Your Unwilling Audience

Posoned Youth

Your Unwilling Audience

Volume 1

Takano Masamune

Chapter 1: Poisoned Youth

***

“And for the end of tonight’s broadcast. Our final song will be “Your Wills” By the up and rising Melanie Mayday, enjoy and don’t forget to chime in tomorrow morning as well.” As the radio host ended his segment, the man within the recording booth looked incredibly bored, he’d been dozing off since before.

“I’m done, could you help clean up at least…?” The host spoke in a low manner while smiling widely at the man he found to be the only one he could speak on equal terms with. Given he was a hire that was more or less disposable and wasn’t ever given any important tasks in the studio.

“You get paid more than me, do it yourself.” The man that had been sleeping until now stood up and suddenly headed out the door with his bag in his hand. Although the difference in their pay was about three dollars an hour he found it a good excuse to leave the other to deal with the mess made.

“Tsk…” clicking his tongue the radio host never once lost the smile on his face. He sighed as he began cleaning up that took longer than expected. Mostly trash left there by others that come in and out to record in the studio.

It was a cheaply rented place, but the radio towers that were near it made it worth it, as it was possible to broadcast directly to the entirety of the city.

Allan was that radio host given the chance because there was no one else willing to do it. With the careful infiltration of other mediums such as TV, it became more or less impossible to seek work as a radio host. Those that already were, had luck, since now less and less people cared about the segment itself as much as the face that was behind that voice.

Everything moved quickly and technology had the effect of changing people’s lives overnight…

From the colorless screen soon came colored pictures and bright screens that kept people hooked for hours longer than radio ever could.

However it had always been Allan’s dream to be a host, so it didn’t matter to him whether or not he had to start from the bottom to build himself up. Thus he worked tirelessly, day after day, night after night to reach to where he was…

One of the major setbacks he had was his face…

Due to an illness that he inherited from his mother, he wasn’t quite what one would call a ‘conventionally attractive person’ but when it came to radio what you looked like, your race, nor your background mattered.

All that was important was that you had the ability to entertain your audience… Something Allan was working on developing…

He headed back to his apartment where he felt chills run down his spine. He hadn’t been robbed but the place was trashed again…

He had to pick up another mess now. Allan was just a 19 year old man trying to make ends meet, living alongside his father in a small cramped apartment that made it difficult for him to breathe.

As he was cleaning his father was drinking next to the TV.

Oh how Allan hated the TV, it never allowed for any decent thoughts for people to think on, it was but mindless entertainment that lead nowhere but dependency…

Dependency on the sound of it flickering in the background and dependency on the alcohol his father continued to consume to keep himself engaged with his hopeless existence.

Allan wanted to leave this house but it wasn’t an easy thing to do… especially not when his mother and little sister were still around, he needed to be there to protect them even just a little bit, to the best of his abilities…

“Mom? Serenity?” Allan headed to the bedroom, he wanted to see his mother’s face but somehow he noticed even in the pitch darkness there was no one there.

“…mom…?” He continued looking for her everywhere until a bottle was thrown in his direction and his father grumbled as he stood up.

“That ugly b***h left with the police and an ambulance. Better hurry if you want to see your mother dearest before visiting hours are over. Your weak willed sister is already there with her as well…” The man sprawled back onto the couch and changed the channel of his colorless TV.

“…..” Allan stood there motionless for a moment. While he was outside his father had hurt his mother… enough for the police to be called in there, enough for her to be taken away…

Allan was an exceedingly calm man, someone that truly wanted peace for himself and his mother so why… why was this man ruining it?

Stepping slowly behind him Allan held onto the man’s collar and squeezed it tightly.

“You little s**t!” His father quickly stood up and retaliated, he punched Allan and the young man that was far too slim for his age fell to the ground with a loud thud sounding through the tiny house.

