Writing - Stranger with a lantern | Chapter 1

Luka Barrett - Younger boy

Craig Matlock - Older boy

Mr. Early - Baker

Chapter One:

Stranger with a lantern

It was an average Christmas evening, all the joyful families were tucked in tight in their cosy homes or enjoying delicious dinners, where their smells swimmed and swirls around the empty isolated streets where the lonely ones roam.

I wandered the cold slippery streets, surrounded by frozen walls with roofs blanketed with soft white snow, I honestly felt I could’ve froze to death.

The old lantern posts flames flickered and danced, every night, making the streets seem almost alive but it wasn’t.

The smell of the swimming sweet smells, made me grew tired and weaker, I was like a sheep, left behind and abandoned by the flock.

My well-stitched clothes covered me with warm hugs, but could never relate to a real warm hug.

My only company were stray cats, dogs and small mice.The  Curious cat’s captured clueless mice, quite a gruesome sight as well. I also saw a scruffy dog bark after a scruffy cat down a dark alleyway, never to be heard again. I slept in a isolated alleyway, where no one could ever find me or hear me. I always took a deep breath before entering, also closing my eyes, hoping that when I open, I’d be in a better place. It never worked though.

Whenever I slept, I always had a flashback dream: never something like a fantasy.

Tonight I dreamt of school when I was seven years old, I am now only ten so I’ve only lived on the streets for about three years. School for me was quite difficult, not physically, more socially.

I woke up early this morning and the streets were unbreathable, I barely managed to weave through one side of the street to the other. I crossed the street to this building, the bakery where I was always welcomed by the Baker: The only person I saw as a Father, he didn’t see me as a son.

“Good morning, Mr. Early, Is there anything you could please kindly spare?”

I looked up at him, he was a tall man who made the finest bread.

His bakery always gave great delights to those who caught the fine scent of his freshly made bread, I believed he was the God of Bread, I always did believe.

“Good morning Luka, and yes, I do have some freshly made bread to kindly spare. Would you like to help me today?”

He tossed me a warm whole-piece of bread, it smelt like heaven, if it was made out of flour and was edible. I broke the bread in half, the swirling hot air of the bread made me immediately take a bite. Pure heaven made out of flour. I stood there, before being pushed and shoved as people by the wild animals which bustled their way through, what animals...

Later that day, I visited Mr. Early again, he closes the bakery by then, so I offer to help each day:

“Good evening Mr. Early, I’m here to serve you!”

I was never complained or was too tired to help Mr Early, I didn’t have anything better to do anyways.

“Alright Luka, my boy. You can move these loaves into storage while I clean in here, there’s a good lad.”

I picked up a heavy basket of bread, it strong smell of yeast made me hungry again, but Mr. Early always offered me bread. I entered the storage, where I could hear Mr. Early whistling a song which I still didn’t know of.

That evening, I wandered the streets again, it seemed like another gloomy dead-silent evening but it was different. I was stroking a black and white old cat, its fur was almost like silk, most likely to have an owner to be a creature of such pure beauty. I knelt down in the middle of the road, with this beautiful creature, cars didn’t pass by night time so I was quite safe. A slim shadow appeared behind me through the weak light of beautiful lantern posts. I turned around, to see an older boy, not too old but older. I stumbled to stand up then move back a few paces, quite sheepishly.

I tilted my head and stared at the boy’s facial features:

• He had a pale face, almost as pale as the snow.
• He wore similar clothes to mind, almost like twins to me.
• He had dark night hair, with dark brown eyes.

The older stared at me and smiled, I didn’t know how to react so I just stared up at him.

“Hello. Mah’ name be Craig, Craig Matlock.”

He put out his left hand for a handshake, I accepted to handshake and didn’t respond, Craig seemed really confident and had no trouble with anything. Strong accent too.

“Cat got ya tongue?”

He moved closer, to which I stumbled backwards. What a true moron I am.

I looked down, I was betting he was gonna laugh at me if I were a clown but he didn’t.

I saw his hand, he was offering me up which I accepted:

“Are ya okay? Et’s okay little fella.”

I stood up, finally saying:

“I am L-luka, Luka Barrett.”

I stuttered as I spoke, I felt like an idiot.

