MPJS Chap 5: Essential Dreams Scent

MPJS Chap 5: Essential Dreams Scent(James E Boston IV) Dreams… Dreams… Dreams. Such a phrase is the flame that sparks the life that produces our very breath. Such a phrase is the passion that burns within our heart. Such a phrase is the hope that stops us from becoming less in a hopeless world. Without them, what are we? Where are we going? We are merely travelers on a boat in the midst of the ocean. What are we without dreams of a destination?
“I’m sorry you didn’t get that job offer, Bryce. Please believe me when I say that it has nothing to do with you. It wasn’t your fault that your new boss passed away. If he was still alive, you would be working there right now.” I said.
“There is always some kind of excuse. It seems like no matter what I do, I can’t accomplish my dreams. I can’t do something to make my parents proud. No matter what I do, it seems like I’m stuck working at a clothing store in a mall with a two star rating.” said Bryce.
“The human world is brutal. Now I see why Mother Fée kept us in the perfect world that she built. It was to shield us from the horrors of the human world. No wonder every human is assigned a cloudy fée for help and guidance. I can’t imagine living here for as long as you did.” I said.
“I’m nothing. I’m a failure. I have to accept that.” he said.
“Bryce, don’t be sad. Think about the fun time that we had at the fair. Don’t forget the fair is always hiring. If you keep on working hard, you can accomplish your dreams.” I said as I pulled out the picture that we took together at the fair and showed him.
“Like you’re the one that should give me advice. You work at a movie theater making minimum wage, remember? Get that stupid picture away from me.” he said before he stormed off with enough rage to tear the kingdom up like a powerful thunderstorm.
“Oh boy, did I mess up? Is there any way that I can cheer him up?” I said to myself.
I grabbed my jacket and headed outside. As I skated on the sidewalk, I saw people walking with many faces that life drew on them. Some looked depressed, angry, and a few of them even smiled with a mouth of sunshine. If only I could see the light shine from Bryce’s pearly whites.
“I wronged Bryce’s right. The question is how can I right his wrong?” I said to myself before knocking on Husky’s door.
“Hey. How are things going, Ice Killer?” he asked.
“Pretty good,” I said.
“So, are you going crime fighting tonight?” he asked.
“Yeah, that’ll make me feel better,” I said.
“So, you aren’t doing good?” he said.
“Well, uh, actually no. I’ll just be honest. You caught me.” I said.
“What is this about? Is it about that counterfeit gangster that got killed? Don’t feel bad about it. Between me and you, we know you didn’t kill him. I did, but don’t tell anyone that. I’m the one that has to live it. Your conscience is clear. Plus, he was nothing but a scammer and con artist making money off of our gang’s name. The world didn’t lose anyone significant.” said Husky.
“I guess you’re right. I can’t argue with you.” I sighed.
“How about a drink?” he asked.
“I don’t eat or drink, remember?” I said.
“Oh yeah, I forgot. I lost my wings. When a cloudy fée loses their wings, they lose their ability to collect peace points and they have to eat just like creatures in the human world to gain energy. We have to eat and breathe air just like the humans. Good thing that I lost my wings in the human world because if a cloudy fée loses their wings in Mother Fée’s world, they can’t eat or breathe. There isn’t food or oxygen up there. A wingless cloudy fée is a dead cloudy fée up there.” said Husky.
“Wow, I feel so bad for you,” I said.
“No need to pity me. I established a perfect life for myself down here in the human world. I did it without the help of Mother Fée. You are in the process of doing the same thing. The Ice Killer gang will make sure that you succeed.” he said.
“I hope I succeed,” I said.
“Did you hear about that sick, twisted nut case that killed a pregnant woman and her seven-year-old son?” he said.
“Really?! That’s horrible.” I said.
“I know this guy is the lowest of the low. According to the news, the suspect had a white hockey mask. When the knights launched an investigation, they discovered that the bullets were fired from a Royal Kingdom 1764 pocket pistol.” said Husky as he handed me a photo of the firearm.
“Why are you showing me this?” I asked.
“Because if you can, I want you to stop this sick nut case. In fact, I’ll give you a couple thousand dollars if you stop this guy. I hate people that harm children.” he said.
“I’ll try, but I don’t know if I’m strong enough to beat this guy,” I said.
“If you don’t feel like you’re strong enough, why won’t you take off the cloudy brace on your arm?” he said.
“No, I see this as a souvenir. A piece of my past. A part of who I am. You might not have pride in being a cloudy fée, but I have a lot. No matter where I go, I’ll always be a cloudy fée.” I said.
“Just take it off. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll be able to do.” he said.
“I said no and that’s final,” I responded.
“Fine, just make sure you nail this guy. You’ll be a couple thousand dollars richer.” he said before he walked into the kitchen.
Once I heard the wolves howl at the moon, I put on my dark purple leather jacket and purple ripped jeans. I neatly placed my black masquerade mask on my face before picking up my baseball bat. I skated around for about fifteen minutes before flapping my wings like the most elegant butterfly and lifting into the air. Even though I was floating elegantly like a butterfly, I had my eye on potential criminals like an eagle looking for prey to strike.
