Chapter 5: Sharpshooter

Dog's barks can be heard throughout the street.

It's kinda unpleasant to hear when human screams are mixed in the noise.

In the middle of the mess there are two people who are not harmed nor targetted by the horde of dogs.

Mike and Ray.

They are just resting there and listening to the sound of agony coming from the chaos.

Without a light source in the night, the only thing they can do is to listen to the sound of agony.

"Argh!!!"

"Gahhh!!!"

Ray felt frightened as he listens to the sounds of people who are getting bitten one after another.

He tugs Mike's clothes and whispers to his ears.

"Hey Mike, I know they are the ones who started chasing us but isn't this going a bit too far?"

"Shut it. This is not the only time they chased me like this."

"Huh? So you experience more of this in the past!? Why I didn't know any of tha-!?"

Ray's voice is getting louder so Mike decided to cover his mouth with his hand.

He put a finger to his lips showing a gesture to be quiet.

"Shhhh....."

Ray understand Mike's gesture and nod back.

*********************

The dark street finally went quiet.

No more sound of dogs nor people's screams can be heard.

Mike double-checks the surroundings if there are people hiding.

"Looks like this was it."

"Y-yeah."

Ray was still feeling nervous from the silence giving from the street.

*tap tap tap*

Mike taps something again in the utility pole and a few seconds later the lights come out from it not only this single pole but the whole street was filled with lights again.

As the lights covering the whole street, it showed countless of people lying down in pain.

Only two of them are fine after that the dog stampede.

Ray was terrified at what he had seen.

(There is no way I can unsee this!)

The only good thing about this was the people who are lying at the ground have only slight wounds and bruises showing that the dog's bite was shallow.

Mike didn't bother to look at the corpse* (Mike's perspective.) and started walks through them.

He casually avoids stepping their bodies as he walks to the direction of their home.

"Oy! Are you gonna leave them like this?!" Ray asks furiously to Mike.

But Mike did not stop while he talks back to him.

"After that sudden shutdown of electricity from the poles and a breakout of dogs from the animal shelter surely police and ambulances will come. So hurry up before they arrive."

(You even think that far ahead.)

Ray finally understands him and quickly follow his back.

He has many questions that need to be answered but now is not the right time.

The chase takes too much time and it was already 10 PM (22:00).

As they walk together to go to their home, no one utters a single word to each other.

Silence filled the whole atmosphere and the one was who was suffocating from this silence was Ray.

(What should I say? 'This was a great night,' 'Man, that was exciting,' or 'Good thing they are gone.' but all of them are raising unlucky flag here!? Should I just shut up? or Should I continue?)

....

(Yeah... I'm just gotta shut up.)

....

..

.

"Man... This night was excitingly great! Good thing they are finally gone, right Mike?" said Ray trying to cheer up the mood and mixing all of his thoughts in one sentence.

(I JUST SAID ALL OF THEM!) Nervous sweats coming out from his stiff face.

Raising flags was the thing that he would not want for now.

He hopes that his raised flag will not happen.

Will not happen.

Not happen.

Happen.

-ppen.

It happens.

A metallic can flew towards Mike's face at high speed.

Mike didn't react in time as he was hitten by the can with a great force.

The metallic can hit the place where he is already injured. (Critical Hit.)

He was fallen into his knees and covered his mouth as he endures the massive amount of pain coming from his injuries.

It was already night so people should be asleep and even if they don't it was clearly dark for them hit Mike precisely.

From his covered mouth, blood is spilling out.

Just who in the world threw that can?

High speed, a great force, and precision to hit its target even at night.

"Mike!" Ray quickly covers Mike and check him if he is alright.

Mike glared at the place where the sharpshooter might be while he still covering his mouth.

He stands up and picks up the can that hits him.

(How cruel it's a fucking tin can that hit me. No wonder it was painful.)

He drops the can and glared back again at the dark place.

(This would be my first time experiencing this kind of opponent.) thought of Mike as he grins.

Not only dropping the can he also drops his school bag that he was carrying all this time.

"Hey, Ray."

"W-what?"

"Take my bag this will be a quite gruesome scene so run away from here."

"But!"

"No BUTS! You already raised this flag and I don't want any more flags to rise! out so get outta here! This is an order from your great leader!"

"Just when did you become my leader!? Urgh! Fine so be it!"

Ray immediately grabs Mikes's bag and about to run away but stop in a short pause.

He looks back at Mike who was glaring at something beyond the darkness.

It was cool to see him like this but he breaks the mood by shouting at him.

"THERE'S NO STUFF INSIDE YOUR BAG EXCEPT THIS USED CLOTHES! DO YOU EVEN CONSIDER YOURSELF A STUDENT!?"

He didn't wait for an answer and ran straight to the opposite direction of the sharpshooter.

Without the dead weight, Mike finally can go all out.

"Haha... Seems like you are a coward and cunning as me,"  said Mike with pure excitement.

(Please be sure to entertain me, you bastard!)

*************************

Beyond the darkness where Mike is looking, five people are hiding behind the walls.

One of those five is the one who threw the can to Mike's face.

Mike was surely pissed because of it as he still holding his mouth.

(Where are you, bastard!)

The distance between those two sides is long so the five people are at advantages.

