Chapter 1: Nishimta

oranges in the west. Until darkness came down over the city of Evansville, like a large tarp drawn overhead and pulled taut, riddled with shining holes.
Alongside him walked a man of about the same age who had unkempt short black hair, large ears and wore a red hooded windbreaker zipped to his throat. He kept pace with Leo. Hands resting in his coat pockets. At the corner Leo passed him an apple fritter, half-wrapped in a wrinkled napkin. The man took it and smiled. Then the two said their goodbyes with a strong embrace before he left him, cutting east back down the street. Leo

kept his eyes on him, watching as the red of his jacket shrank before the crowd swallowed him whole.
Leo turned back around and continued up the road, west.
He kept his head down as the crowd flowed the same direction all around him. Everyone’s bodies leaned forward, fighting the incline of the hill, their stomachs filled with food. Everyone, but Leo, who didn't lean, and let others pass him by. Then a voice came through the crowd asking for change, and again - louder. Leo lifted his head slow as though it were filled with concrete and broke out from the mass, stepping off the road

where propped against a weathered mailbox leaned a cardboard sign that read: Garage Sale, done in red marker.
White worn plastic foldout tables stood covered in old lamps and clocks. Some still ticking. All layered atop one another. He made his way up the driveway where one large lonesome bin sat wedged underneath the table closest to the house and he peered beyond its translucent casing where, dimly lit by tinted streetlight, lay a familiar shape. Leo crouched down. Stared at it through the plastic.
He gripped the casing and drew it free. Dust on his fingers. His gaze

settled on the console. A Sega Genesis which sat crooked above the cartridges tossed below. All of it covered in a decade of dust. He turned it over in his hands.
Footsteps came up from behind him on the driveway and a hand squeezed at his shoulder before the words hit him: That was my son's.
Leo flinched and spun around to gaze at the old man's roadmapped face. His short white beard and pale-clean complexion contrasted with his circular brown wooden glasses.
Hello. Leo greeted him and said, Uh, it looks like it's in great condition.

He looked down at the Genesis and wiped the dust away with a sleeve before extending his hand for a shake.
I'm Leo.
Leo! The old man echoed and continued with a hearty grunt before seizing his hand. Name’s Bruiser. Bruiser Lilly! Nice to meet ya, Leo.
Then Bruiser shook his hand, forcing Leo's arm to follow as he continued on.
Yeah - Marcus sure did love all his videogames. He took pretty good care of 'em too. Very typical middle child behavior if ya ask me. But the other two? Slobs.
Bruiser laughed.

Leo smiled and answered, Sounds about right. Well how much are you willing to part with this thing for? I hope Marcus in The Middle doesn't mind.
Bruiser chuckled again and waved his hand as if at a fly and said, Nah. That boy hasn't reached out in years... bit of an odd one. But if you want that, you'll have to take the whole bin! Get that outta my hair for fifty so I can close up shop here?
Leo froze, eyes wide, a smile coming on as he scratched at the back of his head and repeated, Fifty? Fifty for the, for everything?
Bruiser smiled back as he asked,

Well what'd'ya say? Before quickly raising his eyebrows twice.
Leo let out a single breathy laugh. Wow, uh - well, there's so many games in this thing, Jesus. He gave a short hitched laugh as he beheld the size of the bin, and pressed the toe of his shoe against its side to then lean his weight into it only for the large bin to hold still beneath him.
I’d be an idiot not to, yeah, sold. I mean. Leo chuckled and shouted, Sold!
Then he laughed and shook Bruiser's hand again, this time gripping hard as the old man chuckled.

Leo paid him, and Bruiser smiled, counting the bills slowly. Then helped him hoist the bin from under the table. Leo spotted Sonic 2 on top as he adjusted his grip before nodding to Bruiser.
Hey kid, what's with the five extra bucks?
Call it a tip! Leo hollered as he spun around and started back up the hill.
Bruiser smiled and pushed a puff of air through his nose, nodding after him.
Leo's arms burned and his fingers blanched white at the knuckles, but a grin remained on his face as he

marched on and sweat through his shirt.
Fifty dollars. Leo laughed to himself. Insanely lucky. He sang.
Back home he set the bin down in the living room before he went down the hall of his house to the end where he entered his room and shut his bedroom door behind him with a soft click. After a pause laughter came muffled through the wood of the door. Behind it Leo sat at his desk with his headphones on and his friends laughing through the speakers and they played games and watched horror movies together until midnight.
Then bed.