The sound of an ear-piercing scream ripped through the air like a siren calling my name. I followed the trail of the high-pitched notes and when I arrived at the scene of the crime; it was honestly a scene from a suspense movie.
“Give me the money!” demanded a man in a black jacket and black jeans as he pointed a gun at a woman and her son.
Fear handcuffed my arms and ankles. I couldn’t move because I was in the prison of my own thoughts. I knew that if I called his name, his response would be with bullets. The tears of the child and the screams of his mother made me desire to free myself from the captivity of my own mind. Unfortunately, I knew that not all wishes are granted. I noticed the child glance at me a few times, but to the mother and robber, I might as well have been invisible.
“Think about what Super Snake would do,” I whispered to myself as I stood about ten feet behind the robber.
“Do you want to live?! Do you want your child to live?!” he shouted.
His words were artists that sketched a graphic image of the graves of the mother and son in my mind. Even though the thoughts were horrifying, they were the keys that I needed to free myself from captivity. I swiftly skated towards him and at the speed of a lightning strike, I struck the back of his head, causing him to fall to the ground. As he fell, the gun flew out of his hand and struck the ground about six to seven feet away from him. As the woman and child fled the scene like they had the passion of fire that track stars have in their heart, I stood there frozen like a block of ice in a freezer.
“White hockey mask! The kingdom gun Husky showed me! You’re the murderer!” I said.
“You know nothing about me! So, why interfere with my plans?!” he shouted as he got up.
He ran to me and pounded me in my left eye, causing me to skate back. Luckily, I caught myself before going onto the dark road. I noticed his eyes wander in the direction of the gun. A second after, he dashed in the direction of the gun and I became the eagle, striking its prey. When he was a few inches away from the firearm, I kicked his ribs with enough force for his back to land on the cement like a bird with a wounded wing.
“You wanna be a superhero, aye? Well, how can ya save others when ya can’t even save ya self?” he said before he kicked my skates.
I slipped forward and landed on my left arm. While he picked up the firearm, I threw my baseball bat at him like I was playing a game of hot potato. The bat struck his head, and he collapsed like a building in the middle of an earthquake. Before he was able to get out of a dazed mental state and pick up the gun, I struck his face with my bat. I knew that his hockey mask was shielding him from some of the blow’s force so I continued to strike. I knocked the gun out of his hand with my bat and continued striking him.
“Please stop. I’ve had enough. Have mercy.” he said.
“Why should I have mercy on you? You murder!” I said, as I continued to strike him. As I struck him, his mask lifted, revealing the lower half of his face.
I screamed while I skated a few inches back. The lower half of his face looked like something from a jump scare scene in a horror movie. The lower half of his face looked like it was drenched in acid until it was grotesquely disfigured.
“What happened to your face?!” I said.
“I was the victim of an attack. One that left me blind in one eye.” he said.
“That sounds horrible,” I said.
“Of course it was. Do you know what it’s like to live like this every day? When you know that you once had a bright future coming your way only to lose everything and become this.” he said.
“I can’t even imagine,” I said.
“Of course you can’t. Who can? Who would even want to imagine that?!” he said.
“I’m so sorry that this happened to you, but you’re under arrest,” I said.
“What? I’m under arrest?!” he said.
“Um, yeah. I feel bad for you and everything, but you’re a murder that just attempted to rob someone.” I said.
“I didn’t kill that family! Robbing and stealing! I’ll admit to that, but I would never kill anyone!” he said.
“Yeah, that’s why your description matches exactly who the knights are looking for.” I said.
“You’d be surprised. The world is full of illusions.” he said.
“Okay, you are under arrest. Let’s go.” I said.
“You beat me fair and square, so I’ll let you arrest me without trouble. It would be nice if I was able to accomplish my only dream before I spend life in prison for a murder I didn’t commit.” he said.
Despite the crimes that he committed, his words actually tugged at my heartstrings a bit. His grotesquely disfigured face. Him having to go so low to rob a woman for a few dollars. All of these were elements that formed a painting of a horrible past. I pretty much had him caught. His arrest was certain. So, why not look into his final dream?
“Sir, I know absolutely nothing about you. I don’t know what your motives are. I don’t know your history. All I know is that you’re a murderer that tried to rob someone, but for some reason I have to know. I know people would think I’m dumb for this, but may I ask what your dream is?” I said.
“My last dream is to catch the people that did this to me. The people that ruined my life. The people that took my future away from me.” he said.
I looked at him for a few seconds before looking at the ground. So many thoughts clouded my mind that I couldn’t even keep up with them. I decided to ignore the headache and take a leap of faith.
“I guess it wouldn’t be fair for you to get arrested and the people that harmed you are walking free. I’ll help you accomplish your dream. I’ll help you capture the perpetrators of your attack, but after we capture them and it’s all over, you have to turn yourself into the knights to serve your sentence. Deal?” I said as I put my hand out for him to shake.
“Deal,” he said as he shook my hand.
“Now tell me everything that you know about the perpetrators,” I said.
“There are three of them. Shooter, Wayne, and Rodge. They call themselves the Shooter Boys. They typically hang out in the same area.” he said.
“What area is that?” I asked.
“By the abandoned dynamite factory, they are loaded with firearms,” he said.
“Really? That sounds extreme!” I said.
