The Mysterious Old Man

Jonas started running after his friends. The weather was getting gloomy. The clouds had turned black, almost all of the sky was filled with black clouds.

The old man just watched the children calmly. Something stormy was brewing for the children that they had no idea about. The old man tapped the cane with a mysterious grin.

The clouds rumbled again. The old man watched the children resuming his calm temperament.

***

"Haha, guys did you watch the movie," asked Tim while taking some popcorns and cotton candy away from the duo.

"Hehe I will tell you, it was super fun," said Jonas haughtily.

Frieda too didn't care about fatty taking some of her snacks and replied "Yes, we loved the movie"

"What's so good about it, I also watched ruemon's new episode right, Annie," said Robin as he couldn't tolerate the fact that his friends watched the movie, that he waited for a long time.

Annie added in his support "Yes we watched it"

Rich was getting bored with their conversation. He was getting lost in the fact that he slept super soundly.

Actually, it was soundly sleeping for him but not for his other family members as they could hear him loud and clear.

He was snoring.

"Let's start playing guys," Leon said as he was waiting anxiously to play the game.

Jonas "The one with the shortest stick will be the catcher"

All of them had an agreement about this.

They all started one by one to pick the stick.

Rich was immersed in the impression that he would be one of the hiders from the start. So he got quite surprised and screamed.

Rich "It seems I will be winning this," He said as he came out of his stupor full of motivation.

***

Jonas"the wind is getting stronger"

Annie, Tim and Robin agreed with him. They were trying to search for a hiding spot near their region.

Leon was going to the central region, there was a big tree in front of him.

The other one Frieda was going to the other region

That was a whole field of flowers. Different flowers were grown and arranged in a specific manner enhancing the beauty of the park.

While the others were going through the ins and out trying to find a suitable hiding spot.

Rich was pacing toward the old man to start counting.

"It seems you got chosen," said the old man with his amiable smile.

"Yes grandpa hu -- hu, I will be counting here," said Rich while catching his breath.

He had sped up quite fast to take the advantage.

He counted to zero and saw Robin who was unlucky today.

Robin had no idea that he was spotted as he peeked through the bushes near the tree.

Rich to give him no chance as he acted if he didn't see Robin while proceeding near him.

'not here not here' Robin chanted the mantra in his mind when Rich ran through the swing near the tree.

'He found me' Robin screamed in his mind while trying to run, alas he stumbled and got caught by Rich.

"Got you," said Rich in his high pitched tone.

The game proceeded as he caught others one by one.

Finding someone hidden among the flower bushes was a difficult part. But soon Frieda got found out.

At last, only Leon remained as he was the only one who dared to climb the tree.

Rich couldn't find him in 20minutes so he decided to quit.

Rich "I quit" he screamed on top of his lungs so that Leon could hear him.

Leon got out of his hiding spot, carefully getting down from the tree

"Hahaahaa I won" Leon laughed as he got near them.

"You were hiding there!" Rich exclaimed.

Others too laughed seeing Leon getting down from a tree, taking it as the hiding spot.

"I wish I could go there too," Tim said as he was caught while he chewed his popcorns too loudly.

"You should eat," Jonas said handing the popcorns to Tim.

"Oh, thanks, "Tim said.

The kids always brought snacks and water in small bags.

"It was fun," Robin said as he ate his chocolates.

"I will give you my popcorns," Jonas said as he handed in some popcorn in exchange for the chocolates.

They ate their snacks while walking toward the old man. It was a fact that only he was present with the children when others had passed through the children without seeing them.

They chatted with each other while they relieved their hunger.

"Grandpa what you will tell us," said Jonas

"Yes" followed some other kid, eager to listen to stories told by the old man.

"Today I will tell you about 'The lost continent," said the old man.

The kids listened attentively cracking silly comments from time to time.

The lost continent, as its name suggests is the lost continent. The people there were all people with the same goal, to become king of the continent. Where the king is the metaphor for someone or something.

The old man told them about some of their custom and culture. He told them about the richness of flora and fauna and the infinite mysteries that always existed there.

"The denizens of the continent always research toward the goal to become the king," said the old man finishing today's story

"Hey grandpa, is their delicious food" Tim was the first one to ask a question.

"Yes there is, powerful and delicious food," said the old man as he drools alongside fatty.

"All of them try to become the king, why" Rich got confused by their weird job.

Jonas and others agreed with him.

"I don't know, maybe they get something," said the old man as he tried to guess their goal

"I bet he will try to get all delicious food for himself," Fatty Tim said as he had nothing to think about except food.

"Yes, delicious chocolates," Jonas said as he remembers his parents would bring his favourite ones.

Something came up in his brain, something related to his parent's conversation that night.

"Are there adventures, like here too?" asked Jonas to the old man.

"Yes there are much greater places to adventure," said the old man looking toward Jonas with his twinkling eyes.

They asked some other kinds of stuff related to the story and then continued with their own chat.

***

"Grandpa will you come tomorrow," asked Tim abruptly while they were conversing about playing tomorrow.

"Of course he will come," Rich said

"He always comes to watch us" Frieda proud of the fact that there was a loyal audience watching her performance daily.

"Today is the last day, I will not come from tomorrow," said the old man as he stood up from the bench with the cane in his hand.

"What!" The kids exclaimed as they got very sad.

"Why not come again" Jonas shouted as tear filled his eyes. It was the first time for him to depart for a long long time.

It was the first time for some other kid's too, so asked their question one after another.

But one thing was common they all had red eyes.

" I will continue my adventures," said the old man with a smile on his face

"W-wait, I will g-give you my snacks" Tim stuttered as he ran toward the old man with his snacks

"Yes, I will give you my chocolates" Jonas ran with the chocolates he had saved for dinner.

"Here," he said as he handed the chocolates while Tim and other kids too ran to see the old man for the last time.

"Don't be sad" the old man laughed as he ruffled through the hair of the kids with his wrinkly hands.

"You never told us your name" Rich and Frieda voiced at the same time. It was not that they didn't notice it. It was because the duo was too sad to notice about it.

"My name, 'Howell' you guys can call me 'Crimson-eyed Howell' " said the old humorously pointing his crooked fingers toward his eyes.

The old man strode slowly toward the flower field touching one of the blooming flowers.

"Where can we find you," Jonas said exhausting his courage as he stood with somewhat trembling legs.

The old man stood steadily with a calm demeanour and said

"THE LOST CONTINENT"

He was ready to go when he remembered

"You guys gave me some snacks for my adventure so I will give you some farewell present," said the old man chuckling.

The surrounding wind started revolving too fast. The kids could see the storm but the storm didn't hurt them.

The clouds above their head got fully black. As the lightning streaks ran through the clouds.

The lightning gathered striking towards the old man hand forming seven spheres of thunder.

His red eyes lit up as runes travelled toward the seven circles mixing with them.

They formed as 7 grotesque monsters which burned through the skin on their previous birthmark.

"It will test you from time to time instead of me," said the old man with a solemn tone.

The kids were shocked by the amazing spectacle happening they freaked out by the pain that assaulted them.

The pain didn't last even a millisecond. It was the pain through the soul.

The old man had protected them through the process. He had reduced the pain to 1/1000 but it still made them scream calling for help, calling their parent's name.

They were so exhausted and traumatized by the pain that they gave him the look as if looking toward the grim reaper.

"Haha look at me, I didn't told them about the pain," said the old embarrassed.

The kids were left speechless they could only look at him grudgingly.

"Well that's enough for now," said the old man lifting the cane and tapping it again.

"Farewell"

The old man left leaving the stupified children. As rain wetted their bodies.