A short, thin man was standing in front of a big box. His big eyes were popping out and his mouth was full of saliva. He was thinking, "This is my catch! I will no longer be hungry, skinny and weak." Suddenly a large woman appeared from nowhere. She lifted the heavy box as if it were empty, and ran away with it as fast as the wind. Before the little man could say anything, two policemen came running up behind him and asked, "Have you seen a big box anywhere?" He looked at the policemen and then turned around again, but the woman and the box had disappeared.
He just stood there, eyes wide open as his jaw dropped open. He couldn't come to make sense of what just happened. His only way out of the streets- out of adversity and suffering- had just disappeared right before his eyes. He'd played it countless times how he'd spend all the money he'd make from the gold he'd found in the box at the side of the road. It was now all gone. Where did that lady come from? Where did the two policemen come from? The box, how did it get here? It all just didn't add up.
"Sir, we asked a question," said one of the policemen, who wore the most serious face of all. "The lady," said the little man, "she is the one who took it." He knew he wasn't making sense even to himself. But then again, none of this whole situation really made sense. The policemen looked at each other, puzzled looks and amazement written all over their faces. "Sir?" said the other officer. "The box was right here...the big lady...she came out of nowhere and ran away with it." said the man, who left puzzled looks written on all three of their faces.
"What woman? Where did she go?" Asked one of the policemen. "That's impossible, the gold in the box has to weigh about a 100 kilograms," said the other. The tiny man knew what he saw, although it all happened too fast that he couldn't figure out if it was all real or just a dream. Je scratched his head and swallowed hard. It was all silent in the corner of West Street. But then again, it always has been the most quiet street in the whole town. How did any of these people know about the gold? He asked himself.
The silence wss broken by the booming voice of the stern-faced officer when he asked, "Where did that woman go?" His question was what was ringing on his mind too. He couldn't speak, so he just pointed down the road, towards the corner where the lady had disappeared with the box. She was the fastest person he had ever seen. Given the size of her body and that of the box, she shouldn't have been that fast. He thought.
Without saying another word, the two policemen charged past him as fast as they could, the biggest of the two pushing him aside with his gigantic hands. The little man, so thin and weak was caught offguard, he tried to gain balance, but it happened too fast that he suddenly felt himself falling on his back. His head hit the hard, concrete pavement and suddenly it all went dark.
He slowly opened his eyes, and sat up straight to see that he was no longer on the side of West Street- he was underneath the old bridge where he slept every other night. The cold winter wind was blowing softly on the embers of the dying fires made by the other homeless people who shared the bridge with him. The sun was rising slowly on the horizon and the buses and cars were making a lot of noise on the bridge above. It was rush hour traffic. How did he get here? Had he been unconscious for the whole night when he was pushed by that police officer? What happened to the gold he had found on the side of West Street?
One-by-one, the other people started waking up. Each one going about their usual morning routines, and everyone minding their own business. He tried so hard to remember what happened the day before. He was surprised by the actions of the people he lived with under the bridge - no of them seemed to care if he was okay or not. Then it all came back, he had been dreaming about all of it. There was never a big box, no woman, or any policemen. It all just seem too real.
Thoughts?: Feedback and criticism would be highly app comment below.
