Break Neck Alley

It was the Four Undead Kings who saved Acan from its old, reckless leaders. They brought order and unity, peace and prosperity. However, like the age of the Old Dogs, theirs has come to an end. It's up to the youth of Acan to decide what form Acan will take in the future.

- Buku the Betrayer

Chapter One – Visions Unparalleled Beauty

I had stomped my heel on the tail of a wolf and he glared at me as we stood in the middle of the dark alleyway.

The man standing in front of me wasn’t that tall. Standing at slightly above average height, he looked like an ordinary person one would bump into on the street.

He wore dark pants and had his dark blue shirt rolled up to his elbow.

He raised his bloody fists before narrowing his eyes.

His face was littered with cuts and bruises. Some new, some old and his head was cleanly shaven.

As for me, I was about as tall as him and a little bigger.

I raised my aching fists before taking a single step towards my opponent, Wema, one of the many White Wolves in Northern Acan.

I then sent forward a powerful right jab, but he promptly dodged it before punching me at a speed I couldn’t react to.

I stumbled backwards a little as my vision blurred, but Wema wouldn’t allow me to recover.

He dashed towards me but just as he lowered his stance to punch either of my sides, I punched him in the face before backing away and allowing myself to recover as Wema tumbled to the side.

The countless people around us cheered and yelled carious things, but all I could see was Wema, who regained his composure before slowly approaching me.

I did the same with raised fists and as soon as he got close enough, I sent fourth a left jab.

Wema dodged to the right just as I raised his right fist to hit his jaw, but like before, Wema pushed aside my fist before punching me in the face several times.

He then punched me just above my left kidneys and this made me squawk in pain as I fell forward.

Wema raised his fist to hit me again, but someone rushed to his side and raised one of his bloody hands.

“Did anyone expect anything else? The victory goes to Wema!” The announcer said as I fell to my knees.

Cheers filled the air as various people exchanged money, but my vision was far to blurry and I was in far too much pain to care as I writhed in the ground.

The alley then suddenly fell silent as we were all bathed with artificial light.

I looked to my right and saw several black cars parked near the alley’s entrance.

Several men in dark suits exited the cars and one of them walked up to one of the cars before opening its doors.

A man and woman then exited it, but I couldn’t see their faces because of the headlights.

The two walked up to the front most car where the man crossed his arms.

Wema wiped his nose before walking up to the man.

“Hey, boss. What are you doing here? Is there anything you need?” Wema asked but my focus quickly turned to the woman who was dressed in a form fitting navy blue dressed but I still couldn’t see her face.

I noticed that she was looking at me and so I lowered my head.

“Az?” She called making my heart sink.

I knew that voice.

I looked up as the woman approached and my vision blurred even further as I wondered what she was doing here.

What was I doing here?

Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought back to when it all started.

.

..

The first day in a new school is like a the purchasing of a new canvas.

One is allowed to paint whatever image of themselves onto the canvas and the image they create will be what others will see for a certain amount of time.

I wore my black school blazer and walked out of my room.

I then took deep and even breaths as I savoured the smell of our new home.

“Azizi, get down here! You’re gonna be late.” A rather loud yell came from below.

I descended down a short flight of stairs to find his father, a tall and rather handsome man.

He was fully dressed in a dark blue suit and a devilish red tie that gave him the aura of an evil corporate overlord.

I knew otherwise.

Radhi Jelani, my father, was actually an engineer who had a passion for tinkering with things.

“Hurry and eat up.” Father said, his voice low and smooth.

I curtly nodded before making my way to the kitchen where my mother, Gloria, prepared breakfast.

I sat by the table and patiently awaited for breakfast only for my mother to hand me a bowl full of oats.

She sat on a chair opposite mine and ate away at what looked like bacon, eggs and orange juice.

I didn’t complain.

I knew her intentions were pure and so I ate away as my father paced back and forth.

I eventually finished up his meal and waved mother goodbye before following father out of the house.

