By YortThe3rd

Have you ever heard of the Red String of Fate?

Based on an old Chinese belief that claims we all have a Red String wrapped around our pinky, one that reaches out and connects us to our faded soulmate; doesn't matter if you both live right next door or countries apart, the Strings will stay bound to you both no matter what.

Many have wondered if such a myth is truly real, that a invisible String is really guiding us towards our true love?

I on the other hand can tell you that they are absolutely real...How can I state so with such confidence?

Well that's because-

I have the power to see them

-

My name is Rover, just your typical 23 year old man currently working in a low-level office job still trying to figure out my lot in life.

From a young age I've always had the ability to seethe Strings, spun me right out when I first laid eyes one them attached to my parents pinkies; then once more when I saw my older sister harbored her own String too!

Though her String stretched out far beyond my filed of view and took about 17 long years to finally see the face of the man who my sister was destined to spend the rest of her days with.

At the time it baffled meat just what I was even looking at till one day I had the courage to tell my family hoping they would have an answer?

For the longest time Ma and Pa thought it was nothing more then a child's silly imagination and they might have just thought I subconsciously discovered the concept from a show or some other source, still they sat me down and explained the Red Strings meaning, finally giving me some context on my strange power.

As the years passed my ability to see the Strings had only grown stronger and over time I gained complete control on when and how many I could view at once though it was quite the journey to get to this point.

In my early years I couldn't block out any of the Strings, so whenever I was in a huge crowd I was forced to witness hundreds and hundreds of Red Strings flying all about which overwhelmed me to the point that I'd break down into a full blown panic attack.

Thankfully my family were always there to quickly rush me out of the area and comfort me during those horrifying moments, eventually when it clicked that this wasn't just some child's overactive imagination they all banded together to try and understand my power and help me control it.

Ma would teach me some breathing tips to help clear my mind and keep me calm so I don't break down in a big crowd any longer and risk hurting myself.

Pa had the idea to see if I could channel my focus on particular people's Strings rather then having to view them all at once and blocking out the rest until I decided when I wanted to see the vast sea of the Red lines.

My sister...Well she acted like a little brat and teased me by calming my powers made me the ultimate cootie magnet... I exaggerate of course, despite some playful teasing she served as a great emotional support when things just got too overwhelming, even sneaking me some late night surgery snacks when Ma and Pa were fast asleep.

Truly thankful to my family for believing in my powers and helping me control them rather then send me away to some loon house; may have never gained the control I have over them now if it wasn't for their unwavering support.

Yet despite my years of knowledge one question still eludes me every time I gaze at my own pinky...

Where is my Red String?

-

"Boss keeping you back late again huh? That's rough...Heh sure you can deck him right in his ugly mug if you want, just hope you like the taste of prison food for the next couple of years...Sure I can lie for you in court, but it's going to cost you a pretty penny... Hah ha cheapskate...Nah it's no worries at all, we can always grab a drink another night...All good, catch you later and good luck with the late shift...Haha alright g'night Jenny."

After yet another dull day of crunching numbers, I hang up from my best friend who worked as a manager at a local convince store; letting out a disappointed sigh I start making my lonesome trip to the bakery.

Normally every second night we'd met up at the bar after work to knock back a couple of beers and catch up on each-others day along with venting about the frustrations we are forced to deal with on the daily; though most of the time we just discuss our hobbies along with what's going on in the world that day and then head home at a...Mostly reasonable time.

Nights like this however creep up where either one or the both of us can't make it and have to cancel the get together; tonight Jenny was the unfortunate soul in this arrangement which left me to wonder the rest of the night alone.

Always a drag when our met ups get cancelled, but things like this can't be helped; least leaves me the extra time to treat myself to a nice toasted meat pie from my favorite bakery and take a lovely trip down to the central park.

Took in the cool late arvo breeze that blew the delectable smell of my freshly backed meat-pie right into my face and made the desire to dig into it now all the more tempting, but resisted the urge so I could enjoy my after work reward on a nice cozy bench while getting a top notch view of the beautiful orange sky.

Passing by a variety of people still lingering about, I arrive at my favorite metal bench that sat away from any trees that birds like to rest upon and ruin anyone's day with their droppings and plop my rump right on it before anyone else had the chance to and let out a relaxed breath.

