1. Unexpected Guest

The thin walls of my grubby room rattled with the force of the rowdy ruckus coming from the doors of our unit, sending vibrations throughout my body and waking me up. I shot up, then groaned, easing my movement when pain erupted throughout my bruised body.

I grabbed random sweatpants lying on the futon bed and headed for the doorknob.

"What's going on? Samuel? Samantha!" I called, heading out.

My first thought was the twins as I made my way to the kitchen. I couldn't afford to baby my wounds when trouble came knocking on our doors, literally, but I had to spare a minute to wear my pants and wrapped wrap a random scarf around my neck.

My sleep shirt was baggy enough to conceal what was visible from my non-existent boobs. I ruffled my short bangs, and completing my disguise as a boy, I approached the door–the only thing that protected my siblings from the harsh world.

"What's going on– hey?" Samantha, the younger but braver of the twin, ran into me along the way.

"We don't know.. .. we were making breakfast when the bangs started!" She wrung her fingers, a habit she had whenever she was nervous but trying hard not to let it show.

"It's all right. I've got this. Get Sam and go hide in your room." I grabbed the younger girl's shoulders in comfort.

"Don't forget to lock the door and don't come out no matter what until I say so, okay?"

Samantha didn't have to be told twice, having been in a situation like this before more than we can count.

I turned towards the door when I had the lock click in place in the twins' shared room. The bangs persisted that I feared more damage to the already broken door. Or worse, the leaking roof caving down on us.

With the lack of a peephole, it was impossible to foresee the threat and prepare for it. My bet is Fox's men, but I wasn't about to take chances. I grabbed a kitchen knife and hid it under the band of my shorts.

Standing a good metre away from the door, I yanked it open. My hand barely left the knob when it came flying in, slamming against the walls and sending vibrations throughout the building.

That is surely going to leave a dent.

"Took you long enough, Lenny boy. Were you trying to hide from me?" Fox stood on the opposite side of the door with his creepy grin, flanked by his lackeys left and right.

"Fox?" I stared, shocked and somewhat relieved at the same time. "Is anything wrong?" I asked.

Nothing about the loan shark is relieving, he is well-known as the harbinger of doom around here. With more than a quarter of the people here a victim of his misfortune, he practically owned the place. Every time I meet Fox, I am forced to relive the deja Vu that happened two years ago that resulted in my life taking a tumble through hell.

It all started two years ago when my parents died in a car accident, leaving me bitter and grieving with two 10-year-olds under my care. I had just turned 18 and was barely legal. But I couldn't bear the thought of sending the kids to foster care because of my selfish reasons.

I had to man up, in every sense of the word, and become a responsible adult for the kids to rely on. So I tried my best, and we got by. Even if barely.

The accident did a number on me, but not as severely as the subsequent debt. My alcoholic stepfather was apparently determined to ruin my life even after his death. And I dared say he had succeeded.

Not two months had passed after their death when a loan shark swarmed up to our door with a will addressed to the family's eldest child as the next of kin. I wasn't his child, but I was still the eldest in the family and was held accountable for the debt.

With two growing kids to care for, I could only hope to pay bits and pieces in installments while running two jobs simultaneously. Any hope of furthering my education was curbed. But that would take time, and the debtor isn't patient enough to wait.

As a result, I was given a 5-year contract to work for him as compensation.

I had appealed with Fox to let the kids enrolled into foster care then, but Fox needed them as leverage to keep me in line. That was how we ended up in the dead town of Willow, with me roaming the streets disguised as a boy, selling drugs to addicts at the back of the alley, and praying to God I wouldn't get arrested.

But, a familiar transgressor is better than an unfamiliar transgressor. At least Fox wouldn't physically inflict pain on me without a reason. That isn't always the case with his men or the men chasing me down for drugs or cash.

"You look worse every time I see you, kid. What happened this time?" Fox whistled making his way into the tiny unit.

"Fought with your girl?"

The two of us inside the house took up the space. And when his bodyguards joined as well, there was barely any space left to move.

I slinked towards the kitchen, clearing my throat.

"Take a seat, please. Do I get you a drink?" I offered when my boss and landlord simply observed the condition of the apartment. Fox never charges us for rent, but when the state of the building keeps deteriorating and is in dire need of renovation, he is bound to charge me for repairs.

"That wouldn't be necessary, we'll be on our way soon." Fox paused again, eyes caught on the broken window that was barred by wooden boards to keep the rain out. He snapped his attention back to me with the same unsettling smile, stretching out a palm.

"Right..." Reaching into the back pocket of my shorts– underneath my baggy sweatpants, I provided the cash I had secured from the previous drugs I sold. He only gave me cocaine, so it was easier to keep track of my buyers and when they needed to restock.

The money was intact, which meant a slim chance of setting off the drug lord whose mood swings were worse than a pregnant mother's.

"750, intact." He counted. "You're gradually getting the hang of the job, kid. Keep up and your service wouldn't exceed five years..."

