"This..."
Through the opening in the foliage, the other two were able to get a full view of downtown. It was, in a word, a mess. It was like the slums but slightly better. Though there were no buildings made of cardboard, tin or plastic, there were many tents dotted around and many of the dilapidated houses seemed to be occupied by a large group of people.
Tingting drew in her breath as her eyes absorbed the scene in front of her eyes. Though there seemed to be a market, the stalls were empty and the area was devoid of movement. An occasional scuffle would break out from time to time but apart from that, not a person was in sight.
"Why's it so quiet?" Tingting, having been brought up in the bustling capital, was unaccustomed to the eerie silence and the stillness unnerved her.
The country was split into three areas. The upper-zone, lower-zone and the capital. The upper-zone was where most of the well-off people lived. It consisted of two cities and uptown. It was a place of education, liveliness and joy. Any form of criminal acts was not accepted there. The lower-zone was the complete opposite. Poverty had spread like disease from neglect and the government's non-intervention in the area. Many criminals were created in this part of the country.
"I suppose you wouldn't know. Well, you'll find out soon. You should stay at my place for a while." Mike walked as he answered Tingting's question and navigated them to the far end of town.
As they walked, Lukas could feel many penetrating stares on his back. Whenever he turned back to look, all he was able to catch was the silhouettes of the retreating figures.
'Annoying'
Lukas looked forward again after the umpteenth time and jumped at the scene unfolding in front of him.
"Give me everything you've got. If you don't, I'll- I'll shoot you!"
Some old man dressed in tattered clothes had at some unknown moment, jumped out of who- knows-where and was aiming a gun at the trio. He had come out so suddenly, the trio had no time to react.
Tingting clamped her mouth shut, worried a scream would escape her throat, aggravating the man even further. Mike, on the other hand, smiled brightly at the stranger.
"Sir, sir. We all know that gun has no bullets in it. You're bluffing aren't ya?" Mike laughed and waved his hand as if to say, 'You can go now. I'll let you off.'
The old man's face reddened in rage and he pointed the gun at the sky. Pulling the trigger with a gnarled, yellow finger, a thunderous gunshot was shot at the sky.
Silence.
"Well boy. Do you think I'm lying now?"
"Haha... No. Not at all. Where'd you even get that?..." Mike smiled weakly and glanced at Lukas, his eyes clearly screaming 'Help!'
'...Idiot'
"I'm not after you boy. One glance tells me you're just as dirt poor as I. What I want, is them two." His long finger pointed at Lukas and Tingting. The stranger's voice was grating and harsh to the ear.
Mike regained his composure and smiled.
"Sorry sir but these two-"
Mike kicked off of the ground and dashed towards the old man. In his panic, the old man shot a few bullets without aiming properly causing Tingting to scream shrilly. Mike paid no attention and even as a few grazed his body, he continued to get closer to the old man, until, finally, he tackled him to the ground.
Whipping out a sharp penknife, Mike held it to the stranger's neck and threatened in a low voice,
"These two are special. As long as I'm with them, your grimy fingers will never touch a single dime on their persons. Got it?" The old man nodded, unintentionally making the knife bite into his neck. Once Mike removed it, the old man scampered off, leaving the gun behind.
"Lucky~" Mike saw the gun and sneaked it into his pocket. He turned around only to come face to face with blinding awe and freezing suspicion.
"Amazing!" Tingting grasped Mike's hands tightly and stared up at him with sparkling eyes. Mike blushed as he scratched his nose in embarrassment.
"It was nothing..."
"You... Why couldn't you fight back against the other guys yesterday?" Lukas's eyebrows furrowed as he thought back to how Mike tackled a grown man to the ground. Mike froze and his head turned stiffly.
"You don't understand man. They were freaking ripped! They had knives and, and... they were massive okay?!" Mike threw out his arms in an attempt to show Lukas just how truly disadvantaged he was.
"Sure..."
"!"
Lukas rolled his eyes and walked ahead of Mike while Tingting stroked his back comfortingly, muttering the occasional, "It's ok" or "I believe you."
They continued on like this for a while until Lukas stopped abruptly. A shaky finger pointed at the building in the near distance.
"What is that?" His question wasn't particularly aimed at anybody but Mike answered him anyway, urging Lukas to continue walking at the same time.
"It's supposed to be a haunted mansion. The previous mayor, lord, whatever was cheating on his wife with quite a couple of mistresses. The wife found out what happened and killed him. I heard that she did it while they were doing the 'deed'." Tingting retched slightly at the thought. She wasn't too good with these kinds of talks.
"Anyway, the wife cut off his *****, cut it up into six parts then sent a piece each to the mistresses. Naturally, the mistresses became super scared and tried to run. She hunted all of them down and brought them back to the mansion." The trio were fast approaching the mansion and Tingting's footsteps faltered slightly, apprehensive of what was to come. Mike maintained his sunny expression as he finished his tale.
"She hung them in the master room and burned herself and in a fire. It consumed half the mansion. The greenery outside was affected and nobody wants to go there. Not even the most desperate criminals in town. That's why I made it my little hiding place. I don't go anywhere near the master room though. I suspect the bodies are still there, rotting." Mike laughed it off and pointed at the building.
"Here it is. My haunted home."
...
"No"
The trio had arrived at the front of the house and Tingting, with stars in her eyes, had run straight inside once the door was unlocked. It seemed that everything Mike had told her went through one ear and out the next. Lukas on the other hand, his arms folded and feet unmoving, stood as still as a statue. Mike didn't even have the chance to explain before Lukas coldly voiced his objection.
"Come on dude, it gets better as you go in."
"No" Lukas's expression was one of intense loathing as he glared at the decrepit mansion.
"Seriously? You camped out in the woods yesterday and now you're telling me that you can't handle this much-"
"No"
"Oh come on man, I-"
"No"
"I see... Well then, how about we-"
"No"
"..."
Mike raised his head and gazed at the sky. Today too, the sky was high. He looked down again and breathed in the lovely, refreshing-
*Cough* *Cough* *Cough*
Mike coughed violently, and with tears still in his eyes, he turned to Lukas and screamed at him.
"Dude! You didn't even know what I was going to say! Why did you cut me off? Why?!"
Lukas glanced at him with the corner of his eye as he unwrapped another lollipop.
"It was funny."
Mike couldn't believe his ears. Was he hearing things right? This person-
"Hey! It's pretty nice in here! There're lots of rooms as well and- Wow! Lukas, you need to see this!" Tingting's voice rang from within the mansion.
With just a few words from Tingting, Lukas was singing a different tune. Forgetting his suitcase in his haste, he ran into the mansion that he had so detested a few moments ago. Mike was left standing there alone. The swaying branches on the front yard seemed to be pointing at him, laughing.
"Aargh!" Mike's fingers pulled at his face, making him look like 'The Scream'. After cooling down, he resignedly accepted his fate and entered the mansion. It seemed that, for a while, he'd have some interesting company.