The Many Fates Of Nate

6 Last Ditch Effort

Nate walked home devastatingly. His hoofs - that's only compatible with using chopsticks - were in his pockets and his hair blocked his field of vision.

But he didn't care. He chooses a route in which he won't be seen, blending into the dark. He figured it'd be the best way to get the cops off his back, who he's certain are hunting him down like cats do with mice. Just hearing the wail of the sirens made his heart run cold. It was raining, too and he was drenched dismally.

He was angry, cold and miserable and wanted this day to end. All he wanted to do was go home collapse on his bed and never wake up. He so desperately wanted to escape to the only place he could seek refuge. But the only thing is, he can't.

What if the police had beaten him to the punch? The police in this city are a tropical storm. They're tough as nails. Something about them being the only competent adversaries that aren't corrupt, greedy and more of a menace than the crooks in the world isn't something to scoff at. It's quite admirable, even if it is too little too late. Two steps forward, two steps back. Because now they're relentless. And it's not like Nate could tell anyone about this either. Who says they won't turn him in or worse? He's a homeless fugitive and he was furious about it.

None of this would have happened if Katrina hadn't played with fire. But no. Because of her good conscious, Nate's life had been decimated. It was all her fault and yet, he couldn't help but be in her presence. There's something about her that made Nate feel good about himself, more so than others, and the only one he'd spend time with the most.

He'd soon realise how much he missed her so much. And even though the argument he had with her was a blur to him, he would give anything to embrace her one more time. Well, Nate hopes Theo is happy. But he refused to believe that he was right and that he needed help. Or does he? He's gotta fix this, for his sake and to get Katrina back.

Suddenly an idea made its way into his head. It was risky, degrading and a massive spit in the face of his core beliefs, but what else did he have to lose? He had to take a chance, in which there would be no turning back. And he wholeheartedly took it.

Unconsciously he plunged down the run-down street, exposed by the glowing clutches of street lamps, some operating more than others, all while running like the wind, smirking deviously.

When Nate got to his house, he was relieved that the place wasn't crawling with cops, but he figured it was only a matter of time, meaning there was no time to lose. He rushed inconspicuously through the front of the home with baiting breath that what he was looking for was still there. After rummaging in some bins like a racoon, he found it. Several minutes of noisy dumpster diving had paid off. The pills!

And it wasn't just any pills - they were the multicoloured time-travelling pills that Daran swore to throw out. But the garbage truck doesn't come for another two weeks, meaning they're right for the taken, which is what Nate did, snatching it without a second thought with the last shred of dignity he had intact. He pulled out the flask that came with it, which surprisingly still looked brand spanking new despite being discarded. He could still feel the infinite weight of water inside.

But it wasn't long until the boy met the first roadblock of his mission.

Which ones did what, again? Nate thought, staring at the blue, yellow and red pills.
As Nate reminisced hard on what was what, he heard distant screams of the sirens, making him stop cold. They got louder and louder, and all Nate could do was picture himself getting arrested with his family watching him go inside the back of a cop car. Nate didnt know what was going to be worse - he was going to be behind bars or he wouldn't be missed by his family, something he knew for a fact would happen.

The police were going to come any minute and Nate tried in vain not to go down a mental spiral. Panicking wasn't the answer and standing there sick to his stomach was only going to hurt him.