New Year's Resolution

The beach reeked of alcohol and vomit. Under the starry night sky, hundreds of people lay towels and tents across the sand.

Hiding under the bushes, Alex stalked the girl in the pink dress with matching shoes. Her pigtails bobbed while she wandered in circles. As she trailed off, he followed her. Soon, the crowd's chatter faded into the background. After adjusting his beanie, Alex snuck towards the girl. His heart thudded as he reminded himself to seal her mouth before she could scream. He convinced his conscience that no alternatives existed.

Just before Alex seized the child's shoulders, she started wailing. Alex cursed before retreating behind a tree. He turned towards the crowd. Nobody spared the girl more than a glance. This sight brightened the dimming hope within Alex. He wondered why no one cared for the child, but then resolved to focus on his mission.

As the girl ceased weeping, Alex advanced once more. "Hey kiddo, quit making so much noise."

The girl veered towards the voice's source. When she confronted Alex's towering figure, tears streamed down her cheeks again.

Alex reaches towards the girl, which made her cry harder. He recalled why he hated all kids except for his own. "God, what's your problem?"

"Y-your face is scary."

Alex untied the bandana looped around his face. "There, does that help?"

The girl stared at Alex's unshaved chin. "Now you're even scarier."

"Man, you brat." Alex scowled. "What's your name?"

"Kenya." She cupped a hand over her nose. "Hey, mister."

"What is it?"

"You're stinky."

"Really?" Alex recoiled, feeling like Kenya had landed an uppercut. "Well, I haven't washed my clothes in weeks." He sniffed his torn t-shirt. "Actually, I haven't washed myself in weeks, period."

"That's yucky."

"Yeah, I guess it is." Alex stomped the ground. A bell chimed in his head, urging him to box again. "You'd better watch your trap, or I'll have to hurt you."

As Kenya squealed, Alex covered her mouth. "Cut that out. I'm not really going to hurt you, okay?" He forgot his boxing gloves; so much for round two.

After Alex unsealed Kenya's lips, she sniffled. Alex noticed the crowd eyeing him. "Come on, how do I to make you be quiet?" He fished a coin from his patched jeans. "Say, you want some fairy floss?" He sprinted off to purchase the sweet from a vendor. As he surrendered his only dollar, he felt his pride leaving with it. How could he allow a little girl to bruise him?

When Alex returned with the fairy floss, Kenya snatched it from him. He rolled his eyes. "I had to fight off three bums for that coin, you know? A thank you would've been nice."

Kenya stuffed her face with candy. "Well, you were like, being really mean."

"Righty-o, princess." Alex planted a foot onto a nearby bench to tie his shoelace. He checked his other foot, then remember he only wore one shoe. "So, why were you crying?"

Kenya avoided Alex's gaze. "I wasn't crying."

"You're a bad liar, you know that?"

"I can't find Mummy and Daddy."

Alex imagined being in Kenya's shoes, lost in the New Year's Eve crowd. Sympathy washed over the grudge he held against the child. "Do you know their number?"

Kenya shook her head.

Alex sighed. "Great, there goes my plan."

"What do you mean?"

"I was going to make your parents pay me to have you back."

Kenya rubbed her chin, as if contemplating a scientific breakthrough. A moment later, she gasped. "You're a baddy."

Alex gasped back. "And you're a genius." He planned to abandon Kenya as soon as possible. Yet, his heart forbade him from doing so.

"How much money do you need? A dollar?"

"Much more than that."

"Two dollars?"

Alex spread his arms open. "Much, much more." He scolded himself for playing along with her stupidity.

Kenya's eyes widened. "Why do you need so much money?"

“I owe the bank a truckload of cash.”

"Oh, what happened?" Though it seared Alex's heart to confess, he felt his shackles unlocking with those words. " I lost all my money in the casino. How could I have been so stupid?"

“What’s a casino?” Since Alex didn’t answer, Kenya spoke on. “Can’t you get money from other people in your house?”

“What people?” Alex shrugged. “I don’t even know where my wife’s taken my kids.” He remembered his children’s expressions when he claimed bankruptcy. "Wait, what's the point of telling you? As if you've got a clue."