Might not be comfortable for most, but when you spend up to 12 hours sat on a office chair that was scientifically designed to be the most uncomfortable seat in the world then a metal seat like this is going to feel like a high quality massage chair in comparison.

It also provided a good view of the wide open park; able to easily witness all the different people that hung about; some being parents playing about with their kids, others feeding ducks by the lake and some just relaxing under the trees to either take a small nap or pass the time fiddling about with their phones.

Even if I couldn't have an outing with my friend it still felt wonderful to treat myself to what little nature could be found in this city with a nice pipping hot meat pie to munch on as the cool breeze flowed through my hair.

It felt so relaxing...

Very...Relaxing....

Deafeningly...Relaxing...

...Yet no matter how hard I forced myself to try and enjoy the moment, the missing Red String from my pinky once again crept in the back of my mind like some irritating tick.

I hold up my open palm, gazing onto my empty hand.

"Why can't I see my own String?"

"Do I just need more training?"

"Is it just impossible to see my own String?"

Like clockwork I ask these same questions as if expecting someone to suddenly pop out and have the answer.

Continuing this futile routine, I look up to the remaining people loitering around the park and allow myself to see their Strings and where it had led them.

Tonight had a good variety of couples, most of them led to straight couples though some that shared the same-sex littered about to; some couples simply holding hands; others were overly lovey dovey to the other with not a single shame in their bones, while a few just hung together whether it was enjoying each others company or doing their own thing apart.

Some biker looking bloke resting under a tree and taking a sip of a clearly alcoholic bottle hidden in a brown bag had his string fly high into the sky telling me his soulmate was quite a ways away.

One of the obnoxiously lovey dovey couples didn't even have their Strings connected to the other, meaning they were either not right for the other, or the people at the other end of their Strings are facing a great betrayal...

One woman had up to three strings wrapped around her pinky and flew off into vastly different directions, quite rare to catch someone with multiple Strings but she definitely can't claim the title of the first one I've ever seen.

Then you had this one lonely older gent, sitting by that same spot at the edge of the lake every-time I come to this park at this hour; happily feeding bread to the little ducks that swam...My heart sinking every-time my eyes draw to his String that buried itself into the ground.

Discovered why the Strings would go in a such a direction when a good friend of mine lost his girlfriend in a car accident in my teenage years...Can never forget the day he came to me with that news and seeing the String wrapped around her end lower along side her casket.

It's awful knowing that one day your soulmate will move on without you or may even pass before you'd ever had the chance to meet, yet there was a strange beauty and comfort knowing that no matter what the String of fate would never be broken.

Once again not a single soul had been missing their Red String...Even after the thousands of people I've checked throughout my life I failed to find a single person with a bare Pinky...Couldn't help but ponder this single question...One that has kept me up countless nights in fear that it may just be true...

Is the reason I lack a Red String...

Because I don't deserve a soulmate?

-

With the sun now set and my meat-pie completely devoured, I continued to sit here in this now desolate park, the lights from the many streetlamps that littered the parks footpath along with the full moon helped keep the park mostly illuminated and protected me from sitting in complete darkness.

Knew that I should get myself up and head home before it gets too late, yet I just continued to stay seated at this bench, staring up to the moon continuing to ponder just why I wasn't deserving of a Red String?

Regardless of how many how many girls or guys that had come and gone in my life none of their Strings had never connected to mine, heck got the point that I tricked myself into thinking I had a crush on a girl during the tail end of my elementary years just to fit with my peers going on about their crushes.

Don't even remember that girl's name.

Even checked my all my friends hands like Jenny's to see if their Strings connected to me, much like everyone else their fated love belonged to another, though in this special case it was a relief to confirm that none of them were my soulmate.

I care for my friends deeply and would do anything for them, but never had romantic feelings towards them and am grateful to avoid such a complicated scenario and we can just remain as friends.

Regardless of that positive turn out, that still didn't take away from the fact that it didn't get me any closer to solving this issue; if anything it only further confirmed that there just might not be a partner out therefor me...

Why...

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME!?

What the hell did I do to deserve this? To be denied that special someone to love and grow old with? Is this a sick joke some god decided to play on me?

WELL I'M NOT LAUGHING! I'M...I'm not...

A hollowed sigh left me...Whipping away the tears that ran down my cheek I slowly get to my feet, tossing the empty pie tin into the trash, taking one last glance toward the moon wondering why I was given this power only to have it confirm I'd just die alone and unloved?

