* Played “Kygo, Imagine Dragons – Born To Be Yours” and “Martin Garrix feat. Bonn – High On Life” in a loop while writing this *

***

*Rachel’s POV*

It’s been a couple of days since I’ve transferred to my new school, and considering this short period of time, I think I’ve heard more gossip than I’ve done my entire life.

Damn, kids do love to talk!

Most of what I hear are baseless rumours about people going missing in the city and red flashes lightning the city every now and then, usually followed by explosive sounds and a wave of violent breeze.

Might be some ghost on drugs playing drums, for God’s sake leave it alone!

I’ve even found a note engraved on my desk in my math class that says: “Be careful of the red flash! If it sees you.. you’ll Rest In PIECES forever!”. Well, if that’s true then, welp, we’re screwed..

What was interesting to hear though, was news about angel boy!

Apparently, he hasn’t been always so quiet, let alone so gloomy looking. No one’s explaining why though.

What cause him to change? Tell me, goddamn it!

It has nothing to do with the fact that I’m trying to look disinterested in him, not at all, but I haven’t realized until recently myself that he never talks to anyone.

Even though many students approach him, mostly girls with love letters, which he always lets down before hearing a word.

Not so kind angel boy, not so kind.

He also, disappears right after school. Some say he’s got a part time job, others claim he’s got a secret lover, and maybe she’s sick, and that’s why he’s so out of it all the time?

It’s scary because it actually makes sense. Hopefully not though. And no, not because I’m interested in him.

As a matter of fact, I only think he’s handsome and cute, but he’s not boyfriend material!

A girl needs attention, and angel boy isn’t showing that he can provide it! Yea, I don’t really think u like him.

This school is pretty weird. I found a school club, the other day, called “We praise thee angel”.

Only special members are allowed to be invited, and you can’t ask to be involved unless you’re chosen.

I got a letter from them two days ago mentioning something about me being in danger since the evil forces could mistake me for their angel’s wife and might attack me.

What did I get myself into? This isn’t the drama section!

I’ve also made some friends: Jake, the class rep. Mike, the captain of the soccer team. And, Remi… just Remi, apparently she’s the class’ genius though.

“Yo! Earth to rich girl, do y-oh co-pie?”, teases me Mike.

Ah that’s right, we were having lunch together behind the school yard to avoid other students, they seem to have some allergic reaction to me sitting alone in peace.

“Hey! I’m always listening!”, although, I’m really not, “what is it though, just repeat it for the audience, hehe”, I say while trying my best charming smile on.

“Oi! Stop giving me those teeth, I would’ve thought about it if you were a boy”, says Mike, trying to stop blushing.

Well, note to self: Mike has an anti-charm spell. I bet a punch to the guts would do the job though.

“Stop that! You’re both like little children OMG!”, whispers Remi loudly. While Jake hasn’t stopped drooling since I smiled at Mike, kind of glad he shows some appreciation for my art of charming.

“All that Mike was trying to say while you were spacing out, is that Draven is going to be participating in tonight’s soccer match”, continues Remi.

HOLD UP! I’ve heard that he used to play some sports when he was all happy and warm, back in middle school, but “Angel boy is actually going back to soccer again?”, I shout, accidentally, whoops.

“AHAHAHA angel boy?! Should’ve known even Ms. Perfect fell victim to our Dreamer”, laughs Mike hysterically.

Jake looks somewhat sad. Poor guy, probably sad because no one’s giving him a turn to speak.

“I guess it came as a surprise, since you’ve never really seen him play. But he was the best player, not only in our school, but in the whole provincial soccer league”, Remi says, “in fact, this idiot, Mike, is the captain now ’cause Draven isn’t playing anymore. Plus, he’s sexy as hell in the soccer team uniform! Especially when he gets in the mood, all sweaty and dripping..”

“‘ight ladies and gentlemen, we’ve got a soccer game to attend!”, I say, then remember, “ah when is it, by the way?”

“Tonight, at 4:00PM, but don’t sweat yourself, I heard it might be his last game. He’s only playing ’cause coach told his mom he’s wasting his talent and stuff, so he might not be happy about that. I hope he doesn’t quit for good though, he’s too good!”, this might be the most helpful Mike’s remarks have ever been, but really sad, I don’t want him to quit!

