DING!! DING!! DING!!! 

The bells of the convenience store shook as a young man walked outside the store.

"Thanks for coming, Jason." The clerk waved at the young as he exited the store.

"See you next time, Joe." Chuckled Jason as he waved back a middle finger, not even sparing the man behind the cash register a look as he knew Joe was doing the same thing. 

Jason staggered a bit in his right hand was a bag of 'groceries,' just energy drinks. And on his left was a lottery ticket. 

SCREE!!! SCREE!!! SCREE!!! SCREE!!! Jason scratched at the lottery ticket 

"Fuck." Jason threw down his lottery ticket. 

"I spend the last bit of my paycheck on that fucking ticket." 

RIP!! The grocery store bag had ripped open from the force of his throw, spilling all the energy drinks on the floor. Jason took action quickly, trying to pick up all the rolling beverages. 

"Just my luck," Jason huffed, picking up the second to last Monster bottle. Jason got up and headed towards the last bottle, safely nudged under a parked car's tire but before he could reach it the door opened. 

"Here I'll get that for you." A tall middle-aged man with long frizzy black hair, striking green eyes wearing cut-up black jeans, a white crew-neck t-shirt with a flannel on top, Brown Timberlands, and a Pistons cap reached under the tire and grabbed the beverage. The man quickly walked over and handed the drink. While picking up his drink Jason noticed the man wearing black gloves his eyebrows raised a bit but he ignored it.

"Hey pal, you dropped this." Chuckled the man.

"Thanks, man these damn Costo bags tear easily. Jason placed him out and shook the strangers. 

The man eyed the bag in Jason's left hand. "Costo? Is a man named Joe still on shift right now?" 

"Joe? Yeah, he's about to close, why do you know him? Asked Jason.

"Yeah, Joe's a dear friend of mine… I've meant to meet him for a while now, Catch up a little." answered the man. 

"Well, he's in there, don't miss him before it's too late." Said Jason

The Strange man replied. "Thanks man I'll get going then."

"Ok before you go here," Jason handed the man one of his Sprite bottles. 

"For your troubles, you at least deserve this." Jason winked.

"Thanks for the drink…have a good night. Said the man walking towards the store. 

Jason a few steps away from his car turned around to wave when he noticed something odd. Something rectangular was sticking out of the back of the man. 

"What the hell is that…a gun?" Jason squinted to try and get a better look but that man was already meters away and approaching the Costco doors. 

ZING!! ZING!!!! ZING!!!

Jason's phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling out the phone Jason viewed the messages sent. 

-Mom. Why aren't you back from the store already?

-Mom: Your father wants to speak with you.

"Shit dad's home." Jason sighed. 

With his priorities changed Jason forgot all about the strange man, Joe, and the gun. He quickly hopped into his vehicle and drove towards his home, his heart beating faster and faster at every turn and finally reaching the street corner of his house. Jason parked his car in the nearby parking lot before hopping out and walking towards the house.

Jason's house stood out in the neighborhood. Every house that Jason has passed was a modest, and picture-perfect suburban home. 2 floors, 4 windows in the front, a garden, a cardboard fence, and a garage to pair alongside it. Jason looked at the house and scowled. This house was the bane of his existence. The House just looked old and run down. The grass on the sidewalk was overgrown, the front door looked like it had survived a zombie apocalypse, and the windows were foggy and land windows covered in webs. The painting on the house was peeling off and the roof looked like it had survived a bomb from Oppenheimer. 

The house had always been a symbol, a reminder that he wasn't like the other kids at school. A reminder that despite what he did he couldn't change his fate. During his early childhood, Jason remembered his best friend had asked to come over and play video games. But after seeing the state of his house, he called off the plans and never spoke to him again. From that day forward Jason would wait 2 hours after school before going home trying to dissociate from his home. However, it was already too late. Jason's former friend had already spread the news of where Jason lived making Jason a social pariah. 

'Huh,' Jason sighed as he walked onto the porch, the floor screeched at every step. Not finding any mail, Jason sighed and opened the door. Immediately the usual foul stench socked Jason in the face, shaking it off he announced himself.

Jason quickly took his shoes off and walked towards the living room.

"Ahh, Jason your back." Came A voice from inside the living room. 

Jason entered the living room to see three people inside. The atmosphere was already intense. 

Inside the living room were both his parents and younger sister. Both his parents were the age of fifty and Jason's sister Marie was 17. Throughout Jason's childhood experience, there was one person that was there for him and that was Marie, his little sister and so Jason cared very deeply for her. 

Jason's parents were immigrants, Jason's father 'Alfonso' was Portuguese while his mother 'Chiara' was Italian. They both arrived in America in the late 80s at 20 years old. They then met each other, got married, and had Jason by the age of 29, and then had Marie at age 33. They were old but most importantly old-fashioned. 

