The newspaper man
Once upon a time, there was a newspaper man with beard, mustache, and his pale skin. He looked Asian, or maybe European. He spoke loudly, to sell his papers to everyone down the road, and those neighbours living upstairs in that flat. He was plump, with grey hairs and dark brogue shoes. What irritates him is that you have to shout to tell people or beg them to buy the papers.
"Only 1 dollar. Sister! Brother! Come and read today's paper! Updated! The Star!"
Everytime I went back frm my bookstore, working 10-10pm, he was still there. Today, I bought croissant for him.
He talked gibberish but I just played along.
" No one talked to me. No one buys the paper anymore. It's the latest news. "
"What happened today? Can you tell me? Maybe I want that newspaper too," I said.
"Today, an enormous tree fell on them. They were Mr Rowdy, Miss Raven and a fat cat. The lady was dead, her lung got stucked in between the branches. You see, the fat cat was a bad omen. Black one, you know?"
I think that's why people didnt buy his stories and, his papers too. "How could a tree branch get stucked into a lady's lung? How miserable!"
"The fat cat, a black one. I told you!"
So I just bought his paper just to make him feel happy. But I would never ever read the paper. I have boxes of his papers in my store. I had these to recycle in case I needed them one day.
Tonight, something distracted me a lot after that conversation with the man.
It was only two blocks away from my house and where we were standing. I heard cats meowing, and the trees in that area looked ....
as if they grow bigger than before. I didn't believe in anything he said as I ignored everything.
I accidentally read the headline on the paper. 21st March 2030. Karma : Lady Committed Suicide.
It shocked me that, a lady with the name Natalie Nevar committed suicide after her neighbour saw her hurting a cat. " She was tormenting the cat when I met her. She was always a nice lady but she kinda hates aimals. I dont know why." Her neighbour gave a statement. And her neighbour is Natasha Howdy. What?
Nevar when spelled backwards is Raven.
It was already 8:00 Am, The spring came and flowers bloomed.
I didn't see the paper man.
" Ah, he got sick this morning when he came. I told him I will buy all his papers. And got him to the clinic asap. He pretty has a weak heart. " The manager told me.
" You always buy the paper from him too?"
" It's useless news. People read news every day you know. He has been selling these 1930-40's news. I think he has dementia.
I pity him so I bought them all." He explained.
I picked one from 1931 and wanted to read it. " Wow, we got more customers. Why are they so early? Hello students, what are you looking for?"
One moment away, the printing on the paper .....
There was none. It vanished.
On the way home, I saw the vet, Dr Harper with his colleagues. Looking at their place it seemed like a mess. I saw there were many black cats , sick. "Miss Nevar poisoned them all. Just like her witch granny did." Dr Harper said. He lived in this neighbourhood for 40 years now. An old man of 70 years old.
What?
"Her granny died in a car crash. She died because of her own will. Both of them, killed cats. What a horrific story!"
The paper I brought fron the bookstore then flew away. But there's no wind. I saw the paper man. He tried to stand upand turned over to my way. I was taken aback because I couldn't see his face
" Hi there!" Natasha Howdy called me from the bar nearby. I was interrupted.
She had this pale skin, dark eyes, and I knew she had no sleep for days.
" I am drunk, help me!" She held my hands.
Her hands were cold. Her green blouse seemed dull. "I bought this yesterday, the paper man said a good omen for green in this spring. Yeah, a good one. Yes, I met my love, Harry Howdy. He left me again. I want him!"
Ah, for your information, she was getting a divorce because her husband was a cheater but she wanted him still. She would spend her days drinking beer and BRAHMN N LIZST until she couldn't breathe.
I looked at the paper man again. Searching him. Then someone tapped me on my back.
"Don't look! You, will, regret, it," said Natasha.
She vomited blood right in front of me.
The next morning, I woke up with anxiety. Natasha was in the ward, couldn't even get up. Her green blouse was drenched in blood.
What did she do?
Then there was a paper on her ward table.
"1932: Husband drowned wife with beer"
I was dumbfounded. She got warded for 2 weeks. Unfortunately, she was sent to an asylum because of her emotional problems. After her divorce, she was delusional. She missed her ex.
But...
Did her husband try to kill her?
What happened to her?
