THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes.

CHAPTER 5

ARTHUR REMAINED DUMBSTRUCK for almost 5 minutes. Then the house became stuffy and he hurried back inside to pack his things and leave immediately.

He saw Logan in the music room, gently playing a classical tune. He looked angelic. No one would know that behind that calm demeanor and blonde hair, the boy was a demon in disguise.

He entered his room, stuffed his few clothes into the room, and hurried out. He saw Clarence, still sulking in the sunroom. He ignored her and went out.

He stopped by his grandmother's grave first. He had not been here when she was buried because he could not stand the harsh and stony gaze of his family.

A gentle wind blew around, rustling the large oak tree and making some leaves fall gently around him.

He felt a strong choking emotion rush into him and found it hard to swallow the large lump in his throat. He knelt beside the headstone and rubbed it fondly.

"I don't know why you did what you did by willing majority of the properties to me, Grandma," He said softly. "But thank you." He closed his eyes and remained silent for a minute in respect. Then he stood up and, "And I will make a 4.9 GP at my graduation. I promise you." He bowed slightly and then walked out of the yard.

He didn't have any money for a taxi, so he walked. Occasionally, he would stick his hand out with a thumbs up, hoping someone would stop and give him a lift but so far, all the cars sped by without even slowing down.

After walking for almost 20 minutes, a rickety pickup truck passed by him. Slowed down and stopped. And then reversed. There was an old man in the driver's seat. "Where you headed?" The man asked.

"The airport," Arthur replied and leaned down and looked through the window.

"I'm not going to the airport," The old man said, "But I am headed that way. Hop in."

Arthur thankfully got into the car and they drove off.

The man dropped Arthur at quite a short distance from the airport's gate. It was only a 5-minute walk. He got then, paid for his return ticket, collected his gate pass, and went to the plane.

He was so downcast at how his family treated him that he wanted to call someone who could make him smile and laugh. And there was only one person like that. Sophia.

He took out his broken phone and tried calling, but it was not going through.

"Damned airport jammed all network connections," He muttered to himself. His flight was called and in a few minutes, they were airborne and heading back to New York City.

ARTHUR MANAGED TO take a small nap to clear his head on the flight back. He was awoken by the gentle bump of the plane's tires as it touched the runway's tarmac and taxied to a stop. A few minutes later, he was on his way to his girlfriend's apartment.

Just thinking of her made him smile.

The was dropped off a street away. After thanking the person who gave him a ride, he walked quickly into her street and down to her apartment.

He knocked on the door but there was no answer.

"That's strange," He muttered to himself. The windows were open which means that she was at home.

He knocked again. Louder this time and heard a yell from inside. "Leave at the doorstep," He heard her call.

He knocked adamantly.

He heard the grumbling of voices and the the door unlocked.

"Fucking pizza delivery –" Sophia started to say then she looked up and her face turned white. "Arthur! What are you doing here?"

Arthur was taken aback. For one, she was undressed with only a bathrobe on her.

"What am I doing here?" He echoed her question.

"I didn't expect you to be here so soon." She said, still not opening the door wide. She used her body to block the view.

"Are you not going to invite me in?" Arthur asked.

"What, Oh yeah. I mean, No. I am quite busy at the moment." Sophia said.

"You look pretty relaxed to me," Arthur said and pushed past her and into the house.

"Oh, you are the pizza boy, yeah?" A male voice asked, making Arthur turn in surprise. "She said you should leave it outside… or you want a tip?" Some dollar bills were flung on Arthur's face.

"I am not your pizza delivery boy!" Arthur said through clenched teeth.

The man reached for a towel and wrapped it around himself before he stepped out of the bed. He stood up and Arthur saw at once that this was a very rich man. He was tall and elegantly poised and he carried himself with the certainty of people that expected respect from everyone. "Oh, yeah. Who are you then?" The man asked.

"I am her boyfriend!" Arthur turned with tears in his eyes to stare at Sophia. "Is this what you do? This is what you repay me with? I leave town for a day and you've already gotten yourself another man?"

Sophia had a soft look on her face for a second, and suddenly, he changed and she chuckled, "You think this just started a day ago when you left?" She laughed again, "Who do you think got me this apartment? Definitely not you."

"Is this the guy you were telling me about just now?" The man asked.

Sophia nodded. "It is him."

"I thought you loved me," Arthur cried.

The other man smiled scornfully, "He's sweet, isn't he? Now I see why you were fond of him in the first place."

"Watch who you're talking to," Arthur yelled.

"No, Arthur," Sophia said, "It is you who should watch who you're talking to. This is Baron Williams. He ranks number 16 on Forbes's list of most richest men. With a snap of his finger, he can make a worthless person like you disappear." Sophia snapped her fingers to show him, "Nobody would ever hear about you again."

Sophia's words cut through Arthur's heart like a hot knife through butter. He closed his eyes, willing for tears not to drop.

"Sophia, you don't mean what you're saying…" Arthur said.

Sophia and Baron laughed. "What part?" Sophia asked, "The part that you are worthless? Or the part about making you disappear."

"Don't answer that," Baron said in a deep voice, "I just want you to get out. Leave this house now."

Arthur looked from Sophia to Barom and stumbled out. He could not believe that just when his life was about to get better, just when he had inherited wealth from his grandmother and he thought his life would only get better. Now, it was taking a nosedive again.

His life was plummeting back to zero.

He staggered along the road. Not knowing where he was going. He blindly took the gold necklace from his pocket and wore it around his neck as he forced the tears back.

His brain registered the fact that there was a black sedan, barreling towards him at almost 70 miles per hour. He saw it in slow motion but his legs and body refused to move as the car came at him head-on.

The impact was hard and painful for just a second and he was bodily flung into the air. He landed with a dull thud and a loud crack as his bones broke.

His eyes were still slightly open but blurry. He was losing it by the second, The last thing he saw before darkness enveloped him was the car that stopped and the driver stretched his neck out the window.

The driver looked out the window to check if Arthur was still breathing and alive. Satisfied with the result, he sped off, leaving a plume of smoke and the still body of Arthur Salvatore.