The Untameable Leon

CHAPTER 4: BOMB

I quickly threw the beer bottle at the wall after finishing it. I didn't waste a few more seconds and immediately grabbed another beer from the table in front of me while the television was also on.

Except for the sound of the bottles hitting the wall, the noise coming from the television in front of me could also be heard throughout my small house that used to be... my wife and I's house.

I was about to drink the beer that I was holding after I leaned again on the sofa I was sitting on when I just suddenly stopped and stoned from my seat because of what I just was seeing and hearing from the television.

“The City Governor's son, Miguel, proudly announced that he is going to get married to the most beautiful Crizelda Alvarez. The netizens were very happy about it especially when they also announced that they are pregnant...”

I suddenly became deaf to what I heard from the news reporter. My eyes remained wide open on the television as I felt my tears fall, could not believe what I found out.

I can clearly see on the video how happy the woman I love is when the man she loves now is kneeling in front of her as if they didn't hurt me... As if she didn't betray me at all.

The dreams I had built with the woman I loved crumbled even more as I continued to watch them.

One of my dreams is to have children with her... To have family with her... To grow old with her but I think it won't happen anymore because she is in love with someone else now... Someone that is rich and powerful that can give everything she wants in just a snap and that she can also be proud of unlike me, who has to work in the scorching heat of the sun all night just to earn money and give everything she wants.

If only I was just rich and powerful, I would still have my wife right now here with me... I would have given everything to her... She would have been content with me and not looking for someone else.

Because of the pain and resentment I was feeling, I didn't realize that I had already thrown the beer I was holding at the television in front of me.

The television immediately broke and blacked out because of what I did and it didn't stop me from continuing destroying the things that I can see all over our house.

When my eyes turned to the center table in front of me, I quickly kicked it. Even the sofa I was just sitting on earlier, I quickly picked it up and threw it directly at the broken television which made it worse.

I couldn't stop screaming as I continued to destroy the things that I could see, not minding the bruises that I got from earlier, from the bodyguards of my ex-wife's lover. My tears continue to fall as I want to explode because of the anger and pain I am feeling right now.

I could feel the blood flowing from my wounds and instead of minding it, I just lost interest and just felt numb.

While I was completely losing myself, I also continued to repent. I blame myself for what happened. It's all my fault. I'm weak, poor, and powerless that's why all these happened. There is no one else to blame but me and no one else.

I don't know how many hours I continue destroying and breaking things all over the house until I didn't realize that I already had fallen asleep maybe because of being so tired and everything that happened.

I just woke up when I heard noises from outside. As I slowly opened my eyes, I smelled smoke and when I finally opened them, I immediately saw a big fire in the direction of the television that I had broken earlier.

It was only then that I realized that the noises coming from the outside were from our neighbors who were panicking and shouting my name because our house was on fire.

While they were panicking outside, I was just relaxed inside our burning house. I even got up slowly, regardless of the growing fire as well as those things that might fall exactly from where I was standing. I can feel how ready I am for the possibility that something bad will happen to me like my own death.

I can also feel how indifferent I am to the whole environment, especially to the fire that is happening.

I just put on a poker face while leaving the house. I ignored the people calling me as they continued to put out the fire.

I went straight to our water pump which is also just near our house. I was just like a robot especially when I started taking a bath, regardless of the eyes of our neighbors on me and not minding the bruises all over my body.

After I finished taking a bath, I took some of my clothes from the hanging clothes outside. I also got dressed in the bathroom outside while the fire was already consuming our entire house.

I've really lost interest in everything already so it's like I don't care anymore even if I lose the house I've worked so hard for. My wife already left me so everything is useless now.

Before our whole house was completely turned into ashes, I immediately left and decided to go and find a club to drink.

I only just have my wallet with me and nothing else. After I paid the driver of the tricycle I rode, I immediately got off to enter a club located in our town.

I was about to enter the entrance of the club when I was suddenly blocked by a bouncer which made me stop from walking.

"Excuse me, Sir, but can I see your wallet? We should only let people in who are rich and you look like you have no money," he said seriously which made my jaw clenched.

After staring at him for a few seconds, I then took out my wallet from my pocket and immediately handed it to him.

He opened it and checked what's inside. While he was doing that, there were men who deliberately bumped my shoulder that I thought were businessmen based on their clothes while accompanied by beautiful and sexy women.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but you're not allowed to enter because you only have a small amount of money. You are also not well dressed so you better leave now and find a club that is cheaper and suits you better," he said seriously again and instead of me arguing with him and causing a commotion, I just immediately left.

I continued to look for open clubs and just like the first time I went to, I wasn't allowed in either because I didn't have enough money and because of what I was wearing.

I was about to leave the tenth club I tried to go to and finally gave up when I heard someone speak from behind.

"Just let him in, man. I will be the one to pay for him because he looks like he's about to cry. He is pitiful," the man behind me said as he talked and laughed with the bouncer.

I was about to face him when just suddenly, some papers fell from above and when I looked at it, I saw numbers of flying blue paper bills.

"That's still too much money for you to club today until morning. Next time don't go to exclusive clubs like this because you don't fit in and you will never be. I will go ahead now. Enjoy, pity dog," he arrogantly said while my eyes were focused on the money that was now scattered on the floor.

Just like the hurtful words I heard earlier, I was no longer hurt by what I just heard right now. I was really already numb, that is why when the man finally entered the club, I quickly moved and picked up the scattered amount of money on the floor.

I didn't even feel shy even though I knew many eyes were looking at me and I could even hear their whispers and laughter.

