Mother was carrying a plastic container. On top of it, there was bread next to something wrapped in tin foil. Nick craned forward, investigating the bundle as it came near and rested under his nose. His stomach once again reminded him of its presence, pressing a question. He looked up. 'And what do we have today my good lady?'
Mother placed the contents of the meal on the cardboard box flipped on its side they were using as a table. 'Chicken soup and meat pie, your favourite.' Nick made an about-turn and stood with one arm behind his back and the other reaching for the clouds. 'A glorious day dear citizens, a glorious day indeed.' He gazed with disappointment, as his involuntary spectators kept walking unwilling to pay attention to his emoting. 'Oh just sit down and eat,' Mother giggled from behind.
He sat on the pile of blankets he kept folded in four, placed against the building's wall and Mother on a plastic beer case she used as a stool. She was at it again. From the corner of his eye Nick could see her probing him. Examining his clothes, looking to see, no doubt, if he was again attacked during the night. 'You know,' she broke the silence, avoiding eye contact, 'we ought to do something about your hygiene.' Nick rocketed to a standing position abandoning his meal, releasing midway his spoon to fall splashing in the container. He stomped his right foot and extended his arms on either side. His palms were facing up, and as he looked into the sky ready to receive a divine gift, he smelled the air with one noisy inhalation. 'It will rain tomorrow; I shall be washed like a flower in a meadow.' He dropped onto his seat and continued devouring his meal. 'Flowers don't smell like that,' Mother teased, creasing her nose. 'But I am a city flower Mother,' Nick contested with his mouth full, his spoon pointing upwards as if making a profound statement. 'We smell different.'
There was unexpected silence. Mother would usually push the issue further. Nick passed a furtive look, then another. She was reserved, holding a sombre expression he had never seen her carry before. A terrible thought sprouted inside his head. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. 'You don't like me calling you Mother anymore?'
She was motionless. Staring persistently into the void. Then, her head quacked, like trying to shake a spell away. 'Of course, I do, why wouldn't I? You call me that every day.'
'Then why the tears, Mother?' Nick said with a clenched heart.
'What tears?' She pricked her body and dabbed her eyes. 'Oh my... I don't know,' she stuttered staring at her moist fingers.
Nick looked around him, at the crowd, searching for a reason to explain Mother's behaviour, or maybe, his gut telling him to look for help. 'Mother, are you ok?'
'I... am not sure what is happening,' she murmured.
Mother began gasping for air and streams of tears were now pouring down her cheeks. Groaning sounds replaced the initial gasps, each one louder than the one before. Nick was already standing when Mother jumped distressed to her feet. His head had gone numb. He gawked at her, not knowing what to do. Her palms were cradling her cheeks. It reminded him of a famous painting he had once seen. Of a man on a bridge under a starry sky. A haunting feeling crept in.
He instinctively grabbed her wrists and cried, 'What is going on mother?' She paused her breathing. Her mouth slowly stretched wide. And once as stretched open as physically seemed possible, her eyes twitched, testifying to a sudden surge of excruciating pain. She screamed. One continues, horrific scream, fading, as the air from her lungs whizzed out.
She shut her mouth and started groaning through her teeth, the fingers of her left hand clawing her cheek. One by one penetrated the flesh, fingernails first. Forcing them deeper and deeper. 'Stop, what are you doing?' Nick tried to pull her hand away, jerking it with all his strength. He couldn't.
They were thrown off balance, swerving around in a paranoid dance. He pulled harder and harder, screaming repeatedly, 'Please stop, Mother, please stop.' And then all of the sudden, he was in the air. Shoved backwards. He landed on his haunches and quickly looked up, seeing in horror a hole where once her cheek was. Her left hand was holding the torn-out bit of flesh. Her right hand, pulled up to her forehead, was peeling a patch of skin downwards above her right eye. She went on her knees, making animal-like sounds and began hammering her head on the pavement. Blood gushed out with the first blow. Nick scrambled against the ground to take hold of her, wrestling against unnatural strength, shouting at the top of his voice, 'Help! Someone! Please Help! Help, Mother!'
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
Traversing back to the ancient Prime Martial World from modern age, Austin finds himself in a younger body as he wakes up. Yet, the young man he possesses was a miserable dimwit, what a bummer! But it doesn’t matter as his mind is sound and clear. Possessing this younger and stronger body, he will fight his way to become the God of martial arts, and rule the whole Martial World!
"Who is she?" I asked, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "He met her at the Alpha training camp," he said. "She is a perfect suitor for him. It snowed last night, indicating that his wolf is happy with his choice." My heart sank, and tears made their way down my cheeks. Alexander took my innocence last night, and now he is taking that thing in his office as his Luna. **** Emily never shifted on her 18th birthday and became the laughingstock of the pack. When her old crush, Alexander Black, returns from Alpha Training, she never expected him to be her mate. After a night of passionate love, Emily finds out that young Alpha Alexander has taken a chosen mate. Heartbroken and humiliated, Emily runs off and disappears from the pack. Now, five years later, Emily is a high-ranking warrior in King Alpha's army, specializing in sensitive matters. When her best friend invites her to a night of music and laughter, she never expects to run into her mate, Alexander. Will Alexander figure out it is Emily? Will he chase after her, and most of all, will Emily be able to keep her secrets safe?