#sidestory

Chapter 1: A Start

“And…we got an ultra rare! Wow! I think that’s the chaser. Chat isn’t that amazing?” Syo waved the prismatic card in front of the laptop’s camera. Staramon, a hit new trading card trend, is flooding the market by storm. Some of these cards can sell for quite a bit, and people love to see pack openings. It’s like watching someone gamble.

Syo tapped through his cracked phone screen and forced a gasp. “Oh! Wow! At PSA10, this card is worth 200 dollars. Isn’t that cool chat?” His five viewers drop to four.

The viewer who left typed this.

UberN00b27: lol now I know you’re faking the cards. Nice acting, NOT! LMAOOO!!!

The comment stung Syo’s heart. He was used to all the negative trials the omni verse has given him. Heckled by crowds. Rebuked by kings and naysayers. Belittled by gods. Even smacked by the most beautiful women in the world. But on this sunset. At this particular moment. This random Internet comment hurt him more than all of that.

He crumpled some of the torn packaging of the card set. “Well, chat, I think that’s all I have for today.” He forced a grin. “Make sure you like and follow for more awesome content like this.” He gave a thumbs-up to the screen and finally closed the stream.

His four viewers were still there. Empty chat besides that one hater. That must mean they’re either lurkers or just bots. He scanned his dense living. Giant waste piles on top of his trash can. Dusty tabletops and stained windows. Stacks of cups and plates fill the sink of his kitchen. He fanned himself. It’s hot.

Syo scratched his scruffy chin. Eh. He’ll worry about that later. A growl from his stomach interrupted his responsible thoughts. Let’s see what’s in the fridge. He checked. Nothing. Nothing at all. Wait! A burrito, just all the way at the back. Syo was sure this was from the last tenant and not his. But hey! Food is food.

He scrolled through his phone as his burrito cooked in the dingy microwave. “Let’s see. Spam. Spam. Bills. More bills. Debt collector.” All the old stuff.

Beep! Beep!

Syo opened the door to his dinner—and he nearly gagged at the pungent smell of his ‘burrito’. If he could call it a burrito still. A better way to describe the scent was a mixture of 10-day-old wet trash and a public restroom all in one. He slid the burrito into the sink. Another problem for him to deal with later.

His stomach growled again. Hunger waits for nobody. Syo sighed to himself. It looks like he’s going to have to go out and eat. Syo entered his tiny bedroom.

A giant pile of laundry on his bed greeted him. It sort of turns into a weight for his blanket when he sleeps under it. Or if it’s too hot, he just shoves it away.

He sifted through the laundry. He grabbed whatever looked acceptable outside. A t-shirt with a cat on it and a pair of jeans. That should be good enough! Syo stared at his bare body with only a pair of checkered boxers. Was he always this lanky? He brushed his fingers along his chest and the outlines of his rib cage. What would the others say if they saw him like this? Actually, he always wondered what their lives were like when they entered a modern world like this.

Syo continued to observe himself. His green eyes stared hopelessly back at him. Greasy and messy brown hair. And of course, his on-purpose patchy stubble. How people found him attractive was beyond him.

He snapped and pointed both fingers at his reflection. “Looking good, handsome.” He recalled the countless times strangers looked at him. He felt the emotions in their eyes. One touched him. Another undressed him. One even imagined an eternal matrimony with him.

How strange humans can be.

Syo slipped on his sandals and left his apartment. A notice from his front door flapped at him. More eviction threats. Seventh eviction threat this month. Not surprised.

“Hey! Young whippersnapper!” Young. That’s comical. Ow! The sudden smack to Syo’s back knees almost made him fall over. “Thought you could escape from me?” The old lady spanked him with her old cane.

“Ack!” Syo massaged his bottom. “Oh, Olcra. And may I ask why you graced me with your brilliant presence?” Great. The landlady showed up.

“Don’t play dumb. You’re late for rent, and you’ve been ignoring my phone calls and letters.”

“Well, my phone broke and a bird keeps snatching my mail…?” Okay, that last one is a stretch. It did happen once, so he isn’t lying necessarily.

Smack! Ow! “I don’t care if you got robbed! You’ve been overdue for months, and I’ve had it with you.”

Persistent windbag…Syo scratched his head. “Fine. Fine. I can pay you by the end of the week—”

“End of the day.”

“End of the day?!” First, he had to worry about dinner, and now rent became a new objective?

Olcra turned around and started to walk away. “I’ll change your locks if you don’t pay tonight. Don’t expect any more second chances from me.” She walked off, leaving Syo alone with his internal lamentations. He slipped out a cigarette and started to smoke. Looks like he’ll have to go to that one convenience store. It’s across town and he can’t afford the bus fare. Looks like it’s a long journey on foot.

Syo continued to walk with the cigarette tucked in his mouth. The acrid scent of the smoke brought him a sense of nostalgia. A time when he was freer. The autumn breeze blasts that scent away. Now, the scent of damp asphalt and we leaves took his senses. He stares at the orange sunset. A damn fine sight for the town of Drew.

A medium-sized town. Filled with parks, and a convenience store was always a couple of blocks away. It was a walkable city with adequate support for public transportation…if one could afford it.

Syo’s sandals crunched over the dead leaves. A squirrel hopped from one dead branch to another dead branch. It stared at him with its large beady eyes before hopping away. Syo started to sniffle. Great, now people are going to think he’s crying or has allergies…or that he’s an idiot who didn’t check the weather.

A group of older women in athletic wear walked toward him. Must be the walking club. He always hears the hoots and hollers from these women as they pass by his apartment. Loud gossip fills the air. When they passed Syo, one of them ogled, another made a less-than-appropriate comment about his butt, and another made a comment that he was a player. All their questionable chatter turned into immediate disgust when the smell his cigarette.

Suddenly, those ticks of excitement and curiosity turned into vehement glares. A lady coughed loudly and dramatically waved her arms. Alright. Alright. He slipped out a portable ashtray and snuffed it out. It was too late. They weren’t there to witness his observance and good merit. They’re already off into the sunset.

As Syo continued to walk, thoughts and images filled his head. Maybe he could be a model. He’s done it before in other lifetimes. Why not this one? Then again, he’d be forced around the most vapid and shallow people in the world. Maybe if he removed the anonymous filter on his webcam, he could get more views on his stream.

No…Then it would attract disingenuous audience members. More to look at his face than to enjoy the hobby of card collecting.