Mike started sprinting towards the direction of the throw. He is running mindlessly.

One of the five in the shadows takes his action by throwing another can from his blind spot.

However, unlike the last time, Mike anticipated it and managed to block the incoming attack with his left wrist.

"Ouch! It's hurt like hell!" Even he managed to block it the power from that throw is so powerful to him.

His wrist was in swollen red like it was about to explode.

Mike can barely endure the pain coming from his mouth and another pain come from his wrist.

It did not stop there and another stuff has been flown straight to his face again.

Mike barely dodge the thing leaving a scrape of a wound to his left cheek.

The thing that flies straight to him was not a can because of the sharpness that scrapes his left cheek.

He did not have time to check what kind of stuff has been thrown to him as he was still in a dangerous situation.

Mike hides behind the thick tree to avoid getting another hit from the sharpshooter.

*pant pant cough*  Heavy breathes and cold sweats covers his whole body.

He gave up covering his mouth and put his right hand into his left wrist to try to stop the swollen.

(Shit! Based on the throw. Well... it's not a literal throw maybe he uses some kind of a slingshot. It's kinda impressive to shoot with that thing in this dark.)

*BAM* A sound of a loud impact came from the tree Mike was hiding.

There was a hole left at the thick tree.

More sweats cover his face as he was terrified.

"OY! Is that all you can do to fight!? Fight me fair and square!"

"..."

Of course, no one would respond to his complaint.

Mike managed to catch his breath and take a run sideways trying to dodging the 'bullets'.

"Fuck!" He got hit again at his thigh yet he still did not stop running.

Running mindlessly is what the sharpshooter thought when he saw Mike who is just running around.

However, that went to another direction when he started climbing in walls, cars, and trees.

The way he climbs is like an amateur monkey. This was actually his first time climbing in such a stupid way.

(What he is doing?) thought of the sharpshooter while he keeps shooting Mike.

The eyes from the sharpshooter were like an eagle even in this dark his eyes can still follow Mike.

A barrage of things went straight to Mike while he was climbing.

And finally, he went down.

The sharpshooter stands up from his place as he finishes his job to shoot at his target.

"Did you get him?" One from the five asked the sharpshooter.

"Of course, do you think I let my prey escape?"

"Wahaha... As expected from you!"

"You compliment me too much. He did not even thrill me when shooting him. He didn't even run away from me instead he just climbs at anything he can climb."

"Don't talk to him like that he gave us a really hard time in the past, you know."

"That just means your all weak."

"Haha..." He let out a small laugh and didn't talk anymore. He didn't want to fight him because he is the one who defeated the troublesome pest that keeps pissing at their territory.

"Well, this must be it. Do what you want to that guy. I'll take my leave." said sharpshooter and walks away.

He leaves the four thugs and walks to the street and about to go somewhere.

(Is that even a worth challenging?) thought of the sharpshooter.

*BAM!*

While he was full of thoughts something hit his head.

He got thrown away to the ground by the impact.

"Gah!" He holds his head as he was in deep pain.

Blood started to drip from his head.

Mike slowly approached the sharpshooter with a metal bat in his right hand.

"Finally found the bitch."

With the eyes of like an eagle sharpshooter easily recognized Mike.

He gets his slinger and prepares to shoot.

Just when he was about to grab some bullets from his surrounding he was confused.

"A cans and a bunch of small stones mixed up that have been thrown over to me countless times. I already know your place when you use the can to hit me because the only place here in the street with trashcan was over there at your shooting range. You're the type of guy who did not want to carry stuff that you can get anywhere, right?"

The sharpshooter was surprised and the only thing he can do is shoot him with the stray rocks near him but there are no rocks nor trashes near him.

(How!?)

"I did a little cleaning while I was running earlier you know." said Mike as he hits him with a bat to his right elbow."

"Argh!!"

Mike showed a sneering smile while he enjoys hitting the one who gives him trouble.

"Do! You! Know! How! Many! Pebbles! Or! Cans! That! Injured! Me!? HUH!?"

"Gargh!! Sorry! Sorr- cough!"

"HAHAHAHA! Don't worry! I'll only hit you the same as you hit me!"

The sharpshooter was just at the ground without nothing much he can do from this continuous of hits from the metal bat.

No one can help him because he already left the group earlier.

(Someone, help me!) He stretches his army in the darkness like someone is there.

(You triggered my switch so take responsibility from this!... Gargh!)

While Mike who was in the middle of his enjoyment, a fist went straight to his left wounded cheek.

(Why always my face!)

Normally people would fall unconscious when they got hit with that force in the head but Mike barely stands up again from the sudden attack.

The one who hits him was the one from the five. Looks like the other four were already here.

Mike swipe off the bleed from his left cheek as he glares the man who punches him.

The metal bat from his hand is gone as he let it go from the sudden attack.

"Get him, Leo!" One of them shouted at the guy named Leo.

"Yeah! This will be the end of his foolishness in our territory!"

"Quick! Call the others!"

"Leo! Leo! Leo!"

(Getting surrounded by five.

Two of the five were not you ordinary young gangsters can be found here means they are from outside the city.

The pain from my injuries is too much.

And I'm about to run out of breath.

What a great day to be alive!)