“I guess we’ll just have to out extreme them, aye,” he said.
“If we are going to work together, I might as well get your name,” I said.
“They call me the Reaper,” he said.
“I’m Dysnomia,” I said.
“Good thing you’re helping me, Dysnomia. You have wings like that Husky guy. The Shooter Boys have advanced sensor technology. The sensor can sense anyone within a thousand foot radius. The thing is, it can only sense people from the ground level up to six feet high. You can use your ability to fly outside of its range and spy on them. When you spy on them, make sure that you catch everything that they say. Remember, every little detail.” He said.
“Gotcha,” I said.
“Follow me,” He said.
The next thing I knew, I was in his car with a smirk that I couldn’t lose. It was basically tattooed on my face. The thought of Super Snake defeating villains brought me to life. Such a simple comic book brought me to life. It brought me out of the grave. The dead and depressed life that I seemed cursed to be trapped in was no more. In return, I brought Super Snake to life. Never before has this town witnessed the righteousness of a hero like Super Snake beyond comics. Never before has this town had a hero with an aroma strong enough to fight off the stench of crime. Never before has this town had a hero that struck the most feared villains in the jaw and lived to tell the story.
“Such a story I will tell. Such a story I will certainly tell.” I whispered to myself as the Reaper parked the car.
“Here is an earpiece. I need you to listen to everything that I say, for the smallest mistake can lead to the plan failing. In fact, it might even lead to death.” He said as he handed me the earpiece.
“Okay, I’m ready,” I said as the word death made me shiver like a ghost went through me. I replaced the thoughts of my potential fate with the image of Super Snake.
“Let’s get this party started,” He said as he put on his earpiece.
I stepped out of the car as the cool breeze gently made my hair swing like the branches of trees in the fall. I flapped my wings and fluttered with the wind in perfect harmony, like a performance performed by the finest choir. Once I spotted a tree full of green leaves, I scouted for a spot like a bird trying to develop a nest. When I got settled in my spot, the leaves of the tree covered me like curtains covering actors on a stage.
“Do you see three guys in front of an abandoned building?” asked the Reaper.
“Yeah,” I answered.
“Does one have greasy, long hair with pimples on his face?” He asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“Do the other two consist of a guy with dark green hair and the other one with a beard?” He asked.
“Yup,” I said.
“I knew they’d be here at this time. They always meet up at this time. It never fails. Listen to what these guys are saying.” He said.
I tuned into their conversation like a microphone ready to broadcast their words to the radio. The tone of their voice projected the confidence of a general that has a victory in the bag. Little do they know that they have an army that is slowly coming for them. The army might be so nonthreatening that it is below the radar, but how can they stop an attack that they don’t see coming?
“They are planning to rob the National Charity Center.” I said.
“Those sick minded nuts need to go. I knew they’d go after the charity.” said the Reaper. “The best thing to do is catch them in front of the National Charity Center and capture them there.”
“Sounds like a plan. Oh wait, I think they are saying something else.” I said.
“Before we rob the National Charity Center, we have to take out the Skull Shot crew because they are planning to rob the same place. We can’t allow them to get to the money before us.” said the man with green hair.
“They are plotting to stop the Skull Shot crew from robbing the charity before them,” I said.
“We can’t let them have a standoff at the National Charity Center. That’ll make it impossible for us to capture the Shooter Boys. There will be too much chaos and confusion!” complained the Reaper.
“So, what should we do?” I asked.
“We’re gonna have to find a way to persuade the Shooter Boys to not rob the National Charity Center tonight,” He said.
“How are we going to do that, exactly?” I asked.
“I think I have an idea. Let’s go to the Skull Shot hang out.” said the Reaper.
About thirty to forty minutes later, I felt as if I were floating in a realm between life and death. Like an old computer trying to follow a complex command, my brain couldn’t process the reality I was in. I am a poor sheep risking my life to save a wolf starving for the taste of his enemies’ blood. At any time, the wolf could strike me, but something about the aura of this wolf was different. The wolf’s aura is like the scent of a unique cologne. You don’t know if you love the scent or hate it, but it has your attention in its grasp.
“What do you want me to do?” I said.
“You’ll see five guys with slick black hair and all black clothes. That’s their theme color or whatever. Nothing scares these guys more than knights. If we can make them think that the knights are on their case they’ll fall back from the robbery.” said the Reaper.
“Are you saying that you want me to pretend to be a knight?!” I said.
“Yeah, but they don’t have to see you. They won’t know who you are. I have a knight siren. All you have to do is hide in the bushes and play the siren. Then turn on this portable speaker. I’ll speak through the speakers in a distorted voice so that they won’t find out my true identity.” He said as he handed me the knight siren and the speaker.
“Anything to put the bad guys away, I guess,” I said before stepping out of the car.
What would Super Snake do? What would Super Snake do? What would Super Snake do? He wouldn’t fear being in this situation. He would do whatever had to be done for the betterment of his city. He is willing to pay for a better tomorrow. Even if the cost is his life.
