Chereads / The Red Reaper / Chapter 8 - Chapter 7: The Cloak

Chapter 8 - Chapter 7: The Cloak

Leo wove throughout the crowds, making sure not a single person would nor could touch him, his small body being an advantage.

He was dressed like the rest of the kids his age. A plain white t-shirt and some black shorts, his black hair unkempt and long, reaching down to his nose.

However, what the crowd did not see, was the tiny knife that he held in his hand in a reverse grip. He then suddenly turned to the right and went down an alley, where a small group of homeless men laid, a small smile coming across Leo's face. He dug into his pockets and brought out four similar knives and threw them at the homeless men, impaling them in their vital spots, either killing them instantly or ensuring their death in the next five minutes.

"Now, that wasn't very nice," A man's voice spoke as Leo turned around, and a man dressed in all black, a hatchet in hand as his blue eyes glowed brightly. "They were just trying to survive,"

"The weak deserve to die, and the strong deserve to triumph over the weak, it's how this world works," The man let out a small chuckle.

"I can't argue with you on that, but," He began walking towards Leo menacingly, getting the boy to get into a small fighting stance. "To me, you are the weak!" He rushed forward, raising his hatchet into the air and bringing it down, only for Leo to no longer be there.

"Ah, so you are him, the Butcher of Farlow City, a country-wide serial killer who has over eighty-seven confirmed kills, and dozens of more unconfirmed." The butcher grinned as he whirled around, seeing Leo looking at him without a care in the world, his red eyes piercing the darkness.

"My reputation proceeds me, tell me, how would a little kid like you know of me?"

"It's simple, I get all the information on my targets," He whispered, his voice just low enough for the butcher to hear before he rushed the man with an impossible speed before appearing behind the man and on his back, a small red line on the man's throat.

"I'll kill you the way you do all your victims," Leo spat as if he had eaten something bitter instead of sweet. In his hand, was the butcher's hatchet. "Now die like the piece of trash you are!"

Leo hid the small grin on his face. It was Tuesday, and he hadn't been beaten up at all yet! Maybe threatening Flynt and his groupies had been found out on a large scale. Sure, people still threw insults left and right at him, but he hasn't been beaten down yet.

But, he wasn't done yet. He actually had to prove that he had money, and how else than by approaching the infamous Red Reaper at school offering protection money? Yes, that's exactly what Leo was heading to do.

It wasn't quite lunchtime, but the small time they had in between periods gave him plenty of time to actually offer his proposal. In his hand, was a small bag with no small amount of hundred dollar bills in it, being filled to the brim.

He saw the Red Reaper rummaging through her locker and began to approach her, only to be stopped by the same two buff guys that had been with her when she beat the shit out of him.

"Get out of here trash," One of them growled, putting his large hand upon Leo's shoulder, who glanced at the opposing large hand.

"I just wish to talk to the Red Reaper, I have a proposal to offer," The hand squeezed on Leo's shoulder hard enough for the teen to let out a small wince.

"She has no business with a weakling like you," He growled again, but was stopped a fist impacted his face at a high velocity, causing him to fly back into the locker. Leo's eyes widened as he turned his head to see a girl with her arm outstretched, a bored look on her face.

She had dark red hair that reached down to her shoulder blades with a pair of blue sparkling eyes. She had a small nose and a thin line of red lipstick on her heart-shaped face with some of her hair covering her right eye. She had on a small black tank top that was covered by a leather jacket that was unzipped.

She had on pair of black skinny jeans and a pair of regular tennis shoes. And only one thought came to Leo's head.

'Fuck.'

"Don't you dare lay your filthy hands on Leo!" She shouted. "Do you know what the hell he's done for your-" She began yelling again only to be stopped as Leo quickly covered her mouth with his hand, smiling sheepishly at the supposed Red Reaper as she looked at the red-head with shock and anger at having hit her bodyguard.

"Sorry about her, it's a mental disease, she's kinda dumb ya know? I'll take care of her!" He said before dragging her off into an empty classroom that Leo was thankful it existed.

He then pushed her into an empty chair, revealing her mouth once again that now had a little smirk on it, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly to indicate she was playing.

"You didn't need to bite my finger," He muttered, wiping the blood on his pants, staining his uniform slightly. He then got serious, his eyes hardening as he glared at her, causing her smirk to disappear.

"Why are you here, Tannis?" She put her finger to her lips before she clucked her tongue.

"We both know the answer here, I'm here to hang out with my best friend!" She said, her voice filled with an offended tone, but Leo didn't buy it.

"Bull shit, I want an answer, a legit answer. Now," He demanded, a small sparkle in his eyes behind his glasses appearing.

"Pfft, you're not the Commander anymore, I am under no obligation to answer you," She spat out, crossing her arms over her chest. "But, since you asked so nicely, I was ordered to come see what you were up to." Leo rose an eyebrow.

"By who?" She let out a small giggle.

"Your rival of course!" Leo felt his blood freeze in his veins.

One person.

One person who had ever truly pushed him.

One person who had gotten away from his blade.

And that boy was Jonah Wood, the Blue Reaper.

"Jonah!" Leo shouted, the teen having tears flowing out of his eyes, a fire burning on top of the building where the two red reapers stood. "Please, stop this! I don't want to kill you!" Jonah sneered at the thirteen-year-old in front of him.

"Don't act as if you can! You can't and you never will!" He shouted back, blood seeping from his side. "You always were arrogant!" He took out a miniature crossbow and shot it, hitting Leo square in his shoulder, causing him to grunt in pain.

Jonah ran forward and dropkicked Leo, causing him to fly backward and land on his back, causing the air to leave his lungs. Jonah approached Leo, limping slightly as he held a dagger in his hand.

"I won't let you end this war!" Jonah shouted. "The New Confederacy will win!" He pounced on top of Leo, straddling the teen as he went to plunge the knife in Leo's heart, but was stopped as a small knife found itself in his chest.

Jonah's eyes widened before he coughed, a thin line of blood trailing down his chin as he fell on top of Leo. Leo grunted as he pushed Jonah off of him. He then pulled the arrow out and threw it onto the ground, it clattering across the burning rooftop.

"I cannot allow that to happen," He whispered as he collapsed to his knees as Jonah's side, whose eyes were wide open, his breathing rigid.

"Finish me," Jonah spat out. "Finish me, murder your brother in all but blood!" Leo shook his head.

"I will not, I will not deliver the final blow," He whispered in return as he stood up and began walking away. "The fire shall consume your corrupted soul,"

"Leo!" Jonah shouted, making Leo stop at the edge of the building. "If you don't kill me now I'll take everything you love! I'll make you regret the day you became a Reaper!" Leo glared at Jonah murderously.

"You're too late for that!" And like that, Leo was gone. Jonah was left on top of the building, inhaling smoke as his vision got hazy.

Then, the rooftop collapsed.