Keith couldn't help himself.

He finished eating moments after the six of them exited the building. Anticipation speeding him along, all he could do was watch as the six of them hustled around in the lot. Two of the three teens had approached the large man and, from what Keith could tell, had given him a piece of their minds.

What a glorious day for Keith! Nothing Of real interest like this had ever happened right in front of him! Sure, he had heard his father tell stories from all around the world. But his own adventures would start today, if he could help it.

Standing from his table and wiping his mouth. Keith tapped a boot's toe against the marble. He felt himself sway against his own weight as the liquor finally did it's magic. Ironically he regretted drinking it now. He didn't need to get his mind off the pain now. Now he had other ways of getting away. Now he could chase after other's evil doings and forget about his own.

To live in hypocrisy, yes, but who said hypocrisy was filled with sorrow?

Keith inverted heels and tapped before taking a dorky, half-assed moon-walk towards the trash-can where he placed his tray. Slamming the tray rather harshly against the trash-can, he succeeded in getting the preppy clerk's attention. The same one he had bullied earlier.

Spinning with a wink, he smiled at her and stepped behind the counter to give her a peck on the cheek. Exiting through the employee-area door.

He heeled it across the parking lot and waved at the girl as she half-scowled at him before giggling and closing the door. His charm had always gotten him away with stuff. Though he never knew why.

Coming to the corner of the building Keith peered around and saw the older man and David walking in his direction. They seemed engaged in conversation. Keith couldn't hear anything but listened closely anyway.
The two of them finished talking and walked back to the group which had moved to the curb.

Keith took this opportunity to imitate his favorite ninja movies. Darting behind a car as soon as Challings an David turned around. Following a route hidden by automobiles, Keith made his way closer to the curb.

At last he was close enough to hear them....


RrIiNnGg! RrIiNnGg!

"Oh shit!"

His half-breathed scream exclaimed. He fumbled for his phone and answered it to his sister's usually-disgruntled voice.

'You're fucked.'

"Don't I know it!"

He said, far too scared shitless to look over his shoulder to see if they had heard.

'Uncle Tom says that the season is passing, you're out of work.'

"Fuck!"

'Back to mom and da-'

"Hell No!"

Keith interrupted with all he had, his voice was loud but he didn't care. His life back home wouldn't continue the way it was, for everything he was. He'd rather have that guy's henchmen make him into fish-food before he would go back to them.

'Then find another job!'

"Fine!"

He slapped the cellphone shut, eager to beat her to the punch.
Not a second passed before he realized what he had done.

"What was I thinking?"

He thought, sitting against the blue mini-van that shielded his figure from the others.

His hand came to his face as a tear dripped to the pavement.

"What's wrong with me today?

His head jerked back and bumped the van as that awful image shot into his brain. The image he had seen every night since he could remember. Insomnia haunted him from that image. But no matter what he tried, he couldn't escape the fear that it instilled in him. Something told him, etched away at his soul, that that mark was bad.

He came back to earth and looked around. Shaking his feelings of distress off and rubbing his eyes.

"I guess they heard me, but to hell if I'm moving if they don't call me out. "

Keith dropped down to his stomach and rolled under the van. He stayed far enough that they'd have to kneel to see him.

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