Conundrum

Chapter 2: Let You Down

      Despite knowing it was in the middle of winter, it was still a shock to go from the sweltering heat of the Pit to the clear and crisp air of Altea. It was like walking into a freezer. Very few streetlights lit up the dark roads and alleys near the Pit, each one spread apart just enough that in each gap there was almost complete darkness and the flickering created the illusion of torches.

      With almost every step Keith took, glass crunched beneath his feet. It reminded him of the snapping of bones, a sound he'd heard too often. Keith passed building after building, each were boarded up and crumbling with abandon or age. No one there had any money to repair things, let alone to get a decent meal. A particularly cold breeze shifted down the alley he was in, playing with his hair and engraving in his skin, causing him to shiver. He rubbed his hands against his bare arms and looked down at himself.

      His black jeans had gaping holes in the knees (He wondered how the two pieces stayed together), his stolen red Converse had holes at the soles of his feet and the laces were frayed to the point of no return, and his once white tank top was the only thing he owned that covered his abdomen.

      His attire didn't stand out among the other's here. Everyone here was the same; cold, hungry, and desperate, it was just something they were accustomed to. Keith was grateful for what little he did have, but he couldn't help but dream. He had always envisioned having a warm apartment with new, clean clothes and a meal to look forward to. Was that too much to ask from a street rat like him?

      Of course, there was the Altea presented to the rest of the world, pictured in tabloids and displayed on billboards across the country. The hundreds of clubs, casinos, and flashy hotels attracted tourists and natives alike to enjoy. But at night was when the city really came to life. Skyscrapers that nearly touched the clouds lit up the night sky and flashing billboards flashed in the streets, nearly blinding anyone who looked directly at the ads. Not to mention the high-end restaurants looking over the city in the penthouses with the best food from around the world.

      Altea was like the two different sides of a spectrum; full of millionaires and homeless; humanitarians and murderers. There were people who wondered when their next meal will be and the people who threw up because they ate too much. It was always a push and pull between the two groups. One day the papers would talk about who went to who's party and the next, they'd be talking about the body found in an alley just a few blocks away from where Keith lived. Keith was always looking behind him to see if he was being followed, it was something everyone learned early in their childhood.

      Keith chuckled darkly to himself as he turned a corner. Pure white snowflakes drifted down from the sky and stuck in his pitch-black hair. The only way home was down a dark alley where hardly any light shone. He'd been jumped more than once down there; Keith shivered and rubbed his arms.

      That's when he saw it, just barely out of the light of an upcoming streetlight, a man. A man surrounded by three other desperate people, who each had a makeshift weapon in their hands. They were yelling at the man for his wallet.

      Keith was about to turn his head and walk away, when he caught a glimpse at what the man was wearing. It was nothing like he'd ever seen before, only dreamed of. The man was wearing a light blue suit and tux, his brown hair was slicked back from his face, and wore gleaming shoes that Keith would die for.

He stopped.

What the hell?

      Dumbstruck, Keith took a step closer. The man was backed into a corner with hand reached before him, as if it could protect him from the rusting daggers aimed at him. Keith's eyes landed on his face and saw his eyes pinched shut and his lips pulled into a teeth-baring grimace. What the hell.

      Something in the back of his consciousness pushed to run and save the man from losing his no-doubt priceless items, as well as his life blood. The small whisper fought against the smothering self-preservation 'instincts' bombarding it and slowly grew into a roar. Before Keith knew it, he was running towards the outsider.

***************

      For the second time that night Keith fought. Arms swinging, legs kicking, and weapons clashing as he picked off each of the would-be thieves. He almost felt pity for them, as it was downright too easy to send them running with their tails between their legs.

      It took only one punch to the nose to send one scampering into the shadows with blood dripping down their face. Keith took care of the other two by turning both of their own weapons against them through a series of direct hits to various places on their arms.

      As soon as they realized the odds were piled against them, they followed their friend back to whatever hole they crawled out of. He took the liberty of staring after the thieves.

      Keith spun one of his new knive around his index finger, then slid it into his pocket and without a word or look at the man he had just saved. Keith made to continue his way home, a small trail of footprints was left in the freshly fallen snow, following his trembling body.

      There was no audible sound coming from behind him, so he assumed the man hadn't moved. So, Keith jumped out of his skin when he felt something draped across his shoulders. Warmth dripped through his body like ink in water.

Keith almost melted before his mind was jumpstarted and he whirled.

      "What the hell?!" Keith snarled as he took a step away from the person behind him, his hands curled into fists.

      The Man in Blue raised his tanned hands in mock surrender; the gold watch gleamed on his wrist. That one thing could feed his entire carea for a month.

      Keith's lips curled into a sneer as his hands moved on their own accord to fix the suit coat sliding off his back. The man winced before he stuttered, "S-so-sorry. You l-looked cold."

Keith growled, "No shit."

      Keith noticed belatedly that he had to crane his neck quite a bit to look into his -- dazzling baby blue eyes. Damn.

      The man smirked, and Keith realized that his gaze softened. Keith's glare came back ten-fold as The Man in Blue said, "The names Lance McClain."

      Keith's eyes widened, of course that's who he was. The man basically owned this city, the prince of Altea, the playboy billionaire. How did Keith not recognize him? He turned on his heel and pulled his new coat tighter around him as Keith continued his way home.

"Wonderful." he said, deadpanned.

"Isn't it customary for you to give me your name?" Lanced called after him.

Keith scoffed and looked over his shoulder, "Figure it out, Pretty Boy."

      Keith could feel Lance's blue eyes piercing the back of his skull, up until he was enveloped in the alley's darkness, snowflakes drifting towards the frozen ground and crunching under his feet. A dark smile made his lips twitch as silence was Keith's only reply.

      Of course, Lance was used to getting everything he wanted and every bit of attention; that was just part of his life. And even if it was a simple as not giving him his name and turning away without a second of hesitation, it gave Keith a sense of retribution for what he's been through.

      After all, if only the rich got the headlines, along with their good for nothing 'superhero', Sharpshooter, they deserve to struggle for something so simple as well. 

*****************************************

Chapter 2!!!!!!!!

"Shoulda had my back, but you put a knife into my hands before" - NF

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I love hearing your feedback, so don't forget to vote, comment, and follow if you like the book! If you haven't read my other book 'Forgotten' yet, join the bandwagon! Love you all and don't forget to Stay Sweet!

Word Count: 1403