Students can be seen in the classroom 3-A minding their own business. Some are doing their make up, while some boys are singing and playing guitar, some were sleeping and some have nothing to do but to pick a fight with the grade conscious students or the nerds.
On the farthest part of the classroom, at the back, beside the window, sitting a student who just observed what his classmates are doing. He don't have any fun to do but observing the chaotic classroom he's in. There are some who notice him but didn't bother to interact and some are really clueless of his existence. For some who notice his presence, they would often freak out due to his clothing styles and attitude. He's always wearing a turtle neck even during summers and a black gloves. He also wear his spectacles. He had a somewhat different eyes from the rest. A yellow pupil and a green iris. Some classmates would try to give a smile but will immediately take it back upon being glared at with his piercing eyes. Since then, no one would ever approach him and they treat him as non-existent individual which is beneficial for him. He don't want to be in the spotlight and just want to study peacefully. He don't really study that much, he just study enough to get a passing grade. 'But still, if it will make me have my purpose to live, I'll do it.' After his class, he will immediately head out, not to go home but to be on his work. He have a small stall in the market as he sell different sea foods or products. That's where he get his daily expenses and the remaining money will be save for his tuition. The market is usually closed up to 9 P. M, enabling him to have enough time to sell his fishes and other products. His classes also start at 9 A. M so there's nothing to fret much, besides if he had tones of projects, he can go 3 days without sleep. "Tales!" A girl waved her hand and called his attention. He didn't gave any reaction but just go straight to where she is. Her name is Rea, living on the same apartment with the room next to his. "Did you know, that there are really many customers in the morning? They really like how fresh the fish is. And of course, they also really like accommodating I am..." she starts to blabber about what's going on when Tales is still in school. He didn't ask her to manage his stall, he's fine with himself and the money he makes but this girl insisted on helping, of course not pure help. She has a share of $4 everyday. And she's the one who insisted that, that should be her share. There's something sketchy about her, that's what Tales thought first but he can't deny the fact that she's a great help. "Okay, thank you..." he stated and grab a $4 on his wallet, handed it to her. "You can now go. I'll take care of the rest." he coldly stated. Her face distorted in some manner looking smug and disappointed. "Tch, you still haven't change Tales, but you make me fall for you harder. " she cheekily stated and wink. He look at her blankly. 'Right, she pesters me so much. ' He ignore her statement and start managing the stall. " See you at home, amore. " she exclaimed and went home. His face almost grimace. He didn't mind her and tend to the approaching customer. "How much is this?" the woman asked as she pointed the crabs. "$7.60 per kilo." he answered briefly. "Then can I get one?" "Yes." However, before he can even packed those crabs, an old woman stormed in front of him, looking at him with a mad expression. The woman shimmers with those gold jewelries and full blast make-up. Tales on the other hand doesn't seem to be surprised. " Are you Tales Rutherford? " She asked while raising her eyebrows. " Yes, I am. " " Huh. " she scoffed. " At last! " Then she put both of her hands on her waist. "Do you know how much of an effort I put just to find you!? Your mother owe me $6000. She said she would pay me back but it's been 6 months, I still haven't heard anything from her. Now, as his son, it's your responsibility to pay for her debts!! " She strongly stated. Tales expression remained blank. Though the customer seems to be startled. " I no longer live with my mother. I don't know about her debts and I don't have any intention to pay for it." He clearly stated and started to weigh the crabs. " Hey! " She shouted. " If you don't want to be in prison, pay her debts! It's your responsibility as her child! Huh! How can she have the nerve to ask for money when her son is just a vendor. " While looking at him upsidedown. Tales sighed. He's used to it now since a lot of people came to him, asking him to pay for his mother's debt. And a lot of people also belittled him. " As long as I didn't sign any paper that I will pay for her debts then I shall not. Now, would you mind to scram, my customer is feeling uncomfortable with your presence. " " You!! " the old woman shouted in anger but instead of paying attention to her, Tales just handed the 1 kg of crabs to the customer. " Thank you ma'am, come again. " "Hey old woman, Tales is working. Don't bother him or you will..." A loud thud was heard after another vendor loudly chop the meat of the pig. Yes, at times like this, the other vendors will also help him cast away these kind of people. Probably because they felt pity towards him. The woman had no choice but to leave. Tales look at her back and sighed. 