Chapter 18: The Shine and the Broken Elf

Chapter 18. 

Blood dripped from Ricardo's knuckles, splashing the floor with droplets that resonated with Lucas's heartbeat. The silence in the alleyway hung heavy, broken only by the distant cawing of crows circling overhead, as if bearing witness to the tragedy below.

"Help me grab him," Ricardo commanded, breaking the silence, as the two of them heaved Lucas's dead body over the railing. 

Lucas watched with grim horror as he watched his body tumble down, down, down into the canyon. What is this nightmare? Why am I doomed to watch?

"What have we done," Porky's voice shook with fear, hands pulling his hair. 

"Calm down," Barked Ricardo, his hands opening and closing as he realised what he had just done. The sounds of the city seemed to be disconnected from reality, oblivious to the incident that had just happened. 

"We… you just killed someone." Porky said as his voice started to rise. 

"Calm down," Hissed Ricardo assertively, as he wiped the blood from his face. 

 His eyes flitted like snowflakes and Lucas knew exactly what he was thinking, he had seen this face on Ricardo many times in the past. This was Ricardo's problem solving face, and here was a problem Ricardo needed to solve. Shadows deepened, and the surroundings seemed to close in, amplifying the seriousness of his actions.

"Jasmine…" Ricardo said, using his words to form his ideas. 

"Don't involve her in this," Wished Lucas, not wanting anyone else to get hurt.

"She knew that we were looking for Marco. So we can't hide." Ricardo thought aloud, turning to Porky as his friend squealed in fear. 

"Why not? We were never here," Porky said as his lips started to quiver. "If we weren't here, then they wouldn't think it was us."

 "Use your brain for once," Ricardo hissed making eye contact with the pig. "If we leave, then Jasmine will say she saw us last looking for Marco. Now that Marco and Lucas have gone, that will put us right in line for suspicion."

"So," Squealed Porky, "What will we do?" 

"Quiet," Cursed Ricardo, "Let me think."

Silence hung with a morbid weight in the air as Ricardo closed his eyes to think of a solution. Lucas, doomed to watch, saw a flash of confidence cross his adopted brother and knew that a solution had been found. 

"I have an idea," Ricardo said slowly, each word accented the beat of Lucas's heart. "We can blame one of the gangs. Yes, I could use that" His voice started to grow with a confidence that spelled doom for Lucas's revenge. 

"Let's say the Red Sashes tried to attack us" Ricardo, turned grabbing Porky by the shoulders as his brain worked overtime. 

"Yes, that should work… Marco's mother has had some issues with them breaking into one of her shops." 

"Me and you were just heading out, trying to find Marco, or his mom, so what happened last night would not happen again. We were trying to repair the relationship. When we saw Marco get jumped by some Sashes. We ran in, despite our differences, because if Marco saw what we did then he might see our protection and use it to mend the friendship." Ricardo paused, and nodded, "Yes, Let's add a little bit of truth to make the story more believable." 

"Jasmine would vouch for us trying to find Marco, and you and me haven't hurt the boy before."

"What about Lucas?" Porky questioned as his voice also began to grow in confidence. 

"Hmm…" Paused Ricardo, connecting the threads in his brain. "We can say that as we fought, Lucas jumped in to help us. We aint strong enough and the Sashes managed to push the pair over the side of the bridge." 

Lucas watched, oblivious to the pair, as he recognized the devilish plan Ricardo had created. It was just truthful enough to be perceived as fact. The tale the two… No… the tale Ricardo had created was becoming more airtight the longer he was working on it. 

"I've got the scars to show it." Ricardo said, pointing to where Lucas's fists had struck him. The wounds are already starting to swell, blood beginning to clot.

Lucas's heart plummeted as he realised what Ricardo was saying. Everyline, every story seemed to fit. While he and Ricardo had argued in the past, Lucas, due to fear of what Ricardo's doting mother would do, had never hit Ricardo. Not even once. No-one, not even those closest to Lucas, would have predicted that Ricardo had gotten into a fight with Lucas and then killed him. No-one apart from Lucas, and maybe Porky, had known about Ricardo's plan to build connections with Jasmine. No-one could prove Ricardo wrong. His death was in vain. There would be no investigation, no research, no revenge. 

