A corpse lies under my feet.
Did this really just happen, or am I dreaming right now? It might be some mistake, a misunderstanding.
I turn the corpse over and check the identification in the uniform... It's the real deal...
"It's over..."
I waste no more time, as I take my bike and drive away.
Even so, the cameras on the way, the fingerprints I left behind... My gun... Should I try to get rid of it? No, it'll make no difference.
Cops don't take it lightly when you murder one of their own. It's just a matter of time.
But it doesn't matter. I did what I had to do. Whatever happens next... I just don't care anymore.
On the way home, the rush of adrenaline fades and is replaced by a feeling of emptiness. Was all of this pointless? Why did they have to die?
At least the anger is gone.
Nothing.
The pain and burning in my head and chest.
Zero.
But without that, what even is left?
Nada.
No... There is just one thing. It's so dumb, but now I realize I really wouldn't have anything left without it.
'Is it wrong to try to pick up a spouse in college?'
Now, listen. Before you make fun of me...
You see, I... Huh...
Okay, yeah... Nope, I don't really have any excuses, just laugh and shut up already...
It's just what it seems.
Honestly, for the longest while I haven't had much to do at my free time. There's too much dirt in my hands to study or find decent company. Not as if I was the one who had the book smarts in my family in the first place. All I've ever had was my cursed luck. Too bad to let me have a decent living, too good to let me...
Anyway, I found this old game. Honestly, I think it might even be older than me, I think I saw it's original release date on the site I pirated it from, but I didn't really pay much attention. If it isn't that old, my pc would just freeze, but even so it's a great game.
I don't know if it's the unofficial translation, or if I'm just dumb, but the game is so complex I've even had to draw some charts to make sense of the requirements for each events and characters on each route. And believe it or not I've been having fun while doing it. I don't even know what genre the game is, since it was something in a different language, but I really love it.
You choose one of ten playable characters and goes through 3 years in a fantasy college. There you get to meet the other characters, make friends with them and eventually end up romancing one of them (or some of them in some very specific routes).
Right now I'm trying to play with the nameless Marchioness of Ater, but her route is just too difficult… It relies heavily on RNG, and she sometimes goes into insane murderous rampages that usually end up in game overs…
Let's play.
...
...
...
And I died, again... That insane Marchioness... At least I managed to get to the second year this time. I went for Blaine's route, but really---! Out of all the random events, did she have to put him on chains and parade through the academy?! Obviously someone would try to stop her, and of course she would take it very well and decide to murder everyone... And then she fights and dies... Again....
I would go for another round right now, but for some reason I'm just feeling so hungry…
I look at the time and understand, I've been at this for a good while now.
I check what I have inside my fridge, but there's nothing in there… Oh, yeah, it broke a while ago...
I should go out to buy something... But the place I live… It wouldn't be weird to be found dead the next day if you go out at the wrong time. And right now I feel it isn't a good time to go out...
But…
*grumble* my stomach makes some noise.
...
*gruuumble* my stomach makes more noise.
Just ignore it...
*groooooowwwwllllll* my stomach is screaming at me.
Ok, let's go...
In hindsight, it's not like there ever is an actual good time to go out.
'Why' you ask? Obviously because I live in a shitty area, dominated by scum, drug dealers, a crime tribunal...
Mainly, there's a rampant drug problem, and the dealers frequently fight for control over the area. Of course, the ones in control charge for basic services, such as light, gas, water, internet, you name it... At least they're better than the corrupt cops. The dealers actually have to live in this shithole too, the corrupt cops do the same while treating us like cattle...
And then there are the actual cops, who see everyone who lives here as a treat, marked for extermination...
The ones that have it worse are the powerless, innocents trying to just live their crappy lives in this shitty place... Maybe I was like them once, but not anymore. Now I'm just the kind of third rate scum that only appears as background enemies in games.
That said, things are relatively peaceful here. As long as you aren't caught in a shoot-around. Which you should expect 3 to 4 times a month... More if there's a gang war going around.
Also, you need to be careful of fireworks. Most of the times they are used for their intended use, festive occasions and such. But at other times they also serve to communicate the arrival of a new batch of drugs or other valuables. Sometimes gangs and/or cops aim for that moment, and things might get a bit... Let's just say you don't want to be close to your windows at this time. Hell, sometimes even walls aren't enough.
Now you know.
But I guess there's no point in avoiding a bullet to my head if I die from a hole in my stomach. I'M STARVING!!!
…
10 minutes from home there's a mini-market. I walk there and buy some stuff.
However, on the way back...
I hear a single large firework, followed by multiple smaller ones. Their sounds last for a short while.
"Fuck!"
Of course, it had to be now! I drop the food and rush home, but I can already hear the screams, some cars and the guns... I hold my own firmly.
The road I used on my way here was overtaken by the sounds of gunfire, so I go around it. There's always a different path through this maze of backstreets.
I hear some screaming, I avoid it.
Some explosions, I turn around.
Multiple steps, but I'm faster.
Someone points their gun at me, I shoot them.
Maybe I should break into someone else's house, but that's dangerous too. And I'm almost home, I just have to---
I hear some noise, I turn around, gun in hand, ready to shoot…
But what I find is a woman with a kid. They're just standing in the middle of the street, probably as unlucky as I was. The woman is frozen, and the kid crying.
"Shit..." I holster my gun.
I can't stop here, so I quickly drag them to a corner in the alley, covered by some makeshift concrete stairs.
"Stay there, stay low!" I scream at them, I have to get out of here fast.
They meekly follow my instructions.
Most assholes won't shoot them, unless someone like me is around them. It's better to leave them here and be on my way.
But as I start to head back home, from the other corner---
A cop appears. Nervous. A rookie most likely.
We stare at each other for a single moment. He reaches for his gun, but I'm faster.
Except... The woman and kid are just a little further back on my side.
He's nervous. Looks green. And is aiming for me.
I have a sudden flashback. My mother and brother, murdered by stray bullets, fired by an incompetent cop who is now dead.
I drop my gun and jump in front of them---
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
He keeps firing until his gun is empty.
I look down. Two bullets hit my chest and gut.
I look behind. The other two are scared but seem fine.
My legs lose strength. Fuck, why did I do this?
"M-mom... L-Leo..." *splutter*
I fall into an increasing pool of my own blood. I'm scared, I don't want to die.
I'm cold, struggling to breathe... I don't want to die, I'm scared, I don't want to die... No, no, help!
I remember my mom, holding my little brother... Telling me I should take care of him since I'm the oldest... But I couldn't do shit for either of them...
They went to heaven... But I'm going to---
Someone, help me please...