'I... no longer have a mother. ' Just then, he continue to tend to his customers until 9 o'clock in the evening. After that, he went straight to his apartment which is like a 50 meters away from the market. However, the alleys are so dim because of poor street lights and there aren't much people passing by. Though he always walk alone, he can never get used to the dark. He's afraid of the dark, although he's been battling that fear. *Tak* *Tak* *Tak* The sound of shoes echoed as he walk. But it's not just his shoes. There's another one. He keep walking while his eyes slowly glance on his side, attempting to look at the man's shadow through the dim lights. He hold on tightly on the strap of his bag. As he continue to walk, he bump into something. He slowly return his eyes to the front and look upward, only to see a 6 foot tall man wearing a black tuxedo with a thug face and a bald head. Looks like a gangster. Another footsteps from behind him stop, a few centimeters away from where he is standing. Despite the fact that he's being cornered, he showed no fear and look directly to the mans eye. "What do you want?" He firmly asked. "Tales Rutherford, come with us." His authoritative voice that makes you unable to refuse but not to Tales. "I won't." "Then we have no choice but to resort to violence." Another voice from behind. As if that's the clue of what Tales has been waiting for, he immediately pull out the small knife from his pocket to protect himself, but before he could even react, a syringe with a drug was struck to the side of his neck that made him lose his strength, enough to let go of the knife. His senses also started to fade as he wobble and collapse on the road. "Carry him." "Why would I? You should carry him." "Idiot! Just carry him. I don't care how you'll do it. Drag him or something. The boss is waiting for us. " That is what Tales heard before he completely loses consciousness. 'The boss? 'Cold. The first sensation that Tales felt as he regained consciousness. He opened his eyes, greeted by the lights on the ceiling. There are people chattering but he can't understand any of it. He tried to stand up but he can't. His body doesn't have any strength and on top of that, his hands were handcuffed. His eyebrows met in confusion and blink his eyes multiple to times to clear his vision and roam his eyes. The place looks like a basement. There are at least 15 men wearing black suits, some are standing while some are sitting on the gasoline barrel. He tried to observe everyone to gather information and to stall time until he will regain his strength. "Mmph." And unfortunately, his mouth is also covered. He gritted his teeth. He don't see any reason why would he be abducted! Well, if it's the debt of his mother, there's no way that they'll abduct him. It's not like his mother owe a very large amount of money. His mind stop thinking when he realize sometimes. His eyes look fr
"Want to be my bodyguard and escort?" A replay of what the man said echoed in Tales head. "You're nuts." He said as he tried to break free from his grasps. But the former didn't even loosen his grip and just smirk. "Choose." He said. "Be my bodyguard and my escort or be a prostitute in my club." The struggle intensified as Tales, despite his efforts, found himself unable to break free from the man's formidable hold, escalating the tension in the bizarre encounter. He then remembered he have a metal tube on his hand, Tales tried hitting the man with the metal tube, but the man, despite his injured hand, caught it. "You never learned." He stated and signal his men by nodding. "Hold him, restrain him." Restraining the person and bringing him to the ground. And in a blink of an eye being overpowered and outnumbered, Tales succumbed to the combined efforts of the man and his accomplices. He found himself restrained and forced to the ground, trapped in a dire situation with uncertain
