text: Ordell walks slowly along this path he had walked for a good two years now. He is surprised the ground hadn't been indented with his footprints. The same path, the same road and the same failure. Losing his job and now his apartment. He doesn't know why he is walking towards it, it's not like it's his anymore. He felt unwanted, his friends offered him places to stay, all wanted him to get back up again. Get back up again like he always had. Get on top of his life, but not this time. One time too many has the world grabbed the rug out from under him. “Why me!” he screams as he collapses onto his knees as if to pray to some almighty power that had seemed to curse his very existence. “Give me a break!” his body just trembles uncontrollably as if he was in an earthquake. He looks around, no one had taken notice to him, this path was always deserted this time at night. Houses all had their lights out pretending as if they couldn’t hear him. He didn’t understand, why. He just sat there shaking unable to move on from his knees. "Hey, buddy." Says a crackly voice, He turns around to face the man who had just appeared behind him. "Well, it seems your in quite the pickle.” The man says almost laughing. “Guess I am.” He spits out, standing up to face the dark-haired man, who is wearing a nice pinstripe suit. “Well then. Ordell Silver, age 25. Degree in Chemistry, Physics and Biology. Graduated age 22, worked at the university for a year and then worked at Gild biotechnology. Fired today at 2:30 pm. You know if you wanna know something it was your partner's fault he sabotaged your experiment." He says as he moves towards Ordell, showing more of his pale complexion in the light. “Has brown eyes, brown hair and a tanned complexion. But you dye your hair black. Lost your apartment yesterday, parents, two years ago and now you're just kneeling to some god." “How?” Ordell asks unable to figure out if he had a stalker or if this guy is just good at guessing. The man walks forward and places his hand on his head. “I am the Giver.” The man states, kneeling the same way as Ordell facing him like a mirror. “Here to give you a second chance. But one condition.” "What do you mean a second chance?" he asks now totally invested into this conversation. “I will let you start your life again at the age of seventeen give you another chance.” But he holds up his finger, “One condition. You must watch your future with me. You must see what your letting go.” Ordell looks confused for a moment, trying to process what was just offered. “Nothing is waiting for me. I wouldn’t be surprised if I died of starvation in a week.” He responds confidently standing up ready to take on this new challenge. “Well. Is it a yes then?” The Giver asks. With Ordell’s nod, The Giver grabs his arm and yanks him into a portal. “Time for you to watch your life.” Ordell is transported to a pure white world, nothing but a white screen. “Let’s go a few days into your future.” With that the white turns into the world again, he is sitting at a bar worn and torn drinking what looks like a beer. Ordell turns to ask a question but, “No Ordell they can’t see as we are merely spectators, we can’t interact with the world like this.” “Surprised I can still afford this beer.” The Ordell from the bar says. He collapses into the bar seeming like he is out of energy, ready to take a nap. The bar is cozy, a real old fashion bar, pool table in the corner, wooden bar and stools and plenty of tables to watch the TV in the other corner. Seems more like a family bar than one for the young kids. "This is you in a few days, you just found a place down the road to a house you as a homeless person. Also, you pick up rubbish in the park down the road. You make about a hundred or fewer dollars per day." The Giver states as he takes a seat directly across from the bar from the Ordell at the bar. “I thought we couldn’t interact?” Ordell asks confused as he looks at himself. “Just the people. Now come and take a seat.” The Giver states pulling a chair out for Ordell. As he does, he watches himself. Wondering how he fell so far. Why is he like this? As he finishes his thought he notices a girl watching his other self at the bar. "Why is she looking at me?" he asks curiously at why a pretty girl like that would ever look at a dropkick like him sitting at the bar head buried between his arms. Clearly a loser. “That is someone. Just watch and you will find out.” The Giver says as he just continues to watch the other me. The other me sighs and looks towards the direction of the girl, in a flash, the girl flicks her long black hair covering her face from the vision of the Ordell at the bar. But to everyone behind her a clear bright red face. Then it fades to white, the world remains white except the table and chair that the Giver and Ordell are seated at. “Why did you show me that?” Ordell asks, “Because it is an important part of your future.” The Giver replies, "Hmm," Ordell responds as the world returns back to the bar again, the bar seems less packed and it seems like it is an early