I pushed myself up onto the cobblestone railing. My legs trembled in the wind—but I steeled myself.
My hollow eyes peered down onto the raging river below. The feeling was… hypnotic—the more I stared, the more it seemed to entice me to enter its cold embrace— and never leave.
My legs tightened, my foot shuffling forward, my intent obvious.
All of a sudden, a boisterous sob echoed behind me, startling me. My talent amplified the cry, leaving the sobs louder than they should be.
My foot slipped in surprise. tumbling back, I slammed into the cobblestone before my body slid towards the river's clutch.
I quickly pivoted, grabbing onto the edge.
I grunted in pain—my back, already battered, had been thrashed again.
The pain was excruciating, but for some reason, my hand did not let go of the edge—no matter how much I wanted it to.
Slowly, I heaved myself upwards, back onto the bridge, my arms burning with pain.
I hit the ground, breathless.
All of a sudden, remembering the sob I had heard before, I whipped my head left and right, searching for the source of the wail.
The horrid bawling came from a man dressed in tattered clothes—his hair white, long, and matted, hanging like a veil over his face.
His sobs quieted after he noticed me staring.
I slowly pushed myself off the ground, keeping my eyes trained on him whilst doing so.
Sniffling, he spoke. "That was a touching story, young man." Wiping tears from his face, he looked at me. "The world is cruel, but do you really think jumping in a river—" a belch escaped his mouth "—will solve anything?" His words slurred.
The first word that came to mind was drunk.
The man staggered, seemingly trying to speak, but instead puked his guts out on the floor.
Coughing, he barely managed to force out his next words.
" Why do you want to die," he said Wiping off the leftover bile surrounding his mouth.
My eyes trembled, and I looked down, seemingly ashamed of my actions.
" I-I " my voice seemed to tremble as if I couldn't come to terms with what I nearly did.
" My life is horrible " I blurted out.
" Why," he said in a calm voice
"You heard everything I said before " I quickly pushed out.
" Yes I did " he slightly nodded his head " but that was just what you said "
" I'd think I know how my life is." I rebutted.
" Yes, but that was just the surface"
" Dig deeper " His voice lowered.
"What do you mean, I-I don't know "
In almost an Instant he fired back.
" You do "
" I don't "
" You do "
" I don't! "
" Why do you want to die " his voice came out ice cold.
" Because."
"Because what " firing his words like bullets.
I paused. my body trembling.
" Because I hoped that if I jumped into the river that maybe someone would care—that someone would think about me and see me as human!"
We both paused, leaving an uncomfortable tension flowing in the air.
He exhaled "That was difficult," he said, irritated tapping his foot " Why can't everyone be as honest and amazing as me "He kissed his teeth.
W-what a narcissist, I thought.
He put his fingers to his chin, giving me a pondering gaze.
" If attention, revenge and being affirmed are what you want." He paused "There is a solution you haven't considered as much as you should have"
My face slightly twisted into an expression of
Interest though I tried to cover it.
" Become powerful," he said.
" Powerful enough for people to have no choice but to recognise you, no choice to affirm you, no choice but to respect you.
" Power, is the only true universal thing that will grant you what you want "
I looked at him, and any sense of interest washed away my eyes gained back their previous hollowness.
" Power, is for the lucky— the genetically gifted the people born into status, good looks and powerful talents. "
" The...geniuses. " I hissed barely able to say the word out of envy.
" It's not meant for the likes of someone like me. "
He looked at me the wind blowing his matted hair to the side revealing his dark brown eyes.
Before he suddenly burst out in a fit of laughter.
"What?" I said evidently confused as to why he started laughing.
He looked at me with an amused stare.
"Geniuses aren't people who are born into status, good looks nor do they have powerful talents.
I looked at him with bafflement.
A smile appeared on his face " To you that might be what the word is, but to me, a genius is a myriad of things, but nothing you said."
" A genius, is someone willing to do anything it takes to reach their goal—they're willing to throw away their moral compass, kill, steal, scheme, they aren't restrained by societal standards or what others think of them.
"So in essence a genius is a true person. " he continued " They follow their heart to the extreme, and if they fail, they won't leave room for regrets. "
" To you, a genius is someone who was just born lucky, but to me, luck can be obtained by anybody."
" Luck can be stolen, ripped off the hands of those more fortunate than you.
He chuckled again this time lightly.
" This world doesn't lack lucky individuals what it truly lacks is truthful individuals, people willing to do anything for their goals."
" And if you don't even have the resolve to do that," utter disdain clawed at his face "then you're nothing more than a bottom-of-the-barrel worthless bastard. "