The Black Snow Circus

First And Most Possibly Last

I kicked a few pebbles along the hard streets of the city we had arrived in. Ah, what was it called?
"Eric, what is this city called again?"
"Forono, it's one of the more advanced cities of the modern day. It still baffles me how we have to travel around like people from 150 years ago when we could have a car. Like we're in the mafia, why to the top five have to travel like that"
I laughed at Eric's little rant, but he did make a lot of sense. Seriously though, we weren't exactly broke. We probably had a couple million in our bank accounts. Not to much to brag about, but we could buy a car. Eh, it didn't matter. We couldn't buy one anyways, since we are technically leaving the Top Five. Eric and I are both fifteen, though Eric would be sixteen soon, meaning he could get his drivers license. Sure it was illegal for sixteen year olds to drive around without their parents for the first year, but then again, we were literal criminals. It'd just be another thing on his record.
"We should probably go scout somewhere. Fin will be in the city, guaranteed."
I said, and Eric nodded. He pointed to a very tall apartment building
"Let's go there, it's a very high point and we would be able to see for a long ways a way."
I agreed, and we ran amongst the streets to the building.
"So we going to go in and climb stairs normally or...."
"No way, gotta have some fun!"
I laughed, and entered an alleyway beside it, dragging Eric along. I looked around, my eyes darting from place to place, and then I saw a ladder leading up, definitely old and rusty, but that's what made it fun. I ran there and started climbing. I heard Eric following, and soon we reached the top. I looked over, and the sight was beautiful. Lights dotted the city, it was like a galaxy on land. I smiled, it all felt so unreal. Then I had a thought.
"Hey Eric...how long has it been since we ran away."
"You just had to mention that. Uhhh I think it's been.....oh dang we've been gone for a month."
That was way longer than any time I left on a "break" from the top five. That also meant it was one month away from my yearly meeting with "him."
"Do not tell a soul I said this, but in a month...i'll be meeting with "him." We have a yearly meeting, and it's coming up"
"Yeah I know."
I froze and looked at him. He innocently whistled.
"What? Everyone in the mafia knows about your guys meetings. After every one a portion of the mafia gets wiped out, and it's always the ones causing trouble."
It was my turn to innocently whistle.
"It's been happening even before you officially joined, so we all expected it when you were introduced to the mafia as a new member. And you were formerly introduced by "him" personally. So I think we all caught on why random people in the mafia disappeared and were found very much dead."
"Oopsies"
I heard him sigh, then he came and stood beside me. I got up onto the ledge, and sat, letting my feet dangle.
"If we weren't friends, there would have been a lot of different thoughts going through my head"
He said, and sat beside me on the ledge. I heard music down below, and listened to it. It was an upbeat melody. It seemed like there was some kind of festival going on below. Soon, it turned into a slower, more gentle tune. I heard Eric stand, and J looked to see him holding out his hand.
"May....I have this dance?"
He said, and I saw his face really red. Did he have a fever? I didn't care.
"Why of course"
I took his hand, and we slowly danced to the tune below, on the ledge of the apartment building. I stepped forward when he stepped backward, and he did the same. I held his hand as he twirled me around, the lights a blur. We gradually got faster and faster, and I could hear people below talking and I looked to see some of them pointing, but Eric grabbed my chin and made me face him. I wondered what this odd feeling was in my chest as he did so. My heart was beating faster, and I felt really warm. Did I have a fever? I didn't care, because honestly, I just wanted to enjoy this dance. I held his hand as we waltzed and danced on the roof. I then let go of one of his hands, and stepped away so I was beside him still, but holding his hand. We stepped side to side, and switched positions multiple times, spinning each other every time we did. We went quicker, and kept going. We ended our dance with a bow, and everyone applauded and clapped for us, some cheering aloud. We walked off the roof, and sat down. That was exhausting.
"Ok, despite how tiring that was, that was so, so fun. But Eric, when did you learn to dance?"
He looked at me
"I should be asking you that. I learned from watching others dance, y'know, when I still wandered the earth, before I was in the mafia."
"That makes sense. Well, "he" taught me, before I officially joined the mafia. Said it was for distracting targets. He also said he enjoyed dancing with me, though I don't know why he said that."
I saw Eric's eye twitch
"Really? Interesting"
I wondered what was going through his head, but he looked like he was about to commit murder. I wouldn't ask, because if someone pissed off innocent little Eric, then they were screwed. Seriously though, who pissed him off? I know it didn't matter but...oh well. I shrugged my shoulders and stretched. I casually threw a knife at a masked assassin who'd climbed up the ladder. Eric grabbed a small glass bottle of what appeared to be gasoline, laid down and threw it to the body, and the glass broke. He then lit a match, threw it and the body burned. I let put a breath. Just another normal night. It wouldn't be for long because I knew Fin was in the city, if anything he was right below the apartment building we were on. But that didn't matter. You'd think Fin would be easy to beat, but I had known him since childhood. He has always been smart. Neither of us would likely survive this encounter, but, honestly, I didn't care. Me and Eric were going to send Fin right back to the grave he dared to crawl out of. But, that was for later, as I was going to enjoy the memory of the dance, which would be my first, and most possibly my last.