With another night gone asking the same questions that will never be answered I rest my hands in my coat pockets and ready myself to make the long track home...Least so I thought.

"Quite the lucky lad to be gifted with such an incredible power," suddenly the voice of an older man came from out of the blue, catching me off guard and had me shutter in fright." Hehehe, sorry about giving you the ol hereby jibbies young feller, hope didn't spook ya to bad heh heh heh?" the older gent had quite the...Unique laugh, sounding like a stereotypical old prospector you'd see in cartoons.

"Oh no no it's alright," after calming myself down it was then that I had recognised that this was the same old man who I see feed the ducks every-time I come here. "Just didn't expect anyone to still be hanging around here at this hour."

"Heh heh, well usually I'd be home catching up with my talkies by now, but ol Jasper over there decided to be a extra greedy Gus today and wouldn't stop pestering me for more food," after adjusting his large round glasses, he pointed to a lone fat duck who had been chilling in the middle of the lake, looking quite satisfied with itself.

"Not only greedy, but quite the a smug looking duck to," the suspender totting bloke that also wore a green and white polka dot shirt underneath it had himself a hearty chuckle, seeming like quite a kindly older gent; though there was something he said when he approached me that didn't escape my attention. "By the way, you mentioned something about my 'powers' right? What exactly did you mean by that?" He can't possibly know about my ability to see the Red Strings of fate right?

Clearly I'm over thinking what he meant.

"Oh right right! Excuse this silly old fool, can get easily side-tracked in my old age," the man scratched flopping cheek, looking pretty flustered with himself. "Oh where are my manners! The name's Alvin and it's a pleasure to meet another feller with the same gift!"

The man tipped his bowl hat to me, once again leaving me quite confused with his cryptic speech. "Um, Rover's the name," I awkwardly blurt out. "Could you um...Explain exactly what you mean by 'sharing the same gift?'"

"Isn't it obvious laddie?" he raises his hand and points to his pinky, reviling to me something I thought I'd never hear from another soul that shocked me to my very core.

I can see the Strings too

-

I struggled to comprehend over what had left the man's mouth, having to sit back down on the bench to help take it all in with the older gent taking a seat beside me.

"Y-You really can see the Red Strings too?" I asked with slight hesitation, preparing for the man to pull a fast one, reviling this to be some sort of elaborate prank.

"That's right Sonny! Could see them ever since I was but a wee lad!" he held up his pinky with pride, baring a wide grin that had a couple of teeth left unaccounted for.

"I-Incredible!" still couldn't believe that someone else could see them! Know it's a big world and all so it wasn't improbable to believe another person shared this same power, but growing up my whole life without meeting anyone else with this same ability had me thinking I was the only one with this strange gift.

Felt nice knowing I wasn't alone and that there are people out there who can understand what it's like to see the Strings.

Though this raises quite a curious question. "Wait, just how did you know that I had this power in the first place and why approach me now of all times?" I point to the lake where the smug fat duck still floated about. "I'm positive I've seen you here many other nights feeding those ducks over there."

Alvin looked over to the lake then back to me with a shrug. "If I'm perfectly honest? I just took a guess and it paid off."

"T-Took a guess!?" he can't be serious right now, you don't just take a wild guess about such a specific topic and get it right on the bloody first go! "...You're having a laugh right? Has to be more to it then that?"

"I ain't trying to fool ya Sonny! Although you are right that there is little more to it," a hearty chuckle left the man. "Noticed you here few times looking at that there hand of yours, seeming mighty melancholy about something," he pointed to my hand and I instinctively raised it up to gander at my pinky. "Wondered for awhile if you could also see the Strings, but held back approaching you to ask since it'd be quite the odd question to ask a complete stranger out of the blue."

A soft chuckle left me while I placed my hand back on the bench. "Fair enough, have no doubt most people would assume you'd have a few screws lose if you told them you could see Red Strings everywhere," once again he let out his unique laugh you couldn't help but chuckle along with. "Still, why tonight of all nights did you decide to approach me?"

The older gent's lips fell to a more neutral state, his brows furrowed as he sucked on his bottom lip. "Well, it was because I had seen you crying and thought would take the risk and see if you really could see the Strings or not," his eyes drifted down towards my hands that still rested soundly beside me on the bench. "Always seem so gloomy every time I saw you look to that pinky of yours so would it be correct of me to assume the Strings are the source of your hardships?"