As I hid behind the bushes, I peaked at the guys in all black like I was bird watching. I smirked at the thought of their faces when they discover that they’ll be captured and put into bird cages for the rest of their lives. It might sound sadistic, but how low could one be to rob a charity? Even the thought of a corrupt soul even doing such a thing made my blood boil. I hoped that their cloudy fées didn’t give them one piece point, if they even have enough to give them that.
“Okay, I’m ready,” I said.
“Turn on the siren,” said the Reaper.
As soon as the sound of the knight siren rang through the air, all of their heads turned. Sweat began to build on their face, making it greasier than their hair. Their calm and confident aura slowly built up into a chaos like a forming hurricane.
“Since when do the knights go here?” asked one of them.
“I don’t know. There’s no way that the knights are here. It just doesn’t add up.” said the man in the middle.
“Freeze! This is the knights! You are under arrest for attempting to rob the National Charity Center! We know about your plan to rob the center and we have extra security there tonight! For conspiring to rob the center, you will most likely be charged with fifteen years in prison!” said the Reaper through the speakers.
The Reaper honestly caused the Skull Shot crew to reap everything that they sewed. All the terror that they caused the poor citizens of this kingdom now came back to haunt them like a ghost in a horror film. Nothing made me smile more than the Skull Shot crew getting a shot of their own medicine. As they screamed and blamed each other for their capture, I screamed for my victory. I screamed like I just found out that I won a large sum of money.
My victory was short-lived because one of the Skull Shot boys ran past the bush and caught a glimpse of the speaker. I shifted to the other side of the bush. However, the movement caused him to look at me right in the eyes. He jogged towards me as his dose of fear began to wear off.
“Hey! Guys! I think we were tricked! There aren’t any knights here!” He shouted.
I attempted to skate away, but he grabbed one of my pigtails and yanked me back. The others swiftly found their way to me and laughed as I struggled to free myself from his grip.
“Stop! You’re ruining my hair!” I said.
“Oh, looks like we got a spoiled brat on our hands,” said the guy with a grip on my hair as tight as a wrench.
“Looks like you found yourself a cutie,” said one of the guys as two of them pinned me against a gate.
“This is what you get for making a fool out of us!” said the guy in front of me before he pounded my jaw so hard that I was glad that I didn’t get a trip from the tooth fairy that night.
He pounded me again, yet a trip to the dentist wasn’t needed. After the next few punches, my jaw felt like it was on fire and I knew my luck was being pushed. I knew that eventually I would receive serious injuries.
“Sup, girl. They call me the Jawbreaker.” He said before pounding me, knocking consciousness out of my head.
“Look. She’s out cold. Ricky, snip off her hair.” He said.
The guy behind him walked in front of me and held a switchblade to my hair.
“Please don’t do this! I love my hair!” I said, regaining consciousness once I felt the slightest touch of the blade against a strand of my hair.
“Too late!” He shouted before he quickly dropped to the ground.
“Ricky, this isn’t the time for a prank! Get up! Is someone shooting firecrackers?” said the Jawbreaker.
“Woah! I don’t think he’s getting up! There’s a bullet hole in his neck!” said the guy that inspected him for injuries.
“What?! Who could have done this?!” said the Jawbreaker as he looked around.
The Shooter Boys ran out of the woods like a pack of wolves as they fired shots. The Skull Shot crew screamed in agony as they dropped like birds suffering from a hunter’s bullet. A couple of Skull Shot members fired back, however, their firepower wasn’t enough. The shots of the Shooter Boys blew them away with the force of a powerful hurricane ripping through a city. I ran through the midst of the storm and somehow I made my way to white clouds without injuries.
“What’s going on?” said the Reaper as I opened the door and sat beside him.
“Drive!” I said.
He slammed his foot on the gas pedal, causing us to leave a trail of dust behind.
“What happened?” He said.
“The Skull Shot crew,” I said as I shook like I was just shocked with a thousand volts. Nothing shocked me more than the near death experience that I just lived through. The thought of quitting the mission midway seemed like the only realistic solution.
“What about the Skull Shot crew?!” said the Reaper.
“They’re no more. The Shooter Boys wiped them out. The Skull Shot crew’s guns. It wasn’t enough. It wasn’t a battle. It was a massacre.” I said.
“Really?” said the Reaper.
“Stop the car,” I said.
“Wait, what?” He said.
“Stop the car!” I said.
“Why? We have to continue the mission.” He responded.
“Just stop the car!” I screamed as he parked the car on the side of the road. I opened the door and walked away from his car.
“Where are you going?! We made a deal, remember?!” He shouted.
I might as well have been deaf because I couldn’t hear his words. His words were none existent to me. I continued to walk away from my early grave.
“Come back. We made a deal.” He said as he ran towards me and yanked my arm.
“No, there’s so much going that I don’t understand!” I said as I slapped his hand off of me. “Tell me what is going on. How do you know everything about these guys? Are you even telling the complete truth? Why did they disfigure your face? Did they retaliate because you did something to them first? Are you just a murderer trying to manipulate me so you can escape?” I said.
“That’s fair. I’ll tell you everything that you need to know. I am not a murderer and never have been.” He said.
“Yeah, like I have a single reason to believe you,” I said.
“Illusions. Anything that is wrongly interrupted by the senses.” said the Reaper as he put his firearm in his right pocket.
