The West Kingdom (HS)

Chapter 1

"Okay, Crystal. But only for this time. You know uncle Tony needs you here on friday nights." My boss sighed, defeated. I worked here, at Heaven club, as a bartender mostly on friday and saturday nights in order to earn enough money to pay my fees for the university. Fridays were the toughest because most people were willing to go clubbing after their hard week at work.

"I promise. It wont happen again, Tony. I wouldn't miss work if it wasn't important." I said quickly. He nodded and let me leave knowing the reason why I was such in a hurry.

My trembling fingers grabbed the keys of my car and my coat as my feet dragged me out of the club. I rushed towards the vehicle and let myself slide on the driver seat. I immediately start the ignition. "Come on! Damn it come on!" The engine whired and I sighed in relief as I pulled off the curb.

"Yesterday, near Hyde Park , two men were found dead. After the inspection, the police asserted that this case was similar to the previous ones. The dead persons belonged to a gang of criminals who cooperated on exchanging illegal substances throughout East London -"

I turned off the radio, too focused on the road back home. My mind fizzling on what just occured. These kind of news really terrified me. I checked on the hour. It's only 9pm so it meant my mother was already home by now.

Anyway, my foot pressed the pedal a little harder to come home as soon as possible. The call had both worried us and we needed to be home right now. A tear rolled down my cheek. "Please, hold on..."

-

"Thank God, Crystal. You're here." my mother greeted me with a hug and she pulled away.

"Is he okay?" I asked, rushing towards the living room. My little brother, Peter, was liying on the couch, his left side of the stomach covered with thick bleeding bands. He was shot last week when he was at a friend's house party somewhere in East London.

"Keira said he was whining in pain. Lord, he is only 17. Why would they shoot on teenagers?" She sobbed, bringing her hand over her mouth.
I grab her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

"Mother. He will be fine. Do you hear me? The doctors let him go home, so it means he is stable enough to heal here." I rassured her. Moreover, our help Keira was at home most of the time, thus, she could warn us at any time of Peter's healing state.

She nodded, frantically and gave me a weak smile. "Your father is coming home soon. He heard about Peter-"

A chuckle left my lips. "I guess, one of us needed to be shot to make him come back?"

"Crystal, be kind." she frowned. "It's still your father"

I shook my head. "I barely know him. The only things that I have from him are his eyes and last name."

"Where are you going?" She shouted, seeing me going towards the frontdoor. I stood still, my hand on the knob as I was thinking of what to tell her.

"To the hospital. I'll bring some new packs of bandages. Someone needs to take care of him, right?" No response came from her as I slightly opened the door and slammed it behind me.

-

After I carried four heavy packs of bands and also other medical equipment, I was ready to go back home. I shut the trunk and walked to the driver side when I suddenly got pushed against my car, my head knocked against the hard window as a painful whine came from my mouth.

"What are you doing, idiot? It's a girl!" A male voice rang through my ears with a thick layer of what seemed to be an irish accent. I slowly blinked when I felt cold fingers touching my cheek and checking up on me. The first things that I saw, when my vision went back to normal, were green, petrifying eyes right in front of me, his face was hiden by the hood of his grey sweatshirt and he was kneeling down, just inches away from me.

"I thought it was someone else!" Another man shouted back with a quicker speed. The hooded man put his palm over my forehead then turned my head to search of any damage.

"What's your name?" His hoarse voice gave me chills. I chewed my lip, not sure if I should answer him since he was a stranger and moreover, one of his friend just knocked me out.
His thumb pulled on my chin to release my lip from my teeth. "What's your name?" He asked, colder.

"Um. Crystal. I, my name is Crystal Wright." I mumbled, pulling on the hem of my pullover. His eyes widened and recoils a bit. "What is yours?"

"You shouldn't be here during the night. It's way too dangerous for a girl like you." He stated, standing up. I frowned at the last word and stood up too.

"What do you mean by a girl like me?" I asked, offended. I tried to figure out who is he but the hood hid him from my gaze, showing me a perfect shadow.

"No time for questions, sweetheart. Do not return to East London, ever again. Go home. Stay alive."

He turned away and ran, amongst his... friends? They all were wearing the same sweatshirt with a symbol that I couldn't quite put a finger on. I let a heavy breath I didn't know I was holding. My whole shaking body entered the car and I locked myself in. I was completely speechless as I let my forehead against the steering wheel.

I was heavily breathing, still in shock that I probably met the group of people who caused the shooting, who sowed terror in the East, who shot my brother. The group of gangsters that everyone was talking about.

But why did they spare my life?

•

HI
I HOPE YOU LIKED THE FIRST CHAPTER OF "THE WEST KINGDOM"
GAH I'M SO EXCITED TO SHOW YOU MORE OF THIS STORY!!!
I NEED TO TELL YOU RIGHT NOW. THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN VIOLENCE, MATURE AND OTHER THINGS.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUPPORT THIS STORY FEEL FREE TO ADD IT, SHARE IT, LEAVE A LITTLE COMMENT AND LIKE!
See you soon :) x
Twitter: @stylesthebae