“Do I take it that we’re finishing school early today? With all the audience and the warm up stuff starting way earlier?” I ask.

“Yup, we’re finishing up at 12:00PM so we give the players and organizers some time to prepare. I heard it’s gonna be big!”, I think this was the only sentence Jake has said all lunch.

“Well, duh! it’s no surprise, considering it’s the first game if the finals. Plus, Draven is playing, he’s attracted so much attention last year and many were disappointed he didn’t join this season, but now that he’s back, everyone is so excited”, says Mike.

“Do you think he’ll be happy, playing his favourite sport again, with his old team?”, I whisper underneath my breath. Which prompts Mike to frown and say “I hope.. no, we all hope”, for the first time, he looks genuinely concerned.

One can’t help but have fun while practicing sports, right? So, he might accidentally laugh? I wish, I hope… I really wanna see you smile, angel boy!

——————————

* Played “Imagine Dragons – Demons” for this part *

***

A few minutes after noon. Somewhere, deep in the dark side of the city, inside an isolated warehouse, near Torinto’s main port, muffled feminine screams can be heard.

“Shut up already!”, yells a man in a black suit. Not just any man, but the boss of one of the biggest gangs in Torinto, the Gold Tigers!

“The boss said quiet down, you little b*tch!”, shouts another, punching the stomach of the handcuffed young lady again, causing her to puke blood on the black thick cloth that’s been stuffed into her mouth.

He only avoided the face because he didn’t want to remove the blindfold accidentally, the boss would not be happy about that.

Her olive skin smeared with blood, giving her a shade of dark. Her nose and cheeks were too swollen making her a tomato that had gone bad.

“Have those bastards cancelled the deal? Boss, it’s too risky I suggest-“, starts the man to exclaim, only to get interrupted by the boss ” SHUT UP YOU F*GGOT!”, yells the boss.

“Do you hear anything?”, whispers the boss to his lackeys.

“No, boss”, they whisper back.

‘What the actual f*ck, I’m pretty sure I heard something a second ago, only if those f*ckers shut their mouths I might be able to hear sh*t!’ Thinks the boss to himself, then asks out in a hushed voice, “What’s the status of the guards?”

“All reported as usual just a minute ago, sir”, answers a man holding his walkie-talkie, seemingly shaking out of fear of his boss’ short temper.

His only task was checking with the five guards they assigned to keep surveillance outside and inform them if any changes. No way in hell he’s missing that up!

Last time someone did, they ended up in a black garbage bag down the Saint Louis River.

“Ask them to report again, now!” whispers the boss back with a glare, to which the poor guy does without any hesitation.

‘ Could it that they’ve betrayed us? Maybe..’ the boss’ mind starts to wander about.

‘ No, no way, we have the daughter of the man that rules the underground himself, Red Joe. Now that we have a powerful leverage in him, the rest would be a piece of cake,

‘ There’s no way the Russians would run away now, let alone rat us out, considering the fact that they’ve suffered even more than we did, because of his actions’, tries the boss to think logically about this. ‘ unless, there was a spy..’ he thinks as a shiver makes its way through his spine.

“What the f*ck is the delay for?” yells the boss again, this time rage and paranomia consuming him, “what’s the guards’ status?”.

The man with the walkie-talkie looks at his boss in pure fear, as if he’s about to eat chew on alive, “s-sir..” he starts to stutter but gets interrupted, but a chilly voice.

“No matter how many times you try, they won’t answer”, says a dark hooded figure, while learning his back against the warehouse’s wall, one foot touching the ground while the other is up against the wall, “nor would the other group of thugs you were waiting for”.

The voice is that is a young man it appears, yet his tone is so carefree, almost as if he’s bored.

“WHO THE F*CK ARE YOU?”, yells the boss, panicked voices rise behind him as well. “NO, HOW IN FREAKING HELL DID YOU GET HERE?”.

The lackeys, seemingly as dumbfounded as their boss, forget to raise their weapons towards the threat in the room.