“My government name is Blair Whitlock. A name that I never reference or use. The Blair Whitlock that the world used to know is dead. That chapter is closed. I accepted what happened and moved on. It wasn’t easy, but nothing in this world is easy.” He said.
“I was born into poverty. When I got older, nothing changed. I dropped out of school to work a variety of odd jobs to help my family. The economy wasn’t good, so I was often laid off within three months of just getting employed. At seventeen, I got my girlfriend pregnant, and she gave birth to a girl we named Cindy. I remember the last time I saw her. She had pigtails like you. Unfortunately, she had an untimely death. If she were still alive, she would be a young adult. Probably around your age.”
“Despite my humble beginnings, crime never crossed my mind. I was too busy trying to meet people in high positions, getting jobs, and selling things that I don’t need. At eighteen, I was an unemployed young man with a child, no job, and a girlfriend that didn’t get along with my parents. My parents kicked us out. I continued to grind. The only difference is that me and my family were staying at various friend’s houses. I’ll be honest, I’m not a gangster. I never was. Never have been. I didn’t even contemplate crime until I was about twenty-one or twenty-two.”
“I didn’t think about crime until my daughter got sick. Her death was certain only if she didn’t get the surgery she needed. The surgery was able to save her life, but I couldn’t afford it. I discovered a stash of money in my friend’s basement when I was looking for some tools to help him fix his car. After a talk, I found out that he was selling illegal merchandise. I decided to join him. I recruited others. I called our gang the Shooter Boys. We weren’t the most powerful or biggest gang, but when it came to small street gangs, we couldn’t be touched.”
“We robbed, stole, beat people up, and sold illegal merchandise, but never killed. Eventually, we reached six figures. I had enough for my daughter’s operation and I wanted to move in a different direction. I wanted us to put the gang behind us and invest our money into legal businesses. For the first time, my future looked bright. My daughter’s operation was paid for and I was about to start my legal investments. Unfortunately, my gang wanted to continue going the criminal route. I told them we were pushing our luck as it was. If we continue going down this path, eventually we would end up dead or in prison. They didn’t listen. After an argument, I realized I can’t control what grown men do. I quit the gang to live the life that I wanted to live.”
“The Shooter Boys saw me as a traitor. They feared I would report their activities to authorities. The Shooter Boys tracked down where I lived and, for the first time, they killed. Me and my family were the first victims of the Shooter Boy murders. They slaughtered my daughter. Tortured me, poured acid on my face and burning it before shooting me a few times. They left me for dead. Little did they know. Me and my wife survived the attack. She couldn’t take the graphic death of her daughter, so she committed suicide. They continued their criminal activities, but since I don’t lead the group anymore, they kill. Twenty years ago, I lost everything.”
“I didn’t accomplish much. In fact, most would say nothing at all. Eventually, I accepted it and came to terms with my past. This is a cruel world. My question is why is a girl like you roaming these streets, anyway? You look like you should be skating in a skating rink and hanging out with your boyfriend. You don’t look like a gangster.” He said.
“I always wanted to do something that is bigger than myself. I tried living like the average person. It just wasn’t for me. I felt depressed. I had food, shelter, clothes, and water. I had all the necessities and a few things that I wanted. I had a job that paid enough for me to make a living. I lacked a purpose. I wasn’t doing anything to make a real difference. The average person lives life for themselves. I didn’t become happy until I decided to live my life for others.” I said.
“You remind me of my daughter. In school, if one kid didn’t have school supplies, she would share hers with them. If she were alive right now, I think she would be like you. A nice young woman that is going places. You are doing something very noble, but to be honest, I don’t think we deserve it. You should just live your life happily, get married, get a good job, and let us kill each other. I believe that if you weren’t born or raised in the streets, then you shouldn’t be here, no matter the reasoning.” He said.
“You’re right. My beginnings were pretty much opposite to yours. I lived in a perfect household. We all got along, had parties, and much more. When people call me spoiled, I have to agree. I was shocked at how terrible this world is, but I do know how you feel. I know what it’s like to lose everything. I know what it’s like to get kicked out of the house. I know what it feels like to be a reject. I don’t know if you really murdered those people or not, but I do know that I’m not perfect myself.” I said.
“What did you do wrong?” He asked.
“I have this friend. We are so close that we are basically family. He had this dream, but I crushed it on purpose. I feel terrible. I can deal with punches and kicks, but regret is soul crushing.” I said.
“We all have our regrets. The healthiest thing to do is accept it and learn from it. You might not be able to give your friend their dream back, but you can become a better friend in the future.” He said.
“You’re right,” I responded.
“The only regret that I have is not being able to save my daughter. When I signed up for this business, I knew what I was getting into. I knew the dangers of the streets, but I thought I would be the one to suffer the consequences, not my daughter. She died because of my stupidity. I wish it was me instead.”
“You know what? Turn around and go home.” He said.
“What? But I promised to help you.” I said.
“It’s okay to break this one. I wouldn’t want my daughter doing this dangerous stuff with me. Why should I let you? Go home and live a happy life. It is my dream to put out the flames that I started. It is my dream to stop the murderous gang that I single-handedly created. If I could stop the gang that I started from killing people, then I would die a happy man. The last thing that I want is to pass away without solving the problem that I created. But that is my dream, not yours. Go home and live a happy life.” He said.
“I can’t do that. Something in me just won’t allow me to do it.” I said.
“You saw what happened. You almost died out there. The whole Skull Shot crew is ashes, and they were armed. What do you think you can do with a baseball bat? I didn’t talk to anyone in a long time, so I’ll let you hang with me, but when it’s time for the robbery, you gotta go.” He said.
“Yes, sir,” I responded.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“I’m going back to my shack,” He said.
“Shack? Is that your home?” I asked.
“No, that is where I reside. I have no home. I’m a drifter. All I do is spend my time trying to survive in this cruel world. There aren’t many guarantees in life, but there are a couple of things that I can guarantee. I will go wherever I have to go to find the tools I need to survive. I won’t have an untimely death. I die at my own accord. I have the power to control my own death. We all do. You just have to make the right moves.” He said.
“Really?” I said as he entered the shack.
“Yeah. I remember as a kid, a teacher that was a mentor of mine told me to join the chess club. I took his advice out of respect, but I thought it was just a stupid, boring game. It wasn’t until later I realized why he told me to learn the game. Every decision that we make in life is a chess move against your opponent. Your opponent can be anything. It can be a person, an obstacle, or a goal that you want to accomplish. Life is merely a game of chess. If you master making the right moves, you can dictate your fate as well as the fate of those around you. I slipped and let the Shooter Boys beat me at my own game.” He said as he looked at a chessboard that sat on the floor of his shack.
“Wow, you have so many nice things here. For a poor person, you have a rich history.” I said.
“Souvenirs of the past are the greatest form of wealth. The memories of the past. They can’t be replaced. Unlike money, they can’t be spent or lost.” He said.
“I understand what you mean. One of my friends wants me to take off my cloudy brace. I just can’t get myself to do it. I wore it all my life. My sisters wore it all their lives. It is a part of who I am.” I said.
“You made the right choice. Don’t allow anyone to dictate what you want to do. That is a decision that we have to make for ourselves.” He said as he picked up a photo of a young girl with pigtails.
“Is that your daughter?” I asked.
“Yeah, that is my daughter. The only photo that I have left of her.” He said.
“Wow, she was pretty,” I said.
“Yeah, my one and only daughter. She died during the sunrise, which they say is the best time to go. This photo is the motivation that keeps me going. This photo is the reason that I want to accomplish my dream. If I can take down the gang that I started. I will save future families from having to see their daughters’ final photo.” He said.
“You know you should take off your mask,” I said.
“Why would I do that? So society could laugh at the freak that I became.” He said.
“No, because you should be proud of the things that make you special. I was an outcast for the diamonds on my wings. I’ve grown to not only accept them, but I’ve even realized that they made me special. Did anyone ever see your entire face, anyway?” I asked.
“Yeah, but very few people did. The few that did never forgot that day. All of them said that they saw me in their dreams.” He said.
“Show me your face. Be proud of what makes you unique.” I said.
“The clock is ticking. I enjoyed talking to you, but this is where we part ways. I have a dream to accomplish before I turn myself in.” He said.
“Okay, nice talking to you.” I said.
As he left the shack of his living nightmare, he was on the road to his dream. As the clock ticked, the thought of my promise stuck to my mind like a tick. I flapped my wings and took flight like a pilot in the air force, ready to go to war. I promised to cross the borderline between his nightmare and dream with him. Fear snuck its way into my mind. I used all the energy I had to kick fear out and keep a clear mind.
I fluttered onto a tree branch and hid behind the leaves. As I watched the Shooter Boys standing in front of the charity center from above, I understood how low they were. I noticed the Reaper watching them like a cat ready to pounce on a mouse. One of the Shooter Boys stood there as still and disciplined as the king’s knights, while the others headed to the back of the building.
“After twenty years, we meet again,” said the Reaper as he stepped from behind a bush.
“Who are you?” asked the shooter boy that kept watch of the front door.
“Let’s catch up a little. I failed to save my daughter. Unfortunately, I can’t turn back time. In fact, I failed at a lot of things.” said the Reaper.
“Blair Whitlock?!” He said in shock.
“That’s who I used to be. Call me the Reaper.”
“What are you here for?” asked the shooter boy.
“To accomplish the one dream that I won’t fail at. Putting out the flames that I started.” said the Reaper.
The shooter boy pulled out his firearm and the Reaper swiftly followed like a game of Simon Says. They looked into each other’s eyes like two dogs ready to fight with leashes around their necks. The silent yet intense energy that surrounded them reminded me of a scene from an old western film.
“Let’s see who fires the first shot,” said the shooter boy.
The Reaper darted back into the bush as the light of the shot flashed like a camera that went off. As he hid in the bush like a frightened rabbit, the shooter boy approached him, aiming his gun like a hunter. The shooter boy smirked.
“Time to finish taking out the leftover trash,” said the shooter boy.
I fluttered down with the elegance of a butterfly before striking the back of his head with my baseball bat. The force caused him to fall to the ground without an ounce of consciousness.
“What?! I told you not to get involved!” said the Reaper.
“I know, but if I didn’t step in, you would be dead in a ditch somewhere.” I said. “Why didn’t you shoot him?”
