He didn't know how long he'd been lying on the cold snow . It certainly seemed like an eternity since he fell down on his back , staring at the stormy grey clouds above .
God , it's too damn cold ...
What he wouldn't give to be living in one of those beautiful houses with warm fires raging in the fireplace and a good lot of food to eat on the table for once .
And yet , instead of that , he was lying on his back on the cruel pavement watching the blood drain away from him . So one of the assholes had a knife and had stuck it to his side like a kid with a pumpkin on halloween .
He'd always thought that sooner or later , he'd die that way . And he guessed that he was right . He was going to die right there on the sidewalk with no one minding him .
Shit , it hurts ...
His whole body was swollen and he could feel every part screaming in pain ; but what throbbed most was the wound gaping from his side , his lifeblood flowing in a steady stream that stained the white snow with its redness .
Finally ... I'm going to die ...
It felt good , knowing that finally , he was going to heaven ...
Wailing sirens ...
They're coming to get me ! I don't want them to see me . I can't live ... I can't ...
He staggered to his feet , his uninjured arm clutching at his ribs ; his bloodied fingers trailing against the stone walls .
Get away ... I have to get ... a ...way ...
People were staring now . They were laughing at him derisively because he was such a pathetic boy .
All ragged and bruised .
He couldn't even protect himself !
What a stupid little boy .
Nobody wants to care for him !
Those heartless masks were grinning at him with wicked delight .
You're a useless brat ! I don't need you !
Go away , you filthy scum ; I don't need you here !
Scat kid ! You're dripping on the doorstep !
All those years , nobody offered him sympathy , nor did he want any ! Damn those people ! They're all heartless ! He hoped they'd all go to hell .
What's you're name , kid ? Ken Hidaka , huh ? How would you like to work for me , I'll take care of you real good . All you have to do is satisfy me and I'll pay you big bucks ...
He turned dulling eyes backwards and saw that he was painting the wall with red . Pretty scarlet waves trailing back ...
He wasn't going to let the paramedics find him .
He wasn't ...
The world was spinning crazily now . Faster and faster , turning like a mad senseless top . For one brief moment , only one thing remained still ... a pair of cobalt eyes framed by steel rimmed glasses .
Then ...
His knees buckled over .
He was no longer staring at the bleak sky , for he was engulfed in a blinding darkness ; where only the past can touch him ...
† † †
Crawford was barely listening to the day's schedule being recited in a monotone by his blond and noticeably voluptuous secretary .
The truth was , he wasn't feeling well that morning . He had a substantial migraine and wasn't quite in the mood to go anywhere . " Stop ." He snapped impatiently , waving his hand indifferently in dismissal . He interrupted his secretary in the middle of reeling off the exact time that he was supposed to attend a board meeting with his company's executive officers .
The secretary nodded once and inched away into the farthest corner of the limousine near the divider , not daring to set eyes on her admittedly gorgeous and famously loaded employer .
Crawford gazed listlessly at the snow-coated city , annoyed at the incompetence of the people surrounding him .
The white limousine halted ; just as the stoplight flashed red with an abruptness and a flurry of activity at the sidewalks caught his eye .
Kids , teenagers were crowding around a lone boy and like savage wolves attacking him with a cruelty that could only be seen in animals .
Passersby merely looked on , hurrying by them with fearful expressions on their faces . None was brave enough to interfere with the cruel commotion .
Such was the compassion of a human being and his high regard for another person's life .
Interesting , humans . What a bunch of hypocritical misfits . If he had a choice , he would wipe them all out , that's for sure . Humans weren't worth wasting time and breath over .
He dismissed the thought suddenly and returned his attention to his interesting amusement –
The boy struggled bravely to remain on his feet , stubbornly unwilling to surrender . He fought back with as much as he could muster , but it only made his attackers even more frenzied .
What seemed like tens of minutes to even Crawford was merely just a passing of a few seconds until the brunette head , once visible amongst all the others , disappeared in the hail of stomping feet and swinging fists .
It seemed like the battle was over , and the aggressors scattered around in all directions like frightened birds with darting eyes , lest the policemen of the district cuff them all and haul them to jail or wherever it was they took kids of that age .
The solid , moving wall was now gone to reveal the battered prey curled into an almost fetal position , red , red blood staining the white carpet of ice .
If only Crawford could feel pity . He would have felt it for this boy .
So young ...
He almost reminded Crawford of himself when he was a boy . He was never beaten or anything of the sort , but he could almost relate ...
Indigo eyes watched as the figure staggered unsteadily to its feet , with his back towards his silent observer , and collapsed against the wall , leaning onto it heavily for support as he lurched away like a drunken man ; his hand , slick with blood clutching at his injured side .
So young ...
The boy fought bravely on , placing one shabbily-clad foot in front of the other ; slowly , erratically .
So , he was a fighter . He liked that . He admired that trait .
If compassion and pity were emotions he could not rightly feel nor express ; admiration for strengths is certainly something he recognized .
The faint strains of a police siren reached his ears .
The police have been alerted . Well and good .
Perhaps the group would be taken to some delinquent center and taught a lesson or two . There was still a chance that this brown-haired boy would survive .
The thought satisfied him and he turned his eyes back on the road ; the diversion undoing his boredom for just a tiny bit .
The stoplight changed from red to yellow and drivers shifted impatiently in their seats .
By some impulse , he turned to give one last look to the injured boy and for that brief instant , just when the white limousine jolted forward ; the clearest and most beautiful grey eyes , swimming in wretched pain met his own before the boy swayed a little on his feet and collapsed on the hard , cruel pavement , unconscious .