Falter

After my encounter with Fedigard, I decided to walk home. I stopped at a local eatery to buy some buns.

"Oi lad, get your grubby hands out of the counter you halfwit" the cook bellowed.

"I'm paying!" I snapped back as I flashed my blue aquamarines. The cook seethed bitterly as he tossed me my buns worth. I left there calmly, steeling my nerves when I heard the town clock chiming nine times signifying that in an hour's time, it will be lights out.

"Oh my God, it's nine!" I thought as I ambled onto the street and ran like light to my house, whilst stuffing my mouth with the buns I bought.

"Today's been unproductive as hell." I realized as stalls were being packed up by the second. People were anxious to get in before the tenth chime.

I scurried and weaved through the masses as people scampered and fled to their houses in drones. I groaned inwardly. "This is hopeless. If a war broke out suddenly, Lavide islands will be the least affected. But NOOOO, inside we must go." I thought as I sighed helplessly.

The lights were going off by the second and I had 16 more miles to walk. I began to sprint which later morphed into a run when I heard the town clock chime. "Great, curfew has started." I thought while running frantically, praying I don't run into one of the checkpoint guards. One look at me and I'll be wedded in the dungeon. The sky was pitch black; the moon was shy of her beauty and didn't grace me, her suitor, her elegant light. The whole place was enveloped with darkness with some droplets of rain falling chaotically, hinting a storm will follow.

I ran fast but it rained faster. My whole clothes were drenched, soaked down to the last piece of clothing. My spirits fell as I did little to stop the water from seeping into my skin and embezzling the heat my body tried to save.

Time passed slowly and I was sluggishly trampling my way home, half dead by the cold when I saw my quarters. My heart soared as I ran half madly to my house. I leaped at the sight of the unpainted quarters as it getting closer in view. The quarters were a group of cheap ill built shacks that were ill managed but still sold at exorbitant prices. Its roofs were not mended properly to block the rain's entry as the doors creaked and, in some cases, gave way. The latrines were from the pits of hell. I was lucky to have one inside the shack but it overflowed when it rained. It was hell but considering my finances, it was the best thing I had since sliced bread.

I got to the door and fiddled for the key. I didn't realize how numb my fingers were till I started groping my sides for the key. I later found it after minutes of shivering. I put the key into the lock to paradise, and with my cold nerveless fingers, I turned the lock, only for me to find out that the door was opened. My security lock; simple as it was, broken. I pushed the door ajar to look at the state of things. It was a mess. The walls looked slimy, the chair and table; the only pieces of furniture I had, broken. I'd let myself in for a few seconds to realize that the ground was an awful sight. Garbage mixed with water from the sewers happily mingled and gave respite and homage to the rodents who were living luxuriously rent free in the heaps of garbage they called home. The latrines overflowed and the black gutter water mixed with the garbage, and to the rats, it was paradise. To me, it was a sight of horrors.

As I choked up with disgust, the foul odor woke up and oozed from the mixture to kiss my nostrils to life. It smelled like rotten eggs and roadkill combined to create a deadly potion that could wipe out thousands of people with just a whiff. The stench arrested my clothes and stung my eyes with a powerful force that I almost reeled back in morbid repugnance.

I knelt down, trying in vain to clear the sight when something metallic hit the back of my head. I shouted in pain as my knees buckled and gave way for my body to grace the disgustly mannered floor.

"Oi! I hit the bastard." A cheerful coarse voice said as another swing hit the back of my head. I cried out in pain as I received another thwack.

"Kick him in the groin, let him eat his shit." A refined voice spoke from the shadows as his minions pinned me and continued to kick and box me. I tried to wriggle free and claw my captors but it was to no use as they beat me mercilessly and began to strip me naked. I clawed and fought, trying in vain to jolt my way out but my captors had a tight grip at me.

"Woo! Look at this" exclaimed one guy as he smacked my ass before dealing me a blow. The refined voice who was clearly the leader of them emerged from the shadows. His bulk was made with fleshy fat. His blonde hair fell in waves. His arm was lighter that the rest as if it was luminous on its own. I drew in a shaky breath as that arm wielded a crowbar. Its malignant form was deadly breathtaking. My eyes screamed with fear at its hooked edge. It was the color of black steel.

"I hope your mouth is as sharp as my crowbar. I would hate to see you lose." Taunted Thompson as he squatted to look at me in my eyes. He had a crazed murderous glint and stare as if he contemplated which death method would please him if I was inflicted.

I was livid, my eyes wore rage over it. I was salivating like a feral animal, waiting to crush his bones to a pulp. I tried to jerk free but another bout of beating made me still.

"Ooh," Thompson snarled gleefully. "I've always wondered if you have rabies. My dog-"

"Is a better ruler than you'll ever be, bastard." I spat with venom.

For a second, nothing moved as everywhere became still. My heart was audible as its erratic movements caught my mouth and clamped it shut.

Then Thompson spun around quickly and the crowbar kissed my cheek in a long-awaited embrace.

"You'll shut up! You hear me? Shut up!" He barked as he beat me mercilessly with venom. The crowbar making rhythm in my ear till I became senseless.