Tales face remained stoic as he's sitting beside Raja who is so carefree in sitting. The blood that splattered on his face and shirt are already gone since he change clothes and clean his face. They were currently sitting on the passenger seat and he don't even know where will this man take him. He glance at the man only to met his eyes. He immediately look forward. "If you're bothered by the man I kill. He deserves it since he's a traitor." after a moment of silence, Raja spoke. Tales keep his mouth shut. He don't want to know and it's not like knowing it would change the fact that he killed it with enjoyment on his face. After a moment, they arrive in a familiar place. Tales immediately look at Raja with a lot of questions plaster on his face. It's his apartment. "Oh?" Raja spoke. "Now that you're one of us, you shouldn't live in this garbage place. How can I let my favorite toy live in this cramped apartment, right? " he stated with such innocent tone that if anyone hears woul
They arrive in a glamorous mansion of the psychopath. It was grand and impressive blending itself to the other luxury buildings to avoid suspicion. Tales, move his gaze to different directions scanning the house. The house itself is big enough to host thousands of people. Despite the luxurious appearance it has a discreet and tight security, from the security cameras placed inside and outside the building to the armed securities dressed civilian to mix with commoners. They went inside and he was in awe at how extravagant it is. Though, his expression remains the same. Plain. Emotionless. He can't help but be amazed of the house. Big walls painted gray, with no frames or any designs, sunken seating in the middle of the room, two sleek armchairs and a modern coffee table featuring wooden and marble elements is sitting in front of the seat. The light colored marble floor and the chandelier hanging from the high ceiling designed in a multi circular gold-rimmed fixtures. There is an open
Raja entered his room, but what he found was Tales, shirtless and without any undergarments, standing in front of his bed. His forehead creased as he looked at him. He couldn’t believe it, knowing that Tales was always repulsed by the thought of showing his body to him, let alone having sxx. But the Tales standing before him now was in a trance-like state. His eyes were dazed, devoid of liveliness, and he had a grin on his face, as if being pleasured by something. Raja let out a small laugh. He wasn’t sure how to feel. “What are you doing here?” “Raja, don’t you want to fuck me?” Tales' words came out almost as a whisper. “Yeah, I do,” he answered without hesitation. “But I don’t get it—why would you willingly walk towards your predator?” Tales stepped closer towards him, the air between them creates an unspoken connection. His gaze directly locked onto Raja’s, and there was a teasing smirk on his lips as he knelt, his movements slow and deliberate. Raja’s breath caught, anticipat
In the cold, unclean and contaminated basement, where walls have splatter, Raja looked Tales like a predator while tapping his left foot on the floor as if he's analyzing something. The sound of his foot tapping echoing off the walls. Tales stood chained, wrists and ankles cuffed, his gaze is agitated but powerless. The faint bruises on his face are throbbing but he couldn't care less and it only fuel his defiance. “So,” Raja began, voice full of disdain, ,“are you going to keep your mouth shut forever, hm?” Tales smirked, his face seems like taunting him and even if he knows how stupid his idea was,he still don't want to give in. “I’m not going to grovel if that’s what you’re after. Just get it over with.” Raja’s eyebrows met, a cruel smile appeared on his lips. “Still so proud. I’ll enjoy breaking that out of you.” He then walk towards the right side of the wall pulling the lever, to tighten the chains holding Tales, forcing him to stand on his toes, straining under the weight.
Knock! Knock! Knock! Tales grimaced as he heard loud knocks coming from his door and opened his eyes. He had dozed off to sleep in the middle of planning his escape from this hellish situation. He immediately got out of bed and opened the door, not minding his bed hair and unkempt appearance. One of Raja's stern-looking men greeted him, holding a black box. "What?" he asked. "Get changed," the man said, handing him the box. "Boss is waiting outside. He ordered that you should be there by 7:30!" Then he left. 'What?' Tales didn't ask further questions and closed the door. He immediately looked at the wall clock and saw that it was already 7:25. He only had 5 minutes to prepare? Raja must think he has superpowers or something. Nonetheless, he shouldn't complain unless he has a perfect plan to kill that bastard. For now, he just needed to get on his good side. He was asked to get changed, so it must be clothes. He opened the box and saw a black suit, a gun, and a knife beside it.
