CHAPTER 2: LITTLE ARTHUR(I)

In an alley , Two silhouettes can be seen walking and chatting. One figure resembles a child while other a young lady.

They were none other than Maria and Arthur.

"So that's how it is….." Maria nodded at Arthur's explanation.

Earlier, Maria asked Arthur why was he begging on the roadside.

But after learning the story of Arthur she began to pity him.

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Flashback

"Mommy, where are we going today?" A small child of somewhere around 7 or 8 could be seen walking down the road with his parents and the boy had a very bright smile. On closer look one could spot some similarities between this and 10 y/o Arthur.

The woman had a sad face, she looked at Arthur's smiling face and bit her lower lip and forced a smile and said, "M-Mommy and Daddy is going to take you to watch Christmas Tree."

Woman glanced at the man who also had the same expression and upon noticing the glare he also forced a fake smile and said, "Y-Yeah, Daddy is going to buy you your favorite teddy."

"Yayy! Mommy and Daddy are the best! ❤️" Little Arthur shouted in the enjoyment.

'Please forgive us Arthur!'

Both the woman and man thought inwards.

Soon, they boarded a train.

Little Arthur quickly ran towards the window seat and began looking outside.

"Mommy! Daddy! Look! There is a dove outside" Little Arthur pointed out with sparkling-bright eyes.

Woman and man looked at Little Arthur hesitated for a bit and nodded with a smile.

And took their seats with Little Arthur where an old couple was also sitting.

"What a quite boy" Old lady commented to which the old man nodded.

They looked at the man and woman and asked," What's the boy name?"

Woman, the mother of Little Arthur spoke," Arthur"

"Arthur, what a good name" Old lady said.

"Where are you guys heading off to?" old man asked.

This time the man, father of Little Arthur answered," We are going to Central Park for the Christmas!"

"Good" old man nodded.

A series of chatting took place between the old couple and new couple.

Little Arthur who was unknown to the chat was busy in his own thoughts looking outside like a bee looking at a flower, completely immersed.

And time passed like the flow of train.

[ This is Central Park, passengers from North Bergen this train won't go any further than this. ]

Little Arthur came out of his own universe by the announcement.

He looked around and saw that his parents were getting ready to get off the train.

After few minutes they quickly get off and train left the platform.

"Come, Let's go Arthur" Woman called out to Little Arthur and hold his little warm hands in her hands.

They exited the subway and the view which in their view was otherworldly.

"Waaah~" Little Arthur's mouth was opened in awe and surprise.

What came in his view was streets filled with hundreds of people and neon light sign board filling the street making it look like otherworldly.

A giant tree can be seen erected decorated with lights and tons of other decorative stuffs.

"Come lets go and take a closer look!" This time man said and held the other hand of Little Arthur.

Trio started walking the streets which were filled with people and had little to no space to even walk.

After so much struggle they finally reached closer to the tree.

Couple found a seat and sat there.

After few minutes of playing , the woman said, "Arthur wear this otherwise you might get cold."

"Arthur what would you like to have? Hot Dogs? Sandwiches? Patries?" she added.

Arthur thought for a moment and said, " Pastries"

Woman stood from the got ready to leave and glanced at the man.

Their eyes met and nodded to each other.

"Arthur you wait here, I am going to help the mommy " Man said.

He crouched down again and said, " Wait here, we will be 'back' soon." And he kissed Little Arthur on his forehead.

A drop of tear can be seen in both the eyes of the couple.

They hurriedly left the area.

Little Arthur was busy seeing the scene in front of him and waiting for his parents to come back.

15 minutes passed

30 minutes passed

1 hour passed

…

Little Arthur was still waiting for his parents to come and pick him up.

Another hour passed

Now Little Arthur started to panic and looked left and right for his parents.

It was quite late at night and now there were less people .

"M-Mommy....D-Daddy…." Arthur murmured in a hoarse voice.

Tiny droplets of water can be seen forming around his eyes.

"No..No…I can't cry..I-I am a good boy.." Little Arthur wiped his tears and sat there trying his best to hold his tears back.

After few hours

Now once bustling with people street was almost empty. Giant Christmas seems to stand high and mighty.

Few couples can be seen engrossed in themselves.

But at a distant chair a boy can be seen sitting murmuring something softly, "M-Mommy…D-Daddy…"

Gurgle~

At this time his stomach made a roaring sound.

And again tears started forming around his eyes.

He put his hands in his pockets in hope to find something.

As seems luck was on his side , he found a chocolate bar in his pockets.

It was the pocket of jacket which is Mommy gave to wear before leaving.

Tear started to flow like a rain now.

Sniff~ Sniff~ Sniff~

Little Arthur was munching on the bar and crying at the same time.

He ate it half and put the other half in his pocket. And sat there looking at the sky which was filled with countless stars twinkling with a never ending cycle. His eyes were somewhat lifeless and stains of tear can be seen around the eye lids.

"Who's there?" A cop was coming towards Little Arthur's side.

"Boy, what are you doing here at this late hour? Where are your parents? " Cop asked the Little Arthur who was sitting alone.

Little Arthur was taken aback , it was his first time seeing the cop. But he put a smile on his face and said, "My parents are over there , they are buying food for me"

Little Arthur pointed at a random store where a couple was standing.

Cop looked at the store and nodded.

"Okay boy! Don't wander and wait here for your parents" Cop said and turned around to leave.

Seeing the leaving figure cop , he was somewhat hesitant, he wanted to stop the cop and wanted to ask to search for his parents. But somehow he can't bring himself to ask for the help as if he knew the answer himself and decided to not to.

(I know this may sound weird that 7-8 y/o not crying for his parents and even thinking deeply. Let's just give the liberty of fiction here. Sometimes thing don't make sense in real life too.)

Another day came

Streets once again was filled with people and movements of people seems to resemble the movements of ants, some going while some coming.

Little Arthur who was sleeping on the bench opened his and saw the street filled with people was somewhat scared.

But he sat there again , in hope that his must have been busy with something or got stuck in some work and wasn't able to come back last night.

15 minutes passed

30 minutes passed

1 hour passed

...

Little Arthur stood from the seat and started walking here and there, he also went in the direction where his parents went last night. He also went to different direction. But faced with disappointment.

It was noon 12 already and Little Arthur came back to his original seat and opened the half-eaten bar and ate the another half portion leaving the other half for other time.

Just like this 2-Days passed and there was no news of his parents and now Little Arthur's face was little pale because of not having any food from last night, he finished his bar completely last night.

Little Arthur shot from his seat and made his way to a nearby café and entered it.

He reached out to the counter.

Receptionist was busy in jotting down the sales when she heard a voice,"Umm….Can I have something to eat?"

She was confused as there was no one present in her sight.

She focused her eyes on her work thinking that she might be hallucinating. But the voice came once again, "Umm…Please can you?"

She looked again and this time she leaned towards the counter and a spot a boy of around 7 or 8 in green jacket looking upwards.

"Uh? What do you want boy?" She asked.

"I want something to eat." Little Arthur looked again and said embarrassingly.

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