"What is your reason? Do you need reason? To find a reason, or to make one. The path you choose, will lead you to complete satisfaction or utter discontent. Choose wisely, or forever remain unanswered. You have one life. Don't waste it."
Alarm rings at 8:30 in the morning. The alarm is stopped by a boy. The boy is called Kassius Moore, a 16 year old with rough hair, light complexion and grey eyes, one a bit shade darker than the other. He is about 5"8. He wakes up a mess, falling off his bed.
Kassius: "Ugggh, what time is it?"
He squints his eyes and looks at the alarm.
Kassius: "What the f-"
Kassius explodes out of his front door, running outside half ready with a brush still in his mouth, his shoes being used like heels and his shirt half done. He puts on his clothes properly and throws his toothbrush on the side of the road. Kassius runs through the streets, avoiding obstacles in his path. He finally arrives at the train station and boards the train. Looking to his side, he observes an old man getting fined and kicked off the train for not having a transport card.
Old lady: "Excuse me, can I?"
Kassius: "Oh, of course."
Kassius moves to the side, allowing the lady to sit on the seat he was blocking.
Kassius (in head): "Okay, where is my wallet... Huh? Where'd it go? I could've sworn I had it on m-"
As his eyes drift outside the train door, he sees four kids, all of whom are wearing masks; a fox mask, a clown mask, a monkey mask and a rat mask. The one wearing the fox mask waves a wallet in the air, taunting him.
Kassius: "No, no, no. Not today. Why does it have to be today!"
He looks at his watch and the time is 9:10 AM.
Kassius (in head): "I can't leave this train. It's the only one for the next 30 minutes. If I leave now..."
The kids start running away, which makes Kassius panic more. As the doors start closing, Kassius rushes through them, and they shut behind him loud. The train leaves the station, and the sound fades into the distance.
Kassius: "Shit! Of course it had to be today!"
Kassius chases the children and they run through an alley. The children push a garbage dumpster, blocking the path. They climb over a fence nearby and continue running. Kassius leaps on the dumpster then jumps over the fence. They reach a main road and the kids split up into two pairs.
Kassius (in head): "Obviously they want me to go for the fox... but what if he really has it and I go for the others? No, this is no time to think this deeply. I have to choose one. Uhhhh... Uhhhhhh... tsch, Fine."
He follows the pair that had the kid with the fox mask. As he chases them, they reach a junction but the kids cross before the lights go red. Kassius runs onto the road carelessly, and a cyclist hits him and he tumbles to the ground.
Cyclist: "Hey, are you stupid?! What are you doing?!"
Kassius (in head): "God, why me?"
The kids run to a nearby playground but are approached by two men.
Man 1: "Look at this... a nice little wallet."
Fox mask: "Ayy! Give it back! That's ours."
Man 2: "Who you getting loud at? Move around."
Kid with clown mask: " Give it back!"
The kid with the clown mask runs towards the man but gets kicked back.
Kid in fox mask: "Demetri! You assholes!"
The kid in the fox mask tries attacking too but he's also kicked to the floor.
Man 1: "Wait, hold on. It's empty."
Kid in fox mask: "Maybe it's karma for stealing from a kid-"
The man with the wallet punches the kid in the fox mask in his face.
Kid in fox mask: "Tha..."
His mask slips off his head as blood rushes out his nose. The man throws the wallet on the ground right in front of the kid.
Man 1: "Wasting my time. Let's le-"
Kassius rushes in and hits the man with a punch to his face. He falls to the floor slumped out.
Kassius: "Found you."
Man 2: "Johnny!"
The other man aggressively tries to attack Kassius but he dodges and blocks quite easily. As he throws a punch, Kassius immediately dodges and swings at his face. He falls to the ground, stunned. The two other kids come around the corner and rush to them.
Kid in fox mask (in head): "Whoa!"
Kassius walks up to the kid with the fox mask. He kneels down in front of him, and picks his wallet up. Kassius starts putting his stuff back in his wallet.
