Chapter 1 Into Black Hollow

• Drake never liked towns with names that sounded like coffins.
• Everything just seems “weird” to him when he got a letter from his boss to deal with a debtor in this ominous town.
• As his boots hit the cracked pavement at the entrance to Black Hollow, the rain didn’t stop falling, and neither did his guilt and fear. His jacket clung to him like secrets.
• Somewhere beneath his shirt was a pistol… and inside his coat pocket, a letter from his boss.
• “Collect the debt. No excuses. Or don’t come back.”
• Black Hollow looked like a town that had forgotten time. The buildings sagged under years of rot, power flickered weakly in their street lamps, and everyone who passed by kept their eyes low. But Drake wasn’t here to sightsee.
• He was here for Mr. Richard, a man who owed money… and time had run out.
• What Drake didn’t know was that this town was already marked. Watched.
• And above the cloud-choked sky, in the cold arms of the stars, something odd… was coming.
• Getting to Richard wasn't his problem, the only thing that made him feel more suspicious is because he hasn't gone on a mission like this before.
• This was his first time threatening a debtor with a weapon, on a normal day debtor's will come over to the office to pay their outstanding bills without unnecessary arguments or delay.
• Drake, holding his fist tight, prayed silently as he stepped into Mr. Richard's cafe compound. It was well fenced and has a beautiful flora garden with flowers blooming as drops of rain watered them.
• “Richard, Lost deeply in his thoughts.”
• At least Richard's dad has a possession of value to leave for his son's survival before vanishing into somewhere nobody knows about till now.
• Entangled in the pain of his father's predicament he met Angie Cole, a very beautiful and charming woman. She did everything possible for Richard's café business to blossom, not until she was eaten up by breast cancer, Richard did everything possible to save her including taking a loan from “Brixton Lending Agency”. Unfortunately Angie died leaving behind their only daughter in her twenties to take care of Richard.
• In the midst of this struggle his café business was dragging behind. He hasn't even gathered enough money to pay his debt yet to talk of assisting his passionate Journalists daughter studying.
• Richard swallowed hard and Heaved a deep sigh, as he flashed back on what happened to his lovely wife, he wished Angie was still here with him.
• “Back from his daydreaming, he started Arranging the café furniture….”
• Suddenly he noticed a flicker of movement outside the window caught his eye. A huge muscular figure watching.
• “He went outside.”
• Beaming with a huge smile at the corner of his mouth. He never knew it was someone sent from “Brixton” to collect his debt.
• “How may I help you sir?, kindly come inside and grab a cup of coffee if you don't mind.
• Stretching out his hand.”
• “Uhmm… Am Richard.”
• Gripping his hand tight, He swallowed. The taste of copper and old metal coating his tongue. The corridor darkened. His pupils dilated.
• “Drake….Drake Marson”
• They both moved inside the café,Drake helping himself with a chair in front of a table admiring the beauty of art all over the wall.
• Richard moved towards the coffee machine, lost in thought and suspense.
• Who is this man and…. I haven't seen him in this town before. He brought a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee and sat on the chipped wooden table, it's dark surface swirling like liquid velvet.
• “Sitting in front of drake. Voice breaking, may…I know why you're–here Mr. Drake?.”
• “Drake Heaved a deep sigh as the ceramic mug of coffee was warm to the touch, radiating heat through his fingers as he cradled it. The rim kissed his lips with the faintest burn, and the first sip bloomed across his tongue, he cleared his throat.”
• “Mr.Richard, owner of Café Nocturne Black Hollow City, you borrowed a loan of 20 million dollars at “Brixton Lending Agency” on the 18th of….”
• “He was cut short by Richard's reaction.”
• Drake started, searching for answers in the silence.
• Richard swallowed hard, His skin prickled like something invisible had brushed against it.
• “I guess you don't know what the heck am passing through now ... .huh?.”
• Immediately rage simmered in Drake's chest, hot and blinding.He replied.
