“What is it?” Oren asked over the phone.

  He was walking down the long street, tall buildings on either side, soaring to the sky with modern design. This was a popular street in the city, and Oren always passes it when he returns home in the evening.

  It seems to be an unpopulated place, not that it was crowded on usual days, but today appeared more empty, as cars rarely passed by the wide road.

  Holding the black plastic bag with his right hand, and carrying the backpack over his right shoulder, Oren had to hold the phone with his left hand and bring it inside the hood of his hoodie, softly brushing his left ear.

  Alfred enthusiastic voice transmitted from the speakers.

  “Nothing much…”

  Just as Oren heard his friend begin to talk, his brain couldn't register what Alfred replied next as it was busy explaining the shocking sight it captured through his black eyes.

  His pupils contracted and his muscles tensed instantly, resulting in Oren stopping abruptly on his track like a frozen statue.

  —Badump!

  Time seemed to stop, and he could hear his heart pumping blood quickly through his blood vessels, helping his body circulate more blood as per the nervous and shocked signals sent by the brain.

  He quit hearing the surrounding noise, only his eyes laid fixed forward, penetrating the dimness of the alley before him, and bulging at what was happening inside the alleyway.

  “H..he..l….p. ughr!”

  There, a grown man appearing to be in his thirties was pushed against the cold concrete wall, the harsh texture of the wall kissing the full backside of his body.

  Being gripped by the neck tightly that it was impossible for air to pass through his throat, the man's eyes darted to the side, locked onto Oren as he pleaded for help.

  He looked like a powerless dear pounced on by a mad tiger.

  Yet, the aggressor, a tall man with a strong build, did not show mercy or arrogance and tightened his gasp that clawed the man's neck as the frightening sound of snapping bones echoed through the dark space. Over his head, he was putting on a cubic cardboard-like red box, with two dark holes as sockets revealing two red eyes glowing with blood lust, a gaze that sent the hair on Oren's skin standing like a bamboo tree, a shiver crawled down his spine.

  The box faced man didn't waste time and raised his right hand, which was clutching a knife that was so sharp that just one look made Oren’s hot blood freeze in fright.

  The predator directly stabbed the man's chest, the knife passed the flesh with such ease that it appeared to cut through butter, while the man didn't even have time to react when the knife blade was already fully inside his heart, blood trickled down his lips as he gazed with bloodshot eyes at the killer, aggrieved.

  Stunned to even react, Oren watched as the box-faced guy twisted and turned the knife inside the man’s chest, making a mess inside his heart as squishy and jiggly sounds were heard.

  —Squish! squish!

  He then pulled out the knife and held it with his other hand that released the man's neck, quickly but with a powerful thrust, he plugged his right hand directly inside the man's chest. His hand was like a blade, and it penetrated the man's ribs without effort, something that shouldn't happen with the meager strength of normal humans.

  —Splash!

  With a strong pull, his hand came back fully coated in red blood, the hotness of the red liquid could be felt through the drifting smell that traveled the air.

  Oren knew this iron taste far too well, it was the smell of blood. He had injured his tongue in the past, so…

  Anyways, Oren stood rooted in his place, his mind blank as he continued to stare at the box-faced man who held a red beating peace of ruined meat within his palm, slowly squeezing it and letting blood splatter down like a waterfall, the red liquid making a puddle on the ground.

  “Sigh, this is so boring…”

  Oren's ears unluckily heard the cracking voice coming from the box-faced guy, a chilling tone that made his eyes contrast beyond measure as his nerves tensed even more.

  The killer didn't even care about the dead corpse of the man sliding down along the wall, the look of pained reluctance still traced on the victim's face. He threw the dried messy heart of the man away, slowly turning his cubed head to the side, his glowing red eyes fixing on a new target; Oren.

  Oren felt his blood turn colder than snow, his brain flaring into a frenzy of alerts to get the hell out of here, now and quickly, but his body was in a shutdown mode as he couldn't keep up with the blood rush. he just stood rooted in fear while watching the killer eyeing him hungrily, already feeling his skin tingling like ants were crawling it.

  This was actually the first time he felt like this in his whole mundane life!

  The box faced murderer took the knife back to his left hand and picked something from his back under the shirt; it was a black steeled handgun!

  —Tik!

