bignt

Disclaimer: I do not know Spanish, And I don't live there. My uncle was once there, and he told me vividly just how bad the place is. It also had a Jewish community a long time ago, mostly driven out by black immigrants and Mexican immigrants in turn. And while I can't say I am completely not racist, I can say that I don't speak out of any ill will. Just trying to make it sound as realistic as possible.

12/25/2021 New York City, Bronx area, 14:27:11

A young man with black hair, black eyes, light brown skin, 1.8m high, broad-shouldered, and an athletic build was exiting a bus. He wore a brown leather trenchcoat, blue jeans, a travel hat, worn sport shoes, and black sunglasses. He had a large suitcase with him and a travel bag on his back. He was Elijah White.

The young man took a long sniff in the air, taking it in. It was filled with the smell of toxic fumes and shit, fresh from an open sewer. Hispanic immigrants all around, a drug dealer nearby, avoiding the cops. Some emaciated or fat prostitutes, with the rare normal-looking ones standing on the corner, soliciting clients to their STD-ridden bodies. A pregnant lady holding a baby with 2 kids near her was screaming at her drunkard husband to get a job. Many buildings looked worn and dilapidated, while some were newly built. Rats bigger than cats eating from a nearby trash dumpster. "Nothing like home." The young man said to himself, sarcastically.

He started walking towards an old building. After he reached it, he went up the stair, took a pair of worn keys, and entered the 2.5 room apartment. Surprisingly, nobody broke in while he was gone. Probably they were too scared to mess with him after he broke some of their legs. He turned the electricity back on in the house from the power grid. Then he opened the window veil to get some light in. The apartment was illuminated with the noon light. The apartment was just as he remembered it from 6 years ago. The living room had an old leather couch, an old wooden house clock, an old tv from the year 2000, a small sofa for guests, and a worn wooden table. Everything was covered with a fine layer of dust, and what he suspected, as rat shit. The house belonged to his parents before they died.

He then went to the master bedroom and put down the bags. Going to the bedside, he picked a dust-covered picture frame. Rubbing it a bit with his thumb, it revealed a couple. The man had brown skin, black hair, black eyes, and was chubby with broad shoulders. Overall he looked good and likable. The woman was white, had blonde hair, blue eyes, a slim figure was a head shorter than the man. She looked pretty and friendly. In their arms, they held a baby and were smiling. A tear fell onto the glass picture frame, carrying with it some dust. They were his now-dead parents.

Sighing, he put the picture back in place. He now had some cleaning to do. He exited his house and went to one of the neighbors that he can actually trust enough, to not steal his shit, Pablo.

Knocking on the door, he heard the crying noises of a baby. Opening the door, he saw an eighteen-year-old girl holding a baby. She can be considered as pretty, except she had a black eye and an open lip. An underage mother, He reckoned. And judging from the violent voice of cursing inside, an abusive husband or father. Anyway, He did not know the girl. He asked in Spanish, "Where is Pablo?"

"He moved out a month ago." And then she added, "I heard he ran away from the purple skull gang."

A gang he did not hear about, how perfect. He asked, out of courtesy mostly for his new neighbor, "Need me to sort him out?" As he gestured with his chin behind her. After an internal struggle, she responded, with a defeated sigh, "No... I will manage... Somehow."

"I see... Do you know anyone who can help clean a house? And not steal anything?"

"Normally I would be glad for a job but..." She looked at the baby in her arms, " I can't trust him with that man."

She hesitated for a moment before adding, "I heard about you. You're a strong man, commanding respect around here." She added, "If you are not afraid of the purple skull gang, I can recommend my friend to you."

"As long as they don't steal my shit and can still clean, I'm fine with anybody." He has 3 months to live and was an ex black ops operative. Why should he be afraid of some rookie gang?

Suddenly, footsteps sounded from inside the apartment. A 1.9m tall muscled tattooed man came out, holding a beer can and obviously drunk, "Who defuck are you, you hittin' on ma wife?!"

