Rejecting the Call

If you happened to find yourself walking down Jericho Street on the 9th of April in the afternoon, you would come across a truly saddening sight, though that is not how he would describe it. In any other situation he would look wise beyond his years, his long flowing grey beard and sunken eyes instantly imply decades of experience and knowledge to any who engage with him, even the local kids walk home a little slower from school just to see if they can catch a glimpse of the 'wizard' in one of his rare escapes from his manor.

The impression most onlookers got from his appearance on that disturbing afternoon, was sympathy, how could you not? His body, almost entirely bare left nothing up to the imagination, not his spindly arms and legs which were nothing but bone, not his shrunken torso and chest which clung to his ribcage like film, not even his posture which personified desperation as he laid flat on the ground.

He was flat, but not motionless, with every breath he struck his fingers into the pavement, his fingernails digging into the concrete depressions, and using such holds to thrust himself further, or at least that's how it felt in his mind. Every witnessed described it as a grotesque tragedy, an old naked man dragging himself across the ground, scraping his body against the harsh surface below.

Many tried to lend a hand. The first person in a blue and white pinstriped suit asked him if he needed help, "You think I need help! I don't need help from anyone as arrogant looking as yourself!" the old man replied. "I just need to get home", he muttered under his breath. The old man didn't budge, even when his fingernails splintered off, he wouldn't accept help, even when his chest accumulated more scratches and bruises than grains of sand he wouldn't accept help, even when the skin of his ankles were raked clean, he continued on his own.

It took the combined effort of 5 people to force him off the ground and pin him on his back. The old man kicked and screamed like a baby, attempting to break free, but it was no use, age had worn him thin. When he had no more energy left to yell and struggle, he isolated himself verbally by ignoring any question they asked. His name, his address, an emergency contact's phone number, were all met with silence and a blank stare, like someone had pressed the off switch. They only reason they knew he was still alive was because he kept blinking. The lights were on, but no one was home.

Finally, the ambulance had arrived, to take the old man away. He continued his vow of silence much to the doctor's dismay. The hospital asked him the same questions and were met with the same answers. Despite the hospital's efforts, they couldn't find any living relative of his, and he passed away in his sleep days later.