We had just moved to the northern side of Acan, Hielo. Acan was one of the six districts of Unity – the man made continent which sat in the pacific ocean.

I entered father's black car and we promptly made our way toward my new school.

“Feeling nervous?” Father asked.

“Meh, I’m fine. What worries me is the curriculum. Twelfth grade is the make or break period in life and I’m not sure how to approach it. Study hard up until the end or take it easy while tackling each challenge as they come.” I droned while tapping my chin.

“Always the serious one. Just don’t forget to have a little fun, alright?” Father said with a chuckle as we drove north along the railroad which ran across all of Acan.

We eventually arrived at Hielo Technical High, which was pretty small for a high school. A single large building which sat on the corner of a street that wasn’t too far from the train station.

Father parked a bit away from the main building.

“Alright, knock ‘em dead, champ!” He said with a gentle smile.

I simply nodded before exiting the car.

I then crossed the street as father drove off.

The colour scheme for the school uniform was a simple black main body with white highlights coupled with bright yellow ties, but some of the girls wore skirts with black, grey and yellow plaid pattern.

I made his way up the short set of stairs before entering the building.

The school was engulfed in a suffocating amount of chatter, but I was mostly unaffected by it.

Also, this wasn’t my first time in this building.

I had accompanied my parents during their tour of the school and so I knew exactly where my class was.

I entered the class and made my way toward the chair at the far right corner of the class and there I sat as my new classmates chatted among themselves.

My heart rate was slightly elevated, but it was normal as I was surrounded by a complete new set of people.

My eyes then widened slightly as a girl entered the class.

She was… beautiful. Incredibly so.

She wasn’t dressed any differently from the other girls and she didn’t know have that many accessories on, but her big brown eyes and smooth brown skin were enough to make me forget just about everything.

My peripheral vision then caught sight of someone approaching me as the girl sat down.

“Good morning, newcomer. I see you’ve got your eyes on Zoey over there.” A tall and smiley boy said.

I narrowed my eyes before looking him over.

He looked rather scruffy.

His tie was on wrong and his shirt, although ironed, wasn’t tucked in properly. His long brown hair was unkempt and his eyes were seemingly always half closed.

“And you are?” I asked, but to my surprise, the boy reacted in a rather dramatic way.

“Such a cold greeting! I only wanted make small talk with the newcomer and yet his wall of ice remains standing!” He cried while pressing his hand above his heart.

I raised an eyebrow and this seemingly got to the guy as his face grew red with fluster.

“Ahem! My name’s Ryan. Nice to meet you.” He said before quickly turning around and leaving.

I couldn’t help but awkwardly smile as Ryan returned to his seat.

He had left quite the impression on me and we had barely interacted.

I sighed before returning my gaze to Zoey, who sat surrounded by people.

It seemed as though she was quite popular.

Something I couldn’t relate to.

I was never a loner, but I always proffered small groups.

I felt much more comfortable being with people who I somewhat understood in a small and safe place where we could discuss things.

That being said, I didn’t exactly suffer from stage freight.

“Alright, everyone take your seats and we’ll do a quick roll call.” A tall, formally dressed man said with a monotone voice as he entered the class.

Everyone sat in their places and after being instructed to introduce myself to the class, I returned to my desk and the school day began.

.

..

“That’s all for now.” The physics teacher said before leaving the room.

I deeply sighed before looking to his side.

I then picked up my backpack and grabbed blue lunchbox.

Within it, I found four compact nutrient bars and juice box.

“Strange lunch you got there. What? Did your mom pack it for you?” Ryan asked, his face uncomfortably close to mine.

“Yes, she did.” I said as I ate.

“I see… well, some of us get our lunch in the cafeteria. Wanna join me?” Ryan asked.

“No thanks.” I said, prompting Ryan to shrug.

“Alright, let me know if you change your mind.” He said as he walked away.

.

..

The learning day came to an end and everyone packed their things as the afternoon sun dyed the inside of the classroom a pale orange.

