Rain slammed against the glass wall in such a fury, as if it were going to shatter it down completely.
Elm Street, typically lively even at late night, was unusually calm today. The sudden storm had driven the usual crowd indoors. Puddles rippled under the flickering streetlamps, most of the storefronts were dark, their shutters already pulled down; some still stayed half-open, waiting for the last couple of customers, if any.
Amid the drenched street, there stood a small café tucked between an enormous bookstore and a silent laundromat. The neon signboard above read — The Quiet Cup.
Like the rest, it also stood deserted, living up to its name beneath the weeping sky.
Across the counter, a boy was seen seated, alone. His frail frame looked paler under the golden bulb of the cafe. He sat with his eyes fixed on his textbook as if trying to draw out his own territory beyond the storm-smeared windows.
This was Renn. A sophomore of Pristine High — and the top student in his class.
He was deeply engrossed inside his textbooks, when his phone, resting on the counter, rang out loud. The gentle rustle of the turning pages was instantly replaced by a bright, melodic ringtone.
The sudden disturbance annoyed him, glancing at the screen, he frowned. It was Marc — a flatmate of his shared apartment.
"Hello." He received the call without trying to hide his annoyance even a bit.
"Hey, when are you coming back?" Marc's voice crackled through the speaker.
"I'll be late. Forgot my umbrella." He replied as curtly as he could.
"You even forgot your keys." The reply came, followed by a light, amused laugh.
Renn let out a sharp sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Seriously?"
"Yeah. I'm leaving the door open for you." Marc replied with a half-laugh. "Just don't blame me if the place gets robbed."
"Ah... Thanks." Renn replied.
"Well, I'm off. Don't stay too long outside, take a taxi back today."
After the call disconnected, his gaze flicked to the rain outside. It showed no sign of stopping.
'Take a taxi back!' He laughed as if he'd heard a nice joke. When he had to reconsider even before ordering an extra coffee on weekends, hailing a taxi was undoubtedly a luxury.
'I'll leave after the rain stops.' With that thought, he drowned himself into the textbooks, again.
Thus...
He didn't even notice when almost two hours had passed! When he raised his head from the books, the rain had already stopped.
Renn glanced sideways at the digital clock hanging on one wall; it was already 11:30.
Putting in his books and stationaries, he slung the backpack over his shoulder. Glancing around once, his eyes fell on the lone burger on the tray.
"Hello mate, you're gonna be my dinner today." With a light smile, he picked that, packing it in a brown paper bag.
Burgers weren't healthy for dinners; but — who cares! Especially, when you're short of money to afford three full meals a day!
After placing the cash on the counter, he switched off the lights swiftly, stepping down into the rain-drenched street. With a final glance, he pulled down the shutter, sealing The Quiet Cup into the darkness.
"Done for the day." Exhaling sharply, he strolled through the quiet way back home.
The footpaths were empty, and hardly two to three people were seen within sight. Renn walked in lazy steps. After the continuous downpour and a fierce storm, the atmosphere was calm now. A gentle breeze blew past him — soothing his senses.
But his idle walking was disrupted. Suddenly, a hoarse, thick voice cut through the silence, calling him. "Hey, boy."
Renn turned around. Behind him, there was a man who stood about ten meters away from him. His face couldn't be seen in the dimmed streetlight, but he was tall — enough to stand out in the crowd.
He had on a worn-out coat, torn in many places. His wild beard and unnaturally thin frame made him look out of this place — like someone from the slums who'd wandered too far.
Renn pointed a finger towards himself. "Are you calling me?"
The man took steps forward. "Yeah. Do you have anything to eat? I haven't eaten for three days." He asked.
Renn stared at the man for some time. For some reason, he felt sympathetic for him. Maybe, just because he was well familiar with the struggle to afford everyday meals.
He held out the brown bag to the man. "You can have this."
The man snatched the bag like it was a treasure! In the blink of an eye, the bag was torn open, and the burger was gone — it disappeared in between his teeth in a second.
Devouring it, the man let out a small burp. "Hey, do you have anything else to eat?"
Renn shook his head. "No..."
"Oh..." The man sighed in disappointment. Renn thought for a second, then slipped his right hand inside his trouser's pocket, where a lonely note rested, waiting to be transferred to its new owner.
He took out that note and extended it toward him. "Here, take this. Go downtown; some eateries still might be open. Grab something."
The man didn't seem to expect anything like this. He stared at Renn for a moment — straight to his eyes, then took the note from his hand.
He couldn't see clearly in the half-darkness, but a smile seemed to appear on his lips — mysterious, otherworldly.
"Boy, you're too kind." He said in a lower tone. "But that's not a good thing."
Suddenly, he leaned over, whispering in his ears. "Kindness will get you killed, watch your back. Don't trust anyone. The path ahead won't be easy."
His foul breath caught Renn off guard; he took two steps back. "What are you saying?"
But the man didn't hear him or pretended not to. As he walked past Renn, whistling into the night, Renn caught his final words. "The night knows everything."
He stood bewildered on the rain-soaked street; a single word slipped from his lips.
"Madman."