afternoon with the sun shining in through the windows giving the last bit of light before darkness envelopes the world. “Good evening!” says an older woman behind the bar, as she sees Ordell walks in through the door. He takes his seat at the bar he did last night. It seems homely like it was Ordell’s house with his parents. The same warmth radiated off this room. "Hey, Suzan." He says as he settles. “Bad day?” she asks curiously as she begins to pour a beer. "Just can't seem to earn enough. Nowhere to stay. Same old." Ordell says as he places five dollars on the bar. “Nah this one is on the house.” The woman says as she winks at him, to which he nods. "That woman reminds me of my mother," Ordell says to the Giver. “Yes, that's why you were drawn to this building.” The Giver responds. “Also it has been about six weeks since you lost your job. You have come in every day after work, not always drinking just to sit at the bar sometimes.” "Hmm," Ordell responds as his focus returns to the other him at the bar. Curious about how he wasn’t dead. "I would like to thank you, Suzan. You have been so nice to a dropkick like me." Ordell at the bar states. "Well, not just for my sake," Suzan says as she nods over to the black haired girl from last time Ordell was here. “My daughter has taken a liking to you. You seem like a good guy, good guy with shit luck.” She adds chuckling to herself. “I am not worthy of her attention.” He responds sighing as he looks over at the very pretty girl. “More worthy than most.” She coughs as she nods over to the pieces of trash in the back of the bar, always trying to cause problems and are known for being disrespectful to women. "I also want to retire. I want to leave the bar to her. But I am worried about me not here people will take advantage of her." "I don't know much about running a bar. I learnt some basic business during my brief go at Gild Biotechnology. But I was mostly in the science department." Ordell responds sighing, "Well, that's why I want to offer you a job. As well as a room free of charge while you work here with me and my daughter." Suzan says as she pulls out a piece of paper behind the bar. "My daughter sees you working at the park all day for jack pay and I know that place in the homeless home is crap. I would teach you how to run the bar and how to serve. So that you and my daughter can take over, you can look after her." Ordell at the bar seems stunned, at a loss for words. His body is frozen in time like a statue, then he moves his mouth barely. “I would love to.” He stutters out, pushing the drink to the side. “I can’t drink on the job,” he says smiling back at her. "I am so happy you accepted." Suzan beams at him, a smile worth a thousand dollars. She then hands him a pen and paper, which he reads through before he scribbles his signature at the bottom. “Thank you again. I can never repay this kindness.” He says bowing his head. “Alright time to introduce you to my daughter officially. She is interested in you. So please just be nice to her. I am not going to force you two together but she is a very shy girl. She is fragile since her father died.” Suzan sighs as she stares off into the wall, “She feels so lonely.” "I will try and be a good friend," Ordell says bowing his head. Knowing that she just asked him to be her protector. "Good. Together you two will achieve great things. Hopefully, I will get some grandchildren." Suzan says with happiness pouring out her mouth with each word. “You missed a few steps. And assuming that I am in love with her. A girl I have never met. But hopefully, at least we can both have a positive working relationship." Ordell says trying to bring this conversation back to a normal. The Ordell next to the Giver tilts his head confused. Looking to the Giver to give an explanation that doesn't come from him as the Giver stares at the Ordell at the bar, mindlessly watching the interaction. “Lavender!” calls Suzan, as she waves her over to the bar, “Coming mother.” The black haired girl responds as she rushes over to in front of the bar beside Ordell. “Lavender, I want you to meet our new co-worker, Ordell.” She says as she nods to Ordell sitting at the bar. “He will be working with us and learning how the bar works so we can reduce our workloads." Suzan states. Ordell turns around to face Lavender who seems to have gone red in the face from shock. “I am Ordell it is a pleasure to meet you, Lavender." As he holds out his hand for a handshake. But Lavender just stands there stunned unable to move as if she was paralyzed. As if a spell was removed she shakes her paralysis off and takes his hand. “Pleasure to meet you Ordell.” She says in response. With that they race around the bar with Ordell behind Lavender learning on how she was presenting herself, how she served the customers, he followed as if he was some sort of lost puppy. But unknown to him, Lavender was smiling from ear to ear. At the end of the busy day, Ordell looked worn out but excited to actually have a real job. He then proceeded without being asked to clean all the