"Four years seven months, Fox. That's what's left."

"Sure. Keep up and it won't go up. Again. I would hate for you to waste your life away in this place."

"Ain't that bad boss. I'm sure he sniffs some when no one's looking." The guards snickered amongst themselves.

"Don't be rude, Snake. He's a good one. Bet he's never popped a cheery either." Fox rebuked his right-hand man, managing a jab at me as well.

"Or have his cheery popped." That tipped them over and they guffawed. Even Fox who was in a constantly pissed mood chuckled.

But I wasn't offended, really. I simply wait for the joke to die down. If petty insults like this got to me, I wouldn't have survived 16 years living with my stepfather.

If anything, it was a good sign. Fox's bad day is everyone's bad day, and vice versa.

I was considering my chances of getting away with requesting an early allowance to get groceries. He hasn't given me anything in weeks. But then again, he allowed me keep the shitty apartment with my siblings for free. It was already good enough.

"Listen here Len," Fox cut short their joyous moment. "Something came up and I think you'd be better suit for the job." Snake standing to his right handed him over a brown file.

"Although your shitty body build isn't very useful for anything, you still have your own merits. Here," He tossed the file coffee table and pinned me with his sharp gaze. The smiles on his face vanishing without a trace.

"A very important item showed up." He sniffed. "I need someone to grab it for me real quick." That was when I realized he was here for business, a serious one at that.

I crunched down studying the photos that spilled out of the folder. This is......

"Fox, I don't think....."

"Look here boy, I'm being generous for even considering you for this position. You should be grateful. This is the closest you can ever get to settling your debt."

I chewed my words.

I have minimum knowledge about gemstones, but even I could tell that the red gleaming rock in the photo is not something that easily comes around. It's sheer size, and the wooden case holding it alone made my blood run cold. This could cost my life along with that of the twins for many lifetimes.

"It's dangerous." I said at last.

"That's why I'm cutting off two years out of your service if you succeed. As I said, the best you could get."

"What if I mess up? What happens if I get caught?"

"You know the deal." The dealer levelled me with a glare.

"When you get caught, you're on your own."

Beat.

"And the twins would be sent to the foster care. We've talked about this."

I sat down on my heels, eyes glued to the photos mulling over my options.

"You don't have an option, kid." He cut off my thoughts.

"You should be glad I didn't sell you off, or better yet, the twins and get back my money. I'm only being generous by accepting you to work for me. And face it kid, you've lose more drugs than you have sold. Even I have a limit when you are not generating enough money. Don't test my patience."

Fox pinched his nose, clenching and unclenching his palms. A habit he does when he is getting pissed. I knew from experience things wouldn't look good if this continue to spiral out of control.

"Okay, okay." I nodded my head in agreement.

"Just give me some time, okay? I need to look into it. Know the details? And work out something for the twins to eat while I'm away. I don't know how long it might take and we're out of foodstuffs at the moment. Okay, please?"

"Time? I don't have time! How long do you need to prepare to rob an empty house? For god's sake, Len?"

"A day, maybe two? I'll let you know when.. I can't leave the kids like this."

"Here." Fox drew out three pieces of 50 notes and threw it my way. "Get the kids something. Problem solved, happy?"

I pinched the band aid across my nose, eying the papers dancing in the air slowly descending to the floor.

"You have today to gather all the information you need. Tomorrow, I need you over at the base by 6pm. Come prepared. No more complains."

I snatched the bills watching as they pile out the way they came and a heavy silence descend in the room. The front door sat crooked to the side against the wall so no one bothered closing it after them.

I sighed. Another problem that needed to be fixed. I could ignore the peeling wall, but not the door that kept us safe.

Dragging my fingers through my short curls, I rest my head against the table wondering when all this would be over. When I'll finally stop fretting over food and security and live a normal life.

Is that even possible anymore?

I had tried to be strong, if not for myself, for the twins. I am the only one they had to rely on. They are too young to be living a life like this.

Our parents weren't the best, and with only one working parent, we were constantly fretting over the bills and food.

But they had gave us a descent life where I only needed to worry about my personal needs while growing up. Despite my stepfather's oppressive beliefs and limited women to housewife chores, I still snuck out during summer for minor job that cater for my needs.

Mom might have put up with such nonsensicality, but she never stopped me or ratted me out. She was too submissive for her own good.

How I wished that was the same for the kids. Everything they earned during vacations always goes to their learning materials and clothing.

Sucking in a sharp breath, I got up and went to fetch the twins for our breakfast which was long overdue.

And throughout that day, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself nothing would go wrong in robbing an empty mansion, I still couldn't shake off the fear and trepidation that had gripped my heart the moment my eyes fell upon the gleaming gemstone.

"At least, for the week," I repeated to myself. "I wouldn't have to worry about what to feed the kids." Opting to remain optimistic.

But little did I know, that that little accursed stone would be the source of my DD.

My Doom and Destruction.

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