Title: In the Verge of Darkness

Characters: Alfred, Arthur, Gilbert, Ivan

Rating: T

Summary: Alfred a former Fine Arts student and an out-of-school youth goes to hang out with himself every weekend at the park before going to church. There, he met Arthur, a writer. A guy who seems to know a lot about Alfred (which Alfred doesn't noticed to know in their first meeting)

The sounds of birds chirping in the morning kind of calm my nerves because of being not used for a while and all I could feel for now is numbness. Numbness with a glaze of boredom. I've been idle for what, a month or two? I feel useless. All I did these past days is to sleep, eat and draw when an idea struck me.

And because I've lazying around, my health becomes a bit serious than the last time my mom checked on me. I was traumatized after the last job I took. I took the job so I could help my mom for the budget at home while my father doesn't have a job. I had to stop studying in college for a while so I feel depressed, the job made me distracted for a while, but it gave me so many problems in my health.

I overstressed myself, so my mom and Ludwig asked me to resign before all of my hair strands on my head falls, will leave me bald just because of my stress.

So that's why I'm here at the park strolling to past time and to get some inspiration. I can't draw when I only lock myself in a room without inspiration! I need nature in my life!

Dressed in a casual attire of sleeveless jacket, stripped shirt as an inner garment, baggy pants as lower garment and brown boots. I walked through the line of acacia trees, its leaves slowly falling from its branches to the ground. The scent of dried leaves is like a tea. Funny, I haven't even tried to drink any tea yet. I could hear my every step I take on the dried leaves.

Walking around, I noticed that time part of the park is kind of isolated since I couldn't see other people around. Bah! Whatever! More silence for me and I could take over this part of the park by myself for a while.

A groan passed my ear.

So I guess I'm not the alone here.

To my left side, I could see crumpled papers thrown everywhere near the bench made of metal. And there's a guy and it seems he is frustrated on what he is doing. I went near the guy and slowly sat myself beside him. He didn't even flinch in my awesome presence, it appears like he doesn't even noticed my existence behind him.

Realizing what he is up to, I reached for the crumpled papers around him. "Are you a writer?" I mumbled out of curiosity, the crumpled paper is full of words in it that looks like a draft of a story. The guy, who have a blond hair, an inch smaller than me, and a bit scrawny to my liking, slowly looked up to me now that he noticed my existence beside him. Emerald eyes staring at me. He nodded as an answer. I looked back at him with my sapphire eyes.

"Whoa, nice! That's awesome, dude! I really wanted to meet a writer when I was young! An awesome writer!" I beamed at him excitedly.

"I see." He mumbled. "But you see, I am getting a bit frustrated with the words that come out of my mind."

"Having a writer's block?" I asked.

He nodded, looking back to his papers.

"Same here. Artist's block though. So that's why I'm here! Nature gives me inspiration!" I grinned.

"I see." He mumbled.

"You look older than me, are you in college or already working?" I asked.

"Both." He said.

"Really? What course are you taking up? And what kind of work?" I paused."Ah, just asking." I said grinning at him. He just stared at me with an eyebrow raised.

"I don't even know you, why should I tell you?" Still staring at me, but now with an amused look in his eyes.

"Ah, sorry, like I said, I'm just curious. I'm Alfred Jones. 19 years old. Former Fine Arts student at Far Eastern University. I stopped going to college for a while since tuition fee is getting higher every year. Is that enough information for you?" I asked.

Looking more amused, he smirked. "I did not even ask you to tell me those stuffs about you."

"I'm just being friendly here, ya'know!" I huffed.

"I am taking Bachelor in Secondary Education major in English at Adamson University and I work at the café near the university as my part time job."

"That's nice. When I was still at FEU, I also want to take a part time job, but my schedule doesn't allowed me to since my plates is eating up all my time."

"Wow. I do not have the slightest idea that plates could eat time. I thought it was the other way around." He said sarcastically.

"Very funny, haha!" I laughed, not getting the sarcasm.

"So what are you up to, now that you don't study for a while, seeing like you don't even have a job for now." He asked.

"Locked up in my room. Once a week, before I go to church, I strolled around the park." I answered.

"You go to church? That is new to hear. Kids this days doesn't go to church that much, not even taking a glance inside it."

"I don't go to those kind of churches. Well, I used to, when I was young. If I may say so, I don't even learn a thing about Words of God from them coz they don't teach it in their sermon! Or maybe I'm not paying attention? Ugh, they are boring…they do stuffs again and again…like every mass is just the same." I pout.

He frowned."I don't think so…"

I huffed, annoyed at the remembrance of the last time I went to that kind of church. Mind you, in an hour of sitting, standing and kneeling, the verses they read, they didn't even elaborate it!

"Funny, you even bother to want to understand what is in the Bible? Wow, I think kids this days are not all the same."

"Of course!" I scoffed.

"Don't bash the other churches, okey? Don't get angry on them just because you don't understand what they are teaching to you when you were young." he said frowning.

"Did I? Oh, sorry I didn't mean to. I'm just saying my opinion." I pouted at him. "But thanks for reminding me, hehe." I grinned. "I still have many things to know."

"Are you that afraid of the end of the world? Most of the people became like that because they are afraid of hell."

"No, I'm not. That's what I've been waiting for. Be with Him in His Kingdom." I winked at him.

"I am amused. You are not like the other kids around. They already chose to go to hell."

"Haha, funny, dude! Very funny!" I laughed while nudging him. He just smiled at me with those sad emerald eyes. How come people can smile while their eyes show sadness?

"Oh! The service! Hey dude, I have to go now. Uhm, I'll see you around next time?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Ok! Then see ya next time, ah…"

"Arthur." He mumbled.

"Ah, Arthur." I trailed off. "See ya around next time, Arthur. Don't forget to give praise to God, confess your sins, ask forgiveness and ask for something! Bye!"

Turning my back at him, I run off to the nearest terminal of bus. The last thing I heard from him was a whisper of, "Will God forgive me?"

At the park, through the line of acacia trees, sitting in the bench made of metal underneath the shade of trees, a man in an age of 23 mumbled something.

"Will you ever forgive me?"

A/N:

I know right XD Arthur is not acting as his self as of right know. And sorry for Alfred's point of view in religion. He is not into religion but more to his relationship with God (ugh…do you guys get what I am talking about? y; o ;y )

Please excuse my grammar…I know that making this as comics is much easier for me…but I have to wait for my graphic tablet before that XO I can't wait anymore (ugh….patience…yeah right….)