BALON

"Why here?"
Kev said, nervously eyeing the place with curiosity.

He was afraid that the police might caught him inside a restricted area—the ruins of Hotel de
Mahika—and lock him in jail.

The boy was standing next to an old man beside a well.

It was odd how an old well was placed inside a modern building and becomes the main source
of the fire—according to his mom.

Maybe the well contained gasoline instead of water, he thought.

It has no decorations save for a bright green sapphire in the middle that glowed in the gloomy
room, and a word "Balon" carved in it.

"Balon?"

"The well's name. Now do as what I told you."

The boy looked at him with bewilderment.

"This doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't have to make sense child. If you think there's no harm in it, then do it."

The water was still there, and darkness implies that it's deep.

Rumors said it was a portal to another place.

He shook his head. Who would believe such a thing?

Kev frowned, "Mom will be mad at me. If it hurts her, it hurts me too. All I want is just an idea—a
single grand idea."

He's been thinking about this. If he could just win the school's writing contest, he could buy
Yana more foods, and mom will be pleased. That was the plan.

His little sister was crying more often since his mother lost her job when the hotel was burned.
"I already gave you the idea, child. Your job is to figure it out," the old man grinned, ''It'll be
clearer once the payment is done."

"But—"

"Just throw your coins in the well!"

"Okay, how much?"

"All that is left in your pocket."

Kev frowned.

"But nothing will be left for me! How can I go home?" he protested.

"I don't know, include it in your wish."

"Wish?"

"Bah, throw those coins and make a wish!"

"What if I pay you some of my coins, so you can wish on the well yourself, since you're the only
one who believes in it? Just give me my idea."

"Clever. But I cannot hold your money, dear. You must throw it first in the well."

"Why? The money would be gone, you can't get it that deep!"

"I won't repeat what I said, child."

"But I promised Yana her bread when I get back, can I at least save some money for her?"

"I'm afraid no. But you can include her bread in your wish."

The boy hesitated at first, then fished the coins from his pocket.

"Here," he closed his eyes and muttered his wishes before dumping the coins in Balon's mouth.

Everything went still except for the drumming rhythm of his heartbeats.

The man was gone, and from where he once stood lay a small picture.

It was an image of a boy with a thick black collar on his neck like a dog.
It doesn't make sense, he thought, dropping the picture in disappointment and walked home.