"BEEEP! BEE-BEEP! BEEEP! BEE-BEEP!" rang the alarm, for the second time finally waking up Shay, sleeping on his floor mattress.
"Fucking hell! Why's this ringing today?" Shay said in frustration as he looked at his broken screen phone, seeing a reminder for his court date,
"Shit! This is today? I completely forgot!"
Shay looked at the time before he hurriedly put on his pants, and took a cab to the courthouse. He quickly entered the court, fixing up his clothes as saw Evenlyn, his ex-wife waiting with his twin daughters, a shiver of resentment ran down his spine.
"Mom! Shay's here!" said Nora, one of the twins, as they looked towards Shay, walking into the courtroom.
"You really think dad hates us that much?" asked Keira, the other twin.
"Yes dumbo, and don't call him dad. He's not our dad anymore, not after he cheated on mom," Nora replied, as their father looked at them in despair. Evelyn, not saying anything, watched his face with great satisfaction, soothing her soul.
He was at the final day for the custody of his daughters, which would be discarded as they have turned eighteen now. The case had been going on for three years, since the day he divorced his wife, or she divorced him, the exact details were fuzzy now.
All he remembered was a fight regarding him not giving her enough time from work, which even after solving, became worse than before. The fights were constant for a few months, rotating from one issue to another.
Then one day, they decided to quit it, Evelyn getting the house in the divorce settlement, while Shay kept his company. Though his motives were good, wanting to leave the house for their kids, as the custody was in Evelyn's favor at the time.
The situation became worse for him as he got kicked out of the company, slowly losing his shares over the next two years.
As the court trial finished, the case was discarded as there remained no point anymore, the daughters didn't need a parents custody. This was the worst outcome for Shay, since his daughters were already persuaded to his wife's side. Having nothing but hatred filled in their minds against him.
Evelyn met Shay outside the courtroom, as she gloated in her victory and asked him, "How does it feel to lose the last of the Fabyn family name, you were so proud of? The so-called king living in cheap rented apartments, how low you have fallen."
Shay Fabyn, used to be one of richest people in the area, with a history of royalty going back generations, had finally lost all of it. After losing his first wife to miscarriage, he met Evelyn, the girl of his dreams, as he fell in love again, but to what end?
At the age of 43, he stood in front of the woman he so dearly loved, talking down at him for a misunderstanding that spiraled into him losing his two daughters, who now resented him.
"You know damn well, I didn't do anything. I don't know how you got that video, but it must be fake." Shay said to Evelyn, trying a last ditch effort to break through her shield, to reach what little feelings she might have left for her.
"What's the point in digging up old graves? You lost that case years ago, and even though you didn't lose this one, it's still a victory for me."
Shay gritted his teeth, looking at his daughters, standing at a distance behind their mother. They were 15 since he last even held their hands. His little girls, who grew up now, away from him.
Nora was busy chatting away on her phone, with a bubblegum in her mouth. Keira was having glimpses at her father, standing timidly, unsure of the situation.
The twin redhead girls, even though having the same face and body, were quite distinguishable by their behavior, clothes and hair styles. Kiera had her natural amber hair in a curly style, with little to no make up, showing her natural freckled face.
Nora on the other hand, had colored her hair dark purplish-red, in a slight wavy style. Even though she was wearing just a normal make up, with a dark red lipstick and eyeliner, he had seen her outside the courthouse on occasions, going through a proper emo look, with chains, and piercings.
"If I just tell them I didn't do anything. Whatever their mother has told them are lies. But will they even believe me? Will I just look like a bigger fool?"
Shay's thoughts ran wild, thinking about what he could have done to have a different fate.
He remained at the spot, as they eventually left, another chapter in his book closed. He walked aimlessly through the roads, not having any motivation to go home. His eyes, feeling heavy, unable to cry out his pain.
"Dude! It's about to be dark now, you shouldn't walk this trail at this time!" A young man shouted at Shay, as he paid no attention. "DUDE! You looking to get yourself killed or what?" The man shouted again, before going off his way.
It was almost night, as the sun fell, he walked the trail, reaching a steep cliff. He stood at the edge, his heart pounding, as he closed his eyes, building up the courage to step forward.
"Whatchu doing dude?" I asked him, putting my hand on his shoulder.
"What?" Shay opened his eyes, looking at me in dismay, just another dude standing with him. "Just leave me alone kid, I'm only here for the view."
"Sure, I just had this thing I needed to give to you."
"I'm not interested, just go on your way," Shay said, trying to push off my arm, as he felt it being hard as a stone. He looked at his shoulder, at my arm, feeling a bit uneasy by the grip holding him from jumping.
I looked at his face, calmly, smiling as I handed him a paper and said, "Read it!"
"Wh- Who are you?" Shay stammered, terrified by the calm presence of me standing before him.
"I'm Krish, don't be scared, just a friend helping you out. Just read the note, and don't tell anyone anything about me, not even my appearance, the stability of the God Code depends on this."
"The what code?!"
"READ THE NOTE!"
Shay looked at the note in his hands, as he hesitantly read it out loud,
"To honor this life in the next, I reveal myself through thy text.
With my soul shielded in light, I seek thy world in its true sight.
