The Alex Box: A Tale of Loss and Legacy

.45 Calibre

His face lit up with delight as he heard his stomach rumble.

Moving more swiftly than he would have expect himself to, in a matter of seconds, he was in the room, stripping off any unnecessary adornments and devouring the poor burger.

Oh well, it should be happy it has got a precise, simple and predictable fate.

As if being born into an unfriendly society isn't enough, unending contentions, oppression, and hostility unrelentlessly clawed at you.

As he ate, he reflected on his life- the past and the present, unsure of what the future holds, he ruminated more anxiously.

(Now he sees me as nothing but a damn pebble in his shoes, I'm not bothered about far worse things I could be to the world, but it hurts real bad from a friend, or anyone you undoubtedly build trust on.

Because I remained unmoved and unyielding, I am a goddamn pebble?) He shook his head and hissed out loud.

(I can only imagine what could happen for him to see me as a boulder then.)

As he thought through his ordeal with the emperor's gang, he realised that there always seems to be a greater blame inhere for everything; being stubborn or obedient, smart or dull, wise or foolish, wrong or right, holy or unholy, but perhaps proportionately.

(I would rather be a boulder henceforth, most especially to him. Imagine a whole me, badass Ryker, a goddamn pebble?) He huffed and hissed as he feasted on the manna of Mac n' Cheese, relaxed.

A soft knock on the door automatically regulates his bites and chews, interrupting his therapeutic session of "gobbling up, wolfing down," of the sturdy savory cheddar-cheesy goodness.

He paused his jaw movements, sighed, and dropped the food onto the plate.

He gently placed it on the desk as he approached the door, assessing it was none other than Riley.

"Little man, thought we agreed that I need sometime alo--" opening the door to his sheer surprise.

There he was, standing against the wall opposite his room, staking his left heel against the wall with the front tip of his shoe kissing the floor, and his hands sheltered themselves in his fine zip-up hoodie, meeting Ryker's face with his young scarred face.

"Like seriously?" He asked, getting all tense up again as he made to fully come outside the room, closing the door behind himself.

"What happened?" He barked at him.

"I mean what is it you want again?" Ryker growled, as he looked over his shoulder to the left, spotting three of his boys with him all posing like idiot bouncers.

He returned his gaze and stared daggers into his eyes quite infuriated by the intrusion.

His shirt was unbuttoned, he already planned to shower after eating, so he could sleep as much, before suffering himself for anything else.

But here comes this bug again…

"Nah man, don't be so ungrateful." Jude hurled back.

A short-term silence took over after his sally, but the stare-down persisted.

He had to stylishly back out by lowering his head; as he elevated his right hand to support the skin dividing his nostrils with his thumb and he scraped his index finger across the tip of his nose.

"Well, maybe I have to be." He snapped back to action,

"Really?" Jude questioned.

"Yeah, I mean look at me. Do I look like a thief?"

"No wait, Do I look like I give a shit about your help anymore?"

"Dude, you are trying to manipulate me, but I'm not going behind bars with you, already learned my lessons. And I can take care of myself, you don't need to bother anymore, trust me."

"Moreover I don't wanna be a thug."

"I don't wanna be a hoodlum, or a delinquent juve like every one of you has chosen to be."

"Is that a problem?" He asked.

Smiled, and he replied,

"Not exactly."

"I am just surprised you are trying to renounce what exactly you ought to be. That's exactly who you are, bruh, and you know it.

But, don't you think it's unwise of you to choose to be a white elephant?"

(Oh, man... There he goes again!

Why does this full of conceit, arrogant idiot keep so much at me?) He lamented.

"Hey Jude, don't be a jerk I've heard enough of your strict tongue-lashing; the last time I checked: none of my family has come complaining to you about me, you just won't mind your business because of the terrible blunder I'd made."

"Thank goodness, you knew." He added sharply.

"Yeah, I knew," He nodded in response.

"I was ignorant to have thought a miscreant could have any merit that would make him a worthy friend, at that moment you showed up like some nice upright soul with that corrupted smile of yours, I was oblivious that you were planning to pest my life."

