CONTORTED

The lamp post near the bridge flickered, many tiny bugs swarmed around the light.

The night sky was clear of any floating clouds that would have blocked the view of the twinkling stars.

Moon, as it illustrated the land, shone like a silver coin up in the sky.

It was midnight, and almost everyone was asleep in their houses or apartments near this bridge.

Tak Tak.

The sound of hard shoe heels hitting on the concrete blocks of the bridge was heard.

Under a sole lamp post on the bridge, a man in disorderly clothes with an unkempt appearance arrived.

In his hand was a half finished beer bottle and his walking style was unsteady making it easy to know that this man was drunk.

"I will see! Heh! Everyone, one of you! Heh!"

As the man spoke, he would hiccup in between his lines.

"What did I do to deserve this hell of a life! Heh! Just because I was born a man? Why? God, why? heh!"

He leaned on the lamp post. With his shaking hand, he raised the beer bottle and quickly drank the rest of the beer.

"Heh! Mother, you died. Sisters, you died. Heh! But why won't you leave me alone even after you all disappeared? Did I ever cause you trouble?"

Tears dropped down his eyes like a flooded river, it got difficult for the man to see.

"Ah!"

With a low and short burst of emotions, the man fell to his knees as he cried without stopping.

* * *

"I heard your mother passed away in a car accident? I am really sorry."

He listened to their words. No one was sincere, everyone just said to show some slight grief.

Very soon, even the very next moment, these people would forget about his mother.

* * *

"I heard your elder sister passed away being unable to believe her mother's death? I am really sorry."

Again, these people came and said with sad faces but underneath, there weren't any real feelings.

And so, very soon, even the very next moment, these people would forget about his elder sister.

* * *

"I heard your younger sister committed suicide due to depression? I am really sorry."

Yet again, they came to him and said with the very same sad faces but this with more experience.

Really, he had enough. Now he couldn't even see their faces which were covered in the dust of sympathy in his eyes.

Yes, these people will once again, forget about the death of his younger sister.

* * *

All this happened, he was only in his early twenties. His mind and heart was breaking down slowly.

After some years, he finally was able to move on. But unfortunately, the people weren't.

Time and again, he would be reminded about the death of his family.

Time and again, he would be reminded to stay strong cause he was a man.

Time and again… he would have to face the very faces which he had forgotten.

* * *

You are a man, you should let the women go first.

You are a man, you should never cry.

You are a man, don't hit women.

You are a man…

* * *

"Ahhhhh!"

He shouted out loud, his voice trembling in agony.

"I-I, I wish this world was twisted! I wish men were treated similarly to women! I wish… I-I am reborn again…"

His voice as he spoke got lower and lower until he made no sound.

The night police must have already heard his loud shout. They should be on the move.

The man stood up with eyes which were lifeless and with no shine.

Climbing up on the railing, he looked down on the river that flowed towards where he didn't know.

He had no hesitation as his body started falling forward into the river.

Splash!

No struggle, the man let himself drown in the river as he had planned it long ago.

His eyes stared towards the surface from the depth of the river bed.

A smile formed on his face after a very long time.

He was dying, yet he was happy.

Why wouldn't he be? He could finally be free from the hell he is in…

He opened his mouth and took his final breath. The river water flowed in his body.

His lungs, stomach, and various other organs were filled with water.

That was how he died.

* * *

"Haah!"

His eyes opened abruptly. The boy gasped for breath as he looked around in a daze.

"Where am I? Didn't I drown and die?"

He muttered in shock and astonishment. Holding his chest, he tried to breathe steadily.

Calming himself, he got up from the bed which looked somewhat familiar to him and scanned the room.

"This room… I have seen it before."

The boy's brows tightened as he tried to recall memories from the past. His eyes then widened in disbelief as he remembered.

He turned to look at the only desk in the room where a small mirror was lying.

He picked it up and stared at the reflection.

"Hah…haa…"

His breathing once again became rough as if he had seen a ghost in the mirror.

"How? Impossible!"

The boy placed the mirror on the desk and stumbled back.

If one were to ask why the boy was behaving in such a manner, it would be because of shock.

"A dream?"

The boy pinched himself and found that he actually felt pain.

"What's going on? Why am I younger again?"

What he saw in the mirror was the face of a teenager around 15 years old.

His hair was in a buzz cut style, his face didn't have any pimples as it was also oil free.

He wasn't very tall. Standing at 160 centimeters, the average height, he looked quite attractive.

"I remember that the only time I had this haircut was when I was about to enter high school."

Muttered the boy. He checked his clothes and found that they were the ones he used to wear when at home.

"Ryan! Come down, it's time to eat lunch! Bring your sisters as well!"

The shout of a woman's voice entered Ryan's ears. He stopped whatever he was doing.

His heart beat increased slightly.

"Mom?"

Ryan walked out of his room and came to the first floor's corridor. At the start of this corridor were the stairs to the ground floor.

He stepped down the corridor and headed towards the kitchen which was at the back of the living room.

The kitchen and the dining room were joined so they could be considered as one room.

"Ryan?"

A woman stood near the washing basin. She appeared to be in her late thirties as she had no signs of wrinkles on her face.

Her black hair was in a bob cut reaching her shoulder. She was a healthy weight with some fat on her waist.

Ryan bit his lips and lowered his head to hide the tears which were forming in his eyes.

'I had finally escaped so why? Why would I be back to live a life I could hardly forget!'

Questioned Ryan as a tear dropped down on the white tiles floor.

"Ryan! What happened! Did I do something which hurt you?"

His mother, Margret, panicked seeing her dear and lovely son shedding tears.

"N-No, nothing. Something just entered my eyes, that's all."

Answered Ryan as he wiped his eyes and looked at his mother. She was 170 meters tall so Ryan had to raise his head.

"You almost made me die!"

She petted her chest and sighed in relief. Coming before Ryan, she hugged him with care.

"Thank god for giving me a son!"

She said in a happy voice. But Ryan was frowning so hard that he could feel his face cracking.

Never in his memories did his mother say something like this.

And she would also never hug him out of nowhere unless it was the time of sadness which was very rare.

Ryan could count those moments with his fingers in one hand.

'Something is wrong…'