Falling Angel | a Mafia Story

Chapter II

"I've been running a long, long time,

trying to flee that life, but I can't seem to leave it behind"

Later that day, as I eventually arrived home to my small flat, the only thing I was physically able to do, was break down on the couch, drained from the confusing tumult of that day.

Finally!

My flat was small, yet all I could've ever wished for. Even though it was messy, even though it was stacked to the ceiling with my belongings due to a lack of storage, even though the few houseplants that I owned had a few welting leaves and even though the walls shook every time a train passed by outside the window, it was mine.

Mine alone. And I had worked hard to afford a place on my own.

After a long while of trying to get myself motivated to eat something and go for a shower I finally stood in my bedroom, fed and cleaned, ready for an early night.

But sleep would not come easy that night, as my mind constantly slipped off to my brothers, and as my eyelids finally grew heavy, I found myself trapped inside my own horrifying dream world.

"Get down!" a voice bellowed near my ear and my body instantly hit the floor, my arms covering my head as a grenade went of milliseconds later.

The sharp ringing in my ears nearly made me deaf, but I could sense my comrades getting to their feet around me and proceeding into the building where a few of our men had been held captive.

So, I followed, ignoring the bleeding cuts where shrapnel had pierced my protective gear.

"Go, go, go!" the same voice yelled over the bullets firing through the halls and I could make out our captain leading the troop, supporting a wounded soldier.

Ducking down I tried to catch up with them, but the air got knocked out of my lungs as a body collided with mine, sending us both flying to the floor.

This scene was not new to me, as it was amongst the memories branded into my brain that constantly came back to haunt me during my sleep, but knowing what would happen never made it any less horrifying.

But this time, instead of the cloaked face and unfamiliar voice I was used to seeing, I was met with a familiar male replica of my face instead. 

Dino. 

My brother's features were contorted in flaming hot anger.

Startled I got to my feet only to be greeted by the barrel of a gun being pointed at me, my brother's bloodied fingers shakily resting on the trigger as his crazed eyes pierced me.

"You left us," Dino's harsh voice spoke through gritted teeth and the hurt and betrayal in his voice cut through me in a way no bullet ever could.

"You didn't deserve to take the easy way out... don't you remember," his voice got cold and a sick smile spread on the face of the man I had once called my brother as he pulled the trigger, "either you stay in the family or you die!"

Waking up with a rattling scream I clutched my stomach where the bullet had pierced my skin only seconds ago, leaving nothing but gushing blood and blinding hot pain.

Not this again...

Stumbling out of my bed and almost collapsing on the floor I managed to eventually make my way over to the bathroom, ridding my stomach from the half-digested instant-noodles I had for dinner earlier that evening.