CHAPTER ELEVEN

Meanwhile, on a road in a certain city...

VROOOM!! A car drifted onto the road, made a sharp curve, one that was typically brash. VROOM!! The car spun again recklessly. It was a very flashy sportscar, driven by some rich lads, precisely three of them. Their parents were very rich and influential in those parts, and they were totally expending their parent's wealth screwing about.

"Kids these days", mumbled a passer-byer, shaking his head in disapproval.

"YAHOOO!!!", the teenagers squealed in joy.

VROOM!!! Another drift on the road, when the car suddenly stopped.

"What the hell?", they wondered.

Then, just like that, a casually dressed man appeared before the car. They were stunned, but more than that they were angered.

"Who the hell are you?!!", one shot angrily.

He was sure the man in front of them had somehow stopped the car. He didn't how though, which vexed him all the more.

"What nonsense", he thought.

His friends were also thinking the same thing. The exact same thing.

"Didn't you hear me?!!", spat the teenager, "I said who are you?!!"

After getting no response, he decided to drive the car straight into the stranger. Unfortunately for them, this was no ordinary stranger, but the stranger who stole the invaluable pills from the scientists. So, they started the car, but the very moment it was about to hit the stranger, it stopped.

Now, the youths were convinced the stranger was the reason why the vehicle stopped.

"What the devil have you done?!!!", they thundered angrily, traces of frustration evident in their voices.

They looked at the stranger in pure hatred. He was the epitome of bad luck. Little did they know that that was the beginning.

The stranger then began to talk.

"Do you imbeciles have any manners at all?", he asked incredulously.

"What the heck do you mean? Do you want to die?", shouted one of the teenagers.

"Me? Die? Don't be ridiculous", snorted the stranger.

It was then that the teenager felt like he needed to act up. He ran at the stranger with clenched fists, ready to pummel his face. Just when he could release the strike, he felt a strong grip around his neck. Then WHAM!!!! The guy was slammed onto the ground.

He yelped in agony and writhed in pain. He couldn't lift his body from the floor.

"Abalo!!!", shouted another of the teenagers, as he watched the misery of his friend.

Getting no response, he seethed in anger.

"How dare you?", he hissed dangerously.

The stranger still had his smile on his face.

"Answer me dammit", cursed the same teenager.

Before they could react though, they were forcefully dragged by the stranger. With a clumsy thud, they fell sprawled on the floor. The stranger then entered the car and made himself comfortable in the driver's seat.

"Stop, you thief!!", shouted the teenager.

"Me? Thief?", the stranger responded, "definitely not. I'm just being patriotic".

"How is this patriotism?", asked the teenager.

"I'm preventing you fools from hurting innocent citizens of the country", the stranger explained, "I normally don't insult people, but I don't mind making an exception for you. Be grateful".

"Why should i be grateful? For getting violated? Damn you!!", shouted the teenager bitterly.

"Why? Don't you realise it? That I'm being a hero? I'm saving citizens from thoughtless like you. I'm preventing you from unintentiontionally becoming a murderer. Shouldn't you be grateful to me?", the stranger pointed out.

"Shit! He's using some messed up logic to paint himself in good light.', the teenagers thought.

Suddenly, SLAP! The teenager screamed in agony and anguish. He looked at the stranger in absolute horror.

"That's punishment for your recklessness", the stranger said, as if answering the teenager's confusion.

The teenager was awash with indignation. *Cough. *Cough. He looked at the stranger like he was the devil.

"Don't glare at me like that, you devil!", said the stranger, " You almost killed someone and you have the effrontery to stare at me like that?!"

"Almost killed who?", the teenager muttered woefully. Just then, he broke down, the pain too much for his young heart.......

The stranger then turned his gaze towards the last teenager, who was, as a matter of fact, using all that fuss to try and get away. Infact, he almost achieved it, or so thought, when he heard the voice of the stranger addressing him.

"You there, why are you trying to get away, don't you also want to be in the spotlight?", asked the stranger sarcastically.

"No please", begged the teenager. For the first time in his life, he dreaded the word spotlight. He was sure of it with all of his heart.

"How surprising. You were cruising some minutes ago, basking in the spotlight. Do you really not want the spotlight?", the stranger pointed out.

"Yes, definitely", replied the teenager. If brutal slaps were spotlight, then he'll gladly be unnoticed.

The stranger then turned to the other teenager, who was very badly shaken.

"Up until now, only you have experienced the spotlight. As a good friend, won't you like to share the spotlight with your friend?", the stranger inquired.

The other teenager thought for a while. Since they were all friends, it was only right that their friend joined in on their suffering. He even reasoned that it'd be unfair if he missed out of the pain. After all, misery loves company.

"Yeah.. He needs to be part of the spotlight. For the sake of our friendship, let's share the spotlight.", replied the already beaten teenager.

"Nooo!!", shouted the almost escaped teenager. He was shocked at his friend's selfishness.

"Don't hold it against me.. I simply believe sharing is caring", the beaten teenager continued. He remembered the slap he received, and he felt angered. He was angered that his friend wanted to run away.

"You heard your friends", said the stranger, "As kind-hearted as I am, I'm going to honour their request and add you to the spotlight."

What followed was a series of brutality. It wasn't just the final teenager being beaten, the others were included as well. Human beings were being thrashed like animals, crushing their spirits and souls. Their bodies were also suffering, of course. After a while, the stranger stopped. He then made way into the car, which was even the cause of all this ruckus.

"Now this is how you use a car", said the stranger, as he sparked the car, ready to drive.

The teenagers' eyes were bloodshot.

"Stop, you thief!!", they shouted.

"Shut up, watch and learn", responded the stranger, slightly offended.

"Why are YOU offended? It is I who should be offended", one of the teenagers shouted.

The stranger then began to alight from the car.

"NOOOO!! You can have the car", shouted the teenagers desperately. They knew that it was better to let the stranger have the car NOW, than for him to increase their beatings and STILL take the car away.

"Really?", asked the stranger sarcastically.

"Yeahhhh!!!", they replied in unison, despite their bleeding hearts.

"Ohh, how kind of you", said the stranger. He was still being sarcastic.

As he drove away, after saying his signature "Sayonara" , the teenagers collapsed in sheer exasperation....