The sound of labored breaths and hurried footsteps echoed through the streets, masked only
by the pouring rain. The boy - he couldn't have been over seventeen - was running with the insane speed and endurance that only one fearing for his life can manage. He was obviously growing quite tired as he dodged around people who seemed to not care why he was running, slipping occasionally on the slick pavement. Reaching a fairly busy corner, he stopped to try to catch his breath, gazing fearfully back in the direction he had last seen his pursuers. The rain seemed to have stopped, though that didn't change the fact he was soaked. Not willing to take anymore chances, he set off running again. He just had to make it home! As it turned out, he wouldn't be so lucky. Had the enemy not taken into consideration that their men would get tired before he did, he would have made it home, but he had no such luck. A third man, fresh and full of energy, came darting out of an alleyway, chasing the already running boy. As could very well be expected, it wasn't long before he had overtaken the exhausted Stefan who was only still able to run due an ongoing adrenaline rush. He grabbed him, firm grip seemingly not at all affected by the boy's struggles. Screams for help pierced through the darkness, their chilling quality enough to send a shiver up your spine. No one came to answer his plea. Everything went dark suddenly, a vague memory of a sharp pain in his head the last thing he knew before waking up later. When he awoke, he found his arms and legs bound tightly, a few jerks of an arm in hopes of freeing it only making the wire bite into his wrist painfully. Soon, the group had gathered around, as they noticed he was awake. "Finally awake, kid? You'll wish you weren't real soon." "W-what did I do? Why are you doing this?" Laughter. He couldn't stand the harsh ringing of their laughter. "You? You didn't do a thing. That's the fun of it. Daddy cheats us and loses his son in return!" This brought on another bout of trying desperately to free himself from those bonds, but they were too strong, or he too weak. He found himself screaming out as cold blades cut into flesh, feeling the hot blood trickling down his arms. They beat him, cut him, he lost track of what all happened as one pain melted into another. Their laughter cut worse than the knife. He'd surely go mad if he had to take much more of this pain! His shirt was barely shreds upon his chest, blood leaving a trail down to the floor. He was already feeling dizzy, too weak to struggle or scream for help. Tears streaked his face. He struggled to hold onto consciousness, though he only distantly heard the shriek of the police sirens. He didn't even feel the burn of the flames as his attackers set fire to the place on their way out. Only in the most distant of ways did he realize the fire was being put out, that he was being rushed to the hospital, that his parents were crying over his still form on the white bed in the sterile room. After what seemed an eternity in his mind, merely a few minutes in reality, he seemed to be seeing the doctors frantically working on his body, announcing that they were losing him. What!? He looked down suddenly, to notice he was whole again. He seemed just fine, but.. he couldn't feel anything. He tried to reach out to his mother and father, but they looked right through him. It took awhile, but it finally sank in. He was dead...but still here. But..why?
by the pouring rain. The boy - he couldn't have been over seventeen - was running with the insane speed and endurance that only one fearing for his life can manage. He was obviously growing quite tired as he dodged around people who seemed to not care why he was running, slipping occasionally on the slick pavement. Reaching a fairly busy corner, he stopped to try to catch his breath, gazing fearfully back in the direction he had last seen his pursuers. The rain seemed to have stopped, though that didn't change the fact he was soaked. Not willing to take anymore chances, he set off running again. He just had to make it home! As it turned out, he wouldn't be so lucky. Had the enemy not taken into consideration that their men would get tired before he did, he would have made it home, but he had no such luck. A third man, fresh and full of energy, came darting out of an alleyway, chasing the already running boy. As could very well be expected, it wasn't long before he had overtaken the exhausted Stefan who was only still able to run due an ongoing adrenaline rush. He grabbed him, firm grip seemingly not at all affected by the boy's struggles. Screams for help pierced through the darkness, their chilling quality enough to send a shiver up your spine. No one came to answer his plea. Everything went dark suddenly, a vague memory of a sharp pain in his head the last thing he knew before waking up later. When he awoke, he found his arms and legs bound tightly, a few jerks of an arm in hopes of freeing it only making the wire bite into his wrist painfully. Soon, the group had gathered around, as they noticed he was awake. "Finally awake, kid? You'll wish you weren't real soon." "W-what did I do? Why are you doing this?" Laughter. He couldn't stand the harsh ringing of their laughter. "You? You didn't do a thing. That's the fun of it. Daddy cheats us and loses his son in return!" This brought on another bout of trying desperately to free himself from those bonds, but they were too strong, or he too weak. He found himself screaming out as cold blades cut into flesh, feeling the hot blood trickling down his arms. They beat him, cut him, he lost track of what all happened as one pain melted into another. Their laughter cut worse than the knife. He'd surely go mad if he had to take much more of this pain! His shirt was barely shreds upon his chest, blood leaving a trail down to the floor. He was already feeling dizzy, too weak to struggle or scream for help. Tears streaked his face. He struggled to hold onto consciousness, though he only distantly heard the shriek of the police sirens. He didn't even feel the burn of the flames as his attackers set fire to the place on their way out. Only in the most distant of ways did he realize the fire was being put out, that he was being rushed to the hospital, that his parents were crying over his still form on the white bed in the sterile room. After what seemed an eternity in his mind, merely a few minutes in reality, he seemed to be seeing the doctors frantically working on his body, announcing that they were losing him. What!? He looked down suddenly, to notice he was whole again. He seemed just fine, but.. he couldn't feel anything. He tried to reach out to his mother and father, but they looked right through him. It took awhile, but it finally sank in. He was dead...but still here. But..why?Choose your destination . .