abstract
| - A road stretched forth in two directions. Cars with broken windows and pieces from the decrepit buildings littered it. A man was standing by one of the cars wearing what looked rather like a gray and brown robe with a hood drawn up over his face and long sleeves. He smiled, glumly. He was leaning rather heavily on the car beside him. He seemed as if he were waiting. "Old Guy!" a young voice shrieked in the tone of a question. The man who had been waiting now looked around, the voice had come from behind him. He took his hand off the car and turned, then leaned his back on the car for support. He saw a young man standing off at a distance. He smiled again slightly. "I'm not going to hurt you, you know." His voice was dry and he might have an accent in other conditions. He looked at the boy, who did not move. "I need a car to stand, I have nothing which could be a weapon." He stopped for a second, a change of tact; "I need a cane if I am to walk." The boy took a step away from him. The man sighed. "Go away" he said dismissively, waving his hand. He turned and sat down on the car. Unseen by the man the boy took a step forward. The man turned his face forward, allowing his eyes to lose focus "Who are you?" asked the child The man was startled, he moved back onto his feet rather suddenly, as though he had thought he was alone again. He looked over at the boy, smiled. "My name is what I need to walk." as he was saying this he was leaning against the car again. The boy frowned. Yet again, the man was smiling, though every time he smiled less. "I need a cane. And that's my name." The boy looked at him with a puzzled expression. Cane pushed himself away from the car, standing on his own now. It seemed to take much effort. "Come Here" he said, while motioning to the boy. The boy approached him. "You are going to be my cane." said Cane. "What?" "My-" Cane began, then he thought for a moment "I have to lean on you so that I can walk" "Turn around and I'll put my hand on your shoulder." The boy complied. "What is your name?" Cane asked the boy "My name is that which I walk." he smiled "Miles, sir." Cane was quite for a bit, in his head he was marveling at how the boy suddenly had the manner to call him sir, but he was walking now and his leg hurt so he surrendered the thought.
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