Chapter 1: Life After Death ?

 A bustling city, with lively Crowds, coffee shops, rich and elegant restaurants, malls, clubs, gigantic television screens mounted on buildings, 24-hour open bars, and taxis at every corner. Across the busy streets, couples can be seen jogging together in a massive park between the upper east and west sides of the city. Miles out, there were harbors containing seaside restaurants with several floors that offered outdoor dining for people who enjoy the normally gentle breeze brushing against their skin. The balconies of such restaurants had a modern yet beautiful style, which also overlooked the ports and sea. The ground is made out of concrete and various colored bricks in a uniquely interesting pattern. In some areas were some grayish undertone wooden planks that otherwise complemented the surrounding bricks and concrete. At this time the waves were timid as they slowly approached the shores and a sunset that can only be described as the cusp of serenity.

Upon closer examination, some areas weren't as fortunate. Matter of fact, fortune would be the polar opposite of the word that should be used to describe these places. In one place, in particular, homeless men and women can be seen curled up near their cardboard houses. Their surroundings consist of rundown buildings, poverty-stricken houses, and playgrounds.

Behind an old factory building, footsteps can be heard. A muddy puddle in an alley was seconds later stepped on by what? …well…used to be a gray and white pair of sneakers.

Several other pairs closely follow suit.

"Hey! Hey you two, go around and cut him off," said a leading voice in a commanding tone

Moments later, the boy in the dirty gray and white shoes was cut off and halted.

" Zyle, you piece of literal shit, look what you did to my new shoes, DO YOU know how much these costs? '' said the leading guy from the shadow of the badly lit alley while coming into view. He sported a leather jacket with metal spikes on the shoulders and slick back brown-colored hair with a smug look on his face. From behind, four of his followers came beside him with huge grins on their faces.

A guy on his left said "You shouldn't have run from Cain, Ooooh! You're going to get it now "

****Panting ****

Zyle finally caught his breath, a shaved head frail skinny black kid named Zyle Noxxy. He was no older than 15 years old with a timid personality. In terms of looks, if it weren't for his sunken cheeks and shabby clothes most women would consider him handsome or in other words very attractive. In the past, he was always good at running away and avoiding danger. One could almost say that evading danger was his calling. However, this time - things were different, Just moments ago Zyle received an urgent phone call from a general hospital informing him that his father would be taken off life support.

Zyle's mother died during childbirth, and his father, Mark Noxxy remained a single parent who always did his best to take care of Zyle. He was a humble man, he was compassionate and cared for others more than himself. Mark taught Zyle the difference between right and wrong and always said, "If something or anything doesn't feel right to you or for you, it usually isn't."

"Zyle, you are my biggest accomplishment in this life, if there's anything you should always keep in your heart - it is that - one should always stay true to oneself and befriend their conscience. For if one loses that friendship, they will also lose their true character and cease to be what makes them, themselves." Mark often remarked as well.

Mark worked as a taxi driver for over 14 years. Tragedy struck a year ago when Mark's vehicle was T- Boned by a truck driver. The driver wasn't drunk, he was merely distracted by his coworker who sat in the passenger seat, arguing over something trivial like a recent Super Bowl game. In that brief moment, the truck driver ran a red light. Upon realizing it, He quickly hit the brakes but it was too late. Mark's vehicle was completely totaled and flipped. Soon after, Mark was rushed to the general hospital called Mount Senna Hospital where he was declared comatose and kept on life support.

After weeks of remaining by his father's bed, Zyle cried so much that his tears dried up, and his cheeks sunken from malnutrition. It was then up to him to take care of himself and the two-bedroom apartment Zyle and his father lived in, paying the bills in his stead. He spent that following year scraping by, going to school putting his best efforts in hopes of getting a scholarship, and doing odd jobs like bus boy, bag boy, landscaping, and trash disposal for people in the better neighborhoods.

 Distracted by the phone call he had just received from the hospital about his father, Zyle made a grave mistake. Zyle was so absent-minded and devastated by what the doctor was telling him over the phone, he accidentally turned the corner to an area he would normally avoid. A certain person took notice of their next victim from a distance. Cain was a neighborhood thug, for him and his crew nothing was beneath them. Robbing, Stealing, and abusing was their profession. Ever since Cain laid eyes on Zyle weeks ago, he was convinced this kid must have something going for him; he's always in a different work uniform and attending a decent school. Little did he know that Zyle was on financial aid and received some hardship relief due to his unique situation which was still barely enough. On top of that, he was consistently being bullied and insulted by the normal kids at school.

"YOU DAMN THUGS!!

I told you I don't have any money, why don't you guys just get a job instead of stealing from those that barely have enough to survive " said Zyle after catching his breath.

"Life is hard enough for everyone here, You deadbeats need to get a life. "he remarked again

"You got a mouth on you - don't you ? - you little pussy " said, Cain

"He's got some balls, * chuckling * some brass balls, " said one of the thugs beside Cain

"Pulling out an 8-inch blade from his jacket pocket ---- well I guess we are going to have to carve them out, and I'm going to kill you, you little loser," said Cain while signaling the other two thugs blocking Zyle's path to apprehend him.

There was a bit of a scuffle, which halted abruptly upon Zyle realizing it was useless. Both of Zyle's arms were held firmly. Unable to move, Zyle felt nothing but hopelessness and cursed his weakness.

" DAMN, why am I so freaking weak- it's pathetic, Shit" Zyle murmured under his breath while watching Cain approach him with a grin on his face and blade in hand, the left hand.

Suddenly...

*STAB! STAB! STAB!*

"Ahhh!!!!" Zyle screamed

looking down blood could be seen gushing profusely out of his abdomen and the blade was slowly being retracted from the last stab.

"Now rest you little bitch" Cain said while two thugs released their grip on Zyle

Falling to the ground heavily, Zyle could see the feet of the seven thugs walking away

"So this is it, huh, this is how I die..."

"First my mom then the hospital just told me my father died earlier and now it's my turn. "

" My entire family erase from the face of the earth what shitty luck!"

"dammit I haven't even lost my virginity yet, I should have been on the hunt,"

said Zyle coughing out blood facedown.

"it hurts like hell, why is this pain so unbearable " whispered while his lifeless eyes slowly closed.

<<< In his mind a system Sound was heard>>>

"NOTED," said the system in a robotic voice

with his final breath Zyle said "What? what the hell? Nig..."

Suddenly Zyle can be seen falling into an abyss on the inside

and on the outside, Zyle is Dead…