A boy was laying down on the ground sideways with his knee caps near his stomach and with his arms together so that his elbows touched each other. That boy's name is Sam. He was being bullied because he was an easy target for the bullies, and they made easy money off him. Every week, he and few others had to pay the bullies in class money as a fee. If someone refused to pay them, that person would be hit. Sam would try to sneak out of school before the bullies came but that didn't work either. Sam felt like they had x-ray vision and could find him wherever he went. The problem was that his school had only one way out. Telling the teachers and parents would make the situation much worse. He was told by his friend in class, named Charlie, that someone in class 2 "committed suicide" but rumours say that he was forced to by the bullies. People thought that if they told the teacher about the bullies, they would end up with the same fate as the guy in class 2. