“Find Gavin! Don’t let him get pass our territory! You know we can’t touch him once he gets to the forsaken grounds!” Maximus furiously instructed his soldiers to hunt Gavin down, who has escaped from their torture chamber earlier.

“Yes, boss!” his soldiers responded as they scour the entire area for any sign of Gavin.

“Fuck! Gavin. I hope you heard me. Go there and be safe.” Maximus mumbled to himself. He is Gavin’s only friend; a Capo in the Mafia family. This is the only thing Max could do for his friend.

Max, as Gavin calls him, secretly sets him free while his soldiers were away. He knew that the underboss; Julian already made up his mind; he is wants to eliminate Gavin from the face of the earth. Julian’s reasons are still unknown to him; nevertheless, he is on the mission to save his friend, Gavin.

They were childhood friends; both came from the same orphanage when they were young. Sadly for both of them, the criminal way of living is the only way of life they knew. Gavin being a small-time gangster and him entering the complicated Mafia life.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Gavin was running as fast as he could. He heard Max clearly; he knew the message was for him. He went in the direction of Hudson; the forsaken grounds. He tried to look back and check if any soldier was near him. When he was sure that he made it to Hudson still intact, he finally calmed down. His big strides turned to shorter steps, and he eventually dropped to his knees. He was trying hard to catch his breath.

“Fuck! I made it…” He was panting between his words. Gavin was still on his knees trying to regain some energy. And then he noticed blood dripping off from him, he was too exhausted to check his injuries. His breathing became labored while his vision gets blurry and blurry, “Oh, shit!” he felt dizzy and his vision turned pitch black.

***

“Oh, my God! Is that a dead person?” Don muttered as he looked at George, who does not look so pleased with the corpse in front of them.

“He could be, so let’s just leave him there. Please, I don’t want to get into trouble.” George responded to Don, who seemed genuinely concerned.

“No, I’m going to check, he might still be alive.” Don insisted as he slowly walked towards the man on the ground. He carefully checked his pulse, “He is still alive, come here, help me.” Don asked George. He raised his eyebrows and pouted his lips in protest, but in the end gave in and helped Don.

Don is not bothered by George because he is used to attitude, he is the type of person that is almost always angry and against everything, but in the end he is constantly ready to help any of his friends in need.

The two men brought him to their home. It is located on the second floor of a convenience store. Their home looked like a dormitory, with plenty of rooms and a lounge at the center most part of the place. They carefully lay the heavy Gavin on the sofa.

The sight of Gavin surprised Harry, who was just chilling in the kitchen, when Don and George came in with Gavin. He meticulously checked on Gavin, he looked like a wreck, his face swollen, and his clothes dirty and bloodied.

“Oh, Don! Who’s that guy?” Harry asked Don, who was assessing Gavin’s injuries.

“I don’t know yet, but what’s more important now is to treat him. Go get me a basin with hot water and a face towel please.” Don instructed Harry to get him what he needs.

“Sure, tell me what else you need.” Harry happily responded to Don, he is the type of person who is always positive in every situation.

Don’s eyes widened when he saw the cut on Gavin’s torso. “Also, please get the first aid kit, it is in my bed-side table, hurry up!”

Harry handed Don the basin before he ran towards Don’s room. George, on the other hand, just came out from his room and changed his clothes as Gavin’s blood stained his new branded shirt.

“I’m just going to smoke outside, give me a call if you need me.” George said to Don in a serious tone. Don just nodded as he went back on; checking the severity of Gavin’s wound.

Harry assisted Don in treating Gavin’s wound; they also changed his shirt and washed his body. They gave him a blanket to keep him warm for the rest of the night, as they left their house to work.

***

Gavin’s rumbling stomach woke him up. He hadn’t had a meal for two days now. The luscious scent of a chicken soup is making him hungrier. The moonlight beamed across his face as the room was dark with only two dimmed lights at the corner are lit.

He slowly opened his eyes as his vision gets clearer an image of a beautiful woman is right in front of him. Gavin smiled as he likes this dream; this is the first time his heart beat so fast it could win a race. The woman in his vision has a fair silky skin, short dark wavy hair with a red headband. She looks like a woman straight out from a fairy tale book. She captured his heart at first sight. If only this dream could translate to reality, Gavin would be in ecstasy.

“Ahem” The woman cleared her throat as she placed the tray with soup at the table in front of her. “Are you done staring at me?” She continued asking Gavin.

“Oh, shoot, it’s not a dream!” Gavin exclaimed under his breath. He looked away from the woman. “I’m sorry.”

The woman pushed the tray towards Gavin. She sat at chair directly across from him, as if he is being interrogated. He could not speak a word after that awkward apology that he said.

She is peeling an apple with a knife; amidst the dimly lit room, she used that knife well. He swallowed hard, thinking his dream girl is a knife wielding crazy woman.

She slammed the apple in front of him and stabbed it with the knife she’s holding. She can’t help but ask him, after the uncomfortable stares he gave her. “Do you have a problem with me?”