tables as customers left, then the bar cleaned much to the surprise of both Lavender and her mother. He just walks past the Ordell sitting with the Giver and continues to clean. He looks tired, out of it, looks like a corpse. Worked to the bone, not even on purpose just because he wanted to do it, to prove he was a hard worker. “Ordell don’t push yourself,” says Lavender rushing over to him, “It’s fine,” he lies as he falls over onto his knees. “Ordell me and mum can do some cleaning. You worked all day in the park and followed me around working all night, it is close to midnight. Don't push it." She says as she helps him into the chair. “Thank you, Lavender, you are truly an amazing person," Ordell responds as he breaths in an out catching his breath. “Only want to look out for you.” She says as she takes a seat next to him. Then the world fades to white again. The Giver stands up followed by Ordell walking behind him quietly. “That was nice wasn’t it?” he asks behind as he continues to walk on, "Yeah, amazing," Ordell responds, “Now we are doing a time skip, your six months older the week before you turn 26th on June 18th 2020," he states as the world reforms and a similar place to the bar appears, the walls the same. It is a hallway, with the same warmth as the bar but is far barer and quieter than it as well. "You and Lavender have grown quite close, really close." A door opens, Ordell steps out holding a rose. He looks like he is shaking as if someone was literally standing behind him shaking him like a tree. Then a second door opens and Lavender steps out. Like a flash, he hides the flower behind him and walks towards Lavender. "Hey, Lavender. I was.. um.” He stutters out still hiding the rose behind his back. “Hey what’s up Ordell?” she asks super happy and excited. "Umm. I was. Umm wondering. If." He stutters out barely forming any sought of a sentence. “Ordell are you ok?” she asks walking closer to him, pushing him against the wall. “You look all red and flustered in the face. Did you eat something not nice?” then in shock, “It wasn’t my stew for you was it?” she asks with a pleading look. “No no no," he says waving his hands in front of her, then she notices the rose and her eyes widen to be large like a child seeing all the presents for Christmas on Christmas day. "Umm." “Is that for me?” she asks, “Yes.” He responds, with that she leaps into his arms. “Yes I will be yours!” she yells excited beyond compare to anything. "Really?" he asks in a mix of shock and confusion by the pale girl wrapping her arms around his neck. “Yes. Took you long enough.” She says joking. With a tear in Ordell’s eye, the scene fades to white again, as he feels his heart pounding faster and faster. A few small tears of happiness and sadness roll down his face, unable to understand if his feelings were of joy or of sadness. “This is two months later.” The Giver says as the world reappears around them both and they are on a very familiar street. The one where Ordell collapsed giving up on life and on everything. Ordell watches the other him and Lavender walk towards then, full of happiness. He could feel the warmth radiating off them both. It was infectious, as they approached his heart rate increased exponentially. "This is where I gave up," Ordell tells Lavender, looking at the houses that were so familiar to him. "I thought I could never recover, after the loss of my job, apartment. My parents were dead, I had no one." "You won't have to worry about that again. You have me now." Lavender exclaims clinging more tightly to Ordell’s arm. "I know." He responds by resting his head on her head. They continue to walk down the street towards, spreading their happiness with every step. The scene changes again with a flash of white light, again they are in the homely bar again. Giver and Ordell take a seat, but it seems different, less busy and white bows and banners lining the room. "This is a month after that walk. You two moved very quickly. You saved her from those dropkicks that sit in the back. Harassing her every night almost mugging and raping her just down the road here. That solidified the fact that she wanted to never part from you. You were hard working and enjoying every moment of your life. Eight months after you lost your job, you are happier than you have ever been." The Giver says as he watches the scene. Then wedding music plays. The scene seems to move in fast forward, mostly regular customers, Suzan and a few of Ordell’s closest friends are in attendance. A pastor is a young man for a pastor, with no grey or white hairs, his face has no wrinkles and he looks rather excited to be performing this wedding. It races by all the setup, the yelling and running around like crazy people. The pool table had been moved somewhere and a small stage has taken its place. The chairs and tables all had white cloths on them and where Ordell and The Giver are sitting. This seems to be where the party is being held, after the actual wedding. Ordell is swept away by the whole event, like waves washing onto the shore, crashing