There was once a great crisis in the city of Warne 15 years ago which devastated properties, Homes, and lives itself. It was known as the Hurricane Fritz. With its wind exceeding the speed of 300 kmph, It was one of the strongest hurricanes up to date.
With most of its stronger buildings destroyed, The People of Warne City lost all hope... Until a miracle happened.
A river that wasn't really noticed since its in the edge of the city in the past was discovered to actually have some fast and easy way to the ocean. With tho Info in mind, the military, government, and the volunteers have decided to evacuate the people to the other cities and while at the same time, used the debris around them as pathways for the flood to that exact river in order not to create a more devastating destruction in the city.
The city lost a lot that time yet they succeeded in making the losses a lot more less than it should be.
The flood was cleared up in just a day thanks to the sloping direction of the river and the reconstruction of the entire took at least 10 years to be completed.
But since a lot of time has already passed by, they decided to expand the city until the river was a part of the city. They then used the river as a part of their personal attractions.
Thus, the City became more booming with economy and the river was known as the Warne River.
Yes, I know it's not the best name they have given but the city is in ruins so... Giving it an exaggerated name isn't really an option if everyone is trying to make sure that they can survive the next year without much sources to live off by in the first place. At least they recognized it before another town or something could have taken it.
Anyway, currently below of one of the bridges of that exact River, A boy is currently kneeling on the rocky ground. Exactly 6 people are surrounding him while snickering and exhaling big puffs of smokes from their mouth.
Yes, the boy that is kneeling is me. The people around me are a part of a famous gang in Warne City named the WHAF. They said that it stands for "Warriors and Heroes Associated Federation" but we normal people just think that it actually means "We High As F" but who knows what it actually means?
An athletic looking red haired-man punches me in the chest. I fall to the ground and gasp for breath. He follows up by kicking my waist, which makes my entire body to fall and lie to the Rocky ground.
The red haired man's nickname is Gian. He is known as one of the three leaders of WHAF in town, and also the one that controls the Funding for the group. By funding, I meant the thievery of money from the students.
Why do I know this? Because I am already a plaything by them for about 3 years now. How time flies...
"Oh~? It feels like yer thinkin' of somethin' funny eh? Mind telling us about it?" He asks while smirking. The other delinquents laughs at my misery. I try to move away but was stopped by his foot as it stomps on my chest, The impact hurting my lungs and interrupting my breathing.
"S-sorry.. I-I won't d-do it again!" I struggled to whimper. Him pressing his foot to my chest not helping as it makes it worse to breathe. Both my hands tries to push away his right foot yet all of my efforts were deemed futile as I fail to even move it. My action was noticed and thus made him just chuckle and press his foot more, making the situation worse.
"Oh~? I can't hear you~?" He asks with sarcasm. He gestures his left hand to his ear, indicating the sign not being able to hear what I said.
"I-I'm sorry!! I-I won't do it again! I won't leave and not pay ever a-again! S-so please stop pressing your foot, I-I can't breathe!" I shout with all the air I can release. They all laugh at my pitiful self. Gian indeed stops pressing my Chest, but he kicks me away from him. I tumble away just like a soccer ball thanks to it.
You all may have now noticed that I am not really resisting and that's... Because of a pretty obvious reason. It's because of the fact that I am what you all may call as a wimp, or a weakling, or any other definition of that a person that is weak in not just in physical body but in the entire physical composition. That includes my base strength and health. So knowing that these can actually kill me with just some punches is more than enough to tell me that I shouldn't try to even raise my brows with them.
"So, You know what we want right?" He asks. His right hand opening into a palm, signaling the sign for "wanting to take something."
I silently take out a paper bill of a hundred Connas with my shaking hand and hand it to his palm. He looks dumbfounded and looks pissed off after seeing my payment. I back away, confused to why he would be mad. The other people notice the same thing that Gian noticed too, and thus became mad as well. A punch was thrown at my face and a knee was immediately followed up afterwards.
My face was filled with confusion and pain. I gasp for breath first before I speak out.
"W-why? I already gave t-the money s-so w-why?" I cough immediately afterwards. The words which I tried to say as loud as I can came out like a whisper thanks to my weakening body that can barely have the strength to even speak.
Apparently however, I didn't really needed to repeat my earlier message properly this time since they already know what I already was about to say.
Gian closes his eyes, looking like he is thinking about something. He silently walks towards me and crouched right in front of me. He places his left hand below my chin, then raised it to level to his pissed face. Fear spread across my spine. I prepare myself for anything. A kick, a punch, a slap, or even a throw. I even expected my death at this point, but surprisingly, he does something else.
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"double."
Was all he muttered. I became confused. What does he meant by double? Seeing his look, he most likely noticed my confusion. He lets go of my head and stands up.
"Give me double the money. You were 'absent' yesterday, right? So give me double the usual money, so that you won't have any trouble anymore." He said while smiling a normal smile. A deceiving one if you don't know them but I actually felt chills instead with that smile.
Yet thinking about it, I hesitate. My money isn't enough right now, especially since my sister isn't really having much income with his cafe these days. If I give my money to them, I might burden my sister. Knowing this, I answer.
"S-sorry... I can't... I don't have enough money these days and I don't want to bother my sister... S-sorry..." I reply with a hoarse voice. Once again however, I am surprised by him instead laughing and shouting a sentence to his friends that make me panic. That sentence is...
