The rain came down through the cold, black, night in the cold, black city. The swiftness and abundance of the rain made the impact sound like a stampede of horses. The lifeless city stood amidst the storm with many abandoned buildings, the many bodies of beings spread out across the middles of the streets, and the insane amount of glass shards all about.
There he was, flat on his back on top of a building. His nose was extremely large, resembling a very round oval. His eyes were perfect circles but contained dim, sad pupils. His black hair zoomed over his face slightly and an uncontrollable cowlick in the back. His hands were concealed in black gloves mostly. The open gloves only went up a third of his finger. Another third of the finger lay bare while the upper third was concealed in another peace of black fabric that stayed tightly. He wore a long, black cape as well as black and white shoes. The one thing that would be the head turner was the fact he had no visible limbs. He had no neck, no legs, or any arms.
He stood up and coughed, his visible breath in the cold winter came out in separate poofs, he felt the wind blowing his hair upwards. His body seemed to be held up magically and none of him seemed to be in a weird spot. His hands were spread and his cape began to flap and ripple like the waves in the ocean. He walked over to the edge of the building and peered over to observe the depth of this particular fall.
He knew nothing, he didn't know his name, his origin, his appearance, or if he'd ever done anything. He was a mystery to probably everyone including himself. Did his life serve any purpose/ What if he did go through all the trouble of retracing his steps, would it lead to a disappointment, would it lead to something lower than expected/ He decided he wouldn't even try. He took a deep breath, rubbed his hands over, and put half his feet over the edge. He took another breath and began teetering and finally toppled over the edge for a dark descent.
His body was plunging into the depths of the city, his cape moving back and forth in even larger waves. His eyelids closed for what he thought would be the last time. There was finally contact.
A voice had called out, "Geez, it's a pity when they pass out on top of each other. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Well, I'm talking to myself anyways, it doesn't really matter. Hey there, maybe a good smacking will wake you up, laddie"
The limbless man's eyes opened, the expression on his face represented bewilderment. He grabbed the now extended hand of the speaker and rose to the feet. He looked back to the ground and saw a small figure. It was a green little man with the oddest shaped head and black oval eyes. The limbless man noticed he wasn't breathing and cried in despair, "I've killed him, I didn't mean to. Oh please forgive me."
The speaker had the build of a human but his skin was yellow and he had large, thin, pointy ears that lopped over the sides of his head. His nose was long and pointy but the rest of him seemed very human. He had a lone, brown thick moustache, which he was rubbing at the moment. "Don't worry laddie," he said as he patted the limbless man's back, "That Teensie was already passed out last night. Overdose you see."
The limbless man was confused and asked, "How did he get overdosed/ and what in blazes is a Teensie/"
The speaker pointed at a brown building across the street with a sign that said Jack Slarter's Den. The door was slightly open and had a circular piece of glass in the middle. There was a single broken window to the left of the door "That's my den, I serve everybody in these parts. They come in, have a few drinks, but some just have too many." He grabbed the Teensie's hand and revealed a shattered mug handle. There were piece of glass scattered about "But how can you not know about Teensies/ Sure you're a foreigner, but these here Teensies are foreigners too. They came from some distant planet. Something drove them off but they never talk about it. But my business has boosted a bit since their arrival a few years ago."
Jack then rose and walked into his den. The limbless man followed him in there. He began untying his cape to reveal a sky blue shirt with a dark blue section on it and one pocket. He thrust the cape onto the counter and sat on the stool. He snapped and demanded, "Give me something to drink."
Jack replied simply, "No."
The limbless man raised and eyebrow and asked, 'Why not/"
Jack started wiping a mug and said, "I can't do that to you. This place would consume your whole life; I see it in your eyes. They're growing dim, laddie. But every so often there's a slight twinkle in your eye, sir. You have something to live for."
The limbless man spat and exclaimed, "No I don't," and smacked the table, "Now get me a drink."
Jack put down the mug and got right into his face, "You think you have nothing to live for. But you do, sir. You consider your life to be a mystery. You don't recollect anything you've done for this universe."
The limbless man snapped back, "I don't even know my own name."
Jack continued on, "You consider yourself to be of no importance to anyone. That's how many of the guys in here feel," Jack nodded forward and the limbless man turned around. There were people passed out on poll tables, some on the floor, and another snoozing with the bathroom door pushing against his cheek. "They mourn for themselves day and night, creating a hole in their heart that grows every larger. Then they try to fill it with my beverages. But you sir, go out there and live your life that you're meant to have. I already have enough income serving these lost cases, and I don't need anymore."
The limbless man grabbed the mug and a rag on the counter and quickly wiped it clean. He then passed it back to Jack and asked him, "Don't you feel bad making money off these people/"
Jack took a deep breath and said, "On this planet you either have a life or you don't. If you do decide to have a life, you usually build it on the ones that don't."
The limbless man rubbed his chin and began to question him more, "You know, I might as well ask this. So what planet is this/"
Jack laughed, "Well you must have been asleep when you came but this is planet Driniscule."
The limbless man continued, "Where exactly on this planet am I/"
Jack replied, "You're in bad territory, laddie. This here's the old capital. Yeah one of the finest cities in this side of the galaxy but it was burned down about 50 years ago. Now this is pretty much a rum district and one big apartment for low-lifes. There are practically no laws here. I've seen many things in these parts. The new capital is about 20 miles from here. That's where me home is.
Now then, you say you don't know your name. Yet, I see a bit of silver chain hanging out of your pocket. Could you quite possibly have a necklace with your name on it/"
The limbless man pulled out the chain and hanging off it was a little sign-like thing that had the letters K, A, S, H, A, R, D.
The limbless man raised his eyebrow and yelled, "My frickin' name was Kashard/ What in blazes kind of name is that/"
Jack sniggered, "You sure that's how it's pronounced. Maybe if we sort of separate the 'Ka' and the 'Shard'. How would you feel about Ka'Shard. To me, it sounds more dignified."
The limbless man smiled and rubbed his chin, "Ka'Shard eh/ I think I'll go with that."
Jack then changed the subject and asked him, "Do you think you can lend me a hand with these folks and put on the streets with me. I'm closing for today and I plan on going home."
Ka'Shard replied, "Sure, if you take me there with you."
Jack smiled and said, "Get to work, my good man."
Ka'Shard bent over the man snoozing with the door pushed against his check. He looked to be of the same sort as Jack. Ka'Shard raised his eyebrow and then quickly lifted him off the ground and put him on his back. Ka'Shard was bent over uncomfortably due to the fact that this fellow was quite heavy. He walked out the door and tossed him into the street.