“It wasn’t the right time. I have to wait for the perfect time.” said the Reaper.
Another one of the shooter boys passed by and his eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of his associate lying on the ground unconscious. He looked around as he stood in a rifle firing position.
“Oh no! He might find us!” I said. “Shoot him before he finds us. This is your chance to finish what you started.”
“No, this is not the right time,” He said.
I knew that each tick on the clock meant we were a mark closer to our graves. As he approached our area, I crawled away with a dream to see another day. Not all dreams are meant to come true, but the nightmare that would become my reality was too much to bear. I heard the sound of something strike the ground.
“The knight siren fell out of my pocket,” I said. “Wait a minute,”
I crawled back to the bush and rang the siren. Once the man with the high-powered rifle heard the sound of the siren as an alarm. Just like a foolish little fish, the big, tough gangster took the bait. His eyes popped out with fear, like the victim of a horror movie.
“I might get arrested,” said the shooter boy as he lowered his rifle.
“What are you doing?!” said the Reaper.
“Tricking him. Luckily, the fish took the bait.” I said.
“Stop. You’re messing up the plan. If he finds us, we’ll be history.” said the Reaper. “Give me the siren.”
“Wait, my plan is working, look,” I said as he grabbed the siren and yanked it from my hand.
The siren that was once the sound of our victory became the alarm for danger. The siren flipped out of my hand and fell right in front of the gunman like the mailman tossed him his daily newspaper. He scratched his head as he looked at the siren.
“Someone pranked me. So, you think you’re really funny, huh? Why won’t you show your face? I promise I’ll put a couple of holes in you! Show yourself you coward!” He said as he picked up the siren.
“Hey, Wayne! Why are you holding a knight siren?!” said another Shooter Boy as he walked towards him.
“Because someone is playing a trick on me! Someone is pretending to be a knight.”
“Really? Who else here, Wayne? You know everything is dead. That’s why we specifically planned this day.”
“I don’t know, but I know someone is playing us.”
“Is someone playing us, or is someone playing me?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about, Wayne. Are you working for the knights?”
“What?! That question is ridiculous. Of course not.”
“You know what is even more ridiculous? A gang member sounding off a knight siren with his associate lying on the ground unconscious.”
“I know this looks bad, but I just happened to find him laid out. Someone is playing us.”
“You betray the Shooter Boys just to work for some knights that don’t care about the community. All the knights care about protecting is the rich. The knights are the ones that locked up my brother! The knights are the ones that gave my brother thirty years in prison! The knights are the reason I won’t see my brother in decades! I hate knights! I hate knights and you know that!”
“Calm down, Shooter. Don’t do something that you’ll regret.” said Wayne as he placed his high-powered rifle on the ground.
“The only regret that I have is letting you make a fool of me for this long and ruining my plan! We were working together for over two decades and you decide to work for the knights!” said Shooter as he pulled his pistol out of his pocket and aimed it at Wayne.
“I’m no knight! I’m no traitor! I’m no sell out!” shouted Wayne before the smoke from numerous shots clouded the air.
“If you stayed with the Shooter Boys, you’d have a great future ahead of you. We would all have millions of dollars from this place. Instead, you’re lying here gasping for air as your organs shut down, all because you decided to work for the knights. Why Wayne?! Why?!” said Shooter before a bullet to the head laid Wayne to rest.
“Now you know how I feel,” said the Reaper as he stepped from behind the bush.
“Who are you?” asked Shooter.
“The one who you betrayed. The one who’s future you ruined. The one that you let live with you. The one that was like your brother.” said the Reaper.
“Blair Whitlock? No way. Are you a ghost? Blair Whitlock got smoked over twenty years ago.” said Shooter.
“I’m not Blair Whitlock! That chapter is closed! I’m the Reaper and I came here to put out the flames that I started!” said the Reaper.
The power behind his words was like dynamite that exploded in my soul. His words sparked the flames of inspiration to ignite within me. I followed the flow of the energy of my inspiration and I fluttered to the scene of the crime.
“You know what? I’m sorry. I was young and foolish. That was over twenty years ago. I’m much more mature now. If this incident were to happen now, I wouldn’t have attacked you and your family. I would’ve let you leave the gang in peace, especially since you founded the gang.” said Shooter.
“I’m not here for pity. I’m not here for an apology. The past is done. The past is gone. I am dealing with the here and now. I’m going to put out the flames that I started.” said Shooter.
“Yeah, because we are going to call the knights and have you spend the rest of your life in prison.” I said as I stepped towards him.
“So, you were the hiding knight! You and Wayne were probably working together! Sneaky knights! You don’t fight with honor! All you knights do is use tricks and manipulation to take opponents down! I’m going to kill you!” said Shooter as he aimed his pistol at me, ready to score another kill like he was playing a shooting game.
After the click of the trigger, the sound of an explosion pierced my eardrums. I felt the force of a bull ramming me before I scraped against the ground like gum stuck under someone’s shoe. Smoke filled the air like a magic show.
Is this the entrance of the above and beyond? Is the mystic smoke the gates to the other world that all life eventually resides in? I feared the surprise that awaited beyond the smoke. As the smoke faded, the flames of desire for answers slowly died.
