The Void World

CHAPTER 1 - CALEB The Vagrant

So I, when vanished from man's memory

Deep in some dark and sombre chest I lie,

An empty flagon they have cast aside,

Broken and soiled, the dust upon my pride,

Will be your shroud, beloved pestilence!

The witness of your might and virulence,

Sweet poison mixed by angels; bitter cup

Of life and death my heart has drunken up!

I woke up with a mean kick right on my groins. A paralyzing pain unmercifully traveled down my legs. I was found out. The burly man erected beside me was grinning like a wild hog.

"Get up scum!" he sneered and threw his left leg up in the air in an attempt to kick me again.

I'm not sure how I found the energy to roll aside, but I managed to get up from the corner I had taken shelter the previous night. Obviously, I had slept undisturbed despite the rain and the dirt which seemed to fill the city in every nook and cranny. Having lived on the streets for some time, I knew that sometimes it would be impossible to find a decent place where one could rest for a few hours without getting attacked, molested or sick. When I saw the white stone building further off the downtown area of the city the previous day, I felt an incredible urge to check out the back of the building to see whether there was a backdoor or a coal bin. Luckily, there was a metallic door with double wings below the street level with loose hinges and a huge rusty lock. I went down the few steps which led to the door. The wings of the door were slightly open, almost welcoming me to have a peek inside. I placed my face at the opening and took a look. The room behind the spoiled door seemed deserted and unkempt; nevertheless, it was as close to a palace for me as I could get. The thought of having some sleep and finding the opportunity to dry my clothes was like a ticket to heaven at that moment. It was disconcerting to find that the rusty lock broke after a few attempts, but I was still relieved to find that I would at least be safe for a few hours... or until somebody discovered me. And that kick on the groins definitely told me my time was due.

"I said, get up!"

Until the man repeated what he said earlier, I hadn't realized that I was crouching. As I felt a warm feeling leave my body, a thin streak of yellowish fluid left a tiny pool on the soot covered floor. Then, I began to shake uncontrollably. It was as if every nerve I had had taken a wild dance beyond my will. My hands as always were shaking uncontrollably, as if they had a mind of their own. With a look of disgust, he picked the collar of my battered coat and flung me on the steps. As I hit my chin and mouth on the second stone step, I felt a sickening pain as blood immediately trickled down, finding its way around the cracked surface of the steps and forming a scarlet map with multiple, vein like branches. The man bellowed an obscene curse and turned to replace the broken lock with a new one. I hadn't realized that he had a lock in his hand. As he fumbled with the lock, he didn't seem to care about the fact that he had hurt me pretty badly. He didn't for once turn to me again and seemed totally oblivious to my moaning. Strangely enough, as I tried to pick myself up, he seemed to look at the blood map on the steps from the corner of his eye. But, he made no attempt to either talk to me or drag me to the street level. It was as if he was waiting for me to get a hold of myself and simply leave. That's how people treat vagrants. First they attack or scold, and then don't bother to do anything else.

The trembling having returned to my body, especially my hands, I grabbed the railing and tried to push myself up. Dragging my feet, I half crawled, half walked to the street. The trembling stopped as abruptly as it came. But my hands shook as always. There was an incredible throbbing pain on my whole face. My mind wandered far away. I raised my wobbly hand to touch my lips and...