Writing Challenge 6 - Start your story with: “He glanced at his watch impatiently…”

Owie, this one was so difficult for me to write. I had so much trouble putting my thought into words and I didn't have any idea on which direction I wanted.

Never the less, it's a challenge that I tried and I think it's something worth showing, for better or for worse.

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For Better or for Worse

He glanced at his watch impatiently, only to notice that the arms had stopped moving. Sighing over the broken clock, Nathan folded his napkin and asked for the check. Stood up once again. The waiter even gave him a pat on the back on the way out which made the matter even worse for Nathan. Sure, the waiter just wanted to show some sympathy, but would you like a stranger to comfort you in an embarrassing situation? No, that would just make it weirder.

Nathan walked briskly, heading home to the sweet warmth of wearing a hoodie and Netflix-binging. Why did he even bother with dating, the date probably agreed just to make fun of him. Everyone does that. His existence was to make everyone else feel better.

Lost in downwards spiralling thoughts, Nathan [bumped of course] into someone.

“Ouch” and “oof” were exchanged and two people were down on the pavement. A man in a suit with a broken watch and a young boy in bright clothing clutching a book. Nathan got up and helped the boy, asking if the boy was alright.

“Um,” said the child and nodded. The kid was maybe seven or eight years old with brown hair and dark eyes. It seemed like the kid didn’t dare to look Nathan in the eyes, rather preferring to hide behind the book he was holding.

Goodnight Mister Tom, read Nathan. He doesn’t know about the story but judging by the book’s length Nathan suspected that this kid was one hell of a bookworm.

Nathan looked around to find the child’s parent but none of the walkers paid any attention to them. It was like the world ignored Nathan and the child.

“Where're your parents?” said Nathan upfront to the kid, who responded by taking a step back and trying to shrink behind the book even more than before.

“Well, are you alone? Are you on the way home from school?” continued Nathan. The child didn’t answer, but instead started quivering, looking for help from the bypassers but no one bothered to even make eye-contact.

Nathan scratched his head in befuddlement, he just wanted to go home, but he would feel so bad if he left the kid in by his own insecurities. Nathan squatted down to eye-level with the kid and tried a different approach.

“That’s a good book you have there!” he exclaimed and pointed at the book with feigned amazement.

The child who was looking around the pavement for other people snapped back his attention to Nathan, eyes big and wide.

“You read the book?” asked the child. His voice was squeaky and raspy.

“Of course,” lied Nathan. “And it’s a very good book but very hard. I’m impressed that you read this difficult book!”

“It’s hard,” agreed the child. “But fun.”

“It sure is,” chimed Nathan. “What’s your name?”

“William,” said the child. He then pointed at the book. “Just like him.”

“Hi William,” said Nathan with a smile and a wave. “I’m Nathan. What are you doing out here?”

“I’m finding mister Tom,” said William. “Are you Mister Tom?”

“No, I’m Nathan,” said the young adult shaking his head. “Is mister Tom a friend of yours?”

“Mister Tom is a friend of William,” agreed the child. “When William need help, Mister Tom will save him.”

“Oh I see,” said Nathan. “What do you need help with?”

“I’m William,” said the child again and pointed, “Just like him.” The child then gave a pleading look to Nathan. “Please help.”

Nathan’s mind was working quite slow, it seemed that the kid needed help of some sort and the clue was in the book. He regretted about his lie, but once you started with a small lie, it’s easy to continue with some additions.

“Hey William, I might have Mister Tom as my contact in my phone, let’s sit on a park bench and I will try to see if I can find his number,” lied Nathan once again.

The relief in the boy’s eyes was shown by tears and many nods. Nathan winced by his own lies and worried that he might have gone too far. What if he couldn’t help the boy after all?

The young man led the boy to a park bench. The boy merely sat down, hugging the book with all his might while wagging his small feet back and forth.

Nathan took up his phone, but instead of going through the contact list he searched for a synopsis of the book on the internet. A few minutes later, his face was pale and his eyes almost as wide as when the boy a few minutes ago.

“You have a little sister?” asked Nathan, it was almost a whisper. His voice barely coming out of his mouth.

William nodded. “You found Mister Tom?”

Nathan hesitated, but he lied so many times now, to hell with it. Go all the way.

“Yes, but he’s far away right now,” Nathan said. “He wished he could help but he’s too far away. Mister Tom said I should help you instead. Do you trust me?”

Williams' eyes looked into Nathan’s. Those dark brown eyes flaring like bright torches into the very core of Nathan. A moment passed and the boy nodded.

“Do I call you Mister Nathan?”

“Yes, you can call me that,” said Nathan with a smile. “Now lead me to your home and let’s help your sister.”

It might have been a twist of fate that made William bump into Nathan. But in the end, it was Nathan’s own decision to help the child. It was maybe nothing at all, a child’s mind can be very vivid. But what if, what if what William hinted was true? It would have haunted Nathan for life.

Hell, if he exists to make everyone else feel better, at least he himself should have the rights choose his targets.