Young Writers Society

The man in the casket looked very familiar. Like a brother. Yeah, a brother. My mother wept. I tried to comfort her, but she brushed me off; like I didn’t exist. Whatever. I looked to my left and saw my aunt Gertrude crying as well. I remember the times we had together when I was young. She couldn’t have children, so I was her replacement. She would take me down to the lake behind her and uncle’s house and go fishing or swimming. Those were good times, but when I turned nine, I stopped going. I never saw her again, until today. My mother never told me why. We moved to a foreign country, far from the familiarity I knew.

One year after we moved away from my place of memories, I joined a gang. They were my new family. My mother didn’t care for me anymore, not after father died. I remember staying with the gang head. Dominic was his name, but everyone called him Dom. The gang would meet on a street corner near the docks at dusk, as the dark slowly grew around us. Pedro would always bring the best drinks. Beer or vodka was passed around. We would laugh, fight, drink, repeat. Those days were filled with happy memories. Sometimes we would go out after that and cause trouble. Break windows, set things on fire, rob the late night worker. Everything was good, until Dom was found by the factions.

Dom and I were heading back from another night of fun and drinking, when we were surrounded by several, menacing men. I immediately took a fighting stance, waiting to defend Dom and myself, but he just stood there. A man stepped out from the wall of men and approached us. He seemed to have an agenda. He said his name was Christopher.

“What the hell are you doing here!?” Dom seemed on edge. Something was seriously wrong.

“I gave you your freedom for ten years. And I found you before then. You have to come back with me. You agreed with Milady.” Christopher had an aura of a regal man. Well educated, polite manner. But the look in his eyes told a different, darker story of him.

“That wasn’t what I agreed to! She was supposed to find me; not you, you sick bastard!” Dom spit the words out like a bitter taste in his mouth.

“She did,” Christopher was calm, “I’m just here to bring you back. Now, please come with me. I don’t have time to deal with a stubborn child like you.”

“I’ll never go with you! I’d rather die than leave here and marrying that witch!” His hand was in a fist, muscle tense, ready to punch Christopher.

“Say what you want, but this marriage is one your father wanted and Milady’s father wanted.”

“It’s a loveless political marriage! One sided love will only hurt both sides.”

“Even it’s for political reasons, if this marriage doesn’t go through, the entire world will go into turmoil. Your father and Milady’s father both a very powerful underworld bosses. It would be a disaster to the world’s economy. Stop acting like a child and come back.”

“Never. That man isn’t my father. No father would do this kind of thing.”

Christopher sighed, “The lords knew this would happen. So I was told to give you another option.”

“And what would that be?” I looked Christopher in the eyes. Both Dom and I knew it would be bad.

“If you can find someone we have been looking for, your father and Milady’s father will let you be free.”

“Who is this person?” Dom was cautious. He knew anyone the faction hunted down wasn’t just any person.

“His name is Dante. He was a top spy for your father. Unfortunately he left the faction.”

“What’s so bad about that?” I spoke out of curiosity.

“He took very secret information with him. Information that could dramatically change the political balance the world leaders have painstakingly created.” Christopher looked at me with cold eyes.

“I accept.”

I turned to Dom, shocked.

“What?! Dom, why?”

“It’s the only way I can stay with the gang, and besides, I really don’t want to marry the bitch.” He smiled at me, but I could see in his eyes the sadness it brought him to hunt down Dante.

I didn’t know it then, but Dom’s promise would have fatal consequences.