***
People rarely get the unfortunate opportunity to understand what it truly means to be cold.
No one can explain how the chill creeps through your body stealing your warmth.
They can't explain to you how cold invades your mind, as the wind and the rain replaces any memory of warmth left inside with the freezing knowledge that death creeps with the chill .
No one will care for the ones outside with no shelter struggling to fight.
If they are lucky tonight, everyone will be in their homes, warm through the night as they listen to the roaring rain.
No one will peer down the alley between two stores.
As the heavenly power within the clouds deafens them with its thundering blast arches illuminating the night.
Families will huddle by the fire and lovers shall share the bed
no one will see huddling in the trash, a shivering form grasping at its shoulders.
Children will be told stories of love and of triumph as their light drives back the dark.
No one will care if it dies tonight.
***
Issac sat on the ground not caring for the trash around him or the ice cold daggers of the rain hammering down on him. Not caring that his hoodie did nothing to keep him warm or that his shoes were drenched from the rain, water seeping down and soaking his socks.
Something inside of him told him that if he didn't find some place warm he would die alone in the trash but he just couldn't bring himself to care. Issac had already cycled through anger, fear, and depression before the rain had even begun.
And now there was nothing left inside of him that could make him feel anything, he was just an empty husk.
‘What happened today, why did everything go to shit, what did I do?’ Issac went back through everything that had happened today, going back over every instance, trying to find something that would have explained to him how he ended up alone.
People always say that nothing in life is ever perfect, but Issac had always felt that no matter how bad it had gotten nothing would have ever led to this. Locked out of his own home and sitting in the rain away from the only family that he had ever known.
Throughout his entire life Issac had been the square peg in the round hole. No matter where he went he always felt like an outsider, always looking from the outside as people lived their lives apart from him.
It was never any one fault, Issac could have tried more, he could have made friends, he could have placed himself more into people’s lives, he could have been a better son or brother to his family. But to Issac it had felt like compared to him everyone was on a different wavelength.
To Issac his life had not even started yet, everyday he woke up waiting for that moment, that one moment that would make him feel alive. And everyday it never happened, to Issac everyday was the same, Everyone going through the motions no one once actually living.
And the things with his eyes didn't help either. Just because they couldn't see the things that he could that suddenly gives them the right to call him a liar. To say that his pain and problems don't exist. That he was too young to understand that the things that he said wasn't normal
Maybe that was why he acted out, he caused problems just for the sake of making problems. To get some kind of reaction from the people around him,to feel as if everything was real, to feel as if he was a part of something.
Anyone else would have apologized, they would have banged on the door asking to be let in. But Issac had his pride if nothing else he would not stay where he wasn't wanted, so he left. He couldn't even get any of his warmer clothes or what little bit of money that he did have. All he had was the clothes off of his back and the things in his pocket.
Stuck in his own thoughts Issac didn't even notice the rain subsiding nor did he notice that the freezing wind on his skin had finally peeled off leaving Issac slowly regaining his body heat second by second.
Knowing that in the morning he would have to create some kind of plan that would get him off the streets, Issac emptied out the thoughts in his head and let sleep take a hold of him.
***
“ Look Leo, there’s a blind little hobo sleeping on our block”
All of a sudden a voice drove through Issac’s ear pulling him out of his dreams and driving Issac back into the world of the living. Right in front of him were two grown men looking down at him, both of them looking to be in their early twenties and seemingly having no intention of leaving a child alone in the dark.
It was just Issacs luck too because from where he sat no one should have been able to see him leaning next to the trash can.
The man who had broken through the silence with his loud voice looked as if he had spent the entire night before drinking, he was even still holding a half filled beer bottle, most of it spilling out as he dropped into a squat to get a better looked at the child on the floor, splashing his arm, the floor, and Issac in what smelled like cheap beer.