"Hey guys! Since this little punk cares about his sister that much, let's go and have fun with his sister! Who agrees with me eh?"
I panic. My heart throbs the fastest it most probably has ever have. They starts to walk away from me, laughing while discussing about their plans. I raise my voice to call them back.
"W-wait! I'm gonna give you m-more! S-so please, don't involve my s-sister!" I shout as much as I can. My body now kneeling to the ground, A sign of me begging. Begging for them not to go for my sister. They return and laugh once again like crazy.
"So, that's what will take you to give up eh? Alright, give me your wallet," Gian asks once again, his palm open and his face smirking.
"E-eh? M-my entire wallet? B-but..." He sees my hesitation and pulls my hair up. Pain spread across my head, and I began sweating after seeing his pissed eyes.
"Any problem?" He asks. Those two words are more than enough to stop me from hesitating.
"N-nothing! G-give me a second..." I take out my wallet from my back pocket then gave it to him. He lets go of me and throws items from within that doesn't have a value of money to the ground. Items like my ID and whatnot.
Afterwards, he finishes and gives me a pat on my back like we are the best of friends.
"Ye really are the best Kyle. Next time alright?" He says in a kind yet terrifying voice. I silently nod.
They laugh and discuss this time for where to waste the money on. Drinks and stuff like that. Meanwhile, I stay in place. I walk towards the side of the bridge and lay my back to the back of the bridge and just silently sit there for awhile.
I look at the flow of the river from the shores and just smile at how clean and beautiful the water is despite for just being a river. I guess being a miracle of a river means having cleaners always around for it.
Wow... The rivers have caretakers and people respecting it yet here I am... Having much more lower dignity than a river.
With that in my mind, I stare into the space for an hour, fixing my thoughts and sanity to the way it is again. After awhile, I take my personal belongings on the ground then walk home silently, cursing my luck as usual.
People doing some things on the side of the street looked at me with surprise. I mean, seeing a kid being beat up and full of dirt is surprising. But after seeing my face, they continued with their daily lives. They may not know my name but living here for already made my face famous as the most unlucky boy of Warne City. Or at least that's what the rumor at school says.
I took no notice of them and continued walking, my brain too stressed to even think of other people's views of me at this point.
Without me noticing it, I am already in front of the door of our house. I fix my state of mind then knocked thrice. The door slightly opens and reveals a black haired woman in her mid 20's wearing apron covering a White t shirt and grey shorts. Her face becomes shocked and immediately opens the door completely.
"Kyle! Come in here, quick! Let me treat those wounds!" She exclaims, taking out a first aid kit from behind the door.
I go inside the small, and simple house and take a seat on the couch in the living room. She returns with a piece of ice and some bandages ready.
Silently, she wraps my wounds and hands the piece of ice to me. She then told me to place It on the lumps on my forehead, which I did.
"So, what is it this time Kyle? A truck? A nearby new Construction site? Or... Is it a sudden land slide?" She asks me. Her hands wrapped the bandages on my body skillfully without any problem.
"I slipped and fell from the top of the riverbank this time sis. Luckily, my head wasn't really hurt this time around. So you don't have to worry to going to the hospital." I reply, my right hand holding the ice against the lump on the right temple of my head.
"I see... But you have some bandages around your head though? What happened then?" She asks curiously while pointing at my forehead and tapping on it. A slight pain twitched on my head thanks to it which made me exclaim a bit.
"O-owww... That's a wound from a baseball from the people practicing it below while we are having class. D-Don't worry about it sis... Though please stop tapping it, it hurts a bit..." I request to her, my left eye twitching and closed thanks to the bit of pain. Thankfully, she does stop and take some time instead to finish her work on me.
It may seems like it feels like we are way too used to this... And you're right. It's already a normal occurrence in this household at least. One reason why that I can take a part time job but I didn't do so is that I may even have to pay for the property damage.
I am cursed with my luck after all.
And I don't want to bother my Big sister, Alice Aryans. She is my only close family left, after our grandma died. Our parents died when we were young so it was just grandma that taught us how to live. Fortunately, Sis is able to use this knowledge and have thus made her dream come true, which is a simple coffee cafe. But exactly is because of that why I don't want to bother my sister. Mostly Perhaps because of the fact that all she does to make a living is tending to her cafe after all. So hospital bills are definitely a no-go.
With that said
"I see... Well, I know life is tough and all with you but please... Take care Kyle. Please?" She asks me, her eyes filled with concern.
"D-don't worry Sis... You'll know immediately if something happens, I promise" I reply while smiling to assure her that I'll stand by my word. She nods and accepts my answer.
Alice goes to the kitchen and takes out ingredients for some food. Apparently we are eating stew for dinner. Sounds great for me.
"Hey Kyle, You should take a bath now don't you think?" She says while cutting some onions on a cutting board. I agree and so I went to my room. I took my towel then just went ahead and to open the faucet for the small bath tub.
I stripped and went inside the tub after it was filled. I take a deep sigh as I remember everything that happened in this day.
This is how I will always live I guess... Always in misfortune and living the luck that's like a boat inside a large storm.
But whatever happens... I have to makes sure that my big sister won't be bothered at least. She has already done a lot for me, having her involved is something I don't want to happen.
Sure I may have took more than the usual amount of pain but at least I was able to stop a situation that could have been worse.
Inside of that bathtub, I look at the ceiling, then sigh once again.
I am seriously unlucky.