Have you ever heard of the Red String of Fate? 

Based on an old Chinese belief that claims that 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 an 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

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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 see the 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 harboured 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 me at 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?

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“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 favourite 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 favourite 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 an 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....  

Defiantly...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?

           

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