Craig smiled at me again, he seemed like such a kind spirit. I questioned to what it’d looked like if someone was watching:

“Two different heighted silhouettes, the taller one holding a lantern while the other staring with curiosity. Both spirits stood still and bright, they stood in front a gloomy background of buildings like maze-walls with snow blanketed above them.

The sky was sad and cried snowflakes, giving the place a sad feeling.”

Craig and I sat near the sidewalk, Craig seemed to be always happy, even in this sad street. It made me question why the streets are so lonely, maybe it’s because all the happiness is inside the buildings and once you leave the source, you become depressed and isolated.

Craig spoke:

“Barrett eh? Barrett is a german last name, it means ‘Bear power’.”

He sat the latern between us while I stared at the rooftops, we both went quiet. It got awkward.

Finally I got the courage to finally say something:

“H-hey..where do you live?”

I still stuttered  which made me sound not like what my last name means.

Craig looked at me and sighed:

“Em’ an Orphan…”

I looked at him, confused, I didn’t think he was an Orphan.

“I’m an Orphan as well, I live down an alleyway, real dark but nobody goes down there so I guess it’s safe as well.”

Craig looked at me and smiled, and somehow I automatically smiled back.

After a few minutes it was around midnight and we both headed to our handcrafted homes, as I was walking, I thought about Craig and how nice and positive he was even though he has so little like me. I laid down, quickly falling asleep.

The next morning I woke up quite late, around 12am before the afternoon, Mr. Early was already open. I attempted to weave cross the wave of busy spirits to the other side, always difficult every morning including with the cars. Mr. Early was busy assisting some customers here and there, and I walked in to help him.

“Good morning Mr. Early!”

I said but he seemed occupied with all the wild animals attempting to get at least a crumb of Mr. Early’s delicious bread. So I decided to just get to work, I made and knead bread for him, I could almost make bread just as good as him but it wasn’t exactly perfect. When Mr. Early was able to take a break, he finally spoke to me:

“Oh hello Luka, nice to see you. Didn’t know you came in, have some bread, it’s still fresh.”

Mr. Early handed me a warm piece of bread, steam was still steaming through it, I ate it while talking to Mr. Early:

“You seem occupied so I just went into to help-- MmmmmmMMM..”

My mouth was full while I continued talking which made Mr. Early laugh a bit:

“Heh heh, Luka your mouth is full, now tell me what happened?”

I smiled and finally cleared my mouth:

“I met this boy last night, his name is Craig, Craig Matlock. He’s really nice and I think we’re friends now.”

Mr. Early was assisting the customers again and was barely listening:

“Oh that’s nice Luka.”

I just continued working till the shop was finally closed, Mr. Early allowed me to take a basketful of delicious bread, he advised me to finish it before night or the bread will get really cold.

At evening again, I saw Craig again but he was staring a letter that I couldn’t see from the distance. Craig was under a lamp post so I decided to approach him:

“Hey Craig, what are you reading?”

Craig looked up at me with concern and handed me the letter:

“Luka, I have eh’ little problem with readin’ could you red’ it for me, would you please?”

I could the letter nervously and began to read:

“Dear Captain,

This is an urgent message and action should be taken as soon as possible.

The enemy line as teared through our front lines and are still coming strong and hard.

The enemy brings tanks and heavy duty weapons that could cause mass destruction to the town.

We advise that you evacuate the town immediately, Captain, I roughly believe that the enemy will be still charging and would have broken our lines and reach the town within three days.

Captain, after read this, this message must be strictly given to the rest of the team.

You’re a true leader Captain, thanks for everything.

PS. Tell my family, I love them.”

I folded the letter and placed it back into its well-sealed envelope, and stared over at me with a similar emotion: Fear. Craig stood up, with the light behind him, making him look like an all-time hero:

“We’d betta’ to deliver tis’ message to deh’ Major General, Luka..”

I just stared at him with disbelief, as the lamp post just flickered above him, making his face turn black with shadows. Finally, I nodded.

I didn’t think through my years on these gloomy streets, my entire life routine will change to risk my life with a…

Stranger with a Lantern.

To be Continued..

Next time:

Chapter Two:

Growing Up