Was left staring at him completely stunned that he managed to accurately guess the source of my woes, then again wasn't doing a very good job hiding my distress so shouldn't be too surprised that someone who shared my exact powers could successfully make such an educated guess.

A sigh left me as I held my hands together with my body slumped forward, half tempted to just fabricate a made up problem and avoid confronting this topic.

Ultimately decided it would be best to face these questions head on now that I had someone here who might actually have the answers to these lingering questions that have been haunting me for years. "...That's correct," taking a deep breath, I sit backup straight and look directly into the man's emerald eyes, steeling myself for what could come next. "D-do you mind if I ask just two questions?"

He seemed a bit surprised by the request, but didn't take him much time to accept with nothing but a soft nod.

With his permission I tried to settle the sporadic pounding in my chest by attempting some breathing excises; such an attempt was in vain as the idea that everything that I feared when it came to my lack of a Red String could all become reality was too much to handle.

Part of me was screaming to just dash back home and continue to forever live in blissful ignorance, though one glance toward my pinky deterred such a cowardly notion and somehow I had found the resolve to push past that fear and finally ask the man without further delay-

Can you see my Red String?

-

Felt like time had come to a complete stand still as I waited with great anxiety for the older gent to answer, the sound of my heart beating louder and louder was the only sign to me in this moment that time was still flowing normally.

After what felt like an entirety the older gent had finally answered...

"Sorry to say Sonny, but can't see a single String around that pinky of yours."

...

In that moment it felt like a knife had dug deep into my heart; my breaths becoming rapid, barley able to control them as the the world around me became fuzzy and unrecognisable.

My mind was scattered all over the place, unable to form any coherent thoughts and could only lift my uncontrollable shaking hand, staring at a empty pinky with a horrible sense of dread consuming every part of my erratic state. "...C-Can you see your own Red String?"

"...Are you doing okay Sonny? Your not looking t-

"Please! Can you see your own String or not!?" my voice screeched out as if something had taken control of me!

...It has to be that we just can't see our own Strings! Yeah that has to be the reason!...Otherwise if we can then that would mean I'm-

"...Yes..."

I can see my own Strings Sonny

...Not deserving of love...

...

...

...


My greatest nightmare really did come true...For whatever reason fate decided I didn't deserve that one special person in my life to love and grow old together with.

Don't know why or what I could have done to be denied a soulmate and honestly it didn't even matter; all could do was slump down and stare at my bare hand once more as if expecting a Red String to suddenly appear...But that wasn't going to happen and just had to face the truth...

...I didn't deserve to find love...

...

"...Really hung up over a missing String huh?" didn't pay much mind to the old gent speaking, really didn't care to pay anything any mind since what was the bloody point. "I get how it might seem unfortunate not to have one, but don't you think all those other Strings you got wrapped around your other fingers would more then make up for it?"

"...E-excuse me?" It took a second for it to register and wasn't even confident if I had heard him right, regardless the mere possibility of what he had implied was enough to at least peak my interest. "D-Did you just say other Strings?"

"Indeedy I did Sonny!" with much enthusiasm, the older gent sat tall with his chipper half toothed smile. "Had an inkling you didn't have a clue about the other Strings, but wanted to make absolutely sure."

"Y-Your joking right!?" So wasn't just hearing things! Such a bold claim the man made that I couldn't help but quickly spring myself back up, desperate to hear the man out. "There are really other Strings?" frantically I looked to my hand yet could see nothing more then a plan palm. "If that's the case then how come I can't see them?"

The old gent didn't delay sharing his jolly chuckle. "Looks like I got quite a bit to teach you then!"

"W-Whoa hey! What are you doing?" suddenly the older gent grabbed my hand, holding it up to me and pointed at my index finger.

"Now then, you have the ability to reveal or hide the Red Strings from your vision right?" my eyes dart about quite confused about what was going on before landing my sights back on him, responding with as low and cautious nod. "Well then I want you to channel that same power, only focus it on that there index finger of yours," he tapped at my finger before letting go and pulling away.

Keeping my hand held up, I gaze at my finger then back to the man once more; staring at him with great doubt that such other Strings could really exist.

The gent just looked to me with a reassuring grin and gestured his eyes towards my finger to give it a try.

Still wasn't confident about this working, but other then crushing out my last remaining sliver of hope of finding true companionship I didn't really have anything else to lose, so following his advice I put all my focus onto my index finger; eyes squinted and doing my damnedest to keep focused on it.

