The boy with the blade on his jacket

Xen's POV

I found myself standing in a narrow, desolate alley, trapped in the clutches of my subconscious. The darkness engulfed me, suffocating and overwhelming. The air was heavy with an unspoken threat, sending shivers down my spine.

With every step that I took, the sense of foreboding intensified. I could feel the unseen eyes peering at me, lurking in the shadows. The silence was broken only by the distant echoes of my footsteps, echoing like a haunting requiem.

Suddenly, a flickering streetlight came into view, casting macabre shapes on the cracked pavement. It illuminated an object, nestled on the ground. A blade. Its steel glimmered malevolently, reflecting my mounting fear.

Driven by an inexplicable compulsion, I reached out to touch it. As my trembling fingers made contact with the cold metal, a surge of electricity coursed through my veins.

The room was shrouded in darkness, save for the faint glow of the moonlight slipping through the blinds. I gasped for breath, my heart pounding against my chest like a captive bird desperately seeking escape.

I sat up, my mind a whirlwind of confusion and terror. The dream...the nightmare...still lingered, haunting my waking thoughts. I realized that the blade from my dream had imprinted itself onto my reality. It adorned my jacket, a sinister emblem etched into the fabric of my existence.

I traced the engraving with my trembling fingers, my breath catching in my throat. It was a symbol. A constant reminder of the choices I had made, the dangerous path that I tread. The weight of my actions settled upon me like a heavy cloak.

The voice of the shadowy figure from my dream echoed in my mind. His words taunted me, mocking my vulnerability. "You are trapped in this cycle," he had whispered, his voice pinging with malice. This was not the first time that I was having a similar dream. This was not the first time that I was hearing him.

I knew deep within my soul that there was truth in his words. The dream served as a harrowing prophecy, a warning of the darkness that threatened to consume me. I was entangled in a web of drugs and the ruthless grip of the mafia, and the dream, like a relentless specter, beckoned me to confront the choices I had made. I chose gang life because it was supposed to make things easier. It was an outlet for the resentments that always built up within me. The screams of my mother still rang in my ears. Her pathetic yells for help when that devil claimed her flesh and blood. I was too young to understand what was happening in our tiny house. I wanted to run to my mother, to try and save her from imminent death. But the little hands of my older sister stopped me. She placed her fingers tightly over my lips and begged me to stop with her other hand. I wish I had listened to her for once in my life. I wish I could turn back time. I wish I didn't have to see her sacrifice herself when I screamed. She pushed me further back under the table and shoved me out of the dog- door. She could have come out of that hole herself but in that case, we would again be pursued. She shoved me out and commanded, for the first and last time. "Run! And don't turn back! " Those were her last words before she turned around and sprang at those monsters. I wish I had listened to her earlier. I wish I wasn't such a coward. I heard her grunts as I raced with my little legs. There was a lot that I wished I could redo.

I lay there, drenched in a cold sweat, the remnants of the dream clinging to my consciousness. A flicker of hope ignited within me. Perhaps, just perhaps, I could break free from this vicious cycle. A wake-up call, an opportunity for redemption, a chance to rewrite the script of my life.

I had not felt that optimistic in a long while. Was it because of the oozing innocence that I felt in her presence? The peace that followed after? The calm that helped me to fall asleep without alcohol, in a long while?

If there was another way to this wretched life of mine, it was now, more than ever, that I was willing to take. Was it possible to break out of my mental cage? I had to try to see.

I moved the blanket and stood up in the dark. It was the same house. The same place. I was the fifth owner after my mother and sister's death. I mean I had to buy it because I didn't want to show that I was related. The previous owners couldn't sleep under this roof for more than a month. They claimed the place was still haunted. Luckily, it helped me to get it for a cheap price. I guess it must have been my sister. She was still looking out for her little brother, even in her death. I stood in front of the mirror and stared at myself down. I was a fine specimen, even in my nakedness. I pulled up my shorts and slipped on my slippers. I went to the window and pushed it open. The cool, night breeze, immediately brought in a gust of relief with itself. I pulled the cigarette out from the drawer and lit it with the lighter, on the table. The night world became more vivid and glowed with every sip that I took. With every smoke, my worries floated up. They lingered there for a while before they were completely gone.

Suddenly something in the open drawer caught my attention. It was an envelope, with something shimmery on top. It caught my attention because it was shining in the light of the moon. I pulled it out and dusted it on my butt before opening it. Ah! It completely slipped my mind. It was an invitation. I was an honored guest at the coming-of-age ceremony of the daughter of my gang leader. He lived abroad with his family, while he trusted me with his dirty jobs back here. I had broken off with him. I was a freelancer at the moment. Mine was a single man gang. He, however, never forgot about me. He kept calling, nagging and inviting me over to his place.

I had kept the invite aside because I was done taking his favors. I wanted him to just forget me as well. I checked the date. The event was in two days. I have no idea what was going on inside my head. I looked at the date, and looked at my phone. Looked up some flights. Voila! And just like that, my trip was booked. Aish! Why was I always like that? But because the moon looked so mysterious and intoxicating that night, I could blame it all on him and close my eyes again.