Sweet Felony

Of Mortality and Miracles

Aru felt her knees shaking as she struggled to keep up her weight.

Aiden and the rest of her friends were going to kill her once they found out. That is, if she stayed alive long enough for them to do so.

Aru stopped at the river keeping the two gangs apart, her shoes leaving imprints in the soil. She entered the shack.

Somewhere underneath the roar of fury in her ears, she could hear the gentle trickle of the water brushing past

Aru scoffed, bitterly amused. It was nothing like her situation right now. She could easily see the subtle flashes of knives and weapons reflecting the sun covered by clouds.

Aru could hear the distant rolling of thunder as she stepped forward once more, standing in front of everyone else.

Aru went straight to the point.

"You want something else other than a ceasefire for this battle."

The Sleeper quirked a smile akin to a raccoon in distress, electing to stay quiet.

It was how the Sleeper operated. He was sleazy and cunning. If he offered something, he was getting something in return, no matter what.

Aru felt a wave of uneasiness. She felt dizzy.

The Sleeper chuckled. "You've caught me"

His voice was similar to fragments of glass, razor-sharp, yet somehow dripping like acid, hurting her where it hurt most. It sounded cold

Aru shuddered.

The Sleeper shifted onto his other foot, looking as relaxed as if he had all the time in the world.

Maybe he did have all the time in the world.

"In return," The Sleeper continued. "This . . . rival gang business," he sounded patronizing, like a parent trying to not laugh at their child for being too stubborn. " . . . it needs to stop. I will let you keep your land and people, like the gracious person I am."

Once again, Aru felt the familiar curl of anger in her gut.

"But in return, we do whatever we want. You are not allowed to come in between me and my goal."

The Sleeper's voice had turned detached at the end. And that's when Aru wondered:

Why had she never noticed? In the recent weeks before the initial raid had started, how hadn't she noticed that he was getting more bloodthirsty? More cold. Almost no pity for anyone except maybe Aru and her sister.

And now that was gone as well, Aru thought, with a mix of emotions that she couldn't place churning around in her chest.

"You reaching your goals always ends up hurting people."

Her voice came out cold.

Aru knew that better than anyone, had seen it through her own eyes. Had seen the sleeper's so-called victories, stained in the blood of innocents.

The Sleeper shrugged.

"I don't care," he snarled as he stalked over to Aru. "Now will you take my deal, traitor? And get your precious little friends back? Or will you watch them die in front of you while knowing you could have done something to stop it?"

Aru stumbled back, away from the Sleeper.

Kara better come soon, she thought as she tried to get words out again.

"You're coldhearted" was all she managed, as she tried to control the waver in her voice. It was breaking her heart like this, to go against someone she had once cared for as a parent, even if that love was sometimes mixed with fear.