"Was asking about Pablo. I got my answer and will now leave." Eli did not want to start a pointless fight with a drunk. He turned back to leave.

The drunk man said with drunk anger, "Now hold it right there!" As he reached his hand to grab the young man's shoulder, suddenly, the world went upside down. He felt excruciating pain on his back as he screamed at the top of his lungs, "AHHHHHHHH, MY BACKKKK!!!!"

Eli scuffed as he remarked, "Drink in modesty. You'll live longer." He said with self-derision. He then turned to look at the now frightened girl at the door. The baby started crying again.

"Well, can you call her?"

"Y-Yes, sir. I will call her right away!" She then stared at her husband on the floor. She whispered, "And thank you."

"As I said. Just tell me if you need me to sort him out. Tell her to come to my apartment tomorrow at 8 o'clock. Tell her I'm paying 300$ for the entire day. I live on the fifth floor, room 9. Just a reminder." To which she now nodded.

Eli returned to his apartment and opened his travel bag. He took out his shortened AR-15 rifle and some mag, along with a Barreta m9. He buried them below 2 loose tiles on the floor. No way he is leaving the house with a gun on display like that. The rest of his stuff is just clothes, so he was not too worried.

He had a gun belt on his waist like a normal American citizen, unloaded of course. The gun was a 50 cal Desert Eagle, a real classic beauty. Can punch a hole through a lighter vest easy. Saved him 3 times. A real lucky charm.

Once done, he looked at the surroundings and started cleaning the bedroom a bit, at least so he can have a clean bed before sleep. He started cleaning the room, not forgetting to open the windows to let the dust out. It took him about 2 hours, 5 disposable cleaning cloths, and 3 buckets of water, to get the place bedroom look sleepable. Once done, he felt a little hungry, so he went to the fridge in the kitchen to get something. When he opened the fridge, the only thing that greeted him was a bottle of rotten mayo. He then remembered that he did not get groceries...

Disgruntled, he went outside and locked the door, and went downstairs. On the way down, a now sober husband stared at him in fear. He heard what his wife said. He messed with a real boogeyman. Not daring to even mess with him, he went inside and shut the door.

Walking out of the old building, he went to a nearby convenience store half a block away and bought some water, meat, vegetables, bread, soy milk, toiletry, cleaning detergents, and some condoms. He was planning on at least having some sex before dying at least.

He paid the shopkeeper and took a shopping cart with him. The old Afro-American shopkeeper knew him and his parents and trusted him enough after he saved his ass from a previous gang. He even offered a discount, but Eli paid in full. No need to save on cash now.

Going back to the apartment, he put everything inside the fridge after 2 trips up and down, and then returned the cart to the convenience store. Once done, he checked if he still had cooking gas, and luckily he had it. Now set for the week, he ordered some pizza. He was hungry now.

After an hour later and one whole pizza down, He continued sorting the living room a bit.

As he was cleaning, he saw a broken hourglass. The hourglass was colored black, with slight gold showing. It was the size of a palm, and the glass inside it was broken. It used to hold red sand, until the day his parents died. When he got the news, he accidentally dropped it, breaking the glass inside.

It was one of his father's favorites. Picked it up Indians, he said. He said that it had quite the history to it. It was originally made from some Aztec artifact, smelted into an hourglass in the 17th century. The glass inside was replaced multiple times, but the gold remained. He bought it for 200$. Not the greatest find, but meh, as long as he was happy with it.

As he was cleaning it, he suddenly had a coughing fit and covered his mouth, blood spilling from the gaps. Some blood spilled on the ground and hourglass. The hourglass seemed to absorb it, shone with light, and vanished suddenly. Eli was too busy coughing to notice it.

When he calmed down, Eli stared with incredulity in his eyes at the now empty hand. Where is the hourglass?

While he was looking around, he suddenly had a feeling that something extra was in his head, and he said instinctively, "Menu".

bignt

And here is the first chapter of my pet project. Enjoy.