Chapter Three
"Sir, I repeat. We need your name for you to file a case" The deputy behind the desk asked whilst Ethan stared straight ahead, dumbfounded. After regaining his consciousness and finding himself kissing the dirty ground, he realized that all his money was stolen from his backpack. Ethan, out of panic searched frantically for any police department stationed nearby, the shock of what happened left him making irrational choices, sheer panick was what made his decisions and when he found a cop on his break he almost kneeled infront of him, erratically explaining that someone stole from him. Now here he was, sitting infront of the police desk and being asked to provide basic information about himself, something that he would've easily told them if not for the fact that he remembered he's an illegal immigrant and his name on police files could mean more trouble.
Ethan cleared his throat and gave the deputy an awkward laugh as he absentmindedly checked his watch, the new one he just bought, which was apparently cracked and he just took noticed now. "Oh I didn't realize it was already this late. I am so sorry for bothering you officer" The officer raised a brow at Ethan's sudden change in behavior. "The police is open twenty-four hours sir, you are not bothering anyone. Now your name–"
"Haha! Right the police is open twenty-four seven. But you see, I really have to go" Ethan interrupted, getting up from his seat and ready to bolt out of there when the deputy held his hand.
"Sir is everything alright?" The deputy pressed him and Ethan looked at him, then onto the door before aggressively pulling his hand away from the deputy's grasp and running straight to the exit. He heared the way the cop called him back inside followed by multiple footsteps running after him. Ethan didn't look back and kept running, he wasn't sure where exactly was he going but the streets were full of cramped alleys and at this time of the night it was easy to hide himself with the help of darkness. As he kept running, he heard the noise of a distant police car siren and realized he had really fucked up big time.
"What were you thinking? Can't you make a decent decision for once in your life?!" Ethan exclaimed exasperatedly. He took a sharp turn towards a dark narrow alley, it was a dead end. With some awful precision, he climbed the chain-linked fence and landed on his back with a loud grunt. Ethan clutched his back in pain but trouble hasn't stopped yet. He heard a vicious growl not too far from where he was and found a dog with a loosely tied leash, Ethan had entered a private property.
"That's a good doggy.." Ethan nervously chuckled, putting his hand up infront of him and the dog as if it was gonna ease the pissed off canine. It let out a low howl before barking aggressively and pulling at it's leash trying to pounce on the intruder it found. Ethan scattered away in terror, slipping a couple times as he tried to navigate his way in that dark narrow path. The walls felt wet and smelled rusty, he tried his best to avoid sticking against it. Somehow, to his luck he had completely lost the police from his tail. Perhaps they stopped chasing and thought of him as some random man who played a sick prank on them, hopefully that's what they actually thought.
Ethan tried to catch his breath as he leaned against a tall lamppost. Since day one trouble have been bearing down on his back, adding more and more weight to the problems he already carried. Everywhere he escape to, wherever he land himself, trouble finds a way to fuck him over. Perhaps the fates find his life entertaining, or perhaps it really is just his bad decision making, either way it sucked. To live a life in a constant fight or flight, only having small breaks from time to time, his sources of fun being his nonstop luck in winning gamblings he was already familiar with but even that didn't end well, he had no money in hand right now and if he could remember he wasn't able to have dinner. Ethan wasn't wrong about that when he felt his stomach grumble in complaints of being empty. Frustrated, Ethan threw a punch on the lamppost, only resulting in an unpleasant pain exploding in his knuckles.
"Oh for Christ's sake!" He barked a lengthy amount of curses as he tried to shake the pain off of his hand. Ethan finally settled down and sighed, there was no use trying to take his anger out on a lamppost, for now he should figure a way out to get his money back even when it felt like it's gonna be a futile attempt. Ethan left his spot and began roaming around, he was careful that there wasn't any cops nearby that may recognize him, he also tried to avoid drunken men that roamed the streets aimlessly, the last thing he wants is a fist fight. He was made to seat in a table with chips infront of him and cards in his hand, not face anyone in a hand-to-hand combat. The thought made Ethan chuckle. All this years of running away and trying to survive after he was kicked out of the place he considered home, you would've think he learned how to fend for himself. What a pathetic mess he was. Though he was good at hiding, so he considered himself useful enough.
