Duke

Since childhood. You were both broken and disappointed with this life. You had no friends. Duke had no love. It was like you were love and hate. Luke was love and you were hate.

You might have met each other a couple of times in life, but you never approached or introduced yourself. It was as if there was a wall between you that needed to be torn down.

Duke was in 11th grade and you were in 10th. Your classmate noticed these glances between the two of you, as if you wanted to figure each other out by heart.

Things got even worse for you after you graduated from high school. First your grandparents died, and then your dad. Your grandma died of old age, and your grandpa died in the war. Your dad was shot. That left only your mom. Duke saw how hard it was for you, and so did he. Your fathers died on the same date. And then your weakest sides hit. Your mom was run over and killed, and Duke's mom was kidnapped and killed. Your mom died first, and Duke's mom died the next day at the same time.

Duke began to learn a bad life. You became ruder and more distrustful. Duke stopped communicating with friends and began to steal money and things from stores.

You only learned each other's names. You began to run into each other more and more often: in a cafe, on the street, in the entryway, at your parents' graves.

Today was a year since your mother died. That day you had a hysterical fit all over the apartment. Duke had a terrible day too. Today was exactly a year since his father died. Duke drank and clutched his hair in his hands, blaming himself for his father's death.

In the evening you were wearing just a T-shirt and shorts. It was winter outside, but you didn't care anymore. You went to your mother's grave through the cold. When you arrived at your mother's grave, you simply lay down on her grave, lying on your side and hugging yourself with your arms. Tears ran down your cheeks.

Suddenly, someone lays down next to you and covers you with a warm jacket. A man's hand grabbed your waist. You realized it was Duke. His hand, which hugged your waist, was bandaged, but the bandage was bloody. Duke approached your neck, whispering in a quiet voice: "Let me warm you in my arms and make your world more beautiful and better..."