Day 1

Chicago: In a empty room of an old abandoned house.

Skit

Skit

Skit Skit Skit Skit Skit Skit Skit Skit Skit Skit Skit Skit Skit Skit

Skit

…

Skit

Skit

Fizzzzz….

"There we go." the youth held the lit match near his face. "Man, it took some time for it to get lit." The light of the flame made the unusual white streaks in his black hair more prominent and made his amber eyes seem as they too were lit in the same fire. "I almost thought the match was too damp. It seems I need more practice." He stared at the flame as though transfixed for a second and then turned to the man on the floor.

"Soooo, you know why you're here right?" the youth with the match asked, playfully slapping the captive's cheek.

"Erahgrah"

The captive either made a response or was simply screaming, either way it was stifled by his gag.

"Yes, yes that's right you're here because your boss Old Man Russo thought that you were enough to snuff me out." the youth answered ignoring the fact that the captive was incomprehensible. "Really the standard of assassins has fallen these days, eh? Give a guy a gun and poof he's an assassin. No class anymore."

The youth leaned closer to the captive.

"Did the Russo family run out of assassins after Lad got put on the Island? Or was the old man just looking down on me?" the youth asked pressing the burning match against the captive's face

"Eragohaherrg!" the captive let out a muffled howl as the flame charred his flesh, slowly dimming as it did so, until it finally went out, leaving a singed smell in the air.

Skit

Skit

Skit

Fizzzzzzz….

The youth held his newly lit match near the captives face. The burnt flesh was slowly regaining its color, the black and crackled skin changing back to smooth white.

The youth continued. "So what if you're one of them unkillables? Just cause a man's indestructible doesn't make him invincible." He let out a sigh, "It just makes them more cocky." The youth removed the captive's gag. "Am I right?"

"You think you can get away with this on Russo turf punk?! You're going to Ugh." A splash of liquid cut off the captive's sentence.

"Regret this?" the youth asked looking down at the jug of liquid in his left hand. He looked back at the captive and smiled "I don't think I will."

The captive smelled the liquid.

"Wait this is…"

"Kerosene?" the youth cut in "No, no I would never use something like that." he splashed the captive again with the liquid making him sputter. "This is actually one of my own creations. I was saving it for that abandoned building on Main Street but…" he smiled a radiant smile of pure unrestrained joy, "to be able to use it on a person, without breaking my vow of pacifism? How could I resist?"

"Wa… Wait! Don't be hasty. Come on we can work something out right?" The captive said faking a smile. A bead of sweat dripped from his forehead.

"Can we?" asked the youth cocking his head to the side in a quizzical manner.

"Yeah!" said the man ecstatically. "You probably didn't know the factories you burnt down were Ruso owned right? I'll just tell the boss to look the other way on this one."

"No."

"What?"

"I'm answering your question." the youth said to the captive. He was still smiling but it was no longer warm. It was dripping with malice. "I did know that both factories were owned by Ruso. That's why I burned them." He held a missing poster to the captives face. "You called a hit on a good friend of mine, and don't think the disguise fools me, I've lived here long enough to recognize a hit when I see one." He held the match to the paper burning a whole straight through it.

"Well I could still…"

"Lie to your boss?" the youth cut in. "No honor among thieves eh?" He laughed. "I feel I should torch you even more."

"But…"

"You know why I like fire?" the youth cut in looking intently at his match again. "It's because it's beautiful. The way it shimmers, wavers, flickers, how it reaches forever up, up, up, I love it all." He turned back at the captive. "You know what makes it better though?" He waited for a response but not getting any he continued. "It can be started in unsightly things and make them beautiful, just for a short time mind you, and when it's goes," he blew out the match sinking the room in total darkness, "it leaves no trace of whatever was there before." He started to strike another match, "Objects," Skit "Feelings," Skit "Buildings."

Fizzzzzzz…

He smiled at the captive in the light of the new match, "Even people like you."

"But…" At this point the captive was grasping at straws. "You said you had a vow of pacifism!" cried the captive triumphantly.

"What about it?"

"It's not pacifism if you burn me!" the captive yelled.

The youth looked thoughtful for a second, cocking his head to the side. "But you wouldn't be hurt because you'd just heal…"

"But it'll still be an act of violence!"

The youth sighed, "For an assassin you really have no guts, huh?" he crouched near the captive his match still lit in his right hand, "Fine, this is what I'll do. I'll walk out here pouring this stuff as I go." He lifted the jug of his concoction. "By the time I'm out I'll make my decision." he started to walk out the room, the liquid trailing behind him with every step. He stopped at the door and turned back to the captive.

"By the way my name is Aidan Frey. Tell the old man I said hi." with those words he blew out the match and walked out the room leaving the captive again, in total darkness.

The sound of the dropping liquid got fainter and fainter as the captive prayed for the mercy of a God he had just started to believe in again.

Aidan looked at the path leading out of the house shimmering under the light of a street lamp. It was a straight trail of his strongest incendiaries. It was almost a shame to leave it unlit, but he had his vow.

He opened his matchbox which had one match left.

He picked up it up. "Are you lonely, little guy?" he asked it in a soft, tender voice. "I'd love to light you but promised I wouldn't hurt anyone." He peered at the match sadly.

Skit

Skit

Fizzzzzz…

"I'll guess I'll have to apologize to Jacuzzi." He said flicking the match at the trail. It caught the trail and the flame sped down it like a wild animal. "Well this town was getting too burnt out anyway." he smiled as the entrance exploded sending wood and glass flying in all directions as the whole house was engulfed in a ball of flame.

"No regrets at all." he chuckled to himself.

"Now off to New York."