CHAPTER 2

Sitting on the edge of the roof, I could see the crowd rushing below, each headed for their own destination. Why are they in such a rush I wonder? 

Sitting in isolation on this cold stone slap, I watch as a young boy in a school uniform run by. Face flushed red and disheveled hair, a loose tie and slanted backpack. His eyes seem bright as he makes his way to the school bus.

A little down the street, a man and woman scream at each other anger evident on their faces, between them a child no older than five stands looking at them lost and scared. 

Two lovers sat on the bench lost in each other's eyes without a care in the world. An office man keeps talking into his phone gaze locked on his wristwatch, it seems only I can see the masked man following closely behind him hands in his pocket. 

Ah….the sun shines high in the afternoon sky, it seems everyone can feel its scorching heat, well, everyone except me. The cold is all I know. 

I wonder, was I also like them? Always rushing like the schoolboy, oblivious like the office man, happy like the lovers or perhaps selfishly angry like the couple? 

How many years has it been? I have long lost count. My mind remains empty, like a blank piece of paper patiently waiting for the words to be drawn upon it. My name, my age, my life, my death? I remember none. 

I know nothing and yet only one thing is certain as I look down at my chest and that is the big gaping hole where my heart should've been….

 Letting out a loud sigh I find myself making my way down the familiar alley, a throbbing feeling settles in the space in my chest, this feeling I know, and yet I am unsure how I should call it. Is this supposed to be pain? Why do I feel like I cannot breathe when I no longer require air?

I seem to recognise this place and yet when I call upon the memory, nothing remains. Placing a hand over my missing heart, I suppose I should've felt anger, sadness or perhaps lost, but I've long forgotten what those emotions mean. Why do I even care? 

As I walk amongst the crowd, I unconsciously make way for the oncoming traffic. How ridiculous, I almost feel like laughing. A looming figure makes his way towards me. How strange, why does he feel familiar? For a split second it seemed like our eyes met, causing me to stop in my tracks. In a distance I could hear the sound of a thumping heart.

"huh...?"

Shocked, I watch as the distance closes between us.

I hold my breath, trembling. The stranger takes another step and passes right through me. slowly I release the non-existent air I'd been holding.

"how stupid can you be, there's no way he could see you. You're already dead"

A few seconds pass and a chill run straight through me making my hair stand on edge. I whip around, eyes wide yet he was already gone. My breathing turned shallow; my limbs frozen. 

I raise my hands shocked to see it trembling. I look towards where I saw him, the memory of his face already fading…

"This...this cannot be…" I whisper to myself, and yet I cannot shake the feeling.

For a split second I felt my heart beat though it is impossible. I look into the distance, mind in turmoil…perhaps I am mistaken though a small voice whispers I am not….No, sure I have to be, there is just no way....

" that man......that man has my heart...."