It was a cold and dark night, with no moon in sight, glimmers of light rarely seen from the windows of those at home that didn't yet go to sleep. Even those that were sleeping were about to jump out of their warm beds because a commotion was about to happen, something that will scare, bring terror but also hope to this world in the future that had yet to come. All starting here in this small neighborhood. Something big starting from something small from someone who has lost his way.

The dogs started barking, red and blue lights suddenly appeared on the streets followed by the loud sirens. The police was storming in to bring the so called justice upon a criminal, that's what most thought at lest. But who was in the right and who was in the wrong, how it all started and why did it have to end like this? Where the hands of fate involved in this? The hands that no one can escape from. This was exactly what our so called criminal, Oliver Vernice, was asking himself right now while looking outside the window and seeing his house being surrounded.

"If only that bastard never showed before me again this would not have happened. Why did he had to come up to me and bring back those bad memories from the past and even worse, the feather that broke the camel's back, why did he had to mention my parents! Why did he had to act so high and mighty while mocking me for not achieving anything significant. I was partly like this because of him in the first place so why did he had to come and rub it on my face purring salt into the wound? Had he nothing better to do that day. He had it coming for bullying me all those years back. That humiliations and shame that I had to live though for more then 6 years that I never forgotten about was bound to come back and bite him. Plus he had to laugh at my parents too, even tough it was an accident that ended his life I am the one responsible for it in the end...Seems like it's true tough, monsters create monsters and I will become one because of that stupid guy. I only wanted to be left alone but it seems it was to much to ask from him."

"Also is quite funny but I don't feel any better, I feel worse even. That guy had a fast end and now I have to live like a criminal with others gossiping and fearing me, calling me a psychopath and a murderer. Guess I will be kept in a cage and meet my end in prison or get out after who knows how many years and live a life worse then death. Wonder which one it will be but either way I know I won't like it. I don't hate this world but I hate most of those peoples that live in it!"

"The only regret I have is that I disappointed those dear to me, I will never be able to look my family straight into the eyes again...but what's done is done, let's get this over with."

And so he gone and opened the door and gone outside where a lot of angry looking cops were waiting and screaming for him to surrender and to get outside. Looking into their eyes he could see how they were judging him of being "the bad guy" disgust and despise apparent on their faces.

He complied with what he was told to do rising his hands up where they could see them, going them behind his head turning back and walking slowly towards them backwards then going down on his knees. Looking up he could see his neighbors which he didn't interact much with even tough he was living here from when he was verry little peeking at him and what was happening trough their windows, those a bit more brave or with a bigger curiosity even got outside to watch the commotion from right outside their doors. He could bet one of those nosy guys must be the one that snitched him out but he didn't blame them. All he could see there was a bunch of people that weren't really interested in what he did or why he did it, all they wanted to see and hear was a good story that will entertain them for a few days. Some also had relived expressions thinking that it was good that he was caught with no damage done to themselves or their families and he could also see the curiosity and wonder of those young kids that were secretly watching trough their windows without their parents knowing they were still not sleeping even though it was so late in the night.

An officer approached him and put him in cuffs, spiting in his way after.

"Ptui! You will rot in jail for what you have done boy. I will make sure that justice will win and you will have a hard and long time there to reflect on what you did! Got anything to say in your defense?"

"..." Oliver was asking himself who the hell is this clown with a self deprecating smile. Thinking this fellow must have seen to many movies and thought himself to be some kind of hero in the shining armor or something when actually all he was doing was follow orders from others and arresting people he did not even know the story of in detail. He would have much preferred for the cop that arrested him to be a guy that actually knew and was realizing that this was merely his job and that he wasn't the judge of righteousness here doing everything with an objective point of view but it seemed like even this bit of luck wasn't meant for him today.

Seeing no reply coming back the cop got frustrated and slapped Oliver on his face thinking this was the right thing to do given the circumstances because he promised to protect and defend the innocent civilians from "monsters" such as this guy. But who is innocent in modern day? Who did not sin and were not responsible for the evils that were running rampant into this world. What is true justice when those who demanded it and searched for it look at it from a subjective point of view? Peoples are not Gods, they weren't meant to judge anyone in the first place, not even their own kind or even to judge themselves either. They were just surviving, looking for their own purposes and chasing dreams. Being born without knowing what was before that and dying without knowing what comes after leaving behind merely pieces of memories that will get blurry and then fade away in the unforgiving time. No matter how big those pieces where because in the end all of them will be forgotten.

