Turning Page || Levi Ackerman

4: Lost Innocence

MAY 845

The knife in Levi's hand shuddered in his grip. And his body trembled as he took another step towards the crossroad in front of him.

Hesitation filled his mind every passing second. And he turned his head around, looking over his shoulder.

Kenny stood a few meters away, with his back leaning against a ruptured wall. His eyeballs shifted, and he glared at Levi from the corner of his eye.

Levi gulped, as he looked ahead again. His other hand clutched the pointed end of his knife, in an attempt to quit his own quivering.

And his eye darted forward to scan the situation in front of him.

A grimy alley, in a shady part of the underground. Abandoned houses bordered the streets, their broken walls and creaky doors matching the eerie atmosphere perfectly.

A crossroad lay a few meters away and occasionally a person entered and walked along.

People hardly came here, as this place was reputed as one of the most dangerous areas in the underground.

A place for gang wars.

But it had been home for a few days, ever since Kenny had picked him. He had been teaching him how to wield a knife these days.

It wasn't something Levi was interested in, he preferred listening to stories and playing hide-and-seek with his mom. But Kenny took him in, when he desperately needed it. And he didn't want to displeasure him in any way.

The streetlight in front of him flickered dimly, and another man walked in front of him, passing the crossroad and disappearing behind the cluster of deserted homes.

Levi swallowed heavily as he watched the man fade away. He needed to steal money from any person here. That was his task for the day.

He flipped his knife around, holding it in the back handed grip that Kenny made him practice.

His feet were cracked, smeared with dirt as he walked barefoot on the filthy ground. He wiped his clammy hand on his shirt, and leaned on the edge of the wall, peeking into the perpendicular road, to see if anyone was coming in.

Time stilled, and his hands got clammier every passing second.

Footsteps echoed off the mud road, and his mouth ran dry. Someone was approaching, the moment of truth was right here.

Levi's heart pounded in his chest, as fear flooded his being. He threw Kenny an uncertain gaze, but only received sternness in return.

The sound of thuds was getting louder, and Levi could make out by the increasing volume that the man was just a few feet away.

The man entered the intersection and Levi swung forward. Aiming to cut his pocket, so that his wallet would fall off. But he's actions were slow, and he applied too much force.

The knife ended up cutting the man's thigh. A gaping hole stood in the cream colored pants he wore, and the cut stood bright in stark contrast. It drew out blood, and Levi's eyes widened at what he had just done.

And in his dazed state, he didn't notice the man's expressions contort into one of anger. Fists clenched as he lurched forward

The man threw him off in an instant, and Levi crashed on the ground. The knife landed in another corner, meters apart...