Gangster's Paradise

The incessant buzzing of the alarm rang deep in her ears despite all her attempts to block it out. She lay in bed, still contemplating getting up, but her resolve hardened as she recalled the unpaid rent for the month.

She sat up, mustering all her strength.

Turning to the source of the sound, she pressed the button on the top of the alarm clock, silencing it. As she glanced at it, something caught her attention—a sentence, written on it. “Property of Ava.”

A smirk curled up her lips. He’s right, I really am obsessed.

Ava began her morning routine, which included a brief workout. Her well-toned body—a testament to her diligence—only reinforced her belief in the neecdlessness of a gym membership.

With sweat dripping from her face, Ava went to the bathroom to freshen up, still thinking about what he had said to her the day before. “He’d better keep his promise this time,” she thought to herself as the bristles of her toothbrush scrubbed up and down her teeth.

As she stood there, a sudden, blinding light filled the bathroom, followed by a deafening bang.

Ava’s world became distorted as she was hurled into the living room by a powerful, unseen force, and in seconds, her apartment, the one she had spent quite some time cleaning the previous day was almost unrecognizable—like a war zone.

The smell of burning wires filled the air. The windows, along with every other piece of glassware, were shattered—resembling the world’s worst mosaic, her doors were unhinged, and debris covered every inch of her house.

Ava’s vision was blurry, and her eyes struggled to focus through the haze of dust and smoke. She tried to get up, but a searing pain forced her to remain on the ground. As she looked down, she saw that her legs were broken, twisted at unnatural angles. The pain was overwhelming, and Ava felt herself losing consciousness. This can’t be happening. I can’t die now, not like this.

“Help!” She managed to utter, her voice barely above a whisper. Somebody, anybody, please.

The last thing she heard was a man’s voice screaming, “There’s one here,” before everything went black.

***

Several hours later.

Cole hurried into the reception of St Ann’s Hospital, the one he’d been told Ava was rushed to. His steps were frantic, his next step faster than the last—almost like he was being pursued.

“Please be okay, Ava—please,” he thought to himself, as he flung open the doors of the reception.

The cold fluorescent light hummed in the ceiling, and the faint smell of bleach clung to the air.

“Where is she? Where’s Ava?” He shouted, within earshot of everyone.

“Sir, please, you need to calm down, this is a hospital,” A man dressed in a blue scrub said in a soft but stern tone.

Cole looked in the direction of the voice he just heard. Calm down? Do you know what’s at stake? Looks like I need to set an example.

“The only thing I need right now.”

He walked toward the man, each step filled with malicious intent. In a flash, he grabbed the man by the uniform with one hand and pulled out a golden Desert Eagle from beneath his leather jacket with the other.

The sight of the gun caused people to run in all directions—the reception descended into chaos.

“Is for you to tell me where Ava is,” he snapped, staring straight at him while pointing the gun at his head.

The man’s confidence took a dive when he felt the cold metal pressed against his cranium. “Please, sir.” He managed to let out, frozen stiff with fear.

Cole glanced at his badge.

“A doctor”, he muttered, smirking. “I’m sure you’ve seen some pretty horrible things in your line of work,”

He leaned into his ear.

“But have you ever wondered what it would be like on the other side of the operating table....doc?” Cole’s voice dropped into a menacing whisper—his words dripping with malice.

“Let him go, Cole,” a voice behind him, strange but familiar, echoed out.

“Ah, a volunteer,” Cole let out with a slight grin while turning to face the source of the voice. Pointing the loaded revolver toward it, he muttered, “but how do you know my nam-“.

His eyes widened, his brows furrowed, and he felt like he was in a trance. As he caught sight of what appeared to be a man in a white uniform, Cole lowered his gun and unconsciously let go of the cowering man he had in his grip.

“What D-Doc?”

“We thought you were dead. How are you-?”

How is he? What? Is he not dead? But I saw the body I—

“Come with me, Cole, I believe there’s someone you want to see,” He said, walking down the hall.

Cole’s feet seemed to be rooted on the spot, his mind reeling, unable to believe what he was seeing with his own eyes.

“Don’t you want to see, Ava?” The doctor stated, turning back while throwing him a knowing look. Cole immediately snapped out of his daydream.

He walked towards the doctor.

"Where is she?”

“I’m taking you to her,”

They walked for about a minute before stopping in front of a door. ‘Ward 7’ was written on the door in a blue hue.

“She’s in there. I’ll be outside if you need me,” he placed a hand on Cole’s shoulder, and then walked in the direction they came from.

Cole entered the room, gently opening the door, not wanting to wake Ava if she was asleep.

It was quiet, the steady beeping of the ECG machine filled the room. The ward had the typical smell of a hospital, a faint smell of blood coupled with drugs and chemicals. He was well acquainted with the smell; as he had put many people in places like this.

He looked towards the bed, and he saw her, wrapped in bandages, almost resembling an Egyptian mummy. Her right leg was placed on an elevated platform, and a drip was at her bedside, slowly emptying its contents into her bloodstream.

“Ava”. He said in a low tone, moving close to her. Cole’s jaw clenched as he saw Ava’s bandaged body, the creases on his forehead deepened, his hands balled into fists, and his voice remained low with a hint of resolve in his tone. He sat beside her, observing her bandaged body.

“I’m so sorry, Ava, it’s all my fault”.

He paused, glancing back at her through the corner of his eye. “I never should have involved you in this”. He said, looking back at the ground.

“I’ll find whoever did this, and I’ll make them pay.”

“Aha(cough) aha(cough)....Cole?” A voice beside him managed to utter.

“Wha- Ava, you’re awake?”

She chuckled for a moment, catching Cole slightly off guard. “I never should have involved you in this, it’s all my fault,” Ava let out in a deep, masculine voice, making a poor imitation of Cole. “I swear sometimes you can be a bit of a baka (Baka is the Japanese word for idiot in this context).” She exclaimed, her cheeks turning red, while she turned her face to the side to avoid eye contact.

His mood lightened, and his tension dissipated, “Good to see your big mouth wasn’t blown to bits, we wouldn’t want that”. Cole responded with a warm smile.

“Ohh ok, you’re lucky I’m covered in bandages right now or I’ll-“. She turned to face him, his deep brown eyes stared back at hers, and for a moment, it felt like her heart skipped a beat.

“Or you’ll what?" He said, closing the gap between them.

“What will you do, Ava?” Cole leaned closer—their lips an inch away from each other.