Tried as I might I just couldn't see them, spend about a good minute or so at it yet my finger was still just as naked as my pinky's.

Was just about ready to throw in the towel and accept there really wasn't any other Strings or that I truly wasn't deserving of any type of companionship, when it was then that the older gent began to speak up.

"Don't give up mate!" he yelled so loud without care of the late hour, clenching his fists while looking to me with great determination burning in his eyes. "Your still thinking too much and letting your doubts cloud your mind!" he held up his index finger and kept pointing at it. "Sweep those pesky doubts away and trust that the other String are out there waiting to be seen!"

Letting his advice sink in, I look back to my finger and ponder just how I could get my brain to ignore these lingering doubts.

It was then that it hit me! A solution that was so obvious that I felt like a fool for not trying this earlier.

With my eyes shut I steady my breath just as I did when controlling what Red Strings I choose to see or not, clearing my mind and clearing my thoughts till I felt ready to open my eyes once more and see if this same tactic had worked.

"...N-No bloody way!?" it was right then that an incredible sight had befell right before my very eyes! One that was truly unbelievable and had me questioning if was really here or I had finally snapped. "I-I can see them!

Yellow Strings!

-

The older gent was right!

Didn't have just one wrapped around there either, 6 others accommodated it meaning my fate was tied to 7 other people! Didn't have a single clue what it had meant, but didn't even care! Just overjoyed to know that I had so many Strings to the point that I almost broke down into tears just looking at them.

"Heh heh heh, finally able to see the little buggers now eh?" could hear the older gent respond, but been too fixated on examining my new found Strings pay him to much mind. "Bet it was quite the shocker seeing so many at once?"

A chuckle left me before setting my sights back on the joyous old gent. "It sure was, though one I'm sure as heck not complaining about," though to say I was overjoyed would be a vast understatement, there was still a very important question that desperately warranted an answer. "Though I still haven't the faintest idea what they mean? "I look back to the Strings in ponder.

"Heh heh heh, luckily for you I've been able to see these Strings all my life so you don't have to go through all the hoopla of figuring it out like I did!" my attention quickly snapped back to the man, who raised his hand up and pointed to his index finger. "Now these Strings right here? They attach themselves to your closest of friends; ones that are loyal and will stick by you to the very end."

"R-Really!?These really lead to all my friends!?" with this new found knowledge I had followed where each String had led and sure enough it seemed to line up perfectly!

They all travelled pretty much where my friends had lived or generally liked to gather, heck just seeing the String that led towards where Jenny had worked was almost proof enough for me...Almost being the key word.

For there was just a single outlier that through a wrench into his explanation. "Wait if that's the case then how do you explain this String?" I point to the outlier "I only have 6 friends in my life that I'd consider that close, why is this seventh one here?"

The man leaned forward to get a better look at it, seeming completely unfazed by the question. "Now that's an easy one to explain," he states with utter confidence as he wags his finger. "You just haven't meet them yet."

"O...Oh! Yeah...Heh...Yeah that makes sense," couldn't help but rub the back of my head flustered, wondering why I didn't even consider such a possibility.

Guess just didn't think I would still be making friends this late into my 20's, but knowing there was another close friend out there waiting to meet felt quite exciting.

"Not feeling so left out anymore now are ya Sonny?" didn't say anything as the man watched me with a joyful grin; was just so ecstatic about this amazing news that it was hard to find the right way to express such joy! "Heh heh, think your a happy chappy now? What if I told you there are even more types of Strings you have yet to see?"

"T-There's more!?" I look to the gent in utter astonishment, still haven't gotten over the mere existence of Yellow Strings and now there are suddenly more!? The gent hadn't disappointed me yet so I didn't hold a single ounce of hesitation and put my full faith in him by looking down to my middle finger after seeing him tap at his own.

"...O-Oh my goodness!" almost had tumbled off the backside of the bench from what had been relived to me.

A massive amount of Blue Strings appeared from my finger and flew in all sorts of directions; wasn't able to count them all but it looked to be over 30 of the buggers had somehow managed to occupy my finger.

Never even considered that many to be possible to take up a single finger and couldn't stop myself from looking at every single one of them in awe.