"Come. Come sit down here son." Jason's father beckoned with a small cough in between. 

Everyone was on one couch, Chiara sat on the couch arm just left of her husband and Marie sat on the same couch to the right of her father. Jason sat down on the couch across from his father facing him. 

"So, you wanted to talk about something." Jason Inquired 

Jason's father sighed and took out a piece of paper from his back pocket slapping it onto the desk between them. 

"Mail?" Jason's eyes widened a bit.

Jason immediately realized what this was about. Jason flipped the mail and saw that it was indeed for him, specifically mail from the University of Kentucky. Jason ripped through the mail opening it, he then read the letter.

Dear Jason Sousa, On behalf of the Admissions Committee at the University of Kentucky, it's our pleasure to offer you acceptance to the Computer Science program for the Spring 2023 semester. We received many outstanding applications this year, and your academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, and potential for success truly set you apart. We believe you'll be a valuable addition to our vibrant community of scholars and contribute meaningfully to the Kentucky experience. We are thrilled to welcome you to the University of Kentucky family and look forward to seeing the great things you will achieve during your time. Congratulations on your acceptance!

"Do you now understand why I called you?" Came a cold voice from Jason's father.

The room's tension skyrocketed and chills ran down the backs of everybody's spines. 

"You went behind my back, and did this… You didn't think I wouldn't notice." Alfonso's hands slammed onto the desk. Everyone in the room jumped a bit. Marie curled up in fear she had seen her father like this many times and it had never ended well. 

'I'm breaking my body trying to hold this family together, and you…you betray me like-'

"Please, Calm down Alfonso." Intervene Chiara

"I'm sure he can explain himself." 

Sweat poured from Jason, "I didn't…I didn't do it behind your back, I was going to tell you at some point." 

Alfonso's eyebrows raised, gritting his teeth 'exactly when were you going to tell me then."

"After I've made it, and gotten employed by them," answered Jason.

"Jason we've talked about this, University is not an option right now, we need you HERE, contributing to this house and this family." 

Jason put his head down.

"Me and your mother have spent 2 decades taking care of you, we know what's best for you." 

Jason closed his fist in anger and frustration.

"Your father is right Jason, If you leave us now and go to University, this family would be done for…I mean think of your sister." 

"THIS IS FOR MARIE… GOD YOU PEOPLE CAN'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING." Jason angrily stood up.

"Sit DOWN, Jason." Came the words of Alfonso, but Jason ignored it.

" I WAS OKAY WITH TAKING CARE OF THIS FAMILY AS LONG AS MARIE COULD GO TO COLLEGE." Shouted Jason.

Jason then pointed at his father, 'But you lied to me.' 

"You took all the money Marie made from her part-time job this summer…" 

"WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO PUT YOUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE ABOVE YOUR OWN." 

Jason's father shot up from the couch, pointing a finger right in front of Jason's face. "You watch your tone boy." 

"Or what?" Jason swatted the finger away.

CRACK!!!! CRACK!!! CRACK!!!!

Jason crumbled onto the floor as blow after blow rocked his body. Jason's ears ringed and his nose, stomach, and neck were in severe pain. Rivers of blood poured from Jason's nose. 

"ALFONSO STOP… DADDY STOP." Came the cries of both Marie and Chiara.

"YOU WILL RESPECT ME, JASON." 

"IF THERE ONE THING YOU WILL DO WHILE LIVING IN THIS HOUSE… IT'S GIVE ME MY RESPECT AS A FATHER." 

Wheezing Jason slowly got up, wiping away the drizzling blood from his nose. 

"You're right, but that's a big 'IF' isn't it." Jason was back on his two feet. Eye to eye with his father once again. 

"You know what?" 

"I'm done…I've tried my best to play by your rules." 

"I've done plenty…I'm leaving…good luck without me. Jason looked over to Marie, and nodded his head.

"C'mon Marie, Pack everything. Let's go." Marie quickly ran out of the living room heading upstairs to pack. 

Alfonso sat back down on the couch in silence, his head facing the wall in front of him. 

Chiara grabbed his hands, tears spilling from her eyes.

"You have to talk this out Jason…you can't just leave us like this. You can't leave me…please."

Jason hugged his mom. 

"I'm sorry it turned out like this mom… I'm sorry…but there's no going back." 

Chiara looked towards her husband. 

"Alfonso do something, do not let it end like this." 

Jason took one last look at his parents. With a shake of his head, he turned around, walked out of the living room, and headed toward his bedroom. 