• “Mr. Richard, your payment agreement with our company stated you will clear your debt in the interval of 6 months which you signed.”
• On the loan form you also agreed to release your café documents, for auction if you weren't able to repay before the due date which was last week…..”
• Richard's heart hammered, not loud but fast, like it was hiding too. “He answered quickly. I know…”
• “With due respect Mr. Richard… I am here for our money.”
• The silence throbbed heavy, unnatural, almost alive.His voice came out sharp not raised, but uneasy.
• Richard whispered.
• “What if I say I don't have it now?.”
• “Drake's nostrils flared as if trying to breathe fire.He can recall his boss statement few hours earlier in the letter”. Expressing annoyance.
• “Wait…what!!!?. The fuck, are you kidding me right now Mr?.”
• Richard replied. The heat behind his eyes burning like tears made of acid.
• “Do you f*cking know the outcome of what I used the loan for….?
• “Man… my wife's treatment, my f*cking wife drake….”
• she died-mann…. Even after the Cancer surgery, I lost her.. every single penny I ever made is gone!!!.”
• “Drake blinked fast, as if sight could blur pain away. But he had no choice.”
• “I feel your pain man, but you need to pay off your bill. I don't own this company, I work for them.
• And the Brixton CEO doesn't give a damn about what you used the money for….”
• Richard looked around too quickly like he expected the walls to whisper.
• “Do you have any humanity in you at all? I just explained my plight, my business dragging in the mud. I don't have enough funds to survive!!.”
• Drake laughed, but it sounded like wind blowing through empty halls. He growled.
• “I don't believe that shit man and I don't work that way, you either pay off now or you bring out every single document of this café,Now!”
• In pretence as if he was following what Drake ordered him to do right away, Richard moved quietly to his desk drawer. Slipping his hand beneath he tried to bring out a short barrel “Ruger LCR.”
• “The sound of his heartbeat roared louder than his thoughts.Drake quickly brought out his pistol pointing it at his head.”
• Nay…man you can't do that, slowly–stand, and drop that barrel. He shouted. Every muscle in his jaw moved like gears grinding against stone.
• Richard, His palms were slick with sweat, as if the air was freezing. Stood up.
• Now sit-sit!!!
• Drake snapped not loudly, but like a whip in silence.
• Unexpectedly. The metallic glint of a gun reflected in his eyes as Richard calculated his next move.
• He pushed away his hand and the gun flipped across the desk, both men struggling breathing came out in sharp, ragged gasps, nearly louder than their heartbeat.
• “Each aiming for the gun but Drake overpowered him and picked up the pistol first.”
• Bang! The sound echoed off the café walls,“Gunfire rattled the steel floor like bones snapping in rhythm.”
• Holding tight to his chest, The air reeked of sweat, blood, and recycled despair.
• Richard, gasping. A surge of pain stabbed through his side, something broken, but too late as he had lost a lot of blood.
• Drake ran towards him panicking and in fear , holding him tight. Desperation buzzed in his mind louder than the sirens.
• Richard whispered, holding and clenching his fist hard while dying slowly. Blood in mouth.
• “P-Plea…se Drake, I have a daughter..”
• Confused as Fear churned in his gut like a storm waiting to break as he removed his cloth to put pressure on the wound. “You can't die now man…”
• Blood soaked the man's chest as he collapsed into Drake’s arms, gasping for breath.
• Drake breath hitched, shallow and dry like a paper bag collapsing. He looked at Richard gasping, holding a Necklace in his right hand tight.
• Drake pulled it off and kept it in his pocket.
• Everything to Drake that moment felt like breathing underwater slowly, forced and impossible. He doesn't have the money, the debtor is about to die… what will he do now?
• ”Richard whispered as he fought for his life.”
• “Listen to me…” he choked. “Take care of her. Take care of my daughter.”
• Drake’s heart twisted. “Who—who is she?”