Indelible (EN)

Chapter 20

"It's not death that scares people. The real fear is reaching the end of your life and realizing that you never really lived". ~ Manuel David Romero____________________________________________________________ 

 IAN'S POV

I started to cross the building, the archives were in the back room, which also housed my bedroom, which materialized as a closet. I positioned myself in front of a hidden door in the form of a bookcase that would give me access to a large basement. 

It was a place that no one knew, not even Naïn. I had to act quickly, if I had any hope of getting out of there, it was in there.I grabbed the key, placed on a painting representing a mermaid on a rock singing to sailors. 

I rushed into the archives, a dark and dusty room where files and documents yellowed by time were piled up. The flickering light of a lantern illuminated my face, revealing a determined expression and a glimmer of hope in my eyes in the reflection of the small mirror on the wall.

Each file I leafed through was a dive into the past, a journey into the darkest secrets of The Obsidian Circle. I searched feverishly through the files, searching for the information that could tip the scales in our favor.

As I looked through the archives, I was assailed by painful memories. I remembered the humiliations and punishments inflicted by the leader, the injustices suffered by the gang members, and the sacrifices made to survive in this hostile environment. 

 Among all these boxes of paper, I took only the incriminating documents, damning evidence against the leader and his involvement in many illegal activities: forged documents, illegal transactions, links with criminal organizations... 

Before leaving the room, I grabbed an old dusty backpack and filled it with dirty money. I didn't know how much it was, so just in case, I put some bills in my underwear.I went back outside, my heart pounding.

Aaron and the leader were staring at each other, their faces marked by tension and hatred. Aaron had slashed several parts of the chief's body, and his knife was resting under his neck, ready to open his jugular and watch him bleed out. Naïn still lay on the ground, unconscious, his life hanging in the balance. I knew I didn't have time to procrastinate.

Aaron turned toward me, his cherry red eyes piercing my soul. His silence was deafening. I could feel his hesitation, as well as his inner conflict. A shiver ran down my spine. 

I knew I was playing with fire, but I still didn't know if I was signing an exit document or making a deal with the devil.I was terrified. My hands shook, my knees began to buckle, my back shivered, my teeth chattered. I tried to clear my thoughts, my resolve not to be dominated by fear and emotion fading little by little. I had to react, now. 

Aaron began to torture him, cutting him deep and slowly, letting his thick blood flow. Aaron's blows were powerful, even for the boss, who after the last blow, staggered to the side. Aaron kicked him, while he wore a devilish smile. 

The leader was choking on his own blood. Aaron, stepped over the body and crouched down to look at it one last time, before placing his hands around its neck and taking away the little life that was in this being.

Aaron's arms fell to his side after what seemed like an eternity. He looked up at the sky, before his cherry red eyes focused on me. He stayed like that for long seconds, his eyes fixed on mine, and tears were streaming from his eyes. 

 I felt my stomach contract, my heart beaing furiously, as well as the adrenaline spreading through my body, but I didn't move, I was frozen. Breathing raggedly, looking him straight in the eyes, despite the terror and fear that inhabited me.