The Mistake That Broke Me

Chapter Twenty Four: His Drug

Song: You Found Me by The Fray

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He curled into his black jacket tighter when the harsh wind threw itself at him. Night had fallen and it was time for the king to reign over his kingdom. It was time for the predator to escape his confinement that day brings upon him.

He wrapped his knuckles in torn cloth and tucked his gun away into his waistband of his pants.

It was time for him to take.

His gang was his only family. His gang was the one who had named him when he was in his younger years. The name Colton means from the dark town.

They believed it was fitting for him, and indeed, it was. His name came with an identity attached to it, it gave him a meaning. His parents hadn't given him a name because they hadn't deemed him worthy of one.

So, surely, if his gang had given him a name, they must care about his presence. And, maybe he felt a sense of pride in that fact. Maybe he felt worthy for once in his dark, void life.

And he felt like he had purpose at times when he was breaking and evading the law. Even now, he feels oddly alive as he approaches a nearby gas station with some of his gang members. He pulled the black veil down onto his face, shrouding his features so that he will go unrecognizable.

It's the dead of night when he and his gang storm into the gas station.

Muffled voices strangle the silence. Guns aimed and hearts ablaze with the lust for money, the men swiftly approach the man behind the cash register. The man backs away, holding his hands up in surrender and mutters words of a different language.

Fear.

The fear to die runs in his eyes and Colton can't get enough of it.

"T-take money and l-leave!" The man stutters, eyes wide with panic.

Colton shakes his head and chuckles. "I'm afraid that's not how it works in this part of town." Colton makes a simple movement with his head and his men know what to do.

They approach the man, who's now begging and pleading to be spared, and beat him with their fists. Colton watches as their feet sink into his sides and he hears the sound of bone crunching when fists come in contact with his face.

But they don't kill him. Yet.

They tie him up and pin him to the floor as Colton raids the cash register. He greedily takes out all eight-hundred dollars from the register and shoves it in his pockets.

And then he makes his way to the ATM machine. He takes out his gun and beats the lock repeatedly with the butt of his gun. He did not want to shoot his gun and raise any suspicions about the robbery that was going on at the moment.

He brings back his arm again and it clatters loudly with the lock. Damn thing! He thinks to himself. This was taking too long, each robbery is to be done with haste and precision. Lingering too long will only attract unwanted attention.

When the lock finally busts open and reveals more cash, Colton breaths a sigh of relief.

"Shit!" One of the gang members suddenly curses. Colton abruptly stands up and sees the man behind the register running out of the doors of the gas station in an attempt to escape.

Escaping alive meant that the man was a witness.

No witnesses are to live.

It's the morbid code of the gang.