"Wish I had never met you!" He blurted out.

"Anyway, but first; you've got to calm your truculent spirit, and listen to me."

"Guess there's no need for that anymore." He countered.

"Thought I'd made myself clear back there? I don't wanna have anything to do with that covetous gang of yours and you particularly, not anymore." He reiterated.

He breathed and then continued in an almost draggy tone.

"I cannot be of any assistance to you henceforth. Do you understand?" He expressed with much assertiveness.

"Perhaps, you'd guess wrong anyway. I'm not convinced you didn't consider the problem you'll find yourself in, if I turn my back on you. Did you?"

"You are well acquainted with my boys, no need to lecture you on what they are capable of."

At the mention of his boys' capabilities, Ryker snickered and cast a disdainful look toward his mannequins.

Mentally, he juxtaposed his top sworn boys' skills and size with his, analyzing how tough or interesting a fisticuffs with them would seem.

Actually, he fears not one of them, not even Jude, himself.

"I'll be pained for you, if you think your advances to floor Kyle is enough to take on the gang you should attempt an offense move on the Vectors' first."

"Besides," Jude continue,

"I honestly don't know what gives you the impetus but to be very candid with you, it's one of the reasons I took interest in you. Thinking you'll adapt sooner, but I'm beginning to see you as nothing but a gutsy mooch."

"Anyway, I am not just offering you a way out of being a target to more than a vicious gangster out there but not to be prey to Emperor Jude himself," he concluded, withdrawing his right hand from his gilet's pocket to stylishly lift the hem of his jacket which reveals a well-polished brown handle of a .45 caliber of which barrel is appropriately buried into the depths of his fitted jeans bound to his side with a non-leather braided belt.

He jerked down the hem of his gilet, as he returned the hand to its previous position, he cocked an eyebrow and said "I trust you don't wanna beef with me bruh" tilting his head.

Ryker stood helplessly on the spot he was, tremendously astonished as he chilled with trepidation.

He looked away uneasily and towards Jude's accomplices, as they theatrically did the same thing which sent me into a frenzy of shock, he was thrown for a loop, unable to make any utterances.

He might still have it all in the world right now, but he sure has the lost comfort under his father's roof!

"(What?! Is Jude in fact threatening me with a firearm? Is he really going to shoot me? What a mess! I have been hanging out with real gangsters all along, and now I'm in the loop. Oh, God! I'm hoping it's fake guns; Jude will not fire a shot at me.)" He took to an internal monologue, agreeing to disagree with himself.

Jude broke the silence, by resting his palm on Ryker's shoulder and said,

"C'mon man, don't be like this; I have always known a confident Ryker."

"What are these all about man?" At last, he managed to voice out, embarrassed by his own croaky voice despite trying to express his vexation, his panic-stricken heart beating against his chest, reminding him he cannot wrestle with a bullet.

"You've got to repay me, man." He said assertively.

"It's alright. I will." He said without even thinking about it anymore, hoping he'll just get the hell out now and allow him the space to think.

But surprisingly for Ryker, he gave an exaggerated laugh, bent forward a little. As he stood back upright, So he gathered momentum and asked,

"What's funny? With a smirk on his face.

"How are you planning on doing that bruh?"

He asked as if that was his business, perhaps it is.

"I mean do you even know what you're talking about? Even if you can repay me right away with money, which you never cannot. Not even in hell! Whereas myself, I'm not ready for child's play."

"That aside, you've got this determined adversary out there. It's only I" he said, lifting his right hand from Ryker's shoulder to grab warmly, his upper arm as he fairly beat on his own chest with his left hand, "emperor Jude, that can save your ass."

"And I said, not to worry. I can take care of myself." He replied with much intent.

"Anyway, I heard you. Because I am done arguing with you: you are going to pay me with your co-operation." He stated sternly.

"Okay, okay... I heard you man." He said with a defeated tone, almost like a whisper.

"I will take it that you've agreed. No long cap, and now, meet me at Stan's tonight by 8:20 pm.

Plans already made, we're hitting on Mallam Kyari again, now armed!"