Raja can smell the animosity of Tales base on its sharp gaze on his back. He cares no less. He knows that Tales wonders why he acts like that and may think that he is a lunatic but who fucking cares when it's true? And that old man is a traitor, and a traitor should be beheaded. He's merciful enough to gave that old man a short time to share the same air like him. How dare that old man, attempted to solicit his prostitutes with much wage than his? And one of his men even help with the plan! There's no way he could let it go. Raja discreetly glance at Tales who's maintaining his poker face but his body language says otherwise. Upon leaving the company, in the lobby, a lot of employees were shocked by how they were covered with blood but no one is fast enough to report them to the authorities. Of course, if someone is courageous enough to report them, he needs to spend some money to shut those personnels which will eventually increase his hatred towards Calder.When they arrive toward
"Don't forget me, Tales."Tales slowly regained consciousness. His head throbbed like a gong, each beat connecting painfully through his skull. He groaned softly, the sound escaping before he could stop it. His vision was blurry at first, but as the world began to come into focus, he realized he was on a soft bed in the infirmary. Again. There was an IV in his arm.He stared at the ceiling for a long time, embracing the silence the room offered. Unknowingly, a tear fell from the corner of his eye. The dream he had wasn’t just a dream. It was his long-forgotten memory. He bit his lower lip to suppress his emotions, yet his heart felt like it was being squeezed because of how painful it was.He couldn’t believe he forgot Raja. He had promised him freedom, yet he forgot about him and that hellhole!A low sob escaped from his lips as his eyes began to water again. He looked like a child wailing over his first love, yet he didn’t care. He was disappointed with himself but felt hypocritical
The oppressive silence of the compound shattered as the monthly wipeout began. Children, some trembling, some eerily composed, were gathered into the arena. The blood-stained floor of the ring loomed over them, a bitter reminder of the fates that had befallen those who stood here before."Huh! They didn't even clean it for us to see," Tales scowled internally.Tales clenched his fists, his heart pounding in his chest as he glanced to both sides for Raja and Jake."Stay alive," he whispered to himself like a mantra, though it seemed the other two thought those words were meant for them."Of course I will," Raja exclaimed, even raising his fists."Basic," Jake snorted, making Tales look at him with a disapproving glare.The rules were simple: survive. The opponents? Determined by chance—or at least, that’s what Father wanted them to believe. Tales knew better. The system wasn’t random; it was designed to weed out the weak and pit the strong against each other. They want us to die!And w
A year had passed, and Tales had not remained idle. Every day after their training, he would sneak out and take careful note of the compound’s layout—the heavy doors, the creaking floorboards, and the blind corners where the guards were too lazy to patrol. Anywhere they could escape without anyone noticing. It was for their survival; there was no grand reason. If he was going to get out of here, he needed to know every inch of this godforsaken place. He didn’t have beautiful memories outside this place. He was always hungry, yet he also couldn’t stomach what they were doing there. They were killing each other because FATHER ordered it. They were like puppets that shouldn’t have their own awareness. When he was alone or with Raja and everyone else was asleep, Tales would sketch maps, though calling them “maps” was generous. They were chaotic, messy doodles of squares and lines, barely resembling the compound. But they made sense to him. And he was proud of them, as if they were the be
Tales could smell the faint scent of saltiness in the breeze as they marched toward the opposite flat building, accompanied by their armed men. They hadn’t changed their clothes or washed their stained body parts. When the door opened, Tales immediately noticed the long table with the leader sitting at the end of it. Dishes were already served, including a watery soup. Tales didn’t know what this was all about. The dishes ranged from shimmering, luxurious ones to simple, peasant-like fare. "Sit." The children immediately obeyed, still scared and walking on eggshells. The only sound they could hear was the dragging of chairs. Tales and Raja sat beside each other, but Tales felt even more irked when Jake, all smiley, sat beside him. Their seating arrangement: Jake - Tales - Raja. "Congratulations on staying alive." Although the man was congratulating them, his tone was indifferent and monotonous. He didn’t care about them at all. "Though the number of survivors is a bit lower than e
