Human Monsters Part 1

Edward Rowan was a man in his thirties, a recluse residing at the edge of town in his own private farm, having lost his family several years prior. Rowan cherished solitude, which is why he never married; however, the company of others never bothered him too much, as long as it was temporary. He was a large and athletic man, yet at first glance, no one would perceive the man wearing colorful Hawaiian shirts and straw hats as someone capable of walking several hundred meters without becoming breathless, let alone engaging in any athletic activities.

In reality, Rowan was a former soldier who had served in Iraq and various other locations around the world. After nearly a decade of military service, he was discharged and allowed idleness to take its toll. Rowan left the army due to a training accident that affected both of his knees; since then, he has fully recovered, but the military organization continues to fund his life as compensation for his experiences. This is precisely why the man allows himself to spend his days sitting in his rocking chair while reading books.

He was perceived as the harmless oddball of his town; in fact, the locals regarded him as a sort of spiritual guru or philosopher whose wisdom bordered on madness. He possessed a certain dark charisma, always capturing attention in any social situation he participated in, despite the rarity of such occasions.

The fact that he let his brown hair and beard grow long did not enhance the image of the outcast guru he had crafted for himself. His voice was typically soft and calm, yet Rowan was adept at modulating the tone of his voice at the right time and place. Rowan was undoubtedly an excellent speaker. It was not unusual for two residents of the town to seek his counsel regarding their current circumstances.

Rowan welcomed the two men into his tranquil garden. He settled into his rocking chair facing them and said, "Please, sit down, brothers... I am ready to listen to everything you have to share with me."

The men settled into the wooden chairs positioned in front of Rawan's seat. One of them was a young man in his twenties, appearing as though he had not slept properly for weeks; his body was thin and frail, his hair short yet completely unkempt, and his clothes seemed to have been carelessly thrown onto his slender frame, giving the impression that he was on the verge of collapsing to the ground and never rising again.

The second man appeared older, nearing his fifties, dressed well, with a groomed appearance that belied his age. There was a hint of anxiety in the older man's eyes. He placed his hands on the armrests of the chair he occupied and began to speak, "Eddie, you know very well what I have been going through lately... and you are my last hope here, please help me not to lose what I still have."

Rawan pushed his chair back and said, "Yes, I know, my brother, I am aware of what has happened to you recently. It concerns the seven, the seven deadly monsters that are pursuing us all..." He turned his gaze towards the young man, pointed at him, and said aloud, "This also concerns you!"

The older man widened his eyes and asked hesitantly, "What do you mean?"

Ravan adjusted his seat and calmly stated, "I will tell you a story, and then you will understand the source of your problems. First, Larry was a talented individual; he worked at a successful high-tech company and had a warm and loving family. His wife, who was of the same age, was the most beautiful woman in his eyes, and his children were also quite successful—a son and a daughter who were on the verge of completing their college education with great success.

The closeness... or rather, the bond between this brother and sister was something the world had never seen before; they were incredibly close in a completely healthy manner... No, no... there was nothing inappropriate about the relationship between the brother and sister, and there was no malice or coldness within this family at all. The family appeared perfect, at least on the surface.

Larry... Larry was, he was in love with something else... aside from his wife. Larry was infatuated with papers and small metals. He could not part with these items, with those little devils. He collected and collected and collected them, only to keep them—doing nothing with them!

The face of the elderly man began to contort into an angry expression directed at Rawan as he recounted his story, yet Rawan did not alter his expression while continuing to narrate, his gaze remained as cold as ice.

"Although Larry was a miserly and materialistic man, his family did not suffer from any lack; he took care of them as much as he could... as much as his small ego allowed him to care for them.

"After much persuasion, Larry bought his son a car; who would have believed it? He managed to purchase a vehicle for his only son despite being unable to part with small bills and coins unless it was a matter of survival. He could have simply told his son to find another job and buy a car for himself, but no, he decided he was tired of the persuasive conversations and bought his son a car. He bought him a car but refused to pay an additional two hundred dollars for a safety inspection. He refused because he thought it was unnecessary or because he believed that money was more important than his son's safety... I do not know.

"The son drove the car once and everything was fine.

"The son drove the car a second time and everything was fine.

"The son drove the car a third time and everything was not fine; it turned out the brakes were faulty. He was about to collide with another vehicle during a night drive. Both drivers were young but cautious, adhering to traffic laws; they were simply driving on a dirt road and initially had difficulty seeing each other. By the time the drivers saw one another, it was too late. The road was a collision course. Larry's son attempted to brake but was unsuccessful.

The vehicle in which Larry's son was seated became a missile aimed at the certain death of the young man. The boy attempted to steer the car to the side, but it was too late...

The face of the older man sitting across from Rawan had turned completely red by this point, and it was evident that he was shifting uncomfortably in his seat due to significant discomfort.

"The car heading towards Larry's son collided with the side of the vehicle that was trying to maneuver, causing it to be thrown aside. The rotational force generated by the impact sent Larry's son flying out of the car, leaving him hanging from a tree... with a thick branch impaling his chest... while the seatbelt dangled from the boy's right shoulder... the life of this young man was worth 200 dollars... can you believe it?!" Rawan exclaimed.

The older man rose from his seat, intending to lunge at Rawan while shouting, "You son of a bitch... I will take you out right here and now!"

Rawan also stood up from his chair and shouted back, "Stay in your place, Lawrence, you let this happen... don’t blame me, I’m not the one who decided it!"

Lawrence, who was about to strike his fist at Rawan, lowered his hand, and his head also drooped. He sat back down in his place and began to sob lightly. Rawan also settled back into his seat and started to sway in his chair while saying, "This is number one. This monster is called, Twisted by Greed!"