The spark that lit the flame

'How do I get out of this ordeal unscathed?' Taf pondered as he observed his stalkers through the mirror's reflection.

'Wait, something looks a bit odd.'

After calming himself, it dawned on him when he saw the Bing member seemingly just casually observing him as he window shopped.

'What are they up to? Normally they couldn't bear their frustration and would have attacked by now.'

Taf slowly discerned some clues from their movement with his seasoned young eyes.

'Why are they so calm and collected all of a sudden? Normally I would have to be running with my tail between my legs after being in such close proximity.'

Taf kept on looking until he saw a gang member who was foreign to his eyes. This fell was short but bulky.

'Wait, he appears new, and why is Scarface tactically standing behind him, I wonder?'

Taf kept on questioning his own observation.

'It looks like I finally get to see the leader, and he has the muzzle on his dogs. Interesting, I guess this one has a brain that actually works.'

Soon all was made apparent. Yet Taf knew the situation was strongly skewed out of his favour, 

'This is not looking good at the moment. It doesn't appear my usual antics will work against him.'

Still, Taf was never one to give up on a whim. If he still had breath, then there were options laid before. He was a brave soul, after all. Composing himself, he uttered,

"If that's the case, I should go for the number one thing that works and just run for my damn life!"

As he got ready to sprint off, Taf noticed the smirk that started to turn into a smile on the leader's and Scarface's faces. This stopped him in his tracks.

'No, that's what they want me to do,' Taf thought as he took another look.

'It appears they have planned for me to run for some reason. If that is the case, I will have to disappoint you.'

Sigh! 

Taf took another breath staring into the sky that slowly became darker. Now he knew what had to be done.

"Oh well, I guess I have no other choice. I'll have to draw for my ace in the hole."

With a change in his demeanour, Taf then turned around. He smiled at the members of the Bing gang, then started walking towards them. Scarface and Boss Fang were surprised by this and looked at each other with bewilderment.

"It appears this runt has gone mad, boss Fang; why else would he be walking over to face his certain demise," Scarface asked.

As Taf walked over, his smile became more considerable as he saw the smirks disappearing from their faces.

" Oh, big bro Scarface, how have this past month been treating you, I wonder? I hope you have been well." Taf uttered,

Sigh!

"In our last encounter, I am ashamed to say I had some pressing matters I had to attend to; therefore, I left without a proper greeting."

Taf, with a display of regret, apologized to Scarface.

As Taf spoke, Scarface was on the verge of erupting when he heard those words.

This is why he hated this little brat with every fibre of his being.

Slicing him into tiny little pieces would bring him nothing but utter delight.

The other members heard Taf's word. They felt no different from Scarface as they drew their concealed weapons in hand.

"Brother Scarface, it seems something is wrong. Did I leave you a false impression last time?

If so, my sincerest apologies. Now about that matter of the pouches. Well, I confiscated for safekeeping."

Taf, who now displayed a look of confusion and concern, questioned as Scarface burnt in rage,

"I took the contents for my selfless act of endangering my person for its protection. You understand, right, big bro."

He spouted with a cute childish smile.

" After all, what are a mere 30 coins among friends?"

Veins Kept popping up on Scarface as he vowed he would kill this kid in his mind. Beside him, Boss Fang was calmer, but he also was puzzled.

From the information received about this runt, he was said to be cunning and decisive for his age. Why is he acting like he doesn't know the meaning of death? This is truly interesting indeed.

As Scarfaces and his goons were about to rip him limb by limb, Taf smirked.

'I see it's time for the play to start where I'm the lead, and you all will be my unwilling cast,' He thought. Taf cleared his throat and started to bellow at the top of his lungs.

" PLEASE! PLEASE! DON'T BEAT ME UP, ELDERS. I ONLY HAVE A FEW COINS THAT MY SICKLY MOM GAVE ME TO BUY SOME FOOD FOR MY POOR LITTLE SISTER. SHE HAS BEEN DEATHLY ILL FOR THE PAST WEEK. I AM BEGGING YOU AS MEN, HOW COULD YOU BE THIS DESPICABLE AND CRUEL!"

The haggling crowds came to a stop when they saw the commotion between the gang members and the seemingly pitiful child. Seeing his desired result from the sides of his eyes, Taf continued to shout.

"I WILL NOT GIVE YOU THE LAST COINS THAT MAMA GAVE ME. EVEN IF I HAVE TO DIE. MAMA SACRIFICED TOO MUCH FOR ME AND MY BABY SIS. AFTER FATHER PASSED, POOR MAMA HAS TO TRY WORKING NIGHT AND DAY JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET!!"

Scarface and the other members of the gangs were drawn back at the outburst from the runt.

"What is he spouting on about, and what is this about his mother?"

They didn't realize the crowd that started to form around them at that very moment.

"YOU MAY HAVE DRAWN WEAPONS, BUT HELL WILL FREEZE OVER BEFORE I GIVE YOU POOR MAMA'S LAST COINS. NO, NO, NO....!"

Taf continued bellowing on with a tenacious grip on a small pouch in his hand. Then he thought,

'Time to wrap this up with the icing on the cake.'

He stamped firmly on his big toe, and tears started to flow none stop.

Murmurs started to come from the crowd as they closed in.

"These damn despicable thugs have the gall to do such an act in the open. It is not enough that they have become a plague upon our city.

Now our poor children are being targeted."

They started shouting when seeing the poor kid bawling his eyes out.

Members of the gym who were giving demonstrations came forward and gripped their fists as anger was written all over their faces.

Most citizens have been appalled by the high level of crime and wanted a means to vent all along. Then here came the spark that lit the flames.

Having just become aware of the crowd forming around them, the Bing gang members became deathly pales. Fright took over their bodies as they Knew what was finally occurring.

"Please calm yourself, my fellow citizen." Scarface pleaded.

"This is but a mere misunderstanding, I assure you. My little brother and I are just pretending that's all my brothers and sisters, please understand."

Scarface tried explaining as he nervously backed up.

"It is time to clean some of the filth from our city, and you will be first to receive the city's justice.

Beat the shit out of them. Not one will be left standing. If they go, it should be crawling like the bugs and pest they are."

The leader of the gym, Salvar, shouted as he headed the charge of the enraged mob.

Unedited Version

To be continued...