Those that were deemed as dangerous towards society or themselves should be treated with caution and put behind bars depending on their actions indeed but they should never be viewed just as such. They must have had their own reasons or mental\emotional problems and traumas. Others should try to understand them and try to help if possible not judge and throw mud in their way at the first signs of instability. They were only hastening the process of those peoples falling deeper into corruption instead by blaming and finding defects in them.

And so Oliver was dragged to the police car and shoved onto the back seat. Looking trough the window he was wondering when and if he will get to see this place again, the place where he spent most of his life in. The place where he made his first friend but also the place where he was betrayed by this same friend after years of so called friendship, remembering of the time they spent playing together as kids, getting a small smile on his face just for it to froze then disappear completely a second later when thinking how this same closest friend was found stealing stuff from his home which he then sold and was buying cigarettes with after. He completely cut ties after that, refusing to associate himself with the guy any longer than that becoming even more of a loner then before after that.

The car started going forward just as Oliver was, thinking the past was the past and that he should focus into the present. He knew he could have ended his life to get away from all the hate he had towards other humans, towards himself too and everything he disliked but he was not a quitter, he promised himself that no matter how bad a situation he will find himself in he will only move forward and will never give up. He will live this life and see it till the verry end. Just how much worse then this it can get right? But how did it end up like this, how did it all started and how did it come to this point.

Oliver was bound to have a hard life from the moment he was born, even when he was just a baby trouble found its way towards him somehow. He didn't know exactly what happened back then but with bits and pieces of information that he had managed to gather from his parents that weren't very willing to talk much about it he did learn that he had some kind problem from the very start. That many doctors told his parents that he wont live for long and if he will he will not be normal and will be handicapped. A problem with his brain or something. He thought maybe he was dropped when he was a baby and hit his head or something. He knew he had a trauma and had problems that made him lose his consciousness from time to time but that was pretty much all he knew. The rest were just his assumptions.

But he also knew that his parents didn't give up on him even tough he did hear that at that time his grandmother told his father to leave it be because that's what God's wish was and that they will have other children in time his father didn't give up and kept on searching for a solution with different doctors even tough they were quite poor they didn't give up. He heard that in the end his parents meet a doctor that told them to not worry and that the kid will be perfectly healthy in the end and it will just need time.

For this Oliver was verry grateful and admired them for struggling to protect what was dear to them and not giving up and so he tried as much as he could to not worry them with his own problems choosing to keep all for himself no matter how hard or stressful it was. Maybe it wasn't the right decision in the end but that's how he felt back then. He thought it was the right thing to do. They seemed stressed enough with their own things. Trying to get by from day to day with a minimum wage with only his father working at a company that were making metal doors as a main product.

Oliver wasn't their only child for this family he also has a bigger brother 2 years older then him named Alex. He didn't remember much of his early life maybe because of what happened to him when he was a baby or maybe it was normal and everyone was in the same situation as him he didn't know but also didn't care much.

Most of his memories were traumatic events which was quite sad thinking about it, but Oliver never pondered over it to much brushing it off saying whatever whenever the taught of the past events entered his mind.

Things that were hard to forget like how he and his brother had rations on the food they were provided with taking into account their family's situation and how one day his brother took his bread jokingly waving it into the air with Oliver trying to get it back but being to small to reach it. In the end rage got over him and he punched his brother breaking his upper lip and nose getting blood on his hand for the first time and from a family member never the less. He was scared not knowing what it was looking at it then grabbed his bread that has fallen to the ground and took a run for it towards the backyard. Looking back he could see his brother crying and bleeding threatening him that he will beat him up and break his neck. Oliver was a bit shaken but in the end he brushed it off because he was hungry thinking that it was his brother's fault in the end for playing with his food when he was hungry. Baiting his bread and looking towards his brother far in the distance with caution ready to make another run for it in case he was coming his way. In the end it was their mother that was inside the house that heard the commotion and put an end to it after hearing what happened convincing both of them that they were both wrong and to not do it again. This was also the first time Oliver heard that he had some kind of problem when his mother was telling his brother to not agitate him to much because he has some issues and is not good for his health or something. He couldn't hear them very good because they were a bit far but he did took notice of it.