What happened to all these 1930's stories?
The paperman was still there.
I didn't even talk to him from that day until now.
Now, when I realised it was my soul who wrote all these 1930's stories. My soul.
"Only 1 dollar. Sister! Brother! Come and read today's paper! Updated! The Star!"
Everytime I went back frm my bookstore, working 10-10pm, he was still there. Today, I bought croissant for him.
He talked gibberish but I just played along.
" No one talked to me. No one buys the paper anymore. It's the latest news. "
"What happened today? Can you tell me? Maybe I want that newspaper too," I said.
"Today, an enormous tree fell on them. They were Mr Rowdy, Miss Raven and a fat cat. The lady was dead, her lung got stucked in between the branches. You see, the fat cat was a bad omen. Black one, you know?"
I think that's why people didnt buy his stories and, his papers too. "How could a tree branch get stucked into a lady's lung? How miserable!"
"The fat cat, a black one. I told you!"
So I just bought his paper just to make him feel happy. But I would never ever read the paper. I have boxes of his papers in my store. I had these to recycle in case I needed them one day.
Tonight, something distracted me a lot after that conversation with the man.
It was only two blocks away from my house and where we were standing. I heard cats meowing, and the trees in that area looked ....
as if they grow bigger than before. I didn't believe in anything he said as I ignored everything.
I accidentally read the headline on the paper. 21st March 2030. Karma : Lady Committed Suicide.
It shocked me that, a lady with the name Natalie Nevar committed suicide after her neighbour saw her hurting a cat. " She was tormenting the cat when I met her. She was always a nice lady but she kinda hates aimals. I dont know why." Her neighbour gave a statement. And her neighbour is Natasha Howdy. What?
Nevar when spelled backwards is Raven.
It was already 8:00 Am, The spring came and flowers bloomed.
I didn't see the paper man.
" Ah, he got sick this morning when he came. I told him I will buy all his papers. And got him to the clinic asap. He pretty has a weak heart. " The manager told me.
" You always buy the paper from him too?"
" It's useless news. People read news every day you know. He has been selling these 1930-40's news. I think he has dementia.
I pity him so I bought them all." He explained.
I picked one from 1931 and wanted to read it. " Wow, we got more customers. Why are they so early? Hello students, what are you looking for?"
One moment away, the printing on the paper .....
There was none. It vanished.
On the way home, I saw the vet, Dr Harper with his colleagues. Looking at their place it seemed like a mess. I saw there were many black cats , sick. "Miss Nevar poisoned them all. Just like her witch granny did." Dr Harper said. He lived in this neighbourhood for 40 years now. An old man of 70 years old.
What?
"Her granny died in a car crash. She died because of her own will. Both of them, killed cats. What a horrific story!"
The paper I brought fron the bookstore then flew away. But there's no wind. I saw the paper man. He tried to stand upand turned over to my way. I was taken aback because I couldn't see his face
" Hi there!" Natasha Howdy called me from the bar nearby. I was interrupted.
She had this pale skin, dark eyes, and I knew she had no sleep for days.
" I am drunk, help me!" She held my hands.
Her hands were cold. Her green blouse seemed dull. "I bought this yesterday, the paper man said a good omen for green in this spring. Yeah, a good one. Yes, I met my love, Harry Howdy. He left me again. I want him!"
Ah, for your information, she was getting a divorce because her husband was a cheater but she wanted him still. She would spend her days drinking beer and BRAHMN N LIZST until she couldn't breathe.
I looked at the paper man again. Searching him. Then someone tapped me on my back.
"Don't look! You, will, regret, it," said Natasha.
She vomited blood right in front of me.
The next morning, I woke up with anxiety. Natasha was in the ward, couldn't even get up. Her green blouse was drenched in blood.
What did she do?
Then there was a paper on her ward table.
"1932: Husband drowned wife with beer"
I was dumbfounded. She got warded for 2 weeks. Unfortunately, she was sent to an asylum because of her emotional problems. After her divorce, she was delusional. She missed her ex.
But...
Did her husband try to kill her?
What happened to her?
What happened to all these 1930's stories?
The paperman was still there.
I didn't even talk to him from that day until now.
Now, when I realised it was my soul who wrote all these 1930's stories. My soul.
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