It took Jason 8 minutes to pack everything of value and stuff it in his 2 duffle bags. Sets of clothes, Blankets & sheets, a Macbook, Identification, and some of his personal favorite belongings like his airsoft gun, and small manga collection. Jason's mood saddened a bit as he realized what his reality was now, both his parents were in a shouting match in the living room, and his sister above him was speeding across her room trying to get absolutely everything of value. With a sigh, Jason whipped out his phone and dialed a number.

BZZT!!!! BZZT!!!!!! BZZT!!!! KATCH!

The call went through and Jason put his phone up to his ear.

"Jason!!! How's it going? It's been a while." 

"Great! David...it's been just…great." 

"Not by that tone it is…what's the problem? Is it your pop's again?'

"Yeah, we just had a big fight, I'm not going to give you too many details now but long story short I'm not going to be living here anymore and I've taken Marie with me."

"Ahhh, I see, so you need a place to crash for a while." 

"Yes…If you can't do it, let me know but it'd be a great help right now."

"After everything you've done for me? C'mon man, you're like a brother to me. Of course, you can crash at my place for as long as you'd like." 

"Thanks...I appreciate it." 

"No problem, call me when you get here."

"Alright bye."

"Bye."

With that, the call disconnected. Jason sighed and made his way upstairs to Marie's room.

"Hey, how are you holding up?' asks Jason.

Marie went and hugged her brother. "I'm fine…I'm fine but… do we need to leave Mom and Dad?"

Jason sighed, putting his two hands on her shoulders and locking eyes with Marie. "I'm sorry you had to see that Marie, but yes we do have no choice. You saw Father back there, he's not the same person he used to be. He's desperate and angry. 

"I'll tell you what by the end of next summer, you'll be enrolled in Kentucky University alongside me…I'll make sure of it."

Marie smiled, "Ok Jason."

"Get ready, we'll be leaving in the next 5 minutes." Said Jason exiting Marie's bedroom.

As Jason was headed back to his bedroom, he was interrupted by a knock on the door.

THUMGH!!!!! THUMGH!!!! THUMGH!!!!! THUMGH!!!!

"Who the hell is that?" Jason walked over and opened the door.

Opening the door Jason was shocked to see 3 cops at the front door, and upon the police seeing him, they drew their firearms.

"KYPD PUT YOUR HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD WHERE I CAN SEE THEM." Shouted the cop in the forefront, his pistol pointed squarely in Jason's face.

"What the fuck." Stammered Jason.

"SIR I WILL NOT ASK YOU AGAIN PUT YOUR HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD." The cop got closer his gun just several inches away from Jason's face.

"o…OK…I'll do what you ask. " Jason slowly raised his hands above his hands.

"Now Turn Around and put your hands behind your back." Yelled at the police officer.

Jason did as the man said, slowly turning around and lowering his hands before placing them behind his back at his hip. The cops worked fast slapping handcuffs onto him.

Steps came from inside the house as Jason's parents and Marie hurried to the door. 

'What's going on Jason,' asked Marie. Jason saw the look of fear in her eyes. 

"Officers, what's going on, why is my son in handcuffs?" The angry voice of Chiara came.

"Ma'am your son is the main suspect in the murder of Joe Waltz." The cops started searching Jason, fishing out his pocket and his wallet. Opening the wallet they passed it around each other each checking something. Jason felt an uneasy feeling in his stomach. 

"Joe? I knew Joe, he was a good friend of mine, I have no reason to kill him." Spilled Jason.

"You were the last person seen in the security camera that was with him." 

"Is this true Jason?" Alfonso stammered. 

"NO, I didn't kill JOE. I have no reason to." Jason shouted from pure frustration. 

"Since you were the last person seen with him, can you give us some details? Anything out of the ordinary before or after you met with Joe Waltz?" Asked the main officer.

Jason thought as hard as possible trying to remember anything out of the ordinary. 

"Ahh. YES…YES. I do remember something out of the ordinary."

The cops got closer to Jason trying to hear his testimony, with one of the 3 cops pulling out a notepad to document his words. 

"Start from the top for us." Said the policeman with the notepad.

"As you know, I went to the Costco store a few hours ago. I bought some energy drinks. I'm pretty sure the receipt is in my pocket." 

One of the cops reached into his back pocket and pulled out a recipe. 

"Check it out for now." replied one of the cops after checking the recite. 

"Afterwards I left the store…my bag filled with energy drinks then ripped and a man helped me pick them up." 

The cops looked at each other and started murmuring. Jason took that second to look at his family's reactions. Marie looked at him with concern in her eyes. Jason's dad was sitting on a chair on the porch with a look of soullessness in his eyes, while his wife was trying her best to hold herself in. 

One of the police officers suddenly walked off to the street getting into his police car and driving away. Jason's uneasiness grew…

"Where'd he go?" Inquired Jason.

