The Ignorance

"Can you tell me the way to the store?" I asked someone in terror. "I'm new to town and I'm lost."

     The person I was talking to didn't stop. He kept walking down the street.

     That was the third time this has happened to me, and I'm beginning to get afraid.

      "Ma'am! Can you help me!" 

      I ran up to a lady in wealthy looking clothing. While running up to her, I crashed into a man who stepped outside his house. 

     He dropped a bag of clothing onto the concrete in which made a huge mess.

     "I'm sorry!" I cried. 

     "What was that…?" He whispered. He picked up his clothing and walked right by me.

      What's going on? I frowned. Are people acting like I don't exist for a reason?

      I tried to think back. Did I do anything weird recently?

      I moved into the state three days ago, trying to experience something new, and had very little money. I lived in a poor neighborhood having to walk on foot wherever I went. My brother lived in the state as well, in another city, about thirty minutes from where I lived. He for sure had better income than I did and tried to help me out once in awhile. I considered myself fortunate to have such an amazing brother. 

      I've never talked to the neighbors because I had a speech impediment. I happen to slur all of my words. I feared that they would judge me or fear I'm a drunk-addict. 

     But this was urgent. 

     My brother and his wife were sick and I needed to get him some medicine as soon as possible. His wife sent me the money to buy the medicine and told me how to retrieve it.

     That's all that has happened in the past three days, I don't think that's a reason for the neighbors to ignore me like this.

      I was a bit indignant, but decided to shake off the feeling and keep going on my walk to the store.

      By the time I got there, it was dark and drizzly. Rain poured down from the sky drenching the ground. My raincoat didn't do a good job protecting me, drenching me as well. 

      I walked inside and up into a line of people getting their medicine. A person walked up behind me and bumped into me. "What the?" He murmured. 

      I sighed very annoyed. I'm right here! In plain sight! Why are they ignoring me? 

      The line filed forward until it was my turn. 

     Maybe they'll pay attention to me.

     But just like everyone else, she smiled at the next person in line. "How may I help you?

     I wanted to scream. What have I done to be ignored like this?!

     "Ma'am!?" I yelled, but the store clerk didn't look in my direction.

     "I need this medicine!" 

     Nothing.

     "I'll get it myself then!"

     I stormed into the backroom, nobody trying to stop me, and picked up the medicine that my brother's wife told me to get. I kept my money and stormed out into the cold. 

      My brothers place was an hour walk away from my house. All I had to do was get home; then to his house. 

    When I stopped at my house my face turned pale.

     There were three salesmen in front of my house with a younger couple and two kids. The male gave the salesman a stack of money with a huge smile on his face. 

      "No!" I screamed. "That's my house!" 

      The man and salesman shook hands both saying "pleasure doing business with you" at the same time.

      I ran up to them screaming but they didn't hear me.

      "Mommy," a little girl asked her mom. "There's a bunch of stuff in here that doesn't belong to us. Does someone else live here?"

     Me! 

     "Yes, honey," the mom smiled. "But the owner has been missing ever since he moved in."

     I stopped running towards them frowning. Me? Missing? I've been here this whole time! What is going on?

     I thought about everything that has happened today. Being ignored by the store clerk, the man I ran into this morning, the people I tried to talk to…

     Can they not see me?

     Am I missing?

     The thought overwhelmed me. I felt tears running down my face. I'm not missing… I'm here! 

     I began sobbing as I ran towards the direction of my brothers house. My brother knows! He's going to look at me and he's going to smile when he sees me! I know that for sure! 

      I ended up crying the entire way to the house but finally pulled myself together once I got to the door. My brother gave me the keys to his house so I could walk inside whenever needed. 

      I unlocked the door and quietly stepped inside. "Brother?" I cried out, my voice cracking. 

     When he didn't respond I yelled louder. "Brother?"

     I walked upstairs. "Brother?"

     I heard voices. It sounded like his wife whispering. "Someone is in our house."

     I heard a drawer open and my brother stepped out of his room holding a tazer. 

     "Brother!" I screamed. "It's me! Can you not see me?!"

     My brother looked around the room, his eyes locking with mine.

     And he began to cry.

     "My brother… What's wrong?"

     The wife walked out of the room screaming. "Oh no not again!" She sat a hand on my brother's shoulder. "It's going to be okay… I miss him too."

     What are they talking about?

     "I loved him so much,"  my brother whispered. "Now… He's gone…"

     They're talking about me… My own brother… thinks I'm gone.

     I began to cry again, dropping the medicine and ran out of the room. The rain was pouring even harder now, flooding the streets and soaked my clothing.

     I lost my house, my brother, my neighbors… What happened!?

     I found myself running towards the graveyard. An eerie feeling came over me, but some other feeling washed over it.

      Understanding.

      Which I didn't know why, I didn't understand anything going on…! 

      I walked through the graveyard, the two feelings growing and clashing into one another. I finally looked down and suddenly knew what was going on. Why my brother cried saying he missed me, why that family claimed me missing, and why my neighbors ignored me.

     I was standing in front of my own grave.