They did listen to their mother's words after that only getting themselves in small fights after that but nothing to big. Well that was except one time after 4 or 5 years later when they got their first bike and they were bickering over who can ride it next. They had some kind of rule and time allowed for who rides it but Alex didn't respect it mocking Oliver and asking what is he going to do about it. Quite the bad move thinking about it and Oliver of course took it upon himself to prove it by going on and biting Alex for a good 7-8 seconds leaving a big mark behind and a raging and annoyed brother. Alex did realize that it was his mistake and didn't beat him up instead choosing to take his brother on the back seat of the bike and going home.

Alex did get back at Oliver a few years later even tough he didn't really intended to do so. While playing with a ball that they found they were again arguing with who it belongs to and who found it first. Alex saying he saw it first and Oliver saying he picked it up first. Alex came up with the idea of throwing the ball in the air then for the both of them to close their eyes and the one who founds it first being the one who it will belong too. Of course Alex wasn't really going to close his eyes planning on cheating and picking the ball for an easy win but Oliver played by the rules and closing his eyes he moved fast up ahead at the count of 3 and without seeing anything around him he tripped on something and falling down hitting his elbow on a meatal pipe dislocating his arm and having to wear gypsum for 2 weeks after.

Oliver was pretty much happy with his life when he wasn't at school besides a few weird encounters where he almost lost his life or getting hurt pretty badly but laughing it off in the end. He didn't actually care much with what was happening to him or the bad luck that seemed to follow him so closely but he was felling extremely emotional when those close to him where getting hurt or where sad. The pain of those close to him was more painful to him then his own pain wanting to help them somehow and thinking how good would it be if he could somehow take their pain and shoulder it himself instead.

One such event being the one where his mother got a job trough a friend at a shop as a seller and after a few years working there while doing the routine and checking their inventory and supply the boss mentioned to his mother that there were things missing and asking if she or her kids took anything. It was just a question nothing to grave or so it should have been but his mother had a panic attack and being to stressed she thought she was being accused of something she did not do falling into depression and starting crying right there and then. Later that day when Oliver and his brother came back from school they found his mother crying for the first time. They approached her and asked what was wrong but she didn't answer and started crying louder instead making both of them cry as well without having any idea of how to help or what has happened. Their mother told them to leave her alone and to go to their room without wanting to give any explication to her crying children. They did go to their room but having the room right next to each others they could still hear he cry and so they were crying as well asking each others why was she crying and Oliver telling his brother that it feel to painful to not be able to do anything. Oliver did hear his mother crying and saying something like "How could she have accused me after everything I have done...".

It was a verry traumatic event for Oliver and he had to live trough it for more then one month with his mother starting to cry all of a sudden from time to time and her getting weaker and weaker even needing him and Alex to carry her to the bathroom at some point. She was taken to the hospital in the end and had to take some kind of medicine for it to pass but for Oliver that pain never passed, it was still there kept inside where no one but him could see it...

Also at this point he was already getting bullied for being the shy and silent guy that wasn't very much into talking or interacting with his classmates. The most intelligent kid from that class, Ravan, being also the most evil starting to pick on him and shaming him bringing him a lot of pain and humiliation that got worse and worse making him feel degraded day by day not responding back only because he didn't want to bring problems to his family. He was remembering promising to his father to never getting into fights again after he almost strangled a kid. Thinking back to that moment it was quite a f.u.c.k.e.d up situation where he took his bike and gone to visit his friend but upon getting there and calling out to him the one who opened the door wasn't his friend but the cousin of his friend who was visiting him. Oliver wasn't to good with new faces so he asked him where his friend is and if he is home. The kid asked a question of his own instead saying "Is this my bike?". This took Oliver by surprise totally asking himself what the heck is wrong with this kid. He told him "No mate this is my bike, where is your cousin?" but the kid kept asking the same question 3 more times annoying Oliver and making him say "Yes is your bike and what? Now go and tell your cousin to come out will you!".