I got up and made my way out of the classroom while reflecting on how my first day had gone.

Meh, it was ok. I thought as I left the school building.

“Oi! What’s the rush? You’re new so shouldn’t you be trying to socialize and make friends?” Ryan asked while wrapping his arm around my neck.

I sighed while walking down the stairs.

“You’re right.” I said without stopping.

“So… are you gonna hang out with or go straight home?”

I turned and saw that Ryan had a big smile on his face.

I then pulled out my phone and sent a message to my parents saying that I would be back a bit late.

“Fine. Where are we gonna hang out?”

“Mmm.” Ryan droned while looking up in thought.

“You had your eye on Zoey earlier, huh?”

“Ryan, let me make this clear. I was just-“

“I heard she likes tough guys. Which is a shame.” Ryan said with a whistle.

“What do you mean?” I asked with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw.

Ryan’s eyes narrowed as well, but he eventually sighed before dismissively waving his right hand.

“Don’t worry too much about it. Come on.” He said before leading me up the road.

“Where are we going?”

“Zoey has a specific type and you’ll find them where we’re going. A place where bones clash and blood spills… the pit.” Ryan said while walking in front of me.

I could tell he was smiling but I remained silent as we walked.

.

..

About an hour had passed since Ryan and I began walking.

I checked my phone and saw that the time was half three.

My parents wouldn’t be too upset so long as I returned home before dark.

We eventually arrived at what looked like an abandoned public swimming pool.

My eyes narrowed as I noticed countless students standing around the pool’s ended as though they were watching something.

Ryan led me into the pool via a hole in the fence.

I had long since noticed that the further south we travelled, the grungier everything became.

Roads far south were littered with holes and cracks, distant sirens could be heard and I even heard a distant scream.

I was grateful that we had gotten a home to the north.

I shook aside all other thoughts as Ryan and I approached a bunch of students who looked around out age, so Sixteen to nineteen.

They all exchanged money and we were now close enough to the actual pool that I could hear the sounds of flesh striking flesh.

The students cheered widely, but my focus shifted to Ryan who spoke to a student who say behind a large crate atop which sat what must have been about eight hundred dollars.

The student wore a beanie and had a permanent frown on his face even though he was bantering and laughing with his friends. His brown, acne covered skin absorbed the warm rays of the afternoon sun.

“Oi, Ryan! You’re back! Have you come to lose more money?” The student asked with a smile. At his feet were countless cigarettes butts and empty bottles.

“N-not this time, Boa. I’m just here to show me new friends around. Speaking of friends… where’s Mashe?” Ryan asked with a nervous chuckle.

“Calm you cold cock, he’s not here.” Boa said while staring at me.

“And your friend… are you going to offer him to the snakes too?”

“Of course not! Azizi is a good boy and I won’t let you corrupt him-“

My eyes widened as a small arm wrapped itself around my neck.

I looked to my left and saw the face of a grinning girl.

Her hair was tied in a messy bun and she wore a colourful jacket over her uniform which consisted of a short grey skirt, a white shirt and a brown tie.

Standing behind her were several other girls, although the only accessories they had were colourful bangles and hair pins.

One of them walked up to one of the nearby boys who wrapped his a around her waist.

It’s here that I noticed that a lot of the students were wearing a similar uniform, meaning they were from K'áak'o high which was in the southern district of Acan.

“Who’s the new guy, Shifa?” She asked as my heart rate steadily increased.

“He’s Ryan new friend. Also, but your arm off him, Nadia.” Boa or Shifa said. I honestly didn’t know what to call him.

“Not happening! He’s so soft… and big… like a teddy bear!”

“Tsk. Fine. Why don’t we see what he’s made of? What’s your name again?” Boa asked with a slightly tilted head.

“Err… Azizi.” I said while trying my best not to look at Nadia who held me tighter.

“Nice to meet you, Azizi.”

“Please, call me Az.”

“OK, Mr. Az. Wanna show us what you got?” Boa asked, but Nadia pulled my head down before glaring at Boa.

