Chapter 4: Intimidation

Mark couldn't stop thinking about Alex's words. What did he mean by 'I have a work for you'? And why did he have to be there at exactly 4 pm? Mark's mind was filled with questions and worries. He couldn't focus on anything else."

The darkness outside seemed to press in on Mark's small room, making him feel trapped and anxious. 

Every time he started to drift off to sleep, his mind would snap back to Alex's ominous words, jolting him awake with a sense of helplessness.

 Tossing and turning, Mark started thinking of what to do . He couldn't just wait around for whatever Alex had planned. As the night wore on, Mark made a decision. He would go see Officer Chris first thing tomorrow morning, hoping to find some guidance or protection from the one person he thought he could trust."

Early the next morning, Mark woke up very early, took his crutches, and walked to the public bathroom he shared with five other neighbors. Their room was just beside his, on the same balcony. As he approached, he saw three of them - two boys and a girl. The first boy, who spotted Mark first, burst out laughing and told the others, "The crippled dude is coming!" The others joined in, mocking him.

when Mark neared them he greeted them, but they ignored him, continuing to laugh. When he tried to enter the bathroom, the second boy, who was closer to the door, held him back, saying, "We got here first, so you'll have to wait for us to finish our bath before you can enter." Mark felt a pang of sadness and decided to speak up. "We're all victims of bullying, just like me," he said. "Instead of fighting and bullying each other, why don't we work together to deal with those gangs that are tormenting us?"

The girl raised her eye brow and started laughing, her laughter was tinged with a desperation that made Mark's gut twist. "If I could just get Alex to notice me," she said, her eyes sparkling with a mix of hope and longing, "his gang would be my shield. They'd never dare touch me again." The first boy nodded fervently, his face alight with admiration. "Yeah, that's the dream – to be one of Alex's inner circle." 

Mark's mind reeled as he struggled to wrap his head around their twisted logic. He'd assumed everyone saw Alex's gang for what they were – a toxic plague on their community. But these kids... they saw Alex as a guardian angel, a protector who could keep them safe from harm. Mark felt like he was trapped in some kind of bizarre parallel universe, where the bullies were the heroes and the victims were clamoring for their approval.

"Don't tell me that there's no one who wants justice just like me? Mark asked 

The girl's eyes clouded, her brow furrowing as she considered Mark's question. "Honestly, most of the kids here feel the same way. They're scared and they want protection." She paused, glancing around cautiously before leaning in closer. "But there are some who want things to go back to normal, you know? They want the government to take care of us, to make sure we're safe and fed." She looked at Mark intently. "And then there are those like you, who want justice. Who want to make sure Alex and his gang don't get away with everything."

One of the boys spoke up, his voice was barely above a whisper. "But it's hard to say what you really think, you know? Alex has eyes and ears everywhere. If you say the wrong thing, he'll find out."

The girl nodded in agreement, her expression grim. "That's why most of us just keep our heads down and hope for the best."

Mark's eyes narrowed, his mind was racing with the implications. He realized that he wasn't alone in his desire for justice, but that there were others who shared his concerns. And yet, fear and intimidation kept them silent.

"I actually planned on reporting Alex and his goons this morning before going to school", mark said with a sigh.

"You better not," the first boy warned. "They'll make your life miserable. And think about it, has anyone ever successfully reported them? That's because many officers are in cahoots with the gangs. Maybe they're even behind the gangs' rise to power."

The third boy chimed in, "Since you kept us company, you can have the bathroom first. But make it quick – you've got ten minutes. If you're not out by then, we're coming in." Mark nodded thank them and entered the bathroom. 

.....

An hour later, Mark is all dressed up and ready for school. He wore his sandals, grabbed his backpack, and headed out, appearing on the balcony. As he made his way to the estate gate, he decided to postpone his visit to Officer Chris.

Just then, a voice called out from the balcony of the third floor of a nearby five-story building, "Hey, Mark! Wait minute!" Mark hesitated, but when he look up and seeing the familiar face of the boy who had accompanied Alex to his room yesterday made him stop. The boy didn't acknowledge Mark's when he came closer to the building and greeting him, he simply said, "The boss wants to see you."

Mark's surprise turned to annoyance. "But Alex asked me to meet him at 4 pm today. Why would he want to see me now?"

The boy sneered, "You dare talk back, you piece of trash? You've got ten seconds to get up here, or you'll face the consequences."

Mark's anger flared. "Can't you see I'm on my way to school? What's your problem? Your Bio-chemical Beast has awaken now you guys are busy bullying the weak instead of protecting them. Are you even human? Put yourself in my shoes and see if you'd want to go through what I'm experiencing . If you guys ever dare to bully me again, I'll report you to the authorities."

A clap echoed from behind the boy, followed by Alex's contemptuous voice, "Nice speech. So, you wanted to snitch on us, huh? You don't know what's going on. Leo, bring him to me," Alex said and walked back to his room.

The boy that Alex address as Leo jumped down from the third floor, grabbed Mark by the neck, and leaped back up, taking Mark with him. Everything happened so fast that Mark didn't even have time to scream for help.