down on unsuspecting people. Waves of emotions, he felt love, happiness, joy. But when those left him he felt other emotions, sadness, pain and loneliness. His face drained of most colour, replaced by a pale white ghost of the man he once was. “I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Says the pastor, Ordell and Lavender locked lips and the electricity shot through the room. Ordell standing next to The Giver can only feel jealousy. Jealous of himself, jealous of the man who got to live this life. “Why?” he asks himself as he watches what seems to be the light of the world part and walk down the aisle towards them. He reaches for Lavender but his hand passes right through her. “I haven’t spoken to her. Why do I love her then?” he asks The Giver who looks at him with truly the saddest expression. The expression of true regret filled the Givers eyes, what looked like an all-powerful king now looked like a powerless slave. “I am truly sorry. As you watch you will feel your emotions that he feels. Your counterpart and develop them yourself.” He says sincerely, unable to lose the regret that filled his eyes. "Oh God, what have I done?" Ordell asks himself collapsing into a heap on the ground. “I feel it, the lighting drawing us together. But I can’t.” “I want to thank everyone who came today.” Says the other Ordell standing from his seat and greeting everyone who came to see them get married. “It has been a hard road for these past eight months. I lost my job, my apartment and almost my life. But I met the love of my life. I was given a home by Suzan. I have never been happier in my entire life. If I had given up on that street I would have wanted to kill myself." “I know what you mean.” Says the Ordell on the floor who looks up to his other self. Tears running down his face trying to escape his eyes like he is of this nightmare of a dream. "I want to thank you for your support today because my family are all gone. I intend to make a family of my own. One that they would be proud of. I do it for them but I do it for myself as well.” Ordell says looking around at the room now tears are starting to fill his eyes. “Why did I give up why?” Ordell on the ground screams punching the ground as if it would give it back if he hit it hard enough, forcing back tears but it doesn’t work. They continue to run away from him like this life that he is watching is. “I am truly sorry but it is almost over.” The Giver says, “Before you finish I want to announce my retirement and passing of the bar over to my gorgeous baby girl and my new son in law. I couldn’t be more happy for you both.” Suzan says as the scene begins to pass to white as the Giver and Ordell who is still punching the ground. “I am so sorry.” The Giver says as a new scene forms around them. They are in a hospital room, pure white looks so pure and pristine. Lavender is sitting in the bed with a towel wrapped around something in her arms. It is so tranquil. Then suddenly it is ruined, Ordell bursts into the room. Sweat dripping from his body, a look of worry sown into his eyes and face. Then it transforms into one of pure excitement and happiness. “Is that our baby boy?” he asks stuttering and trembling. “Yes, this is our baby boy. This is Samuel." She says as she reveals a baby boy wrapped in her arms, Ordell manages to make it to her side and collapse onto the ground next to the bed. Tears pouring out mimicking what the other Ordell. “Thank you so much.” He stammers unable to look at them both, “You make me feel complete, you gave me a family. You gave me a reason to keep living. Two years ago I thought it was over and now I feel like my life has only just begun." “Don’t cry my precious Ordell. I thought I would be alone forever until I met you. I thought I would end up in a marriage built around necessity than actual love.” Lavender says as she places her head on Ordell. "I love you so much," Ordell says crawling up onto the bed and cuddling up to Lavender staring at their newborn son. The scene fades to white again. Ordell is standing watching the endless void of white light before him. The Giver actually has a tear in his eye. “One last scene. four years in the future.” The Giver says as a Christmas scene appears. The bar is as homely as ever, behind the pool table is a Christmas tree. Mistletoe hanging from some of the walls, decorations cover the entire bar. Then hanging above the bar are five stockings. “Wait are those.” Ordell stutters out looking at the name, "Samuel, Rose and Alice." He continues staring at the stockings hanging above the bar. "Are they my children?" he asks looking to the Giver who nods. With that, his eyes widen like an owl watching as Lavender holding a newborn baby in her arms sit down on a chair in the corner. “Come on Rose catch up!” yells a little boy as he holds a car pretending to drive it through the air. “Coming big brother!” responds an adorable little voice. A little girl holding a horse skips through following her elder brother. She looks around three years old, with hair that matches Lavenders long black