“Cut the fuckery out, Bo. Az doesn’t look like the tough type. Right, Azzi?” Nadia asked prompting me to look at Ryan, who slowly shook his head.

“Yeah… I’m just here to hang out.” I said with a nervous smile.

“There you go-“

Nadia let me before grabbing her phone from her pocket.

“Parents?” Boa asked with a raised brow.

“Yeah. See ya’ll tomorrow, I guess.” Nadia said before leaving the pool.

“OHH!”

I turned around as the people around the pool grew ever louder.

I then followed Ryan toward the edge and my eyes widened upon seeing two students fighting each other.

Their moves were cautious, so neither of them had any serious injuries.

I crossed my arms and watched as the two exchanged attacks all while being cheered or taunted by their audience.

“Are there any rules to all this?” I asked Ryan who mimicked the way I stood.

“Kinda. Avoid hitting the balls, eyes and no biting. Doing any if these will result in you getting beaten by everyone here. The fight is divided into three rounds. Best of three wins with each round being five minutes long.” He said while keenly eyeing the fight.

The two students were almost identical in every way.

Equally tall, they both wore their school uniform ad looked like they weighed the same.

The fight eventually ended in a draw with neither fighter going doing anything of substance to the other.

A few sloppy swings and some awkward kicks were all that they exchanged.

“What happens now?” I asked.

“Boa’s about to make eight hundred bucks. For anyone who bets on a fight, it’s in your best interest that your fighter wins. If they lose, you lose your money and if the fight ends in a draw, everyone loses their money. Thus is supposed to incentivise aggressiveness from both betters and fighters. Too bad our fighters today were cowards. Anyway, what do you think about this place?” Ryan asked.

“Its… interesting, to say the least. I wouldn’t mind hanging out in the future and seeing more interesting fights-“

“You have no idea how much that means to me! Trust me, you’re gonna make a lot of memories here!” Ryan cried dramatically while I checked the time.

It was almost five.

“I should head home now.”

Ryan nodded before painfully smacking my back.

“Alright! Ill accompany you. I’m guessing you’re using the train?”

I nodded as we left the pool.

“Hold up!” Ryan yelled before leading me into a small street side store where he bought a pack of cigarettes.

“Want one?” He asked while placing a cigarette in his mouth.

I shook my head and we made out way north east.

“Wanna know something about The Pit?” Ryan asked. His cigarette still in mouth.

“What?” I asked.

“Its not official, but it’s technically a preliminary course for the Alley.” He said.

My eyes narrowed as he looked out seemingly at nothing.

“Break Neck Alley. A place where the toughest gangsters in Acan hang out. A ton of high end fights are also held there. If you enter The Pit, you are destined to one day step into that Alley.”

I remained silent as we walked.

I wondered why people in Acan were so fascinated with unregulated fights.

I won’t lie, however.

This day was very exciting for me.

That being said, I would never set foot into either the Alley or the Pit.

.

..

“Bye!” Ryan said as he waved me goodbye.

I waved back before entering the train.

I then made my way home all while thinking about the strange day I’d had.

.

..

“I’m back!” I said while removing my shoes at the door.

“You’re late.” Mother said.

“Yeah, sorry. I kinda made a new friend and he showed me around for a little bit.”

“Oh? That’s nice, but don’t make this a habit. Hang out during school hours and come home straight after, OK?” Mother asked.

“OK.” I said before making my way into my room where I promptly dropped my bag.

I then plopped onto my bed before staring at the ceiling for a moment.

I had learnt so much.

I wasn’t so dumb to not know that by continuing to go to places like The Pit I wouldn’t eventually end up meeting gangsters or something.

I just hoped I would be brave enough to stand my ground when the time came.

Flashes of The Pit then flashed in my mind.

I then saw a brief flash of Zoey’s face.

I shook it away before sitting up, taking off my uniform and attempting to do push-ups.

If-if I wanted to stand up for myself in the future, I’d need to get a little stronger.