Chapter 8: Out of Time

Warning: Violence later on in this chapter

It had been about a week since Ezra had sang on the streets, and honestly it was his best week of his life, due to the fact that since he earned $45 he had a steady intake of food, even getting two meals a day, and he still had some left. He glanced at the newspaper stand as he walked towards the store to get lunch. The day was Monday, September the 27th. Four days until the anniversary of his parents death, and four days from his dead line with the Imperials.

He already knew his answer for the Imperials. He wouldn't join them. The only question was, how badly was Ezra going to get beaten from refusing them again. Would they take his money too? He would just have either hide it before they found him, or use the rest of the money before then.

Ezra walked into the grocery store and headed over to the aisle he wanted. He decided he would get some peanut butter crackers. Grabbing a box and take it up to check out where he paid for it. As he walked back towards the park he started to eat his lunch.

Sitting on the park he ate his crackers and watched the kids play. "It's been a while since I actually played," Ezra muttered to himself. It was kind of hard to find time to play, when you busy trying to survive.

A young girl ran up to Ezra, "Hi!"

'Might as well enjoy the conversation while I have it.' Ezra thought. "Hey there."

"Are you here by yourself?" the girl asked.

"Yeah," Ezra admitted.

"I'm here with my mommy." the girl said, she pointed over towards a woman across the park. "My name is Amber."

"That's pretty," Ezra told her. "My name is Ezra."

"Cool." Amber said. "I can't wait till I'm big like you, then I can come to the park alone."

Ezra gave her a smile, not knowing how else to respond. True he was probably old enough to go to the park alone, if he wasn't already forced to do so, due to the fact that he was always alone. "You'll get there eventually." He told her finally figuring how to answer her.

"We came to the park because I only had a half-day of school." Amber told him. "Mommy said it was because I was doing a good job in school that we could come."

"Cool." Ezra said enjoying the conversation.

"Why aren't you in school?" Amber asked.

"I don't go to school." Ezra said.

"Why?" Amber asked.

Now Ezra was cursing the fact that young children were so curious. Luckily, for once, Amber's mother came over.

"Amber, we have to go now." Amber's mom commanded.

"But we just got here." Amber complained.

"And now we are going." Amber's mom stated.

Ezra sighed and started to walk off, before Amber's mom could turn her anger on him. He closed his box of crackers so he could eat the rest later, for supper most likely. He walked over and crawled under the tunnel slide and hid his crackers with the lunch box of money.

Ezra approached a man that was watching his child play.

"Excuse me?" Ezra asked.

"What?" the man asked. Ezra could tell he was not happy about him talking to him.

"Could you give me the time please?" Ezra asked. He always tried to be polite, because it sometimes put people in a better mood.

The man pulled out his phone. "It's 2:30."

"Thank you sir." Ezra said. "Have a nice day."

The man did not respond to that so Ezra walked away and down the street. Everything was going fine, until someone grabbed him by the arm and roughly and pulled him into an alley.

Kanan was thoroughly bored. He stilled had half an hour until his patrol was over, and nothing had happened all day. He decided he would go off his designated route, hoping to find something interesting.

He drove for maybe a couple of blocks and decided that this was just as boring. Until he heard screaming drifting through his open window. It sounded like it was coming from a couple of blocks down.

"Please! Someone! Help!"

Ezra was scared and confused at the same time when he was pulled into the alleyway. Who would be doing that to him? He was forced to turn and face his assailant head on. It turned out that he had not one, but three assailants, and they were Imperials, one of whom was Mr. Science.

"What do you want?" Ezra spat.

"Well Phantom, your time is up. You have to come to a decision on whether you are joining us or not." Mr. Science said.

"It's only the 27th! You said I had until the end of the month." Ezra protested.

"You are about as dumb as you look, aren't you Phantom. It's the last Monday of the month, therefore, it's the end of the month." Mr. Science explained, like he did best.

"That's not fair!" Ezra protest once again.

"You know all too well Phantom that life isn't fair." Mr. Science said. "Now, what is your answer?"

"My answer remains the same. I don't ever plan on joining you or your goons, Mr. Science." Ezra said.

"You've defied us too many times Phantom. You are going to have to pay for that." Mr. Science said.

"I don't have any money on me." Ezra said cockily.

"Your life will be your payment." Mr. Science said. "Get him boys."

Before Ezra had any time to think, he was punched to the face, with enough force to send him sprawling on his back. Where he was met with repeated blows with kicks to anywhere they could reach. Ezra's instincts took over and he curled into a ball the best he could, protecting his head.

"Please! Someone! Help!" Ezra begged. He didn't care who would help him, he just needed help.

One of Mr. Science's goons got in a lucky kick and nailed him in the head. Ezra's vision went blurry and he had trouble hearing, like his head was underwater.

"Enough." Mr. Science ordered. Ezra almost breathed out a sigh of relief, almost. Because the next thing he heard was the sound of a gun cocking.

Ezra looked up and saw that Mr. Science had a hand gun pointed directly at him. His thoughts started to move a million miles an hour. 'So this is how it ends. In an alleyway, alone. No one to miss me. Hell, everyone will probably be relieved when they read the papers and find out that "Phantom" is dead. That is, if my death even appears in the newspaper. No one will mourn me, like I mourned my parents. Maybe, this is for the best, maybe it's best if I die. No one would care anyway.'

"Well, Phantom. It seems like you are about to become a phantom." Mr. Science left.

Ezra closed his eyes, wondering if it would hurt much. He knew that when he would open his eyes again he would be with his parents, that is, if there is an afterlife, and he did end up in the same place his parents did. He readied himself for the pain, then nothing.

He heard the gunshot.