“I’m alive,” I said as Shooter looked at me.
“You made a bad mistake, Blair. Why would you give your life to save her?” said Shooter as the sight of the Reaper’s blood-stained shirt almost made me shed a tear.
“You died for some chick that I’m going to kill anyway!” shouted the Shooter as he aimed his firearm at me.
I screamed as I heard the sound of the click. There was no sound that competed with my scream. Once the sound of my scream faded into the darkness, the only thing that we heard were crickets.
“I used my last bullet!” said Shooter as he looked at his firearm like it was a precious gold nugget that he discovered.
“You know what? Don’t think that just because I’m a shooter, I can’t fight. If you mess with me, I’ll make sure I’ll leave you as a mess on the pavement.” said Shooter before he tossed his gun.
He lunged at me like a hyena starving for his next meal. As I skated backwards, he felt the sting of the left hook I threw at him. It wasn’t enough for me to escape the trap that he set for me. I was like a mouse stuck in the grasp of a snake’s tightening tail. I struggled to move as the grip of both of his hands tightened around my neck.
I grabbed his hands and attempted to pull his hands off my neck. Nothing changed. I was still a poor mouse trapped in a snake’s tightening death grip. It felt like I no longer had control of my body. I was swinging my arms and legs in every direction. I closed my eyes, waiting for the sound of my neck to snap like a twig.
The snake loosened his grip before letting me go. I laid there like a sleepy mouse ready for bedtime. I saw the Reaper pointing his gun at the back of Shooter’s head as he stood over him.
“Crawl over there,” said the Reaper.
As the Reaper handcuffed him, he had the eyes of a vicious snake. Behind the rage of his eyes, I saw a dash of fear. He was a snake that was trapped in a cage viewing the mouse that was able to elude his capture. The mouse no longer fears his presence. The snake no longer has power. The mouse is free to do what it pleases while the snake fears what the hands of its future might hood.
“I know the pain you’re feeling is far worse than anything that I went through. I’m not going to give you a cheap way out of your misery by killing you. I know that you’ll never forget this moment. The moment that the first victim you tormented became your fate. No matter what your track record is. No matter where you go. No matter what people think of you in prison. In your mind you’ll always know that you gained everything and the man with nothing became your fate.” said the Reaper after he took off his mask, exposing his grotesque and disfigured face while looking deep into Shooter’s eyes.
“I know that gotta hurt. Your life’s work of over twenty years was destroyed by a man with nothing. You weren’t taken down by the knights. You weren’t taken down by powerful rival gangs. You were taken down by a homeless man with a disfigured face. How could a man like me destroy your legacy? A man that might as well be dead. Why kill you when your legacy is dead? Dead men live on through their legacy. I killed your legacy. When you die in a prison cell, you won’t have a legacy to live on through.”
“The only thing people will remember you for is being taken down by a weak homeless man. I know ten, twenty, and even thirty years from now, this is a moment you’ll always remember. You will forever be haunted by this moment. You will forever be haunted by my face. You will forever be haunted by the fact that the Reaper was your fate.” I said.
“I’m glad you got him.” I said as the Reaper walked towards me.
“Trust me, I’m happy you got this murderer, but now you have to go to prison now. Remember, we made a deal.”
“I’m aware. I already called the knights on myself. I did everything I wanted to do. I just wish I was able to save my daughter.” said the Reaper.
“You might not have been able to save her, but you saved me. I’ll always remember that. I wish I could repay you.” I said.
“You don’t know it, but you already did. You might have crushed your friend’s dream, but you made mine come true. I couldn’t have done it without you.” He said before I smiled at him with the corner of my mouth.
“The knights are here. Time to go.” He said as the light of the sunrise touched upon our faces.
“What are you doing? Don’t walk towards the knights with your gun in your hand. Put the gun down. Where do you think you’re going?” I asked.
“Going to see my family,” said the Reaper.
“What? You don’t have to go out like this.” I said.
“Go out like what? Go out spending the rest of my life in prison for a murder that I didn’t commit. I’d much rather see my family.” said the Reaper.
“But I’ll never be able to see you again. I can’t even visit you in prison.”
“I guarantee you’ll see me in your dreams.” said the Reaper as he gave me a smirk.
“Reaper! No!” I said.
“Lower the firearm, now!” shouted one of the ten knights that stood in front of him.
A second after he aimed the firearm at one of the knights, all I heard were explosions. It sounded like fireworks going off for a public event. I was blinded by the smoke, but I finally saw things clearly.
According to a local newspaper published a few days later, the firearm in the Reaper’s possession was fake. It is merely a realistic-looking model. No other firearms were discovered during the raid of his shack. I received eight thousand dollars from the knights. Husky kept his promise, and I got two thousand dollars from the Ice Killer gang. The Reaper was shot twenty-three times by the knights. The two Shooter Boys that survived were sentenced to life in prison. It wasn’t a fairytale ending, but it wasn’t one that the Reaper didn’t expect.
The Reaper didn’t lie. For the next few days, I could get him off my mind. I woke up in the middle of the night. I actually saw him in my dream. What would he do if he lived? Would he quit crime? Would he do good in society? I’ll never get an answer. All I could do is Dream…Dream…Dream.