Building My Life

Chapter 2 Which Way Do I Go?

Josias hadn't remembered to pick up his watch or his wallet, none of that. All he wanted to do was get out of his house as soon as possible.

The only thing he remembered at the moment was that when he went to take a shower, the clock showed seven in the evening. He supposed it would now be half past seven at night.

So the neighborhood bus was still running.

Josias quickens his pace and goes to the street where the bus passes. As he approaches the bus stop, a boy is waiting for the next ride.

Josias sits on the bench and also awaits the bus transport.

As he sits, Josias leans over and heaves a sigh of dismay. The boy who is waiting to travel with him would never have imagined that the guy who sighs had just lost his father, murdered by loan shark collectors.

Josias still didn't want to shed any tears; he didn't want to draw undue attention from the other young man.

He puts his hand in his pocket and counts the money he collected in a hurry to escape. Yes, the money would be enough for the trip. But where exactly did Josias go?

Josias's neighborhood (probably not anymore) is called Rainbow Garden, where most of the residents are manual laborers. It wasn't a classy suburb, but it wasn't an ugly, sloppy neighborhood either, since the population was humble.

Residents did their best to keep the neighborhood clean. There was a residents' association that looked after the neighborhood. They sought basic services from City Hall, like public transportation, street lighting, security, education, and healthcare. The residents have paved streets, sewage, telephone service, and gas.

But, as in everywhere, there is always the rotten apple that bothers the good apples. And in the Rainbow Garden, it was no different.

The moneylender that Josias's father had the folly to borrow money from was known in the neighborhood. His house was one of the best; it looked like a Beverly Hills mansion.

The henchmen who worked for him put fear in the neighborhood. They did the dirty work. When the police came to arrest, they were the ones arrested.

The moneylender always gets rid of the evidence and remains at large.

The bus approaches the horizon. For the first time, the other boy notices Josias is shirtless. Sweatpants are not a typical piece of clothing to be worn by someone who is going to board the bus bound downtown.

Josias, however, has his thoughts distant; he doesn't even care about the other's critical eye.

The bus stops, the rear door opens, and the two boys enter. The bus fare collector also notices Josias's scanty clothing. Josias, walking around the bus like a somnambulist, oblivious to him, sits on one seat and leans against the window.

The bus travels, and Josias follows the landscape. The second guy sits behind Josias, with visible curiosity.

The bus leaves Rainbow Garden and continues through Lagoon City. And that's when Josias realized he didn't have enough to spend a night anywhere. Therefore, he could not continue his journey to downtown or a wealthier suburban area.

Wandering around downtown or in a noble neighborhood in the state where Josias is would be unwise. People would easily take him for a beggar, a deviant drug user, or someone with a mental imbalance who had run away from the asylum. And becoming a beggar was all that Josias didn't want.

That was how, when paying attention to the landscape again, Josias realized he was passing through the entrance to Happiness Slum. The name had nothing to do with the appearance of the area; it was a low-class, bad-reputation place.

However, it was the only worthy place for someone with a financial situation like Josias.

Josias straightens up on the bus seat and starts thinking about getting off the bus. The other young man, overcome by curiosity, stops the other, taking him by the wrist. "Hey, man, are you in need of help?"

Josias looks indifferently at the guy. He's dark and handsome, with glasses, a long-sleeved shirt, and jeans. He is the same age as Josias, probably a religious boy who is going to church.

Josias doesn't want to be rude and flashes a slight smile. "No, man, thank you very much."

"Are you sure? Do you need some change?" The boy looks in his pockets for some money. But when he releases Josias's wrist, Josias pulls the signal wire for the driver to stop at the next bus stop.

"Do you really want to help me, buddy?" Josias speaks more firmly, "Pray for me."

The boy stops looking for money, looks at Josias, and smiles widely. "Sure, brother, I'll pray for you. What's your name?"

The bus was slowing down as it approached the requested stop. Josias notices and answers quickly, "Josias Rocha."

"Josias Rocha. I, Everaldo Siqueira, will pray for you and plead that God will bring you the best in your life. You will get out of this and be successful. And I believe that you'll have the willpower to overcome your adversities! Amen?"