The air Jake was giving creeped Tales out so much that he couldn’t help but scowl at the other child, who seemed younger than him. "I'm Raja," Raja stated with a beaming smile, as if he had found another playmate. Tales' brows furrowed. "Hey!" His reprimanding tone made Raja blink twice, as if asking what he had done wrong. This naive child, Tales sighed and just shook his head. Jake smiled more when he saw Tales' reaction. Though he was smiling widely, his eyes seemed unaffected. His eyes were bland, dull, and plainly colorless. "Now that you know who your teammates are," the man stated, grabbing Tales' and the others' attention again. Jake also walked to his side and turned around to face the man. "There's a weapon on the table. Choose anything that fits your hands and that you think you can wield with ease," the boss stated. Tales stared at the man for a moment, cursing him in his mind as he clenched his teeth. What did this man think he was doing? Clearly, he was not human. Ta
Tales was just wandering around the streets, trying to find a signage that offers a job. His both hands were in his pockets, and he shivered because of the cold. It was winter, and he, who's wearing thin clothes, shivered every time the breeze hit him. He felt like his now red nose and ears could fall off anytime. Every time he breathed using his mouth, smoke would form.On top of that, his stomach was growling loudly like he was hosting some kind of monster that had been deprived of food for about thousands of years. He hadn’t eaten for 2 days now."Ahh," just when he saw a signage wanting a dishwasher, a van maneuvered beside him, making him turn around to see what kind of dumbass almost hit him. But to his surprise, masked men bolted out of the van and captured him.His eyes widened in horror as the two unknown persons yanked down a fabric forcefully, shrouding his face in darkness. He gasped when strong hands gripped his arms, leaving no chance for escape. His body trembled, muscl
The dim light seeped through the window blinds of the headquarters infirmary. It was already morning, but Raja hadn’t slept a wink as he sat near Tales, who was still unconscious. He couldn’t sleep, nor could he leave Tales behind. His face showed exhaustion—not from work, but from the thoughts that kept lingering in his mind. He looked at Tales, who was peacefully sleeping, and winced when his chest throbbed. He cupped his face and gritted his teeth. Truth be told, he had really intended for Tales to disappear the moment the Scorpions threatened him, saying they had Tales. It was like a consequence that Tales should face for disobeying him. Yet, the moment he discarded Tales, he felt a pang in his chest. He couldn’t breathe as his ears rang for reasons unknown. Just the mere thought of Tales' death made the pain unbearable. It was even more torturous than when he had been in training. He couldn’t breathe, and his eyes began to water. “Kill him, feed him to rabid dogs. It’s your ca
“Kill him, feed him to rabid dogs. It's your call. You don't have to call me unless you want me to pick up his corpse."The room fell silent. Tales burst out laughing, his voice cutting through the tension. “Told you! He doesn’t give a fuck about me!” he managed between chuckles. “You’re wasting your time!”'What do I expect from that bastard?' Tales muttered in his head. ''I'm all alone now and I needs to survive. I'm not gonna die here.'Scarface’s face turned tomato red with rage. He slammed the phone onto the table and turned to Tales, his fists clenching. “You think this is funny?” he lash out.“Absolutely,” Tales agreed, his laughter slowly change into a deriding grin. “You guys went through all this trouble, and for what?" No one answered that he once again chuckled. "Raja’s not coming. You’re stuck with me, and honestly, I’m a terrible hostage.”Scarface’s fist landed on Tales’ jaw, the force flicking his head to the side. Pain surface through his face, but he gritted his teet
The once neat living room of Raja's estate became an utter chaos. His trusted men—Claren, Raoul, Michael, and several others—lie down across the floor, unconscious. Empty mugs of coffee and tea were scattered across the tables. Raja stood in the center of the room, his hands immediately clenched into fists, his jaw tight and his temple shows veins when he tried to control his emotions. 'No sign of forced entry. Whoever did this knew their way around.'Raja’s jaw tightened as his pulse quickened. He stand beside Claren, kicking him moderately. “Wake up,” he barked. “What happened here?”Claren groaned faintly but didn’t open his eyes. Raja's mind immediately play different scenarios of what could possibly happened here. When he's focusing on his work, this happened? His men was drugged and incapacitated? Then the realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. Tales.He turned sharply, his eyes flaring as he strode rapidly toward Tales’ quarters. The room was empty. The sheets were