  He pulled the slide back and the handgun was loaded.

  Oren knew it far too well, those are the marks of a rampage killer, the situation reeked of trouble and he had to get the heck out of here!

  Years of watching movies could at least explain so!

  But before he could do anything, nor that his body would allow, Oren's eyes witnessed the killer pointing the muzzle of the handgun at him, a glint passed through the surface of the round steel.

  —Bang!

  His eyes couldn't capture it, but he was too damn sure that a bullet was coming for his life as the muzzle fire flash reflected inside his black pupils. Then he felt like a shell being penetrated, a growing pain that was slowly registered by his brain tingles inside his chest.

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  He looked down, his neck barely moving down while his eyes landed on the wet spot on his hoodie, the chest area. The cloth was torn, and the surrounding part was damp with the smell of iron, a unique stench of blood invaded his nose when he saw the little pieces of his own flesh merged with his hoodie.

  There was a gaping hole in his heart, blood sprouted and gushed out like a water fountain!

  Oren’s eyesight blurred and he began to feel dizzy, only now did his mind realize what was happening.

  It wasn't even a minute since the start, but Oren was already shot in the heart, a critical organ that he can't hope to live long with in this condition without treatment, that is if possible.

  His large hoodie felt burning, he was still holding onto the backpack and plastic bag, which in turn felt so heavy on his arms while his body refused to listen, frozen like an ice sculpture.

  Damn it all! Oren cursed inwardly, already feeling his end waving at him from the distance, a white cloth and coffin were prepared to house him underground.

  What should I do? Damn this body of mine! Just get the hell moving! move! move! move!

  He frantically tried to connect with his body… but to no avail.

  Having years of experience from watching those action movies and all he could do was scramble for his pathetic life like this?! Damn it all!!

  Oren wrestled with his body in desperation, until…

  —Thud!

  Fortunately, there were some mouvements!

  The bag and the phone dropped to the ground from his cramped palms, the backpack sliding down his shoulder, his hands finally free with hot blood passing through his veins.

  He wasn’t even in the right state of mind to think what to do next, as the moment he felt his body return to move, Oren unconsciously raised his head to face the killer.

  That sucker ruined my life!!

  —Silence.

  “...”

  But there was no one inside the alley.

  What the neck? Was he hallucinating? Then who the hell carved a hole inside his body?! Oren’s mind gears moved fast to reason while his eyes darted around in search of the murder.

  The alleyway was dark as the evening sun settled to the west, not that the street lamps helped with their light, making it hard to even look past ten meters. He continued to search until faintly perceiving something, gazing far away as the smooth texture of glass could be seen reflecting light, and two glowing eyes were fixed on him behind the glass window.

  When? Oren asked inwardly, looking deeply at the box-faced killer sitting on the driver seat, he was inside a night-black car.

  “The neck? You just shoot me and want to run? At least finish your damn job!”

  Oren felt humiliated.

  Yes, the fear of dying was paralyzing his body and the pain he constantly felt gripping his chest was torturing him. But the humiliation of being left behind to die painfully from blood loss was more painful than death… or so he concluded at the moment.

  Oren clenched his fists in frustration, more blood gushing from the penetrated hoodie, spilling to the ground in a small puddle.

  It was a miracle he was even standing, and precisely why the box-faced killer just watched the scene unfold before him in amusement, his red pupils radiating lust for blood as he finally felt something stir in his stone heart after seeing the look of unwillingness and anger within Oren's eyes.

  He was thrilled inside by the desperation of his prey, but Oren was bubbling on the other side!

  There was no way he was going to die like this! Face me like a man if you dare, you sucker!! I am not some sidekick that isn't worth your killing!! A momentarily bravery possessed Oren at that moment.

  With these thoughts flaring his mind, Oren reached for under his hoodie. There lay two hand-made guns, the babies Oren was always proud of as his creation.

  His two gun toys!

  Though he planned to change them, they were still his beloved! A bond was connecting them from the time they shared together!

  If he had just followed his friend's opinion and brought real guns, he may have a way to at least avenge himself before death, but… nonetheless these were going to do the work just fine.

  —Click!

  With resolve covering his eyes, Oren pointed his muzzles at the killer inside the car, eliciting an amused laughter from the latter.

  He liked seeing his targets struggle before they leave the world, a thrill he enjoyed plenty of time yet can't get enough of.