lace like hair, that floats through the air as if it's a helium balloon. Lavender just smiles in the corner, holding the newborn baby Alice in her arms. Alice makes some sought of adorable baby noise trying to talk, "I know you want to play with them and when your older you can." Lavender says to Alice. With that an older Ordell walks into the room, holding a present under one of his arms and his other free held outstretched. "Daddy's home!" he yells, “Daddy!" yells Samuel and Rose running into her father's outstretched arms. They interlock into a hug and he squeezes tight looking as he will never let go of his children. “Dada!” squeals Alice from her mother's arms, throwing her arms around like a crazy person. “Alice you spoke!” her mother exclaimed bringing her up to her eye line. “Dada Dada!” Alice repeats repeatedly. "Oh god, what have I done?" Ordell asks himself next to the Giver, collapsing onto the ground unable to get up. Ordell just stands up and walks over to grovel at the feet of Lavender who is still sitting with baby Alice in her arms. "You are truly are amazing little one," Lavender tells Alice still oblivious to the second Ordell grovelling at her feet, “I ruined everything. I ruined it all! It’s all my fault you will never have this life. If you ever found out you would never forgive me. Now I choose to remove this from my life. I am such an idiot, of course, everyone has highs and lows. Now I will never be able to forgive myself for this.” Ordell screams at the ground. "So adorable," Lavender says placing her baby Alice into her arms. "Please forgive me, Lavender, please." Ordell pleads as the world falls away into white, but before Lavender disappears she looks up to stare into the emerald eyes of Ordell on the floor with tears starting to fall. “I will forgive you. Forever and always. Because I love you.” She says as she disappears into the white with the rest of the world. Leaving just Ordell on his knees and the Giver. “Will I remember all this?” Ordell asks turning around water dripping down his face. “Yes.” The Giver replies. "This is torture," Ordell says as he goes to join the Giver. "I am truly sorry. I thought maybe you just gave up and died. I didn't know your future until we started. For this, I am truly sorry." The Giver says as a chair and table materialized. “I hadn’t been there. I haven’t met her. But I feel so much love for her. So much towards that bar. Why?” Ordell asks at lost for what his life will become. "Love works in mysterious ways. You watched yourself fall in love and come back from the darkest point of your life." The Giver pauses looking out at the whiteness trying to understand what it is why he was chosen. "Before light, there must be darkness." “Well. What should I do?” Ordell asks him, “Nothing, but our time has come to an end. My time has come to an end. I have watched so many horrible things, people raped then murdered, tortured, executed but never in all my years have I seen something so painful for someone. This is the end. You will not just watch this future.” He pauses and turns to Ordell pain and understanding laced into the very eye itself. “This will be your future!” he yells, as the white deforms around him. “What are you doing?” Ordell yells running towards the Giver. "Ending this torture." The Giver says as his face begins to peel away into dust and floating away with the white. "Goodbye, Ordell have an even better life than you saw." With that the world appears around him, he is standing on the path he walked before the Giver came to him. Ordell is alone again, a failure and now someone had died for him. “WHY?” Ordell screams and collapses onto his knees ready to pray for anything a miracle. He was so scared. What if he screwed it up, what if she hates him? What if... "Why am I such a failure?" he asks aloud. Then like small pittering of rain he hears footsteps but his face still buried in his hands he doesn’t look up. “Sir. Are you ok?” asks a voice he knows all too well. The voice of Lavender, as he removes his hands the world stops. Their eyes meet, her emerald green eyes lock with his tears running down his face. "I feel like I have met you before." She says as she kneels down to meet him at his level. “I lost everything. My entire future.” Ordell says as he tries to wipe away his tears but they keep flowing, not of sadness but of happiness. "Then make a new one," Lavender says holding out her hand. "Alright," Ordell says taking her hand. “What is your name?” she asks concerned that this man may not even know who he is. “I am Ordell. I just lost my job and my apartment. My family has been dead for a while so I am all alone.” Ordell says as continues to stare into her eyes not ready to let her out of his sight. “My name is Lavender. If you need a job how about you work for my mum at our bar we will give you a room and everything. If you have no one. Then let me be someone.” Lavender says holding his stare, “I would love to!” Ordell says finally happy. With a twirl of Lavender’s black hair, she leads him down the path towards the future.