We were awakened before dawn.
Roughly.
Without explanation.
Chains rattled as we were dragged into the courtyard.
Many members of the mafia were already there.
Too many.
And in the center—
Four crosses.
Four slaves were tied to them.
Two adults, around twenty years old.
Two younger ones—sixteen, maybe eighteen at most.
Their bodies were covered in wounds.
Deep cuts.
Bruises.
Blood—some dry, some still dripping.
They were barely breathing.
"They tried to escape," someone whispered beside me.
I turned my head.
A boy stood there, about twelve years old.
Short brown hair.
Black eyes.
And memories surfaced on their own.
Ken.
The only slave who had ever spoken to the previous Kai.
He, too, had been kidnapped by pirates and sold into slavery.
He often talked about his two older brothers—
they had been sold as well.
And every time, he said the same thing:
"When I escape, I'll find them. And we'll become pirates together."
—
"Hey, Kai," Ken whispered. "I thought you were already dead."
"Not yet," I replied, my eyes still fixed on the crosses.
I was about to say more—
When a gunshot rang out.
Bang.
Everyone flinched.
I turned.
The mafia boss was walking toward us.
Tall.
Muscular.
Thirty years old. Maybe thirty-five.
A pistol in each hand.
And a long sword at his side.
No.
He was holding the sword now.
His eyes were filled with malice.
And rage.
"Look," he said loudly. "Look carefully."
He pointed the sword at the prisoners.
"These four dared to run."
A grin twisted his face.
"This is their punishment."
He stepped up to the first cross.
And swung the sword.
An arm fell to the ground.
The scream was inhuman.
The second arm.
A leg.
Blood splattered across the stone.
The prisoner begged.
Swore he would never try to escape again.
The boss didn't listen.
He moved to the second.
Then the third.
Then the fourth.
By the time he was done, they were already dead.
Some from pain.
Some from blood loss.
Silence filled the courtyard.
Heavy.
Suffocating.
The boss turned toward us.
"Remember this," he said. "If any of you try to escape again—"
He slowly ran his hand along the blade of his sword.
"Your punishment will be a hundred times worse."
"Understood?"
We nodded.
All of us.
Trembling with fear.
"Now get back to work," he barked. "And don't make me draw my sword again."
He turned and walked back into the mansion.
After work, we were locked back into our room.
I sat against the wall and closed my eyes.
The scene replayed again and again.
Blood.
Screams.
The sword.
I have to escape this place.
I don't want to spend my entire life here.
But what comes after?
Live a normal life?
Become a pirate like Ken and sail the seas?
Or… join the Marines?
No.
That can wait.
Right now, only one thing matters.
First—I get out of here.
I opened my eyes.
And began to think.