JMALGZ Beta Chapter 1 part 1

/(>w<)\ This is my first fiction, so if there are any spelling and grammatical errors  in my work(since English is not my first language) feel free to comment it below. Don't worry, I'm open for constructive criticisms. 

                                               JMALGZ BETA

                              by Angiyongkonsensiya

Chapter 1: Fortune or Misfortune? Part I

I bet everyone who viewed tonight's episode of the show 'EnterNET' on channel 13 would at least yell or let out a silent cry in their heads while looking at the blank TV screen.

It maybe because tonight's episode is special...

Or the fact that the guest is none other than Mr. Jovito Donante - who's famous not only for being a pro-gamer but also being among the few Filipino scientist residing in the Philippines.

Or because of the sudden VR game announcement he made...

But for Loue Saldovar, it didn't matter. Loue who was busy selling sampaguita garlands passed the blank TV screen without a care, though he smirk a little seeing the disheartened face of the electric store owner.

Finally, after selling his last batch of garlands he finally decided to head home. While walking on the side of the road, he was slowly approached from behind by three older kids.

"Hoy, Shortie! Where are you going?" A tall boy age 15 and is likely the leader of this three man group said this.

'Not again... It's Dando and his sidekicks.'  Loue thought as he came to a sudden halt.

He stealthily hide half of his money inside his brief and place them to an improvise pocket he sewed himself before.

"Oi Dando, what do you want with me?" Loue asked but still not looking back at them.

Dando's sideki--…I mean two of his friends, went to Loue's opposite side and hold down his arms.

"Oi, are you frozen in fear? This big brother here, is just worried about where a little brat like you spends his whole day?" Dando sarcastically asked while walking in front of Loue.

'Worried? As if...If I know the only thing you worry the about is the amount of money I earned.' Loue thought to himself.

"Well, I was helping Aling Inday sell her garlands throughout the 'whole' day" Loue answered.

He had learned from his previous encounter with them that if he made such an obvious lie he'll surely be beaten.

"Now, where's the money?" Dando extended his left hand.

Loue slowly extended his right hand with money on his palm. Dando quickly took it, as fast as the wind. He counts immediately the money he obtained (A/N: More like extorted. LOL! )

"Is these all the money you’ve got?" Dando glared at Loue.

"Yes, Aling Inday got sick today so she can't make any more garlands to sell." Loue sadly 
said. Although it's true that Aling Inday was sick this morning but she was still able to make a decent amount of them last night.

Without any warning, Dando suddenly punch Loue's gut. Dando's friends let him go and Loue falls on the ground with pained expression on his face.

"W-why, Dan-do?" Loue said with pain in his voice.

"Well, did I not tell you already that my name’s not Dando but Danny? Next time, I will not just punch you but I'll kick your arse as well." Dando haughtily said.

Dando and his sidekicks left Loue, who was still lying on the ground writhing in pain or… is he?

After they left, Loue started giggling. If someone ever saw this scene, they might have thought either he'd gone crazy or his an 'M'.

'Pfft! I didn't know that they could be so easily deceived by my acting. Maybe I should pursue an acting career in the future. Also, what’s the deal with Dando and his name? *sigh*Thank God, I put this worn out magazine under my shirt earlier or else that punch would've hurt me real bad.' Loue thought as he slowly rose up from the ground. He then started walking again.

After an hour of walking, he finally reached home.

                                                                ¤¤¤

Loue was standing outside an abandoned three story building. He then entered on main door and quietly climbed the stairs toward the third floor. His room was at the end of the hallway.

He quickly entered his room and immediately locked it. Since every 9 in the evening, this abandoned building transforms itself into a devil's nest- or what he calls them ‘the black gathering’.

Nobody knows that a boy lives there and Loue isn't willing to be discovered either. Ever since the orphanage he stayed before burned, he became a lost sheep and hasn't been able to return.

After he locked the door, the rumbling downstairs started; signifying that the devil's hour has now began. Although the building was abandoned by morning, at night it becomes lively. And so, lights and other human needs are properly maintained by these so called ‘midnight occupants’. And so he lived there not needing to pay any bills and that is why he needed to be as quiet as possible to stay hidden.

He quietly started doing his room chores. He first swept the entire room, then cleaned the windows, and then replaced the bed sheet with new ones- which he secretly obtained from the room below. His room was already equipped with a mini fridge, so he didn't have any problem with regards to storing food.

After replacing the bed sheets he proceed cooking rice through a second hand rice cooker- which he once picked while he was finding scrap metals in the junkyard. While waiting for the rice to cook, he looked at the broken mirror at the side of his bed.

While looking at his reflection he had come to realize that he was dirty. He slowly remove the large t-shirt he was wearing that showed off his tiny figure which is clearly that of a child, as he was still an 8 year old kid.

His skin remained fair and smooth even if he had worked under the sun regularly. And unlike the typical Filipino hair color, his hair is a mix of light brown. Also he possessed a pair of beautifully shape eyebrows, high bridge nose and thin peach lips...

He was a pretty child I dare say, and was thought that he may be easily adopted because of it. But he wasn't picked for any adoption because of his eyes; his eyes are of different color- one is light blue and the other is light brown.

They thought that he has a creepy pair of eyes, and so it gave him problem with the adoption process and these 'cause the bullying inside the orphanage. But even though he was regarded like that, there are still some people who accepted him as he is,  just like Sister Mariz.

'I miss Sister Mariz so much! I also wish to comeback at the orphanage. But I'm already tainted. Would the orphanage still accept a child like me? Would she still accept me?' Loue let out a sigh as he thought that.

Living in the slum for 2 years before he found this abandoned building, has changed Loue. He picked up some helpful skills and developed a personality fitted to survive in this dog-eat-dog world.

He built his strength, stamina, and agility as he worked menial jobs transporting buckets of fishes as swiftly and carefully as possible, to other stores in the wet market. He also picked up some social skills for discounts sake, and learned recipes for preparing and cooking the food he bought.

He still remembered Sister Mariz teachings especially the benefits and power of gaining knowledge. And so he also went diligently before to a school program for street children. And from there he learned the basic math operations, writing, and reading skills...

As of now, he rarely goes to the wet market to do menial jobs and the school program came to a sudden halt the day after he found the abandoned building, and so he stop learning there.

But he was really determined to learn some more and so he continued to hone the skills he had learned: for his reading skills- he reads thrown magazines, newspapers, and books, and for writing skills- he writes on the wall of his room using chalk.

His senses came back when he heard a ruckus from the floor below him. He quickly wears his shirt again. He unconsciously hid his rice cooker and then himself in the pile of laundry. Although he has become strong because of the hardship he had experienced, in the end he was still a kid.

There was screaming and crying happening below his room and then…

 'BANG! BANG!' few gun shots were fired and came after it was total silence.

Although Loue is still a kid, he had already known the tragedy that had befallen to the occupants from below since this incident happens very often, but this still leaves Loue pretty shaken.

After that, the lively laughter from below resumed as if nothing happened. Loue stood up and let out a sigh of relief. He put his laundry back and then went slowly to the CR to take a quick bath.

After he finished bathing, he then dries himself up with towels and then wore clothes that were still larger than him.

After that he walked towards the table and opened the rice cooker. Seeing that the rice was finally cooked, he went close to the fridge and opened it. He gets inside the fridge a piece of fried chicken leg he bought earlier. He put his 'ulam' inside the rice cooker to reheat it and at the same time cool down the rice. While waiting, he read a thrown first aid book. After reading a few chapters he finally decided to eat, but before that he prayed first.

He finished the food in no time. He said prayer of thanks again and immediately washed the rice cooker he used.

After that, he moved towards his bed and sat down then continued to read the book from earlier. At the stroke of midnight- which was signified by the silence downstairs, he decided to finally take a rest for today.