"Heh heh heh, didn't expect that did ya? Bet your now wondering what it means and why you have so gosh darn many? "instinctively my attention darted back to the older gent who had easily read my mind, he too looking over all the Blue Strings that invaded the air.

Quickly I respond a rapid set of nods

The gent continues to look at the Strings in silence for a second before speaking. "If you ask me these Strings are very important ones to cherish," his gaze soon set back on me, harboring a much softer smile. "After all they are the ones that guide to your fated family."

Moment he reviled the meaning behind them it all made complete sense and once again felt dumb for not getting it in an instant! My family is quite large and even if we all don't visit each other regularly it doesn't take away just how much we care for each other to the point that we'd drop everything and all gather in droves to help out even just one of us who is in trouble.

Would be quite the time consuming task to follow every String to confirm it right now, so instead settled on following the ones that led to my parents and sister's place.

Easily found the one one that led to my sister's home knowing she'd be their waiting for her husband to get home from work at this hour so all it took now was finding my parents one and was all set...Yet no matter how hard I looked I failed too find either Ma or Pa's String at their home, which they should have been at this hour.

Unless they took a sudden trip somewhere then it didn't make a lick of sense why I failed to spot their 2 Strings? Thankfully had an expert right here so could easily inquire about this oddity. "Um...Is there a particular reason why I'm unable to see my parents Strings?"

"Ahhh you picked up on that already? I'm impressed!" couldn't help but raise a brow, wondering just where he was going with this. "Fret not, there is a reason why you and your parents aren't connected, at least by those Strings."

"Wait a minute...Are you saying," quickly I raised my hand and glanced to my index finger before looking back to the old gent. "There are even more Strings?"

Cheeky grin that was quickly followed by a hearty chuckle left the man. "That there is! Though that is the last of them to my knowledge," so all in all there are 4 sets of the Strings of fate and there could even be a possibility of more being out there!

Incredible!

With this last bit of knowledge, I look to my finger and apply the same methods from before and once again had successfully revealed another lot of Strings; this time the colour had been green though this lot had the least amount compared to the others, it still didn't damper the excitement rushing through my vain.

As expected two of the Strings had travelled towards my parents house, without a doubt confirming that these Strings show the bond between the parent and the child, one that I didn't even consider having it's own category, though made a lot of sense considering how deep a parent and child's connection truly are.

Made perfect sense and was quite satisfied once more with this new found knowledge...Least would be if it wasn't for one little problem. "Um...Question?"

"Hmmm? What seems to be the trouble Sonny?" the older gent's grin never faded as if waiting in anticipation for something.

Ignoring his strangely placed excitement, I hold my finger up to him and point to what had caused the great oddity. "Why is there a third String here?"

Could only wait with great anxiety for an answer, as the older gent seemed to be more fixated with staring at this extra String while stroking at his chin, rather then answering my question post haste. "I can't say for sure since I have no clue of your family life, but going by your reaction I can safely guess that you my friend," he looks back up at me, his grin wide as he casually delivered his life changing theory.

Are going to be a dad

-

"A-A dad!?" t-this can't be right? Me a father? Barely just scrapping by myself how on earth could I possibly support a child? Not only that, but there was a glaring contradiction to his theory. "No offence but I think you missed the mark on this one, "I hold up my pinky and point at it to remind him just what had caused our encounter in the first place. "I haven't got a Red String so how could I have a child when I'm not even destined to get with a woman?"

"Ehhh you bring up a solid argument," the gent didn't fluster as he looked at my pinky unimpressed. "If you only consider such Strings to be formed by blood alone," with raise of his hand, he points to both his pinky and ring finger all while hosting a cocky grin. "Not sure these ones follow that rule."

"I-I..." there was nothing for me to counter with; all it took was a single raise of his hand to blow both my argument to smithereens; felt like an absolute dummy for trying to argue the point with such faulty reasoning.

"E-even so! This doesn't automatically mean that I'm going to be a father right? There has to be another reason for this extra String?" I look to the String that shouldn't be there, the fears and anxiety at the mere possibility of being a father growing the longer I stared at it. "I fit is true...Then what if I screw everything up and end up destroying that kid's life?"

"Heh heh heh, you doubt yourself way to much Sonny, " my attention shifted back to the gent, chuckling all the while shaking his head. "Take it from me, your going to be the best darn tooting father when the time comes."

Couldn't help but become bewildered by the man's unfounded assumption? "What could possibly make you think that?"