The second guy just seemed to awkwardly stand off to the side not even daring to look as his friend accosted what seemed to be a homeless child. He seemed to be okay with just watching out for cops, never making a move to help what should have been the most heart wrenching sight in front of him.
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While most six year olds would be afraid over suddenly finding themself alone with two grown Issac only felt anticipation.
His whole life Issa had waited for this moment, like a shaken soda bottle building pressure, just waiting for the cap to come off.
Through his every waking day the only thing that Issac was ever able to think about was getting into a fight. He just couldn't stop imagining what it would feel like to smash a person's face in, to break their bones and to watch their blood fly.
But he didn't just imagine himself hurting random people, no he wasn't a sociopath, he also imagined those same random people doing the same to him.
What would it feel like to have your head cracked to the side, to have blood pumping through your mind and flowing down your face. To feel with every punch and kick your bones cracking and splintering. These thoughts just always seemed to bring a smile to Issacs face.
And while Issac dived into his imagination again he had accidently forgotten about the people that he was imagining about. Because he had spent too long to say anything, the Beer guy in front had seemed to get impatient..
“ Hey you listening to me, I'm talking to you.”
He just couldn't help himself.
“ I thought you were talking to Leo.”
~SLAP~
Due to the force of the slap Issac’s head snapped to the side, the slap echoing through the alley. And even though he could feel his cheek begin to swell as blood leaked out his mouth he couldn’t help himself as a smile began to split his face in half.
For a second he didn’t understand what was happening to him, he could feel his blood pumping faster in his heart, warming him up but at the same time filling his body with a coldness that was unlike anything he had felt before.
The world around him slowed to a snail's pace, inching along, letting Issac feel every detail around him.
“Well ain't’ you a smart mouth midget, you know kids like you are the first one to die on the street” Beer man continued talking, again breaking Issac out of his thoughts. “ What are you doing over here chico don't you know this side of the track is all owned bey El Lobos”
“ hahaha Is that what the wolves on your ring are supposed to be?.....haaaaahhh. I have always wondered what it is that makes people think that they have the authority to claim a piece of land and think that they have sway over the people that live there.”
Even as he said this though Issac was studying the two Lobos with his ‘eyes’. Looking to see how they moved, pushing himself to hear as their hearts quickened.
“ You want to know how we can do that, it's with this chico.” Shifting his coat, Beer Man continued saying “ With this I have all the authority I need to make little shits like you do whatever I want HAHAHAHAHA.”
Taking out his gun from his pants the Beer man started waving it in front of Issac’s face as if trying to make him take a better look. Issac just thought that he looked hilarious, to him it looked as if a pigeon was strutting along in front of him trying to show off its shiny feathers.
To Issac the gun didn't make any difference in their situation, gun or no gun Beer man just didn't seem threatening at all. Seeing this Issac could feel his adrenaline start to calm down, he just couldn't get in the mood any more to care about these two.
He couldn’t take it anymore, the thought that the fight that he was waiting for so long was turning out to be so disappointing turned his glee into anger, reaching into the pocket inside his hoodie Issac said.
“ How pathetic, a weapon is not for showing, it’s for killing, like this.”
“AAAAHHHHH”
~Bang~
A deafening sound rang out into the small alley and through the night.
Moving too fast for the two men to react, Issac pulled out a foot-long screw used for heavy construction and stabbed into the wrist of the Beer man at the same time making sure to take the gun out of his hands.
Then with no hesitation Issac turned the gun around, pushing the barrel into the man’s chin before pulling the trigger spaying everything behind him in a shower of blood.
“ People are quick to think that with a gun they are now God. That just because some idiot has a gun that he’s the greatest threat to their lives.” As he talked he began to get up from the wall and started to walk towards the only remaining living thing in the alley.
Stepping over the body he continued to seemingly talk out loud to himself. “People have forgotten that these guns really don’t mean much in the hands of losers like the two of you.”
By the time Issac finished talking he was already standing right in front of the quivering wreck of a man. Reaching out he took the gun out of his trembling hands and after uncocking it and putting it in the one of his jacket pockets.
