Mermaid's Kiss

Chapter 3

Arthur walked through the night, through the luminous and peaceful city. Everywhere looked strange. He stumbled against a parked bus and was famished. The city wasn't a village where he would climb an apple tree and eat till his stomach get full, where he would sleep and woke as a child beside his mother's sides, but now in the strange big city, He climbed the back of the parked bus and slept alone. 

Gunshots were heard. Three armed robbers darted into the bus, the tires screeched, and launched down to the quiet street. Police cars polluted the air with sirens while chasing after the bus. Arthur felt something moving him but he thought he was in his father's boat, not knowing he was dreaming. Two armed robbers started shooting the police car at the back till the bullets reached the police car's tire, suddenly, it somersaulted and then burned. 

The first armed robber removed the mask from his face. "Wow!" 

"We did it," the second armed robber said. "Yay."

Another police car darted after them. Policemen's shooting the bus until it stalled.

The first armed robber startled and shouted, "What's happening?"

The third armed robber was starting the engine into life again but it doesn't. He turned the key again and again. "I don't know."

"C'mon men, they're about to catch us."  

The second armed robber kept firing the police car. It somersaulted and get burned. "Wow!"

"You nailed it, men." The two gave themselves a high five.

Arthur cried aloud.

"Someone is here." They jumped out of the bus to check. Arthur was busy bleeding. 

"Oh men."

"How does he get here?"

"We need to treat him first."

"First aid?" The second armed robber brought out a knife from his shoe to remove the bullets on Arthur's chest and arms. He felt pangs of pain and then fainted. 

The engine starts again and the driver rushed them home. 

Gavin, the boss. Walked to the treating room. He saw Arthur on the bed, with closed eyes but he's breathing. "Can he survive?"

Stuart, the first armed robber sighed. "Maybe."

"If he survives he would work for my friend," Gavin said, "Do your best"

"I will boss"

Arthur starts breathing hard. And he met himself in heaven land, he saw his parents in white clothes. "Wait for me" 

"Dad's Jane... My Jane... Your Jane," Janet lamented 

"Go back son. Hurry to save her," Dennis said. And they disappeared.

Arthur screamed out of his dream, "No". He woke up, hoping to find himself on a bus but was astonished when he met himself on a soft bed. Soft pillow.

"Relax boy", Stuart said.

"Where am I?" He looked around and saw Whitehall, a white clock, white curtains, and a white door. Everything in the room was white except the red handkerchief, soaked with his blood. And red clothes wrapped around his chest. "I'm hungry"

"Give me ten minutes," Stuart said, he hurried out and closed the door behind him. 

Not long after Stuart hurried in with food, water, and Galvin.

"Thank you," said Galvin to Stuart

"It's my pleasure boss"

Galvin sits beside Arthur. "What's your name?"

"William Arthur"

"Why did you slept on the bus?"

Arthur drank water. "I came to the city to save Jane "

"Jane? Who is she to you?"

"My sister"

"So you slept -"

"My parents were murdered and my sister was kidnapped. I came to the city to save her"

Galvin sighed. "Do you know the kidnappers?"

Arthur noded. "They are my father's friends"

"You want to kill them?"

"Why are you asking?"

"I can help you. If you would help me too"

Arthur was startled. "What do you mean?"

"You would work for my friend in killing some men"

"I can't do that now. I'm still a small child"

"I know. We are going to train you till then."

Fear passes through his body. He was afraid because he doesn't know them. And he found out they save him for a purpose to work for their friend in killing some men. The ideas were big for him. 

Galvin sighed "I would give you this night to think. And you would tell me if you are interested in this game or not." He stood up and face Stuart. "Don't forget to change the plate number of the bus. Wanna sleep"

"Okay sir"

"Good." Galvin then walked out and closed the door behind him.

"You okay?" Stuart asked Arthur

Arthur nodded while eating. "Can I ask a question?"

"Sure"

"What did that man mean?"

"He means, he would help you get your sister back if you would help his friend"

"I would kill a lot of people?"

"Sure," Stuart said, "blood would flow like a river"

"Can I do that?"

"After training. I wanna sleep. Take care"

"Thanks for saving my life Mr.?"

"Stuart," he said smiled, walked to the door, walked out, and then closed the door behind him.

Arthur closed his eyes after drinking water, with many questions in his mind. Night charmed his eyes, and he slept off.

"Dad's Jane... My Jane... Your Jane" 

"Go back son. Hurry to save her" 

"No" 

Arthur screamed out of his dream once again.

Stuart darted in. "You alright?"

"It's a dream"

Stuart sighed, off the light, and closed the door. 

In the morning, after Arthur has his breakfast, Galvin walked in and sat down near him.

"What is your answer?" Galvin said

Arthur looked at him. "I will help you" 

"You made the right choice." Galvin smiled.

Time flies. After a month.

 Arthur was doing press up. He was getting tired. 

"Don't stop," Anthony said.

"I'm getting tired. I will die"

"Fearful man dies twice but the brave man dies once. Continue. You would rest after making 10 more press up."

Time flies. After 3 years.

Now's in the street. Arthur was jogging with Gilbert.

"Focus," Gilbert said.

"Okay sir" He breathes fastly. 

They jugged down the railway, down to the street, out of the street, they jugged around the city, and then they turned back without resting. 

Time flies. After 20 years.

Now in the room. 

Galvin looked at Arthur's handsome face. "Repeat this mantra after me"

"Okay sir"

"We are one..."

"We are one"

"We entered the world to write out dreams. The thunderstorm can make us fear until we believe"

Time flies...

A cigarette was in Arthur's hand as he was reciting the mantra, "We entered the new world to write our dream. The thunderstorm can make us fear until we believe" 

He set up the A.K. 47. Dropped the cigarettes and walked on it with his black shoe. He opened his car and launched down to the street to carry out his first mission. In the car the lilting voice of Eric, his new boss comes back to him.

"He is the governor of this state. He killed my friend before he gets to the sit. He would be in the meeting at the white house. Don't lose the target." And his car's tire screened.