Friends in fantasy, friends in life?
Fist story so please be gentle with me!
Constructive criticism appreciated!
He slowly opened his eyes and found himself staring down at the asphalt.
-Urgh i...i... i am back?...
-Hay kid are you okey?
He looked up to see a middle aged man reaching out a hand to him. Neku waited a few seconds before he reluctantly took the man's hand. He was quickly pulled up to standing position.
Middle aged man: What happened to you? Why were you laying on the ground? Are you hurt, should i call an ambulance?
Neku: No I'm fine i just need to rest a little.
Neku: You see i was running because I ... and then I tripped over myself, and then I must have fainted... BUT I DON'T NEED AN AMBULANCE
Middle aged man: Calm down you don't have to scream, you are clearly in shock. I should take you to a hospita...
Neku: NO!, I mean no I'll be fine I just need some rest.
Middle aged man: The least I can do is to drive you home so you could get some rest after this, I think it would be a unwise not to take it easy for the rest of the day.
Neku: you don't need to worry I just live a couple of blocks down the road, I promise that I take it easy for the rest of the day... I just need some rest, then I`ll be fine.
The man looked at Neku whit doubt in his eyes, he was quiet for a moment but he finally said: All right I trust your judgement, but you really need to rest, promise me that you take it easy for the rest of the day, OK.
Neku:Yes I will
Ok then... Oh look at the time! is it really that much? Well nice meeting you lad but i am late...
The man gave Neku a smile and said: I cant stand here the whole day I need too get to work before my boss fires me, take care sonny.
The man swiftly walked away from Neku. When Neku was confident that the man could not hear him he let out a loud sigh, the man had startled him but at least he was certain he was back in the town that he was familiar in. He slowly started to walk his way towards his home.
As he walked he started to think about the events that had lead up to this moment, about all things that happened during the 3 weeks of his life.
He knew that he should be thankful for that he was back, and he was still he could not help to feel nervous. Was all the the things that happened in the U.G. valid in the R.G. or was al his progress and experience products of the special conditions of the UG? Had he really changed or was he going to fall back in his old ways when he was faced with the state of the "real" world?
As he walked home he found himself missing the the UG state of things. The constant treat of erasure had got him to cling on the few persons that was on his side when the finally understood that they were not out to get him. He had lost a little bit of his cynicism but he felt so exposed now when his defensive shell that the cynicism was a part of had begun to crack open and his fragile real persona begun to see the daylight. He understood that he still had a long why to go if he wanted to become a normal teenager, whatever that is.
After 20 minutes of walking he arrived at his family's apartment. It was a small and rather worn out place. Nekus parents were both working long hours to make ends meet. Nor his mother nor his father had a so called "god job" and the rent you have to pay in central Tokyo is ridiculous. Neku nervously approached the door, wondering what his parents would say to him when they saw him again. They must have thought that he was dead by now.
Neku gently opened the door
Hallo is anybody home?
... no answer
He called out again but there were still no response. Just to be safe Neku walked around the whole apartment and looked in every room but he found nether his mother nor his father. But he was not surprised, after all it was in the middle of the day so he really did not expect anyone too be home.
Neku then walked out to the kitchen were the phone was located to call his parents, he thought that he had been away for several weeks, his parents must have thought that he was dead!
He was dealing in the numbers when his eyes darted over to the almanac that was hanging on the wall. The almanac read December 7th the same day that Neku "died"...
WHAT? this almanac must be wrong! I was in the U.G. for several weeks there is no way... unless the time in the RG is put on hold when a person enters the UG... yeah it makes sense, well at least now i have one less thing to worry about.
Neku went in to the living room and sat down in the sofa and turned on the television. He was relived that he was coming home and that his parents weren't worried about him but he could not still suppress his feelings of anxiety .
At fist he did not understand why, after all he had come home unharmed somehow and he had come home at the same time that he was "leaving" so what should he worry about? And he had meet some awesome new friends ... friends how should he handle that? He had never really had any friends. And now he should just hang out with them as if it was something he used to do, how could he do something that?
Neku sighed and lowered his head, why could he not change.