As Lucas's hope was crushed. 

Lights started to shimmer, a kaleidoscope of emotion. Shadows, once concealing the actions of Ricardo and Porky, started to fade. Details started to dissolve into the light. 

Suddenly, as if a veil had been lifted, Lucas found himself alone in a darkened room. The vivid nightmare had dissipated, leaving only the haunting echoes of the dream world. Gasping for breath, he lay on the bed, his heart still pounding from the intensity of the dream. The transition from the chilling alleyway to the familiar surroundings of his room was disorienting.

As he sat up, the events of the dream replayed in his mind like a twisted film. The weight of guilt and helplessness pressed upon him. Lucas ran a hand through his damp hair, trying to anchor himself in the reality that surrounded him. The dream had felt so vivid, so real, and the emotions it stirred within him were slow to fade.

Struggling to his feet, Lucas headed over to the window and pulled back the curtains hoping for a soft breeze to calm his emotions. Daylight spilled in through the frame, dissolving the lingering shadows of the night. The sun, a warm orb in the morning sky, painted the walls with hues of amber and gold, announcing the arrival of a new day.

As he turned away from the window, the remnants of the dream clung to the corners of his mind, but the daylight promised a fresh start. A clock on the wall, its hands pointing steadfastly to the future, reminded Lucas that the nightmares of the night could not tether him forever. With each passing moment, the dream retreated into the recesses of memory, leaving behind only the echoes of a harrowing journey through the corridors of the subconscious.

"Maybe it was just a nightmare," Thought Lucas, taking a deep breath. Emotion lingered, a faint unease that coloured the edges of his perception. Rubbing his temples, he straightened his posture, determined to embrace the promise of a new day. The clock's rhythmic ticking became a comforting companion, guiding him toward the future with each second that slipped away.

Lucas shook off a lingering dream, grounded himself on the wooden floor, and left his room, transitioning from a surreal dreamscape to the sounds of everyday life. In the washroom, he splashed his face with cold water. The sensation was refreshing, a subtle confirmation that he was no longer confined to the realms of the subconscious. Droplets cascaded down his face, carrying away the last vestiges of the nightmare.

A glance in the mirror revealed eyes that still held a glint of fear, but determination started to shine through. Lucas ran a hand through his damp hair once more, a conscious act of shedding the emotional weight that lingered. Leaving the washroom, leaving the dream behind, Lucas headed downstairs. 

His steps led him to the kitchen, where a glass caught his eye. The act of pouring water became a deliberate one, the cool liquid filling the glass with a soothing sound. As he lifted the glass to his lips, the water tasted crisp, a tangible reminder of the tangible world.

"I've been looking for you," A cold voice echoed piercing through Lucas's solace. Ricardo… his brother loomed behind him. "Sorry, I was asleep," Lucas stammered, unable to look Ricardo in the eyes, as traces from the nightmare resurfaced. 

"Last night," Ricardo paused, mistaking Lucas's fear for a trace of guilt. "Last night, I got covered in paint."

Turning to avoid making eye contact with Ricardo, Lucas left the kitchen and headed into the dining room. 

"Sorry for last night. It wasn't my fault. I had nothing to do with it" Words escaped Lucas's mouth before he realised what he said. Turning mid sentence, eyes shining with horror, he watched as Ricardo said the exact line he had heard in the nightmare. 

"I know you didn't do it, you wouldn't be so sloppy. But you know who did, and you will tell me the name of that bastard."

Lucas's heart plummeted, what did the dream mean? He couldn't let Ricardo get hold of Marco, not again. 

"I can't do that," He said, words refusing to remain silent, words signalling a greater fear in Lucas's heart. 

"I didn't ask," Said Ricardo, stepping forward. "Sooner or later I will find out who did it and the longer it takes, the more it will hurt." 

Each word, more powerful than anything Lucas had felt. Each word hammered like a drum echoing deep within Lucas's soul. 

"I won't tell you" Said Lucas as he turned away from Ricardo. "I hope he won't find you this time."