Kassius: "I thought doing good for a month would've been enough for some good luck. Now I have to find another way to get to Furantur because of you guys."
As Kassius begins to walk away,
Kid in fox mask: "Wait! We stole from you. Are you not gonna fight us? I ain't scared of you."
Kassius: "Really, Mikey? I'm not fighting you. I told you what I had to do today."
Kid in fox mask: "..."
Mikey is a kid with a short afro, dark complexion and brown eyes. He is about 4"9.
Kassius: "So why now?"
Mikey: "Because you promised to teach us."
Kassius: "I'm sorry but I just don't have time to."
Mikey: "But you said you got taught in a year."
Kassius: "I was lucky, that's all."
Mikey: "Okay, fine then. Leave! We don't care, right Demetri?"
Kassius walks up to him.
Kassius: "It's okay to be upset you know? But it's not like I'm dying or anything. You'll see me in the future, when you become the richest men in the world like you said, right?"
Mikey looks up at Kassius, trying his best to hold back his tears as he smiles.
Kassius: "Anyways, do you guys know what the time is?"
Mikey: "It's 9:20."
Kassius: "OK. I actually have to go now. Remember the stuff I told you. And don't slack off. Oh, also, take this."
Kassius hands him a card and Mikey takes it.
Kassius: "Tell them Kassius Moore suggested both of you, or they won't let you apply."
Kassius sprints off, while Mikey walks up to Demetri and the other two.
Mikey: "Demetri, you alright?"
Demetri: "Kind of... Whoa! Where did you get that money?"
Mikey: "Looks like he underestimated me."
Demetri: "Hey, Where's the watch? I thought you had it."
Mikey: "Huh? It's gone?!"
Kassius is running on the side of the road.
Kassius (in head): "I'd say that's a fair trade, hehehe. Fits perfectly too."
The time is 9:25 AM as Kassius runs down the road. He stops near a gas station.
Kassius (in head): "Taking the train is a no go. I won't make it in time since I'll have to wait for another train. What should I do?"
A boy on an electric bicycle passes by him and rushes inside the shop.
Kassius (in head): "Maybe I'm not so unlucky."
As the boy comes back out, Kassius walks up to him.
Kassius: "Are you busy by any chance?"
Boy: "Uhm... no. Not currently."
Kassius: "Great! Can I ask for a huge favour?"
Speeding through the streets, the boy rides his bicycle with Kassius on the back. Kassius checks his watch.
Kassius (in head): "Thirty minutes left..."
Cars on the street honk as they zoom by. The boy cuts off the main road and drives through a park.
Boy: "Move!"
After heading back onto the main road, they start to approach the inner city.
Kassius: "Yo... are we slowing down?"
Boy: "Yes. My battery is low!"
Kassius: "What?!"
Boy: "I said my battery is low!"
He stops near the pavement.
Boy: "I didn't charge it fully last night. But you'll still pay me, yeah?"
Kassius digs in his pockets and pulls out a note.
Kassius: "Here."
Boy: "Thank you."
The boy cycles away, and Kassius continues rushing down the road on foot, panting.
Kassius: "Damn, it's already 9:55. Gotta be quick..."
"It's time to connect to the world!"
Kassius: "What's all that noise?"
He turns the street to see it flooded with people. He notices Furantur's entrance up ahead.
Kassius (in head): "It's right there, finally."
Kassius hastily walks through the crowd, with all the cheering and noise around him. He reaches the gate, and pushes through the crowd of people at it.
Kassius: "I have an appointment."
Kassius shows him a card.
Guard: "Open the gate."
He opens it slightly, and Kassius walks by.
"Hey! Why is Furantur not open to the public?!"
"What are you hiding?! Is Furantur even a travelling agency?!"
Guard: "Played with the time too much, especially for a rare opportunity like this. Usually people are early for appointments here."
Kassius: "It couldn't be helped, I was doing things for my community, you know?"
Guard: "Haha, alright. Good luck."
Kassius walks away and heads to the building which dwarfs him.