The MatchesChapter oneThe ally was dark and misty, and in the background you could hear water dripping from an open pipe and the wind winding through the broken down buildings. Beside me a 30 year old with maroon dyed hair up in spikes and razor green eyes stood with assurance and fierceness. Half of his face has a long scar running down across it from the war, where he scratches when he gets ready for a fight, as he does that now. Before us I hear the scrunch of gravel as three guys all with a symbol of a lion printed on the front of their hoodies. They stand with pride and dignity, but under their tightly controlled façade, I can see they’re nervousness, their itch to know what they did wrong. Of course, guys are really good at covering their problems by taking it out on the opposite gender.
“Ay, why’z there a little chicklet here to coolect somethin’ that’s a real menz job?” the guy in the middle with no hair asks. His friends snicker in agreement, but I don’t find it funny. I twist my head a little, a small smile playing at the edges of my lips.
“I wouldn’t call her that if I were you.” Jaxx, the 30 year old, warns. “Do you really think that Boux would send an innocent girl to beat up the leader of the Lions?” now I let the psychotic smile come across my face, and let the pipe that was hidden in my sleeve drop down until the other end is in my hand, displayed before them. Their playful expression falters a little, indicating that they’re scared, and a rush of anticipation runs through me.
“I’m not like your pathetic sissy girls that run around doing the Lions chores.” I say lowly “I know how to express myself in artistic ways, which includes sending warnings. You’re late in paying us back the money you barrowed. Now this is only a warning and your goanna take it graciously, and remember that this pain is little of what I can inflict.” The guy to his left laughs, and my eyes snap over to him. “But if you don’t take it graciously, and try to fight back, then I will forget the warning, and go right for the kill. So my suggestion, take the warning.” The bald guy’s eyes quickly move to the left, and that’s when I know the man standing as the leader, is not the leader. The guy to the left, is definitely the leader and I laugh menacingly. Without warning, I throw my crowbar at the guy to the left, and the curve hits him in the mouth, knocking him backward. He sprawls on the floor, blood rushes from his mouth as he sits up to spit it out. He glares over menacing at me, wondering why on earth I did that to him, and how I knew.
“This message was meant for the leader of the Lions, and not some poser who you think could replace to get the message. Thank you for taking the message graciously, and have a nice day on the behalf of the Matches.” With that, I turn my back on the Lion’s, and walk away, hearing Jaxx fallowing my lead, and chuckling in the back of his throat. Once we turn the corner, and are out of ear shot, I scoff.
“Glad to know you find peoples stupidity so funny.” I say as he pulls out a cigarette pack and hands a smoke to me. I take it graciously, and hold it out as he light the other end.
“Well, little Chicklet, what do you find it?” I glare at him for using the name those idiots called me. I take a long drag, and let the smoke exit from my nose.
“I find it completely irritating that those people think they can fool us. We should be doing more than throwing pathetic object at them! We should be teaching them a lesson on what happens when they deceive us.” He laughs.
“Kris, we are already the most respected and feared gang in New York, and part of that is because of me.” He stops, grabs me, and turns me around. “Yet, I am starting to be terrified of you.” He grabs my chin, forcing me to look at him, “You are a natural killing machine, but also a natural spirit shower. Don’t forget that. Your spirit is one of the things that haven’t changed in the gang’s life, and it’s something we hold on to.” I laugh and he lets go of me, confused.
“Every time we do a warning, you give me the exact same speech. Every time. Then every time I give you the same answer. But right now, I’m going to give you a new answer. Shut the Hell up. The next time you tell me that speech, I’ll be throwing objects at you.” He sighs, and we keep on walking. After a while, he chuckles again.
“That was a good throw, by the way.”
“I know, right?” I say excitedly. “Right in the mouth! Wham!” I do a pretend throw with my arm. He laughs.
“We should have videotaped it. The look on his face was priceless as it connected with his mouth. How’d you know who the leader was, though? I mean, I could tell that the guy wasn’t the leader because he was too nervous, but I couldn’t tell which of the others it was.”
“The bald dude nervously glanced over to his left.” I say.
“Ah.” We come to a warehouse, and enter through a back door, with an almost dead light highlighting it. The light flickers as we enter into the pit. Guys and girls everywhere walk through, ignoring one another. From 10am to 7pm, we only know each other as only business partners. After 7pm, we’re just a bunch of people who love to party, hang out, get drunk, and throw our cares away.
I and Jaxx make our way to the other side of the building, where we get into the old elevator, and press the top floor. The elevator creeks as the system start up. I lean back against the side, and sigh.
keg16823