A lost soul

„You have to do that,“ he said again. „You know you want to do this because it is your escape from all those problems you have.“ 

Jason was wandering through the mall's halls, looking at the ground, wearing the loose jeans that were hanging below his waist, stuck together with the brown belt, somewhere near his knees. He had a white t-shirt that covered his buttocks and a black sweatshirt with a hood on his head. His shoes were untied, and his hands were in the pockets. He couldn't hear anything but him, the strong voice, and his best friend, as he thought. 

There was nobody else to help him when he felt upset and when his entire world turned upside down. „Where are we going now?“ asked Jason, hoping for a clear response from his friend. 

„Don't worry about it; just follow me,“ he said. 

„I feel fabulous; do you know that“ Jason looked in front and put his hands up. 

„Of course you do; I said I was going to help you.“

„I want those green stars over there,“ Jason started to run with his hands spread out like he wanted to hug someone. Suddenly, he fell down, but he didn't feel anything. „You have to be careful; don't reach for those stars; they are here only to make your life better; you cannot touch them,“ the friend said. 

They came to the stairs and sat on a bench for a while. Jason then stood up and came closer to the escalator. „I want to fly,“ he said, spreading his hands like wings. 

„You will, but later, I promise you, it is not the time yet.“

After a while, they went downstairs, still passing some stores. Jason closed his eyes, held his head, and sat down at the corner. „I want to fly, I want to fly, I want to fly,“ he repeated again and again while moving left and right like a small child trying to play with himself. Then he lied down on the floor and started to mumble something. 

„Hey, Jas, I'll give you the wings; follow me,“ the friend said to him. 

Jason didn't stand up; he was still crawling on the floor and laughing loudly. 

„I'll make you feel free again; come with me,“ he heard again. 

„I want to fly,“ he laughed again. 

In a minute, they came to the exit door, opened it, and went away. „It is so cold here,“ Jas said. „I don't have my shoes on,“ he started to laugh again. His body suddenly started to shake, and his face turned red. „Who are those people?“ he asked. „I don't want them to be here; I don't like them. What are they doing?“

„Don't worry about them; they are here to help you how to fly,“ the friend advised him. 

„But they are here. I don't want them to touch me. Send them away.“ Jason started to scream hysterically, ran around, and then passed out. 

„They went away. Come closer and follow me. We can fly together.“

After a while, he opened his eyes and started to laugh bitterly. „I feel wonderful,“ he said, starting to jump around the cars that were parked besides the mall. 

„Follow me,“ the voice said again with a slower and quieter tone. 

For a while, they were just wandering around, dancing, and jumping like they had won the lottery. The center of town was busy, and people just started coming into the pubs and clubs. 

„Follow me; we are almost there,“ Jason heard again. 

He was walking as he was supposed to, walking not knowing where, but he didn't care anyway. He felt great as never before, and nothing else mattered beside that. Then they got in front of the bigger building on Main Street in Miami City. The lights were too bright, and the music was just loud enough. Jason stood there, looking at people coming in. He didn't know what to do. 

„What are you waiting for?“ the friend asked him. „We are here; this will be your heaven,“ he promised. 

Jason didn't wait any more; he put his hands into the air, laughed, and came inside. It was way too hot there; the music was on, and people were dancing. Some of them were just lying around, laughing or not moving at all, but it seemed like nobody cared. 

„Can you see the man sitting in the corner near one of the big speakers?“ Jason heard again. 

„Yeah, I can,“ Jason answered while he was dancing around and enjoying the moments in the club. 

„He is waiting for you. He is going to give you the wings you have lost,“ the friend said with a calm and silent voice. 

Jason started to run, and he came to the table where the man was waiting. He had a black suit and the cigarette in his hand. Jason just stood there and stared at him. 

„What do you want here, boy?“ the man asked after he had put his cigarette on the table and taken the glass of drink. 

„My friend said to me that you have my wings, and I want them back,“ Jason answered with a louder voice, so the man could hear him clearly. 

„The wings?“ the man started to laugh while he finished his drink.

„Yeah, I want them back,“ Jason said again.

The man exactly knew what Jason was talking about, even though he still had a big grin on his face. 

„I’ll give you the wings, but you have to give me something in reward,“ the man said while putting his hand up. In the next few seconds, a waiter came to the table. The man whispered something into his ear, and a waiter left. 

„Just do everything the man tells you,“ Jason’s friend said. 

„Where is your friend who you were talking about?“ the man asked. 

„My friend? He is standing right next to me,“ Jas said. 

„Oh yeah, I see him,“ the man said after he raised his eyebrow up, smiled bitterly, looked next to Jason, and then looked back at him. The man then stood up and pointed at the curtain behind him. „It’s more private there,“ he said and walked there. Jason followed him.

They were both talking for a while. The man explained that if he wanted his wings back, he had to go to the room downstairs and wait there for a while. He also said that two men would come with the wings, and then he could fly wherever he wanted to. Jason was very excited; he wanted to hug the good man, but the man just said no and drank another glass of whisky. Jason didn’t feel disappointed; he was just jumping around, even though the only thing he could see were dark clouds that blinded his mind. 

After a while, Jason heard some noise and someone coming down the stairs. His heart started to beat faster, and he just sat in the corner of a dark room without any windows. He felt so weak that he couldn’t even move. He didn’t see anything; he just heard some mumbling and felt some cold hands on his body. The men chased him, put him in another room, and left. Jason didn’t move; he heard voices in his head, and he thought that his friend wanted to talk to him. He tried to scream, but all he heard was his stoning and his hard breathing. He needed it so bad—his wings, the freedom, and the feeling that made him feel wonderful. He was shaking on an old, small bed; his hands were purple, almost blooded, because of the rope he was chased with. He wanted to scream, but nobody could hear him anyway. After a while, the man came down to the room where Jason was. He started to laugh while he was smoking another cigarette. 

„I said I want something in reward,“ the man said to him. He knew that Jason couldn’t answer; he couldn't do anything. „Until you don't give me money, you won't see your wings. Do you hear me? You won't!“ He laughed again, threw a cigarette on the bed, and left. 

 Jason was still shaking, and he felt the cigarette smoke coming through his body. He wanted to move and run, but it was impossible. The blood was falling down his wrists and down his hands, and his heart was beating so fast. The cigarette fell down; everything started to burn. There was fire coming through Jason's shirt. He felt the hot smoke on his chest, his legs, and his face. He couldn't breathe; he just lied there, burying alive. Why? Because all he needed were the wings, just because he trusted his friend, if he was a friend at all. He felt the smoke was killing him, but that wasn't the worst pain; he needed his wings so badly. 

It was a long time after all this had happened. Everybody forgot that night, when a boy lost his wings, his faith, and his soul.