Next thing that happened was event more surprising for Oliver seeing in slow motion how the kid pulled out a metal pipe and getting hit in the head with it. It made him drop down from his bike while screaming and feeling for the first time hate and rage towards another person. He wanted to make him pay he wanted to make him suffer. And so he approached him slowly. The kid felt it and made a run for it but for some reason stopped not long after and waited turning towards Oliver and looking him in the eyes. Oliver was feeling his feet heavy for some reason. His heart also felt heavy like he was about to do something taboo something sinful but with heavy and steady steps he approached the kid slowly. Getting near him and looking at his eyes it was almost like he could see his reflection in the kid's eyes. He seemed to see a smile but he wasn't really sure who's smile was it? Was it that kid's smile or was his own. He couldn't even tell if there was any smile in the first place anyway.

He raised his hands towards the neck of this child that hit him for no apparent reason out of the blue and making him see everything in red like some kind of monster was about to be released from it's cage. It felt like the kid's neck was the key that will let it free. He approached it verry so slowly with the child not moving a muscle only watching straight into Oliver's eyes like a mouse looking at a snake.

Right at that moment tough his father appeared and yelled at him saying that he heard Oliver screaming and came to check what was wrong and it was quite quick taking into notice that they were neighbors and right next to each others so his father got there fast.

Turning around and seeing his father Oliver lowered his hands and the kid started running again. Oliver could almost hear someone or something saying "...so close..." but that memory was blurry now and he didn't remember what happened exactly anymore.

Who was the snake and who was the mouse Oliver still couldn't tell. Was he the hunter or the hunted back then? He did learn later in life that he very much would want to be the hunter than the pray instead but that future it is yet to come...

Back then Oliver explained to his father what happened and that he wanted to beat up the kid very much. His father making him promise then that he will not get into fights again no matter what and that they should play nicely from now on.

And so Oliver choose to respect his father's wish and to not fight back no matter what. Letting others humiliate and shame him as they pleased for years but keeping it all to himself because he didn't want to bother his parents about it.

It was a living hell everyday but he still gone trough it. He took good grades too, not perfect ones but acceptable. Not to low and not to high with the occasionally high ones still coming in from time to time.

When he got into the 7th grade his promise to his father started to get a bit blurry tough after he made a vague friendship connection with a guy named Peter who got transferred into his class in the 6th grade. He was one of the smartest kids rivaling Ravan even. He was also a cool guy making some nice tricks and being good at sports.

One day after having a good time and laughing together with some other classmates Oliver and Peter have gone towards their homes which was in the same way so they had some time to chat.

"Man I can't wait to see my mother again. I'm so exited because I rarely see her. She works aboard and comes once every year for a few weeks only and this is that time of the year. She should be home by now!" said Peter with a small smile on his face. Oliver looked at Peter and felt a bit sad for him thinking how hard it must be to be in his place considering he was seeing his parents as the most important peoples in his life.

"I didn't know that your mother was working aboard. It must be hard for you and her. And also you must feel very happy now that you can see her again" said Oliver.

"Are you kidding me!? This is the best time of the year for me with her coming back. To say that I'm happy is an understatement!"

"..." A bit of an awkward silence has fallen after that between them. Peter was the one who resumed the conversation after a bit of contemplation.

"Listen Oliver, you seem like a nice guy mate and I wanted to ask you...I don't want to sound bad or anything but why are you so stupid man? Why do you let Ravan do as he pleases with you without doing anything?"

"...if I can beat him up it doesn't mean that I also need to do it. I promised to someone that I wont get into any fights."

"Who said anything about beating him up man? You just need to stand up for yourself. Even though the guy does seem to deserve a beating...Why fall so much? Why let him do whatever he wants?"

"..." Oliver didn't know the answer to this question so the conversation got silent again after that but they were approaching a crossroad anyway where they needed to split up.

"Anyway see you tomorrow at school Oliver, take care mate!" Peter thought to himself that Oliver was going to extremes with either doing nothing or going all out. He felt bad for him because he seemed like a nice guy overall but he thought it's his life after all and he can chose whatever he wants to do. He can't have others chose for himself.

"You too. See ya tomorrow!" Oliver said his good byes and gone home thinking to himself "Why indeed...?"

The sad thing about this was that Oliver's bad luck seemed to stick to those who were getting close to him as well for some reason and Peter's mother died a few mouths after this discussion that he had with Peter. She died because of cancer while aboard. Peter didn't come to school for 2 weeks after that and when he showed up he played it like he was fine and is everything was ok. With one of the other kids even joking about it and saying:

"Ha! This guy even seems happy about it. He got 2 weeks free too!"