"Don't worry about him, tell us more about this guy. What did he look like? What was he wearing? And what was so suspicious about him." 

"The man was a white male… he looked around 5 '11 middle-aged. The man had long frizzy black hair and greenish eyes. He wore cut-up black jeans, a white crew-neck t-shirt with a flannel on top, Brown Timberlands, and a Pistons cap when I met him." 

"Did this man ever tell you his name?" Asked the officer

"No, he did not sir." Answered Jason.

"The most glaring moment in my interaction with the man was his relation with Joe and the firearm he had on himself." 

"The man claimed to have been an old friend of Joe and then proceeded to ask me if Joe was still on shift…I told him to hurry up as if he wanted to catch him as he was going to close the store.

"While walking away I happen to see a pistol tucked behind his back…my best guess is that this man killed Joe and somehow is framing me now." Jason finished.

"And are you completely sure of this? Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. " interrogated the cop. 

"Yes, I'm sure. 

"Ok, we'll still need you to come to the police station for further questioning.

Zooooooooooom!!! 

The Policeman who had left earlier had come back. Grabbing Jason again the two cops escorted Jason to the police car. 

BAMMM BAMMMM BAMMMM!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Loud ringing shots came from the right of Jason. Jason nearly snapped in that direction and what he saw scared him to death. Over the sidewalk was a very familiar man. Long black frizzy hair, Black cut-up jeans, a white crew-neck t-shirt with a flannel on top, Brown Timberlands, and a Pistons cap. And the most glaring of all those damn bright green eyes. Next to him was the police officer who had left earlier.

Jason tried to move but was instantly slammed down to the ground by the closest police officer. Looking back at his family Jason saw another horrifying scene: his father was lying on the ground lifeless. Chiara was wailing at her husband's corpse and Marie was on the ground shocked. 

"What the hell are you doing? That's the man over there who killed Joe and he just killed my father, ARREST HIM. Jason tried getting up only to get kicked down again by the officer.

"YOU'RE WORKING WITH HIM!!!!" 

The cop kicked Jason, laying him on his back. Picking him up he then dragged him to a wooden post near the porch and tied him there before punching him straight in the face,

SCRUNCH!!!! SCRUNCH!!! SCRUNCH!!!!

Jason heard steps slowly make their way towards him. The man coming into the vicinity is the same man responsible for Jason's father's death. 

"YOu mONsTER." Screamed Jason's mom. She then got up and proceeded to rush him. 

AHHHHHHH- BAM!!!! BAM!!!!! THUD!!

Chiara dropped to the ground, squirming a bit as life left her body.

"NO…MOM!!" Screamed both Jason and Marie.

"How…HOW COULD YOU." Cried Jason tugging at his cuffs as he tried to free himself, tears leaking from his eyes. 

"Relax, this will all be over." Laughed the man.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? LEAVE MY FAMILY ALONE YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE." 

Smacking his teeth, the man turned his attention towards Marie. 

"Wait. Please don't hurt her." Panicked Jason.

"Who is she to him?" The man turned to one of the police officers.

"It's his sister, sir.' Answered the cop.

"His sister…" The man then turned back to Marie and pointed his pistol at her. 

BAM!!!

The blood splattered everywhere. 

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO."

Jason, who was previously trying his hardest to free himself, sank to his knees in despair. 

"Why… Marie speak to me…"

"..." 

"NO YOU FUCKING MONSTER." 

"WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS." 

The man squatted next to Jason.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way…you did nothing wrong honestly." 

"You're just somebody who found yourself in a situation at the wrong time, and place, and unfortunately met the wrong person."

With a laugh, the man cocked back his gun, placing it square on Jason's dome. 

"See yeah." A crooked smile stretched itself on his face and his green eyes seemed to glow with enthusiasm."

"Any last words?" asked the man.

Jason looked at him with a burning hatred and determination rising in him. '

"I may die today…but, I promise not even death will stop me from killing you…FUCKING BASTARD."

Jason raised his head back and ramped it forward, slamming into the man's head and sending him rolling. 

Flop!!

An opened wallet fell beside Jason, it read.

"FBI AGENT: Chrono Levon."

The other cops surrounded Jason, their guns pointed at him.

"Wait…Let me do the FUCKING honors." 

Laughing the man slowly got up, rubbing the side of his head he spat out blood. 

"You got me good…I'll let you have that but…" 

The man put his hands out and grabbed one of the police officers' guns. 

"Like I said, wrong person. Maybe you'll be luckier in the next life." 

"Fuck you Chrono." 

The man's face fell for a second, he then looked down at the open wallet before laughing. 

"Fuck you too." 

'BAM!!' Jason's vision turned Black.