“ Seeing men like you two who can't even seem to leave people alone really pisses me off. Men like you who think that the difference between you and some random person on the street is how much you could hurt that person.”
Walking around Issac kicked Leo’s legs forcing him to his knees. Pressing the gun against the back of his head he continued. “ People like you who walk around with your head up high thinking that everyone else can touch you sickens me to my core.”
“Plea-” the gun pressed harder into his skull, cutting him off.
“ Shut up, whatever you have to say I don't want to hear it. People like you who can't even leave a kid alone in the dark don't deserve to have an excuse. People like you should just all disap—”
In that instant an idea popped up in Issac’s head, one that would change his life forever.
“ Listen kid-”
~Wham~
“ I said to shut up.'' After hitting him with the pistol he went back to thinking for a little bit more. Issac said “ Maybe this is a sign, it could be fun and it's a great way to get some money” walking forward he dug through the dead man's pockets and pulled out his wallet.
After talking out the few bills left he continues. “ Yeah this could work. Hey first your gonna take me to get some food then your gonna take me to wherever your gang is”
“Wh-” ~Wham~
“ Shut up, take me to go get some food then we are gonna take a little stroll down whatever little hole you little pups decided to call home.”
“ Okay, okay, my truck is just around the corner”
“ Let's go, I feel like having pizza right now, but first there is something that I have to do.” Reaching down Issac pulled out a handful of weeds from out of the asphalt and started walking back towards the Beer man.
“Hey, by the way what was his name ?”
“His name was Mike, I didn’t know his last name.”
Thinking it over, Issac said “ that's fine, the name is merely a courtesy anyway.” Dipping the weeds into a puddle of water Issac stood over Mike’s body and said “ Goodbye Mike.”
Waving the weeds, Issac splashed droplets of water down onto the body. After shaking out the last of the water Issac dropped the weeds down onto the body and told Leo “ lets go.”
***
The Lobos gang was really a small-time gang, they hadn't been around for more than five years and hadn’t even dipped too far into the drug trade. Only really selling leftovers of their own score and some homegrown weed. Any weapons that they did have they had to steal from small stores and homes.
The only reason that they could lay claim to their own ‘land’ was that they had found themselves with the leftovers of a small area of the city that no one seemed to care about.
Still with the money that they had they were able to gain control over a whole apartment complex. The complex consisted of two, two story buildings facing each other with a small courtyard separating the two.
In a parking lot facing the apartments Issac sat on the hood of an old beaten truck munching on a slice of pizza. “ So this is the place ?” he asked in between bites.
“Yes, all these apartments are owned by the gang, it's where almost everyone stays and we even grow our own product here as well.” Looking over, Issac saw that the man could barely keep himself from trying to run away into the night.
It made Issac laugh, to think not even a big bad gang member could stand up to a little child. “ I just have a few questions for you, how many people usually stay here, how many are armed and with what, and finally where can I find the boss.”
“The boss generally stays at the bar on the first floor watching the games, '' Leo began. “ I don't know the exact number but there should be about fifty people who stay here, and they are mostly armed with pistol and rifles.''
“ Huh, is that so, well that's all I need, you're free to go.” Continuing to eat Issac could feel Leo start to tense waiting for an attack then become confused after hearing the full sentence.
“What, yo-you-your letting me go” he asked.
“ Yeah I’m in a pretty good mood and really, hurting you doesn’t really do anything for me so you can go.” Not even looking at Leo Issac finished his slice and hopped off the truck.
Tucking his hands into his pockets he started to walk towards the buildings not even turning around as he heard the sound of running fading in the distance.
“Hey what do you think your doing here kid don’t you know this is-”
~Bang~
~Thud~
“ Well here’s to hoping that this will be more fun than whatever his name was”
“ What was that ?”
“Kill him.”
~Bang~
~Bang~
~Bang~
~Bang~