The Black Swan Behind (Beauty of Fire)

Chapter 6: Jen Marrie Street

Jen Marrie, a street that was quiet during the day, but becomes bustling like a market at night. When the moon and stars adorn the sky, neon lights and noises filled the street. Leaving the remains of cigarette butts, alcohol bottles, and brochure papers on the street in the morning.

Jen Marrie was the name of a beautiful woman who was elegant and educated. She was very famous decades ago, when the city of Handway was first founded. However, it seems that the remnants of Jen Marrie’s struggle had been tarnished by the young people of Handway now. The road that should be proud of now had become a kingdom of gamblers.

A group claimed to be the owner of the road. Yes, they just confessed, illegally of course. Just because they had set up some cheap bars and casinos, they saw themselves as the rulers of the place. Due to the increasingly toxic environment, making the old residents of Jen Marrie Street, began to leave one by one. Until finally the road was obviously under the gang’s power.

A group or gang led by an eccentric eighteen-year-old boy called Pablo Diablo. Even though he was still a teenager, but he was strong enough and had a smooth business brain, to be able to head a gang called Dragger. At first, he was just a troubled snot who was good at fighting and became a bookie at his school. He also became a leader in his school and had many followers. Until his ability was seen by a powerful man, who decided to make him the holder of the Jen Marrie street.

“Damn it! I’ve been waiting for him all night long but he doesn’t show up. Where’s that cowardly bastard?” Pablo muttered as he took a sip of his cigarette. Gray smoke billowed out of his nostrils. His fingers were full of gold rings adorned with gemstones. He was sitting on his throne which was a single sofa in the shape of god’s hand.

“We’ve been looking here and there, but can’t find him either. Looks like the timid cat knows we’re waiting for him.” Told a subordinate who was standing in front of his desk.

“Hem.. Alright then..” Pablo said as he wearing his school coat. He had to go to school. And he would sleep all day there.

.....

“Your coat, Boss.” His subordinates gave a long furry coat of bright yellow colour. Autumn was almost at its end, winter will soon come.

***

Calvin stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror perched above the sink. The side of his lip was injured and swollen from last night’s fight. He washed his face with cold water that brought him back to his senses, then sighed in wroth.

“That bastard..” He mumbled.

– Last night

On a quiet alley, Calvin walked alone in his tight black leather jacket. The main target was the damn group that rules Jen Marrie street. Just so you know, Jen Marrie was Calvin’s great-grandmother. He had enough of the gangsters who been the parasites in the city of Handway. And the behaviour of the Dragger gang on Jen Marrie street was getting more and more disturbing. Because the leader was a schoolboy, so many minors had become bogus gamblers. Extortion rates among school kids were also on the rise. If they left to be, the future of Handway city will be destroyed even more.

On his way, Calvin was confronted by five men with hip hop hats and baseball bats in their hands. They wore black jackets with a skull symbol on the back. Calvin remembered, last week he had beaten a guy with the same jacket symbol who was harassing a high school student in a quiet alley. It seemed that the other members of the group had come to have revenge. But Calvin didn’t regret what he had done yesterday, he was proud to have helped the weak, and that was his goal.

“Hey, bastard! You’re the one who made our friend battered? Did you wanna play a hero game?” Reprimand one of the men.

Calvin smirked “I did. And you guys will be next.”

They laughed “Don’t talk big, you bastard!”

The man who spoke first immediately swung his baseball bat to Calvin’s head. But Calvin dodged in a second, jumped, and aimed a long-leg kick into the man’s chest so that he immediately flew backwards, falling on his back. Calvin laughed mockingly.

The four male friends did not accept what he did, they immediately attacked Calvin together. The fight was inevitable. In the quiet alley, blood splattered on the asphalt surface. Calvin was hurt, but he won. The five big-mouthed men were already lying down on street, wincing in pain. As Calvin had promised, they were battered now.

“Stupid ass boys! I failed to destroy that cheesy casino because of them.” Calvin muttered. He wiped the corner of his lip that had been hit until it bled. His fine jacket got dirty from being kicked by the men’s goddamn shoes.

Calvin threw the baseball bat that he had stolen earlier from them, so that it fell on the head of one of his enemies who had been talking the most. The guy groaned in pain again. Calvin walked away. Unfortunately, with an appearance like this, he couldn’t possibly get into that illegal casino area. They would immediately realize that he was a man who had been secretly messing with their business.

—

Calvin wore a long-sleeved mustard turtleneck shirt with an ivory bomber jacket with a dark brown line. After he finished preparing, he sat on the front porch to put on his white sneakers, which had a line colour that matched the colour of his pants, which was light grey.

A black sports motorbike was parked in front of his lonely house. He rode it to campus. Calvin liked the streets in the fall season. Where the dry leaves fell covering the streets with their golden brown colour. But by seeing that, his heart ached even more, because the beautiful memories came back out of his brain memory. Cheerful times, which had vanished in a very sad way. The reason why Calvin did a job that threatened his safety almost every night.

Jardin University looked especially beautiful in the fall. Because there were so many trees growing lushly. Even though Calvin often felt sorry for the university janitor who had more and more work to do in the fall.

The man slowed the speed of his motorbike, there was something very interesting that morning. A girl was helping the janitor sweep the dry leaves that had piled up on the side of the university entrance. A very rare sight to see. He knew that girl. A classmate who was only existed in the class only during class hours. It was Emma.

Calvin stopped his motorcycle, then opened his black full-face helmet “Good morning...”

Emma turned her body “Hey!” she smiled widely.

“Your morning activity seems cool.” Said Calvin.

Emma glanced at the broom in her hand. She immediately realized, then leaned the broom against the nearest tree trunk awkwardly. Emma always came early, because there was nothing she could do at home. Instead of sitting alone in the dark in class, she preferred to do absurd activities, for example helping the cleaners.

“Hahaha.. I.. this.. I.. just came too early this morning. Because I was bored, so I decided to help Mr Lukas.” She tried to explain. She thought maybe Calvin would find it strange and tell everyone in the class. The reputation of the normal girl that Emma had just built, would be crushed like a dry leaf that was stepped on.

Calvin smiled as he nodded “Want me to help?”

Emma shook her head “No need. I’m almost done anyway.”

The girl returned her broom to the middle-aged man in a thick dark brown coat. “Thanks, Emma.” said the man. Emma nodded.

“Need a ride to the building?” Offer Calvin.

“I prefer walking. The road is too beautiful to go too fast.” Answered Emma.

“You’re right. Then I’ll go first.” Calvin closed his helmet.

“Okay..” Emma waved her hand.

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