Dark clubbing, alcohol, and drugs huh?

Seems like men of his kind are some sort of darker judges than women.

Just last night I decided to go to the countryside and met a dear friend. And visit old fellows.

Also, I needed help with my swords. And maybe I can also lookup for a gun on my liking. Something to keep me safe and at the same time... something to spill blood from the enemy's body.

I felt the harsh sun burning up my skin as I looked around to examine the place. After 7 hours of driving, I have finally reached it again.

Here in front of me is a seemingly abandoned dormitory.

Unused. Paint leaving some parts of the building. No lights to welcome you outside. No patios for visitor friends and visibly an off-the-record establishment with no one to call inside.

You can immediately think that this is a ghost dormitory base on its appearance. Those who are mostly featured in films where ghosts are playing and eering everywhere.

But this is actually full of tenants. And they are all living. Though only those who are aware are the only ones who know they are here.

I inspected the surroundings once more and found something new. I noticed some fields filled with root crops on the side which were not there before. Well, it's been almost a year since I haven't revisited the place, and those people obviously need it for their living.

Living.

Living... seems to be in a different context for those of us left.

Living is already the same meaning as surviving.

I stared at the outside of the dormitory once again when something crossed my mind.

I had to get going. I needed to be at home before midnight.

I parked my motorcycle on the little wooden shed they have here that has a bit elevated floor compared to the placement of the building. The large and unbelievably unrusty gate is still intact and for years it has been my favorite showoff passage.

Yes, climbed. This is an abandoned building. The owner purposely locked the gate since it was not an asset to them anymore, more as a liability they decided to rot in here.

Careful as a cat, I jumped swiftly and quietly to the other side, consistently monitoring any possible danger around. I continued paving its vicinity, eyes narrowing everytime a sound was created.

A green-white butterfly passed in front of me. It was obviously of no threat so I continued.

Just after the gate, you had to walk a few more minutes to reach the main building. Now right before my eyes is a three-storey brick dormitory building, having the dwindling colors of blue and grey. A money put to waste. Its main purpose in futile evanesce.

I reached both of the two physically crooked yet still working knobs with my hands to open the door wide open. The opening created a noise, and immediately  I met sets of heavy, crude and offensive eyes focused on me.

The ground floor is full of heavily guarded men. I was welcomed by defeaning silence and multiple calibrated loaded guns aiming at me.

Yet as soon as they realized who the intruder is, they bowed a little, some nodded, and some smiled with their eyes as an acknowledgment of my presence.

I also bowed a bit to them and they continued doing what they seem to be doing before I entered.

They are still alert. I mean more alert than ever.

In contrast to its outside appearance,  the inside is surrounded by lights,  though still has some dark areas I've remembered before. I noticed half-opened covers in every window and opening. I roamed my eyes around and found out new pieces of equipment and materials inside the place. These things were not here before too...

And these people have been here for so long...

A thought crossed my mind again, looking how different they live their lives today. I couldn't help the guilt creeping on me as I once again explore every mark of the past engraved in their skin.

Here are the people who served my family before and during the tragedy.  Here are the people I grew up meeting, conversing, and socializing with, back when everything is alright. Back when everything seems easy and bright.

My heart is welling up by the joy of feeling the warmth of being together again just like yesterday, but the agony of watching them here together in one place also brings back those memories that taunts me. The reason why no matter how I found their presence comforting, I decided to live alone by myself in the city because they are a part of the memory that keeps reminding me of my what-ifs.

And I do not need those distractions to weaken me from building my avenging self.

I saw Uncle Rick, our gardener, on the second floor, Room 11—whom I used to play with— smiling happily and waving cutely at me from his room. He still welcomes the warmest even with the obvious gaps on his teeth.

But the long scar on his face held my lips together, preventing them from giving a smile.

As I roam my eyes, more scars on hands, back, and any part of the body of anybody strained my eyes.

Aside from me, here are the people whose life was also ruined, and if it is not me, who would stand for them? The Luther Flinn they served seemed to already forgotten them,  letting them root in here.

I was not like my father. I will never forget those who are behind that night.

And those who stand for us no matter how difficult and life-threatening it was.

I need to avenge those who are scarred. And I will risk myself to give them back the life they deserve. No matter the trail I may take.

"Good morning, ma'am! " he welcomingly shouted down from his floor.

I threw him a sharp disappointed scowl which he then braved with the unfaltering shine in his eyes.

"It's Aesha, sir!" I complained, reliving those past years.

Sporting a silly smile, he scratched the back of his semi-bald head before throwing me a more properly constructed welcome greeting.

"Good morning, dear Aesha! Welcome back!"

He syncly raised his two playful brows and smiled merrily... for me... before his cup of coffee took cover of his lips. One familiar move that churned my longing severely.

I then pursed my lips before finally bowing. Something strucking me bitterly.

I let myself stiffle and freeze on position as soon as he took his eyes off me to now communicate with others too, of his age. A cold gush of wind passed my face making my hair sway in a subtle whirl for a moment.

But... Uncle Rick... I am not the same anymore. Will you still be proud of your little doll? I wasn't able to uphold your noble teachings... I am not the person you thought I could be.

Tortured of a sudden negative thought, I immediately turned my back and reached for my phone in my pocket to dial a number. An effective diversion to lull myself.

I busied myself with each ring and gradually it became effective.

First call, he isn't answering.

I raised a brow and walked the way to reach his room.

One more call again and I am near going bersek, but this time he answered. Along with those unholy sounds as his background.

Should I kill him? Break his neck or something?

"I am here." I said disregarding what I think he is doing.

"Shhhh..." I heard him whispher secretively.

I smiled, eyes playful with forbidden delirium.

"Oh, fuck. Shit! It's..." the tension laced on his voice, probably learning who the caller, is dripping acid.

I am very sure I heard a moan turn into a needy complaint. It's near 8:30 in the morning and he is still doing that?

"Can you leave?" his voice turned small, obviously running away from his speaker, but my cellphone allowed me to hear it so... wanting to be known on the line I used my mouth.

"Same old fuckboy are you? And still shameless-"

"Sha--No, wait a minute. Can you... Just do it fast!--" he groaned inwardly. "Sha I just saw your text. You are here?! "

The panic in his voice triggered my feet to make faster steps.

Oh, the thrill I could inject to him.

"I am about to enter your room now " I lied to spice his butt out of what he is obviously doing. An effective white lie to alarm him with the upcoming tribulation. Although that is what I would really do once I reach his room.

"What?! No! "

I heard some petty arguments in the background. I maintained a bored face feeling the gun on my waist. Grabbing a gold simple band, I ponytailed the top of my short hair up.

"Mark," I called again.

"Just wait a minute I needed to fix things first!" the intensified strain in his voice fueled my demon more.

I continued walking forward to reach his room. Faster than the latter movements.

Mark, we can't be a bitch and asshole at the same time. You should adjust because I won't. Your parents told us to make a perfect balance on our good and evil scale. And clearly you are not participating.

"I am afraid I am not patient-"

"I AM NAKED!"

I closed my eyes at how he just exaggeratedly shouted over the line.

This man can be my end.

"So what?" I cannot find anything serious with him being naked and me entering the room.

Seriously, since when did he became conservative though? For all I know, he was once a boy who would hover around our house, fully naked and be super super proud and loud, with his chin up and shoulders in square, as if it was a medalion hanging after his abdomen.

"You'll see my dick, " he unfilteredly said like it would mean anything to me or would stop me from my plans.

"Then I'll come to see your dick? It's not like I haven't seen that befo-" I am still not done talking but he cut me off.

Oh, guns.

What gun will his kind be worthy of?

"It changed, okay?! It's not like before that you can just-"

"Then let me see the growth?" I casually conversed back, cutting his lame statement. Examining some drastic changes in the area.

This conversation about his dick is boring. And I am not here for that. That is not the sword I am concerned about.

I waited for his response but I just heard him irritatingly talk gibberish before he ended the call.

A few more steps and I reached a familiar door. He didn't even change his door, the hole I remembered before is still here. I can obviously take a peek from the outside, but instead, I just texted him I am now to enter his door.

Last reminder to fuel excitement, of course.

I am already preparing to kick his fugly door when he immediately opened it. And appeared in front of me,

with a messy blonde hair,

a faltering grin,

and a white blanket covering his lower masculine extremities.

The blanket failed to discreetly conceal a bulge under though, which then made me understood  his "proud manliness" after all this years.

"What's up?" he greeted at me, voice unstable because of some outrageuos activity he attended.

Sporting a straight face and ignoring his campus crush face, I bumped him in the shoulder to enter the room.

"I need you to condition my swords," I direct-to-the point stated. My back turned at him as I roam my eyes around the messy room of his and the possible happenings earlier.

Things are here and there. He couldn't even arrange things here and these girls want him for that?

"You should have told me earlier," he replied.

And tell him for what? So he can reschedule his sexploits?

Our relationship won't be as thrilling and lively anymore with that kind of setup.

I faced him to negotiate about the plan. Uninterestingly his body was all I could ever see so without a choice I proceeded to assess his posture, and realized robustness in some parts of his body. Especially those particular parts he is obviously flexing at me.

Atleast what he keep on insisting in our every petty fights over the phone were not just his unrealiable boasting.

His other arm is up, head slightly leaning on his biscep muscles as he watches me. His other hand is holding the blanket carelessly, making me see his v-line. The nail scratches which made his skin redder are visibly seen on his neck and arms. Some are concealed in the back of his shoulders.

What kind of banging did this motherfucker do?

Anyway things like this were for him to think about. I am already busy with other things and it doesn't involve any of these superficial explorations so its safe to say I can't relate.

"I just thought about it last night," I continued as I roam more on the possible changes in his room.

But I really found none.

Except for a girl's panty on the floor.

That girl he is with earlier left without wearing it back?

"I thought you'll never visit here again?" he joked as he let down his arms. Inserting his right hand on his pant's back pocket.

I ignored his remark before walking towards the sofa. A picture of him with me and his family on a little desk, accidentally caught my sight. We were genuinely smiling there. This is something... new in his room.

I tore my sight of the picture.

"Did you do it here?" I asked first, making sure I won't be tainted by his frequent activities.

"What? No!" he said, and that is all I wanna hear.

He is one of those few people who know I will always find time to visit here despite anything.

I sat on his sofa and laid my head on its soft arm, facing the ceiling. Reminiscing something untouchable again.

A happy family... friends... environment... therefore a golden life.

"Bathroom... " I heard him say before a dream descended me to sleep.