The boss tries to recover and regain his composure, but his mind is about to explode, ‘there’s no way that man just sneaked into one of the safest safehouses of the Gold Tigers’.

The hooded figure, seemingly tired of the poor excuse of a mob in front of him, starts walking forward, which reminds the gang to raise their weapons and “SHOOT THE GODDAMN BA*TARD!”, yells the boss on the top of his lungs

Bullets rain towards the figure in hails, yet all of them pass right through him as if he wasn’t there.

“A F*CKING HOLOGRAM?”, exhales the boss in momentarily relief, only to get his hopes crushed in an instant.

Or was it the sound of actual bones getting smashed? The boss looks around to find that one of his lackeys was trying to shoot the hostage, only to get his skull smashed by an unseen force.

Blood, flesh, and brain matter spill out of the bloody excuse for a living creature, in a crunchy sound, only to evaporate after that into thick dark mist that disappeared afterwards, leaving his clothes only. No blood, no mess.

“Enough of a proof I’m the real deal?”, says the cold voice sounding even a little frustrated this time.

The boss’ saggy legs fail him and he falls to his knees, “Wraith”…

One word. All it takes for hell to brake loose is one word.

Rumours were heard about an unstoppable assassin killing anything and anyone standing in his way.

They say not even blood stays after he’s done, only clothes.

No one really believed that. No mess is not so uncommon, but no blood stains? No fighting or bullet marks? People just go missing, who in their sane mind would believe this?

Well, apparently, those weren’t just rumours, everyone inside the warehouse has witnessed it.

They used to joke about it. A flash followed by a bang were observed and seen around pools of clothes, in random places in the city.

What a joke, they thought. Only to realize that fate has made a joke out of them. They called it the ghost assassin, Wraith.

When he comes for you, you’re gone, nothing of you is left, quite literally.

And so, hell broke loose, everyone panicked, dropped their guns, and ran for the exit.

Once the gate leading outside the warehouse was open, everyone stopped in their tracks.

A dark red barrier was surrounding the area. Visible through it though, they could see white suits spread across the ground, near the black cars that’s the Russian’s signature.

“Are you kidding me?”. “He took them all down, without making a sound?”. Those were the most common remarks.

A moment of silence followed after that, only to be interrupted by the constant sobbing of the young lady.

After a few men tried to pass the barrier, only ending up adding to the pile of clothes on the floor.

The figure removed the hood, to show his young features.

He couldn’t be older than 17. Dark purple irises and crimson pink hair made him look like a demon, missing only the horns and wings. Donned in a light black armour, his pale white skin seemed to be glowing white silver.

The room suddenly felt so chilly, everyone shivered inside. All but one.

One lackey decided to play smart and was about to threaten the life of the young lady with a knife.

“A YOUNG BOY?”, yelled the man, ” I’ve never heard of anyone saying that the assassin was a child! You little ba*tard playing tricks on us!”.

“Ah, as a matter of fact, no one has seen my face in this armour and lived to tell the story” replies his grim reaper coldly.

And before he could comprehend what he’s just been told, a flash of red light blinded him before a sharp gratesword was shoved up his skull, through his neck.

Poor soul, didn’t even get to hear the bang before he turned black dust.

“Ah it makes sense now.. your movements are beyond the speed of sound, so that bang is you breaking the sound barrier… haha”, whispered the boss, more to himself than anyone else.

No one would’ve heard anything to begin with, with the loud bursts of explosion like sounds and the panicked cries.

It all lasted mere seconds, though, before the room was full of cut clothes. Only the hostage and the boss were left in the wide warehouse with the Wraith.

“I almost forgot, Joe says he’s warned you”, said the chilly young voice.

“Wait, wait, please”, begs the boss trying to get the cold Wraith to pity him, “why are you doing this? what is it that you need? money, fame, fun? I can provide all of that, please”,

He takes a quick breath before glancing at the handcuffed young lady, “Or is it because of us taking a hostage? Do you even know what her dad does on daily bases? the families he breaks, the children he kidnaps, please…”, the boss is desperately crying by now, “WHY?”.

“You know, for a dead man, you sure talk a lot”, the cold voice is the last thing he hears before he’s just another addition to the pile of clothes on the ground.