Ten thousand years later.
In the South side of Pitmerden city, the side of the city where dark deeds take place. Kidnapping, extortion, petty robberies, murders…you name them. As you may have guessed, most of the poor, crooks and the working families resided on this part of the city. It was in the afternoon hours when students were just getting back from lunch…yeah, in Pitmerden it was mandatory for kids to go to school even if you were poor. It was a decision the ruling class of the city and the PCPD (Pitmerden city police department) came up with to get rid of the ever growing number of hobos in the streets. The schools gave free meals so their plan worked almost perfectly, who doesn't like free meals?
"Shane, wait up" a chubby dude squealed. The guy was flabby to the extent that he shook the ground when he walked…at the moment he looked like he was attempting to run unsuccessfully. The boy had chubby cheeks that almost squeezed his eyes shut, he always looked like a person who was squinting. About his appearance, he would be considered handsome if he opted to lose some fat. Did I mention that he was huge? And still a teenager? Huger than any teen his age. The students around him parted ways to allow him pass, no one would dare stand in front of the giant. Sometimes Shane was glad he had the dude as a friend, no one would risk offending him.
"I am late for class" Shane said. He slightly turned to face his best friend. Shane was a tall guy too but thin to the extent that his shirt hung on his shoulder blades. He lacked the muscles, the opposite of his best friend. He had long pure black hair that was wild which hid most of his face from everyone but from the part that was visible, he had a strong set of jaws, green eyes that were encompassed by thick dark lashes. He also had a mouth that seemed like he would smirk or smile any second and two shallow dips on both his cheeks, dimples. He was beautiful.
"You act like you are even here for the classes…or learning" Buch heaved pausing midway to catch his breath
"Fair point" Shane shrugged and waited for Buch.
The two seventeen year olds walked to their class with other lots of students around them. It was a large school from the looks of it. Southside high school, the largest high school down city and an educational facility to almost every poor child in the society.
Not too long afterwards, students rushed outside the school in the evening. It was like all that while they were in some sort of prison. Shane and Buch lived a large distance apart. Buch was from a middle income family and he lived around the rich suburbs, not in. Shane would never understand why Buch would choose to study at Southside high yet there were many other better schools in the city his parents could afford. Shane on the other hand lived close to the ship docks which was coincidentally the furthest area to the south of Pitmerden city.
Southside high and Shane's home was a long distance apart and thus at seven in the night, Shane was still walking home. As his norm, Shane chose to take his usual route which involved passing through some old warehouses and buildings which were inhabited. Using this route, Shane would also have the chance to help his mother who owned a food stall.
In these parts of the city, the street lights were malfunctioned and hence it was as dark as the night sky. Many people would think it stupid to pass these ways but Shane was exactly the opposite of many people. Since he was a kid, Shane navigated the streets and most of his childhood moments were spent in the streets before his mum got a job. Shane was not afraid of the darkness nor any robber lurking in the shadows, he was even whistling as he walked. He completely had nothing to lose, except his one book he used for all his classes… and a pen he stole.
Shane was just turning a corner when he heard the sound of a gunshot. Gunshots were pretty common in this side of the city and normally, Shane would assume and continue walking. But this time, the gunshot was followed by a woman's cry. This development made Shane stop on his tracks. If it was a gunshot followed by silence then that was about right, someone had been killed and he could do nothing about it but when the gunshot was followed by a scream…
Shane edged closer to the building where the scream originated from. The building was an old warehouse which maybe was previously used to store medicinal products since it reeked of hospital and drugs. He peeked through one of its large windows to have a glimpse inside.
Three men dressed in black leather outfits stood opposite a beautiful middle aged woman pointing large guns at her. Beside the woman who was on her knees lay another man with whitish hair. From the looks of it, he seemed pretty much dead. This is a hit job, those big guns can only be afforded by the rich. Were these men hired to rob this woman? Curious as Shane was, he lightly jumped over the window and entered the warehouse. He tiptoed towards a large metal container, the kind cargo ships carry and squatted behind it.
"I…I don't know where…he was the only one who knew the combinations to the safe…I swear I don't know…please don't kill me" the woman pleaded while crying
"Give the combinations up and we might consider that, you of all the people should know it" one of the men holding the guns said
"We can also start shooting you at your less vital points until you give up the combinations, that's also an option" the man added "Trust me…death is much better"
"I …I don't "the woman whimpered tears streaking out of her eyes
"Fuck" the man shouted cocking his gun and pointing it at the woman's forehead
"Snake" Shane shouted jumping from behind the metal container. Shane immediately regretted voicing out loud his fear for snakes…but he really saw one. No, he felt one coiling on his right leg. Fucking snake, Shane cursed inwardly. It only had to appear at that critical moment, Shane regretted having the fear of snakes and now it was going to cost him. Everyone turned to look at Shane weirdly and angrily. The woman was slightly astonished.
"What the bloody hell" the man pointed the gun at Shane. At the same time, a green snake slithered from where Shane was hiding and disappeared in the darkness outside.
Shane smiled bitterly then put his hands up innocently. He started backing off step by step silently hoping he wouldn't be killed by the macho like men.
"Stupid snake" Shane chuckled clearly tensed "I didn't see nothing" Shane said nervously "I will just…I will be on my way…we cool"
"Get the fuck back here" the man shouted but Shane wasn't spending a second longer here. Just as he started running, bullets got fired in his direction. "Get him" he shouted when Shane disappeared into the darkness outside. He was downright lucky no bullet passed through him.
Agile as Shane was since he was slim, he ran like wind. Shane didn't stop even for a second to look behind him. The loud thud of boots was evidence enough that he was still being pursued. For some minutes which to Shane seemed like hours, Shane ran. The fact that he managed to put some distance between himself and his pursuers made him a bit happy. He did so until he almost reached where there were people, where his mom worked. When he spotted her…
"Mom, hide" Shane shouted "mom"
"Shane honey…what is it?" a woman turned to look at Shane worriedly
"Just hide…" Shane shouted stopping beside his mom.
"What is it? Did you get into trouble again?"
Just as Shane prepared to take another step, something hit his head. The loud shouts and screams around him faded just as the sight of his crying mom.