Prologue

The street was dark at night due to poor illumination in this part of New York and the thin rain didn’t help with the visibility when Kyle made his way back home from his night classes.

Having to work all day at the local library to make a living since becoming emancipated at the age of 16 made studying at night particularly difficult.

"At least tomorrow is Saturday and I can take a break. Although it has been a tough year it was still better than living at the crap foster houses with drunkards."

While strolling on the sidewalks he noticed the sound of a commotion behind him. Turning around two people were coming in his direction. One guy in a black hood carrying a woman's bag was being pursued by a fat middle-aged lady in panic.

"Stop him! Thief!"

He was not surprised at this. It was a bad neighborhood after all. It's part of the reason he could afford to share rent with a couple of friends a few blocks down the road.

"I really should step aside. Is none of my business but...”

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Having lost his parents to gun violence at 5 years old he truly hated criminals, especially since his parent’s murders were never caught.

"Haaa screw it!" Kyle dropped his backpack and tackled the man down to the ground. The impact throwing the bag stolen far in the street.

The thief panicked and tried to throw him off, but a life in the orphanage taught him how to fight or at least how to play dirty.

Kyle lifted himself up just enough to throw a punch at the guy cracking his nose with a disgusting sound before trying to keep his position above and immobilizing the guy.

Unfortunately, he did not have time. A banging sound echoed in the night and Kyle felt the impact at his lower chest.

"Damn it! Of course, he had a gun!" The pain paralyzed him for just a second but it was enough for the man to throw him off and run without looking back.

"I am bleeding a lot. God." Kyle start to become dizzy and with effort, he looked around for the lady who was chasing the tief, but she was not around. Neither was the bag stolen, he noticed.

"Help! Help! Somebody call an ambulance!" He screamed and noticed a few lights turning on at close by apartments, but he was getting weaker and soon started losing consciousness.

Laying down in a pool of water and blood while holding his chest Kyle couldn't do much more but look at the raining sky. "I hope there is an afterlife, it would be nice seeing my parents again".

With this final thought, the world was illuminated by lighting so close that Kyle could swear it had hit him before everything turned dark at last.