“You think you’re grown, huh?” His father’s drunken slurs, his heavy footsteps reminded him of his childhood. He’d seen his father angry many times, he’s been hit many times, but this once…

He couldn’t take it anymore…

*

*

*

Rushing towards the hospital, Allan was sent away quickly and not allowed to see his mother who was recovering. He sat outside and watched up at the sky for a while, before he knew it two hours had passed.

He wasn’t completely worried since his sister Serenity was there with her, but he was terrified of staying home alone with his father. When it came to protecting others it was one thing but facing that man by himself was another…

“Ugh… I really don’t want to go back to that house…” Allan thought to himself, the very thought of seeing his father made him nearly vomit. He headed down the road slowly. His legs were leading him places he himself couldn’t predict…

Until he reached a bar that was opened in 1am in the morning.

It was so dark outside if it hadn’t been for the bright neon sign that looked like the ones they placed in strip clubs, he wouldn’t have been able to see it at all…

Through the door, the dimly lit atmosphere inside made Allan strangely relaxed. It was quiet, although it was a place for drinking it didn’t seem like there was anyone as mindlessly drunk as his father always was.

“Hello, good evening, what brings a fine gentlemen like yourself to our humble establishment?” The barkeeper seemed unusually polite, he smiled brightly while welcoming him in.

“I… well…” Allan didn’t know what to say as he stared forward until he noticed the barkeeper wasn’t speaking to him but to the man that had coincidentally walked in behind him.

“I’ve never seen such a nice bar before.” The man that walked forward with his silky black hair sat at the bar without further ado.

Allan stood behind, he looked at himself in earnest… as he looked at his disheveled appearance, he now realized words such as a ‘fine gentlemen’ would never be directed at him.

“I hope you can have an enjoyable stay, despite distractions…” The barkeeper directed a pointed look at Allan.

He realized it as well, because of his appearance he wouldn’t be accepted anywhere…

“Hm? Distractions? Hardly! It’s always good to see a new face, make a new friend in town. What’s your name?” The man with silky black hair and a custom tailored suit turned towards Allan.

“It’s…” Allan hesitated and glanced behind him, unsure if the man was referring to him or someone else instead.

“Come on, take a seat next to me.” The man spoke in a kind mannered voice that made the barkeeper a bit unsettled, but he couldn’t say much to his patrons.

“Allan…” He spoke in a small voice while sitting next to the well dressed man.

“I’m Richard.” The other replied as he turned to the barkeep. “Another whiskey please, and for you?” He turned to glance at Allan.

“The same.” He spoke quietly, he’d drank before, but not much, he’s tasted alcohol but never had a liking for it. However he somehow couldn’t find himself in a position to refuse this man.

“So Allan, how old are you? I think we might be the same age, I’m twenty.” Richard spoke with a carefree tone of voice while taking his whiskey in his hand.

“Nineteen.” Allan remarked with his head hanging low still like he was trying to hide his face from this man under the dim lighting. Hoping he hadn’t seen it yet.

“So we are the same age!” Richard spoke with excitement in his voice. “It’s so difficult around here when everyone is so much older than us, right?” Somehow he spoke to him like they were friends already.

“Yeah… especially if you’re working…” Allan spoke his own issues out loud.

“Right?!” Richard agreed readily. “Finding work these days is a pain, especially since no one is hiring, we might be going through a recession… ugh what a time to be alive.”

“Somehow you don’t seem too worried.” Slowly Allan rose his face to glance at the man.

“Hm… well, I always somehow make due, you know? I find a way even when there isn’t a clear path anywhere in sight.” Richard turned with a bright smile towards the other man. “I make due you could say.”

Allan felt a bit stumped, seeing this person shining so brightly made him wonder and look at himself all the more. He wasn’t someone like him that could do whatever and succeed… and yet they were talking at this moment as if it was natural… as if they weren’t so different from each other after all…

That was only the beginning… the first day they met, that single meeting was the source of all the good and the bad in their lives that would follow…