The Last Kill

Costa's World

Lena never let him out of her sight for too long, she wanted the best for him, reason why she always got to monitor his every move, his every deeds, just so he does the right things and ends up well, not loke his father. They both had finished seeing a movie together, and Costa had gone to his room, leaving leaving Lena alone in the sitting room, she had to clean up, and do the dishes, she took the plates to the kitchen and washed the oil off them, she placed them nicely back into the rack and called for Costa.

“Love?”

He didn't reply, he usually responds to her on her first call, you'd see him flying the stairs just to get to where she was, but this time, he was silent, “Costa!” She called again, as she walked up the stairs to his room, the door was half open so she walked in, “Costa?” He turned around in shock and a pack of bullets dropped from his hands and opened, and the bullets spread, rolling around, everywhere.

“Mom? Mom!” He said, trying to get himself together, trying to hide what was left of the bullet. Lena stood there stunned, her mouth in a gape, she couldn't breathe, she watched him go down slowly and began to take them into his hands, and back into the box.

What the actual f**k! She thought, what on earth was happening?

“Costa?” she managed to say, “bullets,...these are bullets. Why? Why do you have bullets?”

Costa frowned, as anger and frustration began to surge through him, but what surged through her was more.

“Why the f**k do you have bullets on you!?” She yelled, gripping him by the neck and throwing him down to the floor, “what do you want to become in this life? A gangster?! What?! Fuckin' talk to me son, what!?”

He kept shut, hiding his face from another slap. Then he protested, in anger, he stood up, looking her in her eyes.

“I'm home schooling you, Costa.” She said, “you can't turn out this way, where did you get this from?”

“I'm not telling,” he said, “fuckin' leave me alone!”

“You child!” She screamed and ran after him, “don't you dare use the F word on me! Come back here!”

But he ran out into the street. “Costa! Costa!” She yelled, but he was gone.

She went back in with tears in her eyes, took the pack of bullets and kept it somewhere only she knows.

Earlier, Lena had sent him to the grocery store, but onreaching there, he found three orders sat on a Volkswagen Tiguan, smoking on something that smelled like week but stronger, he was already too familiar with the smell, on these streets, everyone was a smoker, actively or passively you smoked something. There was a younger there with them, and he looked so cool hanging with the olders, Costa stared at them as he walked out of the grocery store, they noticed and called him, and he went to them.

“Ay younger, are you from around here?” One of them asked. Costa shook his head on a No, “oh I see,” he said, as his eyes started to Costa's bag, “what's in the bag?”

Costa glanced at his bag, “Mom's stuff!”

“Uh Mommy's boy.” The younger with them said.

Costa looked at him and thought he could take him in a fight, of course without his Olders.

“Gotta go.” Costa said, and began walking away.

“Watch your steps around her kid,” they yelled after him, “the streets are no place for new boys.”

Silas felt insulted, he turned around and yelled at them, “it's your dad that's a new boy!”

They rushed towards him screaming and daring him to repeat himself, Costa felt so alone, he could repeat himself, the younger walked towards him and spat on his cloth, “p***y!”

Costa raged towards him, but a stronger hand caught him, he could remember the face immediately he turned around to see who, it was Silas Volkov. He had seen this man called after his mom much earlier, they had stared at themselves for long before she decided to drive away.

“What do you think you are doing, Son?”

“These motherfucke…ers!” He cried.

“Ay, ay, ay, watch your words okay?” Silas said, “it's just you against four, you'd get beaten I assure you.”

Costa breathe hard, he could feel his rage level rise to his head, he felt ilhe could kill that kid if he gets close again.

“Let's get out of here.” Silas said, taking him away.

“Good boy, follow daddy.” The younger said after him, and it hurt.

After they've walked a distance, Silas asked, “So,...where are you going?”

“Home.” Costa replied, “mom sent me to the grocery store.”

“Oh, that's good, she's a good mom.” He looked at he boy, “ain't she?”

“Not the best,”Costa said, “but good. Yeah.”

“Here, I've got something for you,” he handed Costa a box wrapped in black nylon, “don't tell your mom you saw me okay? And this is our little secret.”

Costa felt the box in his hand, it was weighty, he shoved it into one of the bags he had on him, and nodded to Silas as he strolled away.

•••

That evening, Silas saw Costa run into the orchard by the street with a frown on his face, and he secretly followed him, he watched him cross the orchard to the other side, he watched him walk into a group of men unlike him, they were much bigger, much muscular, he was barely sixteen, but it wasn't new, he's been hanging with them for the longest now. Silas didn't want to witness his immersion in a dangerous street gang, but he witnessed his company with a dangerous street gang, he felt terrible, his son is taking in his footsteps, and that was not a good thing, his recklessness, and his natural, albeit untamed, predatory instincts, he could see it on the boy. Costa exhibited traits that disturb Silas even after that day, reminiscent of his own younger, more brutal self. Now, he was going to follow Costa, and make sure that he was safe. He wanted to know what the extent of Costa's involvement was, and what forces were pulling him in?