Missing The Mark ✔

19

The day arrived, carrying with it a mix of excitement and trepidation. The cold, crisp air of the autumn morning bit into my skin as I made my way to the predetermined meeting spot. It was an old warehouse situated on the outskirts of town, a place where shadows lingered and whispers told of deals gone awry. The kind of place you'd never visit unless you absolutely had to.

The cash weighed heavily in my backpack, a tangible reminder of the risk I was taking. I approached the imposing structure, the decaying walls casting long, eerie shadows in the dim morning light. It was as if the very building itself was wary of the man I was about to meet. Anything can happen to me while I'm here. I agreed to just pass off the money, but what if he decides to torture me for taking this long? What if I die today?

It's been a week since that entire ordeal with Kolton, Boris, and Har. Much to my own surprise, I've visited Kolton more than ever in this past week. I was there when he was discharged from the hospital and I was there the other days while he was at home. He was meant to be resting, but he never did. As soon as he was well enough, he was off, with me tagging along of course. And when I wasn't with Kolton, I was with Lukas, who is healing very well. He is still very much alone and always in his bedroom, but he doesn't use his crotches as often. 

Honestly, nothing has changed in their family dynamic. Anna, the sister cop is the same, Carl is the same, Lukas is very much the same, and Kol is Kol. 

But, I can't focus on that right now. I shoved those thoughts completely out of my head as I stepped inside the warehouse, the musky scent of damp wood and decaying paper filled my nostrils. Dim overhead lights flickered sporadically, casting an eerie, disjointed glow on the scene before me. The air was thick with tension, a palpable sense of foreboding that clung to my skin.

In the center of the vast, desolate space, bathed in the uneven light, stood Monster. He was a hulking figure, a colossus of a man whose presence demanded respect and fear in equal measure. His massive frame was clad in a tailored suit that seemed out of place in this decrepit setting. Surprisingly enough, he wore a very slight, barely noticeable smirk, which scared me deeply. He is definitely going to kill me. I glanced back at the door wondering how long it would take me to sprint there if need be.

Beside him were his henchmen, each one a mountain of muscle and menace. They stood like silent sentinels, their eyes scanning my every move, their presence a clear message of the consequences of betrayal.

I took a step closer, the weight of the backpack growing heavier with each passing moment. The room felt like a pressure cooker, the silence broken only by the low hum of an industrial fan overhead. Monster extended a gloved hand, gesturing for me to approach. His voice was deep and gravelly, a rumbling force that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Where's my money, kid?" he demanded, his words carrying the weight of inevitability.

I heaved the bag onto the ground between us, and one of his men stepped forward to pick it up. Monster leaned in, his gloved fingers sifting through the cash as if testing its authenticity. His eyes moved from the cash and then back to me, while his little bodyguards' eyes never left my frame.  The seconds stretched into minutes as he counted, the tension in the room palpable. Finally, he nodded in approval, and a sense of relief washed over me. The debt, it seemed, was settled. I smirked. "See, that was quite simple, wasn't it? No death..." I said, looking at his big dogs. They all ignored me, obviously. My confidence slowly came back to me, although there was no reason for it to do so. 

Monster stepped back, his gaze never leaving me. "You've repaid your debt," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "But remember this -- In this world, debts are never truly paid." And there goes my confidence once again. My smirk was rubbed off completely. But Monster's grew.