The older gent sits back, resting his arms at the back of the seat and shrugs. "I dunno? My hunch is telling me so and hasn't done me wrong before. Besides-" the man gazes up at the moon, a proud smile befalling him. "Had those same doubts before my own little sprouts came into my life."

"R-Really!?"not sure why I had been taken back by this news, it's not rare for people to have kids, especially one of his age. Despite that rationalisation still took me a bit too long to let it sink in that he was a father.

A light chuckle left the man as he set his sights back towards me. "Yep! Wasn't just one either, it was two little rascals that entered my life that day and changed it forever," the man seemed to beam as bright as the moon itself as he spoke of his kids.

"Good lord...You even had twins to consider..." here I am freaking out over just one when he had a whole another life to watch over. "I...I can't even imagine how scary that must have been...How'd you do it?"

An amused huff left the man as his eyes drifted to the pond ahead. "Just did my best Sonny, don't get me wrong it terrified me to my core once I had received the news; it also wasn't always easy and had made my fair share of mistakes learning how to be a father," despite such worrying statements, seeing the proud smile of this man who looked to hold little to no regrets somehow helped keep me at ease. "But in the end those little tykes birth was the the best thing to happen in my life and think made a pretty darn tooting good father to them," the man looked to his hand with such content I didn't even believe was possible before looking back to me bearing his sweetest smile. " Once that child enters your life I have no doubt you'll feel the same and as long as you do your best and keep loving them unconditionally then I know you'll be an excellent father."

It was such simple advice, yet it was enough to have me re-consider that I could end up being a pretty good dad; still held a lot of anxiety about taking on such a Herculean task, but when I look to the mysterious Green String now I feel a great calm washing over me like everything will work out just fine.

Not going to be easy when that time comes and that was a scary understatement, but at least felt more prepared and in a way excited for the day to arrive... All thanks to this kind old gent taking timeout of his day to cheer me up.

"...Thank you Alvin."

"Eh he he, now what in Sam hill you got to thank me for Sonny?" that strange yet endearing prospector laugh left the man once more as he scratched at his nose. "I didn't really do much other then yabber on till night fell."

A bewildered chuckle left me as I wondered how he could downplay everything he had done for me. "You kidding mate?" I hold up my once empty hand now sprawling with more Strings then could have ever imagined. "If it wasn't for you I may have never discovered that other Strings even existed in the first place! Along with showing me that I did indeed deserve love and had a whole lot of it my life..."I then turn my palm to myself, almost in tears watching all the different coloured Strings pear out in all sorts of directions." I mean this from the bottom of my heart when I say that you have have changed my life forever and will do anything to repay this debt."

No matter what I did it would never be enough to match even as mall fraction of what he had done for me, but was sure as heck going to do all in my power to try!

It was then that the older gent crossed his arms, lowered his head and closed his eyes and began to mummer to himself in what I assumed was deep thought. "...So you'd do anything I'd ask eh?" I nod with eager anticipation. "Well then in that case, think I have the perfect request."

"Just say the word and I'll make it happen!"

A soft chuckle left the kindly man as he sat back and gazed at the moon once more, presenting a smile that seemed more subdued then usual. "...Promise me to keep those people wrapped around those Strings of yours close and never take them for granted."

Had been taken back by what was a extremely simple request that didn't even benefit him in anyway.

Don't get me wrong it's lovely of him to consider me like that, but still didn't feel right that he's yet again just helping me with his request and wanted to do something just for him.

While I looked down trying to think of anything that I could do for him, my eyes soon lock to his hand that rested flat on the bench; quickly realising that in all the excitement I'd never even attempted to look at Alvin's Strings.

Out of curiosity I set my focus on his fingers, expecting quite the burst of Strings to plop about in all sorts of directions!

...Only...That's not what I had saw.

1 Red String that I already knew where it went...

3 Green with one that also travelled into the earth...

2 Yellow...That both travelled downward...

1 Singular Blue that followed the most of the others trajectory...

It was an absolute shock to seethe kindly gent have such a bare amount of Strings, most of them tragically no longer with us.

Could only stare at the man still gazing at the moon, now understanding that his subdued smile was one of mourning, yet also seemed at peace.

It was then that it had hit me why he'd made such a request, a grateful grin befell my lips before joining him to gaze at the beautiful full moon that shined above us with only one last thing to say to this kindly old Gent before we part ways-

I Promise