"Well, I know it's no good to be a baddy. Is your Mummy and Daddy bad, too?"

"Of course not."

"Wouldn't they be sad if they found out you were a baddy?"

Alex imagined meeting his parents from behind bars after getting arrested. The thought squeezed tears from his eyelids. "Sorry, kid. What's wrong with me? Trying to kidnap you. I must be going insane."

Kenya wrapped her arms around Alex's knees. "Aw, did I say something mean? I'm sorry. Like, I shouldn't have said you were stinky and stuff. I promise I won't be mean anymore."

Alex chuckled. Kenya's arms graced him with warmth. "Silly, I'm not mad about that."

"Oh, okay." Kenya released him. "I'm scared, mister. Where is Mummy and Daddy?"

"They're probably looking for you as we speak."

"But there's no time." Kenya indicated her Mickey Mouse wristwatch. "I want to be with them when the fireworks start."

Alex tossed away his beanie. "Who cares about the fireworks? It's the same every year. People make resolutions, then forget about them. What a waste of time."

"It's super important. Daddy said the fireworks sigmifies a fresh start."

"You mean signify?" Alex scrambled his brain for a way to resume his kidnapping. As Kenya blinked at him, he found no opening, so he extended a hand instead. "Oh the heck with it; let's go and find your Mum and Dad."

Kenya hid her face behind the fairy floss. Whenever Alex retreated, she advanced. Whenever he advanced, she retreated. Her hard to get ploy amused him. He recalled his high school crushes behaving in the same way.

Alex forfeited his lingering intention to kidnap Kenya. He offered a smile that expressed his wish to support her. She seemed to understand, as she accepted his hand. With locked fingers, they strode back into the crowd. Alex called for Kenya's parents, but the surrounding chitchat drowned his voice.

"This isn't going to work." Alex dropped to his knees. "Alright, get on."

Kenya mounted onto Alex's back. After he surged to his feet, she scanned the area for her parents. "Hey, there they are."

Alex shambled in the direction Kenya pointed. After weaving through the crowd, Kenya reunited with her parents. Alex crouched, allowing her to dismount.

Kenya dove into her mother's arms. Kenya's mother apologised for losing her. She winced upon noticing Alex's scruffy attire. "Who might you be?"

Kenya tugged her mother's sleeve. "Mummy, it's okay. Mister isn't a baddy."

Kenya's father stepped forward. "You'd better not done anything to her."

Kenya wanted to protest, but Alex shook his head. "Don't sweat it. Your daddy cares about you, that’s all. I'm going to move along, now."

Static reverberated from a building ahead. A voice spoke through the microphone. "Are we ready to count down the final seconds of this year?"

The crowd erupted in applause, including Kenya and her parents. Alex realized he lost track of time during the commotion. He listened while everyone counted from ten to zero.

The hands on Kenya's watch lined up over the number twelve. Sparks propelled from the distant structure. They decorated the sky in an array of colors. Alex felt like the fireworks blasted away his troubles. The energy he possessed during his youth surged through him once more. This strength ushered him to gaze forward rather than back. Many spectators cupped the ears over the crackling fireworks. Alex wanted to scream alongside the explosions. He struggled to contain the newfound potential swimming within him.

Kenya skipped to Alex's side. She raised her voice over the fireworks. "It’s a new year, Mister. Why don’t you stop being a baddy?”

Alex fondled Kenya's hair. "I'll think about it."

Kenya lifted a finger. "Pinkie promise that you'll change?"

Alex raised a brow. "What am I, six?"

"Well, I am."

"Okay, you got me." Alex coiled a finger around hers. "I promise I'll stop being a baddy."

Kenya nodded. "Promise me you'll take a shower, too." The fireworks illuminated her grin.

"I thought you said you won't be mean anymore."

Kenya stuck out a tongue. Since her parents looked unimpressed, Alex backed away. "Alright, so long, kiddo. And thank you. Really."

Kenya waved Alex goodbye while he jogged off. He planned to spend the night under a bridge. It would be the last time, though, for this year, Alex held plenty of resolutions. Though he thought his mistakes robbed him of everything, Kenya shattered his theory. He realized he salvaged the one thing he needed to atone for his sins.

Alex still had his dear life.