The Bench: A One Off by SubSmoke606
Zach lived in a Single Room Occupancy up in the slums of San Francisco. It was a single room that he had to himself, and he shared bathroom facilities with his floor. It sounded less than pleasant, but his neighbors were all very courteous and they all pitched in to make sure the facilities stayed clean and hygienic.
All in all, it was small, sure, but he was pretty content with his living situation, and life in general. He did all freelance work. Doing door dash and GrubHub on his bike, doing small repairs on computers, hell, he even had a weekend paper route just to make some extra cash. His life was simple, and he was content.
He went for a walk around his beautiful city, enjoying the evening California weather and sunset. He had been walking for a good while, earphones in, just enjoying the wind in his long, tangled, brown hair and the sites the city had to offer.
Some time had passed, and Zackâs legs began to grow tired. The area he was in wasnât the best, but he still felt safe. Worst case scenario a crack head or a sex worker may pester him a bit, but that wasnât anything he wasnât used too. He decided to sit on a near by bench for a bit before he headed home.
He had been sitting there for about 5, maybe 10 minuets, no longer listening to music. Just enjoying the sounds of the city. He was truthfully getting relatively close to falling asleep when he felt a slight pampf on his leg.
ââScuse me, nice mistah!â A small voice said.
He was caught off guard and flinched a bit. He looked around, and then looked down to see a moderately dirty feral stallion unicorn with black fur and a green mane sitting on his haunches, smiling up at him.
âFwuffies namesie am Twoopuh! What am yows nice mistah?â He asked, still smiling with his head slightly cocked to the side in curiosity.
âOh, uhm⌠Names, Zack. Nice to meet you, Trooper! Is there anything I can do for ya, bud?â
âOh, nofin reawwy! Gib upsies? Wan sit on hooman chaiw if das otay wif âou.â
Zack at this point was taken back. Living in a big city, you have to deal with fluffies like you gotta deal with any other inconvenience that comes with it. Zack himself didnât mind them, he actually had one for awhile. Well, he didnât, but his previous partner did and they absolutely loved their little guy. Zack thought he was alright, he guessed.
This guy, Trooper, was clearly different from most other fluffies he had encountered, even domesticated ones. He had assumed he was a runaway due to his name and polite behavior. He must have had some kind of owner at some point. But if this guy was so well behaved, why the hell was he on the street?
âOh! Sure, yeah. Get on up here, big guy!â Said Zack, lifting the stallion up onto the bench.
Trooper thanked Zack for the good upsies, and made himself comfortable on the bench next to Zack.
âWat am hooman doinâ dis bwight time?â
âOh, right now? Eh, just needed out of the house for a walk. What about you big guy? Did you have a good day?â
âWeww, Twoopuh guess su. Nu muh diffwent fwom odduh bwight times. Did wakies, made poopies, fownd nummies. Ou knu, fwuffy stuff.â He giggled.
âYou know, youâre awfully bright and well behaved. You have a mom or dad I need too take you home to? I wouldnât mind.â
âNu, fwuffy nu hab mummah ow daddeh. Dat am otay doe. Twoopuh am stiww happies!â Trooper beamed, flashing Zach a purposefully large and cheesy smile, fully exposing his teeth.
âOh, okay then bud.â Zach said with a pause.
He mulled it over, and decided that even though he had a super small place, he could at least take this guy in until he could find him a home. He was super sweet and well behaved, he even seemed to have an almost human like sense of humor.
âSay, Trooper. Since you donât have a daddy, how about I take you home!â
âOh, dat am su nice mistah! Buh nu fank ou. Fwuffy nu wan hab housie. Fwuffy am otay wif nestie! Nu wan be wude anyway.â Said Trooper, politely declining the generous offer.
This really did strike Zach as odd. He knew very little about fluffies, but he knew that fluffies were obviously programmed to need human companionship.
âOh! Okay bud.â Said Zack, honestly a little disappointed, causing another short pause in the conversation.
âDo you mind if I ask why?â
Trooper drew in a big, heavy breath.
âWeww, fwuffy nu reawwy make tawkies âbout dis, buh ou seem otay.â Said Trooper, already seeming less chipper.
âTwoopuh used to hab daddeh. Bestest daddeh ebah, I fink! Had Twoopuh fow su many fowebahs. Daddeh used to take Twoopuh campinâ in da woodsies! In da fowest wif aww da pwetty twees! Dah bestest times Twoopuh ebah hab. Daddeh show Twoopuh how make biggest stick nesties, an how make buwnie fi-uh, nebah wood wet Twoopuh make da buwnies doe. Was su fun. Buh one bwight time at our housie, Twoopuh went into daddehs woom and onto his beddie an⌠AnâŚâ
Trooper sighed. He slumped down a bit and Zack noticed tears welling up in his eyes.
âAn⌠Ou knu. Daddeh am fowebah sweepies. Twoopuh nu knu wat to do. So, Twoopuh jus wike to camp now. Wike Twoopuh did wif daddeh! Jus not in pwetty twee pwace.â
âOhâŚâ Zach said.
âI see.â
He was so taken back by this guy and his story. He didnât know what to say. He hadnât had a deep conversation with someone in years, let alone ever had one with a fluffy.
âI bet you miss him a lot, huh?â Said Zach, scratching the now sniffling fluffy behind the ears.
âMmhmm.â Said Trooper, nodding his head up and down.
âOu am nice mistah. Fwuffy wike ou wots! Jus nu wan nu nyu daddeh. Sowwy, nice mistah.â Apologized Trooper, looking up at Zach with regret in his eyes.
âHey, I understand kid.â
Zach looked down at his phone, and saw that it was getting late and knew the sun would be going down soon. He reached into the backpack he brought with him and found a miniature bag of cool ranch Doritos. They werenât his favorite, so he nudged the fluffy with the bag.
âHere, take some nummies.â
âOh! Twoopuh wub Dowitos. Fank ou, nicest mistah!â Said trooper, holding the back close to his chest.
âWell, dude. I gotta head home. Thanks for the talk. I hope things work out for you, friend.â
Zach stood up and carefully moved Trooper off the bench onto the ground.
âMaybe Iâll see you again soon?â
âTwoopuh wiww twy!â He said with the bag of Doritos in his teeth, muffling his speech slightly.
âFank ou, nice mistah! Hab gud sweepie times!â He said, beginning to make his way to the alley across the street, looking back at Zach.
âWoah, hey, kid WAIT-â shouted Zach at the fluffy, who didnât see the bus chugging itâs way down the street.
Trooper didnât realize what he was screaming for, until he heard the tires screech and BAM!
Trooper laid there, flat on the street. Dorito crumbs and bits of blood and gore painted a grotesque mural all over the road.
Zach stood there with his mouth wide open. Jaw completely hanging lifelessly in disbelief.
âWhat. The. Fuck.â
Life is unfair, and it doesnât even give you a reason or an explanation why.
How tragic.