The important thing for me is to finally enter and have an experience in an exclusive club at least before I die and leave this evil world completely.

After I picked up everything and put it inside my wallet, I then immediately went inside.

Smoke mixed with cigarettes was the first thing that came to me as well as the various lights.

There were a lot of people inside and almost all of them were rich and powerful while many beautiful and sexy women were clinging on to them.

I also saw people kissing and almost having sex on every side of the club as if there is no tomorrow.

As I walked towards the bar counter, there were still people bumping into me, nonchalant even if they were already hurting me as if they already had bought out the whole place.

When I finally arrived and sat at the bar counter, I immediately ordered from the bartender their hardest drink using the money that I picked up on the floor earlier.

I just watched the bartender while he was making my order and when he finally finished, I quickly drank it.

That was the first time that I could taste that kind of liquor because I could only buy cheap ones, that is why I couldn't help but wince when I finally tasted it, especially when its strong taste quickly spread to my throat.

After a while, I finally liked the taste of it, which is why I ordered some of it again.

I just drink them straight and I can really feel how much I like its heat flowing down my throat while I am hearing the loud music in the entire club.

I had just finished my fifth glass of liquor when I just felt someone sitting in the empty seat to my left side.

I just suddenly turned my head to look at them and when I did that, I saw two beautiful and sexy women who also suddenly looked at me.

Just a few seconds later, I then heard their loud laughter after looking at me and because we were almost next to each other, I could still clearly hear their conversation because their voices are loud even though the music is loud as well.

"Look at him, he looks like a garbage man and look at what he's wearing, it's disgusting," the woman next to me said.

"You're right, girl, and who the hell let him in here? People like him should not be allowed to enter exclusive clubs like this. He was pleasant to look at. It's better for him to pick up trash outside than to party here," the other woman, who I think is her friend, said and they laughed together.

"Maybe he must have thought that someone would be interested in him here, huh? Like, duh? Compared to him, we will absolutely choose a rich and powerful businessman, not someone like him who looks even poorer than a rat," they added and laughed at me again not minding even though I know they know that I can clearly hear what they are saying about me.

And because I know that I have no match against them, I just tightened my grip on my glass as I drank one after the other while what they just said ran through my mind over and over again.

It's like only those insulting words are all that I can hear even though the music is still so loud.

They just continued to insult and laugh at me while I didn't stop drinking until I didn't know how many glasses I had already drunk.

All I know is that my vision is already getting blurry and spinning. I also didn't even notice the two women leaving my side.

I was about to get up from my seat after paying all the money that I had picked up earlier to the bartender when I was suddenly stopped by the man who just spoke from my side.

"Where are you going, young man? Have you finished drinking?" the man asked and because my vision is a bit blurry because of the amount of hard liquor I've had as well as because of the disco lights, I can't see his face properly.

I can only see from my already drunk eyes that he is wearing a business suit and based on his voice, he is already quite old.

"Yes, Sir, so I'll go ahead now," I politely answered and I was about to stand up again so that I could finally leave when he just suddenly held me from my left hand to prevent me from moving.

"It's too early for you to leave, young man. The night is just starting so just sit there and join me for a drink," he answered while he made me sit properly.

"But I don't have any more money to pay for drinks, Sir," I said with all honesty.

"You don't need to worry about it. I'll take care of it," he said quickly.

"So what is your name, young man?" he asked after he ordered some drinks from the bartender after I said thank you to him.

"My name is Leon, Sir," I said simply as I looked at him while I could still feel how drunk I was.

One of the things I still manage to do when I'm drunk is to be able to speak well no matter how drunk I am and how much I've had to drink.

"Hmm, Leon. What a good name you have, young man. Are you strong like a lion?" he asked and I could feel from his voice that he was smiling while saying those words.

"Not anymore, Sir."

"Why? What happened? If you don't mind me asking," he said sincerely now and even though I just talked to him for the first time, I can't deny the fact that I immediately feel at ease with him and I also feel how good a person he is just by talking to him.

I drank the liquor that the bartender had just poured before I answered.

"My wife cheated on me and left me..." I said seriously. "She traded me for the man who could give her everything she wanted in just a snap. Not a man like me that still has to stretch a bone just to have some money," I added as I am starting to get emotional.

He didn't speak and I think he was just waiting for what I had to say.

A few minutes of silence passed first before I spoke again.

"I'm so sorry for being so emotional, Sir. I really love my wife and I also really just can't help it because everything that happened is still fresh," I said with difficulty.

"You don't have to say sorry, Leon. Real men do cry and it's normal. Just let out everything you feel and I'm just here to listen,"

"It's really hard to be poor, Sir. If only I were rich and powerful like my wife's lover, my wife would not have traded me and left me for another man," I said painfully while I continued to drink liquor, not minding if I overdose.

Honestly, I don't care anymore if something bad will happen to me or even if I will die right here right now from where I'm sitting.

I can feel how ready I am to disappear from this world because my life has no value anymore because my wife no longer loves me and is no longer here with me. Everything is pointless now because she has left me.

I just continued to tell the story of what happened in my life including my regrets and blaming myself to the man beside me who I still don't know the name of.

I don't really even know if he is still next to me or if he left already because I was so drunk. I just keep on talking and talking that I hardly know what is happening around me and what I am doing.

It's just that the last thing my blurry and drunk eyes saw was a piece of paper and a ballpen handed to me by the man I was talking to. And before I could completely pass out from being so drunk, I even felt my hand writing on the paper that I didn't know the content of.