I arrived at the location Lily had given me. It was already night time, about 7 or 8 'o' clock. It took me longer than I expected to come here. As I didn't have my phone since I dropped it on John Elton, I had to retrieve it back from him.
I rechecked the address to see if I was in the correct place, as my eyes found it difficult to believe where I was.
It was no house, but the back of a cheap motel. The only confirmation I had was that Elton's car was parked here. It was an inexpensive rusted car with the tag 'Professor Elton, Ishiyama' written on the license plate.
The stairway to the first floor was broken and the place was shabby. The smell of rotten eggs filled the air. Big rats crossed the road, changing drains as I tread through.
I slowly walked up to John Elton's apartment. The corridor leading to his room was filled with dirty cheese and chewing gum that had solidified with time.
"What kind of a place is this?"
My question was stupid. It was exactly the kind of place where a heart broken man would live.
Room no. 121.
I had arrived at my destination.
The door was ancient. It looked old even to someone like me.
"Scum…of the streets" The words were marked on the door with a knife.
I slowly knocked on it.
Nobody answered.
I waited and then knocked again. Still nobody came to open the door.
There were no windows near the entrance either.
"Hah…should I just break in?"
If Lianne were here, I could have had her look for…
…
I knocked one last time and then kicked the door.
Aiming as close to the center as possible to break the locking mechanism without breaking my foot at the door knob, I kicked a few times and the door snapped open.
Did John Elton not care even about his safety?
I entered a putrid room smelling of alcohol and cigarettes.
Broken glass lay everywhere on the floor. The ceiling was damp and the walls were eroded.
The room was dimly lit and had fungus growing everywhere.
There was no air conditioning or fans.
There were no windows, the room hadn't had any ventilation for years maybe.
"Professor, are you in there?" I cautiously placed my steps.
Spider webs occasionally touched my hair.
"Professor?"
A room with a red light coming out of its slightly opened door came into my view.
"Professor? Professor John?"
I slowly pushed the door.
Inside, I saw John Elton lying on the floor.
In front of him was a low table filled with multiple empty bottles of alcohol and glasses.
"Sir!" I quickly reached for him. "Sir, are you alright?"
Did he die? Inside, my heartbeat rose. If he died, I'd lose everything.
I put my finger under his nose to check.
"..."
He was unconscious but he was still breathing.
"Wait, I'll help you."
I had to get him to a hospital, I can't have him die here.
Wrapping my arms around him, I lifted him up.
"Stoap!"
He pushed me away violently.
His pungent drunk breath hit my nose.
I held his hand and tried to grab him so that he didn't fall down.
But instead he grabbed me back and threw me towards the table.
It was meant to make me fall face flat on the bottles.
I barely stopped myself from creating a bloody mess.
Getting up, I tried to hold him again.
"Stooaap."
"Sir, you are not alright, you need to rest.."
"Stoap Saent Rae Astaus"
What? Did he recognize me in his intoxicated state?
He tried to push me again, but this time I overpowered him and just grappled him down to the ground.
"Let mee Goo. Lemme goo Saent Rae Astaus. Leet mme goo rit now."
He struggled and tried to break free.
Is this how Taeyang and Lianne feel when they deal with me?
Sigh…I chopped the back of his neck with the side of my hand and then made him lie down on the ground.
Even his sweat reeked of alcohol.
"Sob…Sob"
All I did was hurt him a little. Well maybe more than a little since he started crying.
"Let mee goo…" tears soaked his eye bags.
His snotty nose dripped to the ground as he cried and begged me to leave him.
"Sir, I will let you go, if you calm down and listen to me…"
He stayed silent for a minute and then spoke again.
"No…" His voice became clearer suddenly.
"No…let me drink in peace." He slowly tried to sit up with his trembling hands.
I didn't stop him and let him get up.
Wiping his face, he composed himself.
"Sit down…Saent."
He tapped on the seat beside him on the table.
"...", I did as he said.
My senses were in full alert mode to predict anything that he might pull.
"You're here…to hear about my life…"
He cleared his throat and said.
"Yes."
Albeit I didn't know anything about him or his family. I only knew that he was once married.
He opened a glass of scotch and poured it in a glass. It looked expensive but I couldn't be sure.
He filled the glass up completely till it almost overflowed.
Adding neither water, nor ice, he then swirled it.
Is he going to drink again? I have to stop him.
But contrary to what I had expected, he gave the glass to me.
I rejected him by saying, "Sir, I am underage."
"Drink or leave." His tone was firm.
"..."
I can't leave now. If I do, I don't know what will happen to him.
"Professor, isn't there…"
"DRINK. OR. LEAVE."
"..."
Fine, if that's what you want.
I took the glass from him and brought it close to my nose.
It smelled a little like medicine but had a slightly different aroma. It hit my nostrils giving me a tingling sensation in my brain.
The smell of alcohol underneath it was faint but distinct.
"Drink." He was commanding me with single words, exerting his authoritarian power over his future student.