As Ethan was roaming without really a destination he spotted an interesting building. It seemed to be a nightclub of some sort basing from the colorful neon signs and loud music that seems to reverberate through the walls of the buildings exterior, oh and the really mean looking bouncer by the door. But that wasn't what caught his interest, it was the crest in the middle of the large double doors, it looked oddly familiar. A skull key with red eyes. Ethan subconsciously reached inside his pocket and there it was, the brooch. Ethan glanced at the entrance and looked at the brooch in his palm.It awoken his curiosity so intensely that he felt like a detective in a movie at that moment, momentarily forgetting his troubles. He didn't exactly have anything else to do as of the moment, perhaps he could order himself a drink, make sure he doesn't actually get wasted and then find his way back to the hotel he was staying at. Ethan decided that's how it was gonna go as he approached the bouncer.
"ID" was the bouncer's short comment as he saw someone approaching. Ethan, feeling a little unsure hummed and proceeded to show the brooch to the bouncer. The beefy guy looked surprised but it was too quick to notice and he then proceed to step aside.
"My apologies, please enjoy your stay at Midnight Fantasia, Beloved Patron"
And just like that, Ethan was actually in. The inside of what seemed to be called 'Midnight Fantasia' was just how Ethan imagined it. Colorful, loud, and bright. The nightclub's interior blends classic elegance with a modern twist, featuring dark purple walls adorned with vintage vinyl records. Sleek LED lights cut through the space, flashing and shifting in sync with energetic rave music that people dance crazily to. Plush velvet seating in rich tones offers a touch of luxury amidst the dynamic lighting. And on the far corner was a bar, stocked with top-shelf spirits, complimenting the vibrant atmosphere. The mix of classic décor with contemporary beats and lighting creates a unique, high-energy environment. Ethan felt as if it's a fever dream being inside that place, but alas he wasn't there to party and dance the night away.
He slowly made his way towards the bar, the bartender flashed him a charming smile as he wiped the glasses clean and neat. The bartender looked to be just slightly older than Ethan, he wore a formal white button down shirt with the sleeves tucked at elbow length, a crimson red vest and black pants. Ethan returned the smile but he wasted no time and placed the brooch on the long island counter.
"I found this and I'm sure it belongs here" Ethan began, watching the smile drop from the bartender, who's name seemed to be Samuel from his name tag. Samuel looked at the brooch in the counter and then at Ethan's face, he had worked there since time immemorial and knows every single patrons they have, specially ones who were bestowed this 'special' brooches. Ethan cleared his throat when Samuel didn't utter a word but to his surprise, Samuel laughed.
"How lucky of you sir. This here is a membership brooch, you know instead of a card our boss prefers it with more style thus he created this brooch for our long term patrons" Samuel explained casually, that businesslike smile back on his face. Ethan frowned, he wasn't sure if he would buy it but it seemed true, to an extent, I mean what does he know.
"Is that so..." Ethan muttered, unsure. Samuel nodded and began mixing a drink. Ethan watched him curiously and when the drink was given to him he raised his hand up in the air, earning a raised brow from Samuel.
"Are you a minor?" Samuel asked, making Ethan choke.
"What? No! No not at all....do I look young?" Ethan replied, Samuel laughed and pushed the drink infront of Ethan again.
"Yes sir, you look quite young. That's a compliment now please take this, it's on the house. Think of it as repayment for being kind enough to return this brooch, it's quite expensive you know" Samuel explained, pressing something under the counter that Ethan missed to spot. As Ethan took the glass of what seemed to only be a shot of bourbon, he shrugged and took it in one go, savoring the burn as it went down smoothly on his throat.
"Oh wow that's good. I haven't drinked in a...." Ethan cleared his throat as his head became foggy.
"I haven't drank in a while. Damn I didn't know I was a lightweight" Ethan couldn't finish his sentence as he stumbled and fell from his seat, clutching tightly at the sides of the island as he tried his best to maintain his consciousness, it was the second time today that he was gonna pass out. Ethan wanted to ask what did Samuel put in his drink, but he couldn't, his tongue felt numb. How could he have been so trusting, he really was stupid. As Ethan was about to lose the battle of staying conscious he didn't miss spotting a blurry silhouette walking towards him and standing infront of where he was, it stared into him, expression unreadable with how blurry his sight has become but he caught sight of something unique and quite familiar, a pair of mismatched eyes.