Elijha sat in the dimly lit room, his fingers tapping against the wooden table, his mind racing. The air smelled of damp wood, stale cigarettes, and something metallic—perhaps blood, though he wasn't sure. The walls were bare except for a few old newspapers taped to the corners, their edges curling with age. The place was suffocating, but in a way that felt oddly fitting.
For the past few days, his thoughts had been consumed by the card Raul had given him. The world had left him no choice. His mother's weak, weary face, his sister's empty plate at dinner—it all pointed to one undeniable truth: no one would save them. He had to.
A knock at the door. Sharp. Precise.
He stood up and opened it. Raul walked in without waiting for an invitation, the scent of cologne and tobacco trailing behind him. His eyes scanned the room before settling on Elijha, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"You've been thinking," Raul said, taking a seat.
Elijha shut the door, exhaling. "I have."
"And?" Raul leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees.
"I'll do it." The words tasted foreign in his mouth, but he didn't hesitate.
Raul chuckled, shaking his head. "You know, most people hesitate. You? You don't even flinch."
Elijha met his gaze. "Hesitation doesn't feed my family."
"Smart boy," Raul mused, pulling out a folded piece of paper from his jacket and sliding it across the table. "Your first job. Simple, but important."
Elijha picked up the paper and unfolded it. A name. An address. A sum of money.
"You want me to collect?" he asked.
Raul nodded. "A man borrowed money from the wrong people and forgot to pay it back. He's been given plenty of warnings, but some people just don't listen. You're going to make sure he does."
Elijha's jaw tightened. "And if he refuses?"
Raul leaned back, lighting a cigarette. "Then you make sure he regrets it." He exhaled a cloud of smoke. "A broken finger, a bruised rib—whatever it takes. Just get the message across."
Elijha looked at the paper again. The address wasn't far. He could walk there in fifteen minutes.
"How much do I get?" he asked.
"Enough to put food on the table for a while," Raul said. "You complete this, and there's more where that came from."
Elijha pressed the paper against the table, feeling the weight of his decision settle in his chest. He thought of his mother coughing at night, his sister's thin wrists.
"I'll do it," he said firmly.
Raul grinned. "That's the spirit, kid."
Elijha pocketed the paper and stood up. He was about to step into a world he had never dared to touch before. But in a way, it had always been waiting for him.
He knew there was no turning back now. Every step he took from here would define the man he was becoming.
As Raul left, the room fell silent again. Elijha stood still for a moment, letting the reality of his decision sink in. He clenched his fists, inhaled deeply, and turned towards the door.
Tonight, he was ready to take the first step.
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