1 An end...or a Beginning?

The city's neon lights painted a desolate scene as Hiroshi Takumi walked through the quiet streets, burdened by the weight of unemployment. The distant hum of the city was a melancholic background to his thoughts, and each step felt heavier than the last.

How he ended up being fired from a job he'd been working in for 10 years was always going to be a mystery to him. Did he slip? Definitely not, he was perfect at what he did...the 10 year long experience had trimmed off his mistakes to the point of perfection, that instantly cancels off the thought of him slipping. Well did he act out of place? Did he end up on the wrong side?...Well partially, Takumi was never one to be on the right side of life. But then again no, he had surprisingly stayed in order for a full 10 years with the constant fear of losing his job lingering at the back of his mind with every action he performed. So then what exactly was it?

"Your work is...moderate Hiroshi, I'm just being honest here." Tanaka, fairly young and newly elected CEO let out without a single hint of remorse.

"M...moderate?" Takumi muttered under his breath in disbelief, nearly choking on his own monologue.

This was far from an insult to him and even as he walked down the rainy streets he couldn't help but bite his lip and punch a railing in frustration as he recalled those words. 10 years was nothing more than moderate to a new fish in the bowl who was barely even half his age.

"Did you say something Mr. Hiroshi?" The teasing young male who occupied the seat of power said mockingly. It was an attempt to push Tanaka to his sheer human limits which Tanaka himself didn't even notice.

"S..sir i've worked here for longer than anyone in this premise...I..I'm far more experienced than anyone in this establishment." Tanaka carefully stated, attempting to polish his experience before his new boss incase he wasn't aware already. He held a hope that perhaps this could make him reconsider...but does it ever work?

A clean bored gaze was all he got in return for a response before he was told to clear his desk and submit his resignation...which he did without any chance to object. Recalling this made him angrier yet helpless, causing him to throw another fist at the railing which rung with a smooth chime that sent droplets of rain flying back into the air before dropping down again.

The rain consumed him once more as he stood frozen in his pose for a moment, attempting to clear his mind off what had just occurred. What now? He was well over 40, no establishment was going to recruit him with his low educational achievements! This job its self was all thanks to his old school pal who couldn't let his mate rust away in poverty, he basically had a free pass! Now where the hell was he going to get another?

"Ah I'm screwed...I'm screwed big time." He mumbled out in a low energy tone as he walked down the street, engulfed in his thoughts and imaginations.

Was this truly his new life? Surely he was dreaming right? Definitely...or at least he hoped it was before he suddenly tripped and fell onto the watery floor with a pained thud. The pain was too realistic to be a dream...this was indeed reality...so what now? He remained immobile for a while, staring at his image in the reflective surface of the water that had formed a small puddle before him. He was tired, the eyebags proved alot and his face was getting...brighter?

It didn't take long before Tanaka finally brought his mind back into reality only to be welcomed by the piercing noise made by the constant blaring of a horn. Two colossal headlights beamed into his eyes rendering him unable to see before something collided with him.

For a moment, the world was slow...absurdly slow. His body felt heavy, then free, then heavy again as he spun in the air uncontrollably. It took him a moment to realize what had actually happened but by that time, his body had already crashed onto the floor with a bang that forced Tanaka's eyes shut. And thus came a sudden wave of relief as a slow smile drew itself onto his bloody face.

"Is this...death?" he barely whispered out as his last words before the dripping rain washed away his blood, painting the road in a clean red hue.