Side By Side

"Ah.. " The lady's eyes widened "Don't tell me you're here because of Master jin?"

Who the hell is Master Jin? Bright thought looking at the lady's shocked worried face. "Y-Yah I'm here because of him, can you please help--" the lady answered hurriedly "No no I can't he'll punish me" she ran away. Bright tried to call her , but she already left. He sighed looking around.

Three weeks passed, Bright was living in a mess. Waking up early in the morning at 4 am, he used to sleep in a deep slumber but his owner Jack wakes him up by throwing a bucket of cold water on him. Same goes for today , a whole bucket of water was poured on him, Bright groaned he knew it would happen. He sat up heard a loud voice "DAMN YOU, YOU SLEEP LIKE A DAMN PIG, GET UP PIG" he put the bucket on Bright's head upside down, then walked away.

Bright sighed the sound echoed inside the bucket. He stood up, pulled the bucket away from his head, scratched his head. He stretched his upper body "Time to work" he huffed. He walked outside closing the door behind him. One thing which he loves here is the cold environment, it was so mesmerizing seeing the sunlight early in the morning, seeing the glittering water, the ice caps of mountains, he took the axe and walked to the cowshed.

"Morning everyone" he greeted, some greeted back rest rolled their eyes. "Ok enough pleasantries, now go all of you cut the woods and stack them in the third farm house" Jack ordered. All nodded, Bright was happy as he does not need to collect animals poop anymore nor he need to wash their butts.

His jaw dropped seeing the big tree woods, all went to work except him who was standing with a confused face. One of the man saw him standing, he stopped chopping the woods and laughed "Hey see his face" others looked at him and laughed too "He's weak"

"What's the use of having that kind of body if you can't cut a simple log?" the others started teasing him. He looked down being embarrassed, obviously he don't know what to do how to do, he doesn't have that much strength in him that he'll cut these log in one shot. One sentence which ticked him is "If you can't do anything for your living then take a flight back to home"

It made him raged up, he glared at others who were still laughing and continued their works. If you win I'll come back and if not you'll face the consequences. He looked for other logs which were a bit thin, he walked around the forest area he saw few logs which were slightly thin that previous ones.

He exhaled loudly and with closed eyes he slammed the axe on the wood, he repeated his actions the log fell down. He smiled big, feeling confident arousing in him. He cut the others like this, the others noticed him cutting the logs with a big smile. They looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

He was sweating badly, he wiped his face with his vest, his face was red sweaty and had black dust spots on his cheeks, he dropped his axe, he saw many logs scattered on the ground, he tried to pick one, his eyes widened at it's heaviness.

The others carried their respective logs they noticed him struggling started laughing "See him, his pant will burst open now" they laughed loudly, Bright gritted his teeth. Thank god I'm not a CEO here, otherwise I would have burnt them alive. Bright sighed, he whimpered at the cramp he got due to the heaviness of the log, he lifted it up somehow straightened it, tied the rope around it turned around to lift it on his back. He fell down on his face "Ahhh, shia, help me please" he couldn't stand up anymore.

The others looked at him and shook their heads "Useless fellow" they walked away. Bright struggled to lift it again on his back and walked up the mountain to the third farm, he dropped the log and sat down. He panted hard, his back was paining, arms were aching due to cramps. The workers continued their work including Bright.

It was time for them to take bath. All jumped in the cold water, shivered but composed themselves immediately. Bright was standing at the edge, trembling, he opened his shirt and shivered at the cold breeze. The others watched him, he bent down to touch the water and backed away flailing his hand "Too cold" he said.

The others nudged at each other, one of the worker sneakily went up to the edge, tip toed towards Bright then kicked his ass. Bright toppled in the water with a scream. All laughed, some of the other citizens came there running. Bright swam up and wobbled at the edge, he burst down shivering badly. One old lady immediately covered him with a warm shawl and hugged him

"HOW IN HUMAN YOU ALL CAN BE?" She screamed at them, who looked down. They were unable to meet her raging eyes as she was the master's grandmother, she cared for Bright. She can see how much this boy was struggling to live here. She felt bad for the poor boy, she always try to help him but her grandson scolds her telling "the person need to succeed in competing with the nature, they have to stand up on their own not by someone's help, they have to face the shitty attitude of others, then only a person can learn what is struggle for existence"

Win was sitting on the bolder, with folded hands on his chest staring at the front, he was surrounded by the citizens there. "Speak" he said in a low tone. One of the man came in front and said while looking down "M-Master, he can't do anything, he can't even cut logs, we're aged people but we still have strength, he's useless" Win glared at the man

"And what about you bullying him?" he asked the others kept their head down, Win fisted his palm "Who gave you the permission to do that to him HUH?" he raised his voice making all flinch at their place. "The whole week I wasn't here that doesn't mean I don't keep eye here, I saw how you all making him suffer like an utter shit, is this what you learnt, is this what my grandfather taught you all speak up" he shouted.

Silence, the people didn't dare to speak a word, Bright was just staring at Win. Oddly, he wasn't scared of him. "Only I can torture him, bully him, kill him anything what I want because he's my toy, my slave, just mine only mine not yours understood?" Win hissed. Bright's heart fluttered at the word mine his eyes softened, he was smiling inside, he looked down blushing.

"And you" Win called Bright, his head shot up with widened eyes. Both stared at each other, Win saw his condition, the vest had a big hole on his chest portion, Bright kept his hand on that exposed area crunching up the cloth, he was still in wet clothes, water droplets dropping on his shoulder from his hairs, his eyes travelled to the arms which was all beaten up, palms were bruised, Bright hid the palms behind him, Win's eyes fell on the red dry bloodied knees like it wasn't being treated for days. His shorts were also torn from the knee portion.

Win closed his eyes and sighed then opened his eyes staring at front "Come with me" he said and walked away. Bright became stunned, the old lady smiled and patted his back "Go with him, Ajin won't harm you dear"

Bright frowned, he hesitantly nod his head and walked behind him. Why she is calling him Ajin?

I'm from West Bengal, Kolkata. My actual birthplace is Darjeeling so I have a slight idea about the lifestyle about them, though I don't have exact memory how was it how were the people over there, I just made it in my way, but honestly mountain people specially village people are the most kind hearted, innocent and soft spoken one. I just made this scene in the way so that Bright realize how tough it is to live, to work your ass off literally in a mountain place a village spot to be exact, it's hard very very hard. I am trying to emphasize the village scenes over here, it's not actually good one, I tried to write the best hope you'll like it. Do comment if you have any other suggestion. More surprises are coming my beautifuls *wink*