  But Oren didn't care.

  “Behold my great guns you depraved sucker!!”

  Oren pulled the triggers with both fingers as the long magazines inside his two guns loaded bullet after bullet that were shot by a super strong contracting coiled wire, a mechanism planned in years of sweat!

  —Tik! Tak! Tak! Tik!

  The wooden bullets left the steel barrels, forming a unless cloud that rained over the front wind glass window of the car, and to the utter disappointment, not much damage was inflicted as they just fell to the ground.

  But Oren didn't stop, he pulled the triggers feeling weak blood rush to his hands, his mind occupied to just vent his frustration before inevitable death.

  —Tak!

  Unfortunately, not long after, his guns stopped shooting; his magazines were emptied out!

  Damn it!

  —Vrrroar!

  And as if to add salt to his injury, Oren suddenly heard the roaring ignition of a loud engine!

  “Sh*t!”

  Oren cursed, gaze fixed on the car, he finally saw the frame of the monster that lay inside the dark alley; It was a huge off-road beast, and he was thinking of breaking its glass with meager wood.

  Truly laughable.

  The box faced guy locked eyes with Oren, the tension building as their eyes met in a long stalemate. Oren already started to feel his body go weak from the blood loss, because he didn't even try to stop the bleeding, only the adrenaline rush that fed his mind is what helped him stay awake.

  —Vroom!

  With a loud start, the killer pushed the accelerator to the extreme and the front frame of the car emerged from darkness, it looked similar to a dragon waking up from its slumber and declaring its rule on the land.

  Oren watched as the car advanced towards him, having no strength whatsoever to dodge or move from his place. He just stood there, rooted in the spot as his eyes reflected the two glowing red eyes of the box-faced guy behind the front window, a maddening thrill flashing in-between.

  The car speed kept increasing as its wheels quickly swallowed the short distance, pacing the road with might to harvest Oren's life.

  —BOOM!

  Then it happened. It came crashing forward, hitting Oren with such intensity that the loud snapping sound of bones breaking echoed again through the place. A force vibrated through his whole body, propelling him backward with ease, he felt like a kite losing its string amidst raging winds.

  —Bam!

  He got crushed against the wall behind him, the cracking sounds of something breaking reverberated. It wasn't the wall bricks breaking, but the bones of his back shattering; his shoulders, ribs, legs… everything broke into a shattered mess.

  Oren felt a huge electric pain signal flash into his mind before everything stopped working… literally.

  He stopped hearing, he stopped feeling pain, even his mind stopped doing basic thinking, only his eyes still bulging up with unwillingness?

  Will he die just like this?? It is so unbefitting…

  It actually hurts, emotionally and physically… more than anyone could imagine. It was a huge blow to his over obsessed self, and inspirations. Damn it all!

  The car slowly drove forward, coming to a full stop near the broken carcass of Oren, who lay motionless in his own pool of blood. His legs were bent to unbelievable angles, his arms were squashed to disfigured flesh, his jaw was crushed, while blood covered every part of his body. His mind long stopped feeling pain, but strangely enough, he was still awake.

  The front door glass window lowered down, revealing the cubed box covering the face of the killer, his scary eyes radiating blood lust. He reached his hand out, still holding his gun, pointing the muzzle at Oren, again at his chest area.

  “I would love to spend more time playing with you, but sigh… those bastards are on my tail, so see you in hell!” His hoarse voice passed through the box.

  —Bang Bang!

  He added another two bullets, before retracting his hand back in. He stepped on the accelerator once again and the car roared, leaving the oppressing silent street at a raging speed.

  Oren was left a dying corpse on the ground, no one even caring to witness his demise, alone feeling his frustration as his eyes penetrated the dark clouds in the sky, looking at the bright stars that gazed at him with pity, watching him die in loneliness…

  Well, not true.

  “Hey! Say something!! What happened!! OREN! BUDDY! TELL ME WHAT IS HAPPENING!?!”

  Alfred was going crazy over the phone, his frantic voice couldn’t be heard by Oren, only to wander the empty air, getting no response.

  He had heard everything over the phone, but he wasn't sure about what was happening.

  Did his friend get into trouble? He didn't know, but sure it wasn't something good!

  “THE HELL ANSWER ME!!”

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