I struggled to comprehend what had just 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 first bloody 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 a while 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 tonight,” 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 back up 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 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 shaky hand, staring at an 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

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