Draven was disappointed to be woken up at 5 am. He had imagined that since he no longer had to go to school he could sleep as much as he pleased.
" We have to assemble at 5 am whenever we have a new member" Michael told him.
Draven got up and got ready to avail himself at the meeting.
He found everyone seated at the hall. George was standing in front.
" As you all know we are among the third class gangs in town. It is the duty of each one of us to make sure that we reach the first class" George said.
" Draven. What is it that you want as a reward after your first mission?" he asked.
Draven blurted a gun without a second thought. A mischievous smirk formed on George's face.
" Fine you will get it but you need to get us something tonight at club 2000" he said.
" As for your first mission you shall go alone" he added.
Draven could see Michael become uneasy. He seemed to be angry about George's decision.
" That's suicide. He is still new. How can you send him all alone" Michael yelled.
" Every gangster has to prove himself. If he doesn't want he can quit as early as now" George said calmly.
" No I want to go on the mission " Draven said excitedly. Michael gazed at him as if he was staring at the most foolish man on Earth.
George gave him the look of that's-the-spirit. He looked very pleased with his decision.
" One more thing. Don't you ever dare raise your voice at me again" he thundered.
Michael shrank at his seat. Draven could tell that he was frightened by George.
George gave the others their mission as pairs. Michael didn't receive any. Afterwards he dismissed them.
" Do you know the intensity of the task you have taken upon yourself?" Michael asked angrily.
" I am sure I can handle it " Draven said asuringly. Michael glanced at him with contempt.
" You are not going to fight Wade. You are going to a lions den " he said calmly.
" You still have a chance to back out while you are still alive because after tonight you be the late Draven" he added.
" Isn't there a chance of surviving?" Draven asked helplessly.
" You can make it if you are able to live without your head" he said sarcastically.
" Are you trying to pull my legs?" he asked. Michael shook his head with a serious expression on his face.
Draven was shocked. He never expected things to be so serious.
" Can you like help me out a bit?" he asked hopefully. Michael shook his head with a knowing smirk.
" Back out and go back home" he said simply. Draven was not willing to give up yet.
He was determined to prove himself to George and be a permanent member of the 'family'.
Michael was obviously annoyed and did not keep the conversation going any further.
Draven was very anxious imagining what his first mission was going to be. He was very eager to receive a gun.
If his mother was still alive she probably would have taken her own life had she found out that her own son was trying all he could to prove himself worthy of being a hooligan.
Draven was still filled with the pain of loosing his parents and been disowned by his own flesh.
' You will suffer a lot. You will shed tears everyday. You will die of guilt ' the last words of his father were still playing inside his head over and over again.
He never believed in superstitions but the curse of his father affected him a lot. He did not know why but he felt very uneasy whenever he thought of his father.
The what ifs in were not doing him any good. There was a huge doubt in his mind.
Something kept telling him that he should not ignore it.
He could clearly remember that his mother had once told him.
' You may or may not receive blessings but a curse is always real. You can never escape it'
If that was by any chance true it also meant that his father's curse was stronger than his mother's blessings.
Maybe this is what he deserved; a life of having to confront death every single day.
In crime he would probably shed tears everyday and miserable with every passing moment.
What he felt for his brother even Draven was not sure. He could not tell if he hated him or if there was still love for him left in him.
How could he possibly hate someone who he had grown up with. Someone who was his blood. Someone who had raised him at some point.
But how could he love someone who had abandoned him when he was the most vulnerable state of his life.
Someone who let jealousy define him. Someone who hated him for no reason who sided with his father when he committed animosity.
George was his only hope left. He had to impress him at any cost.
He would have to make it with the task he had been assigned to even if it meant loosing himself in the process.
He would rather die trying than starve in the streets.
' You still have a chance to give up while you are still alive ' he recalled Michael's words.
What if Michael was right and he didn't make it. Was it worthy taking the risk.
Giving up early meant trying at another field but what if he remained unlucky even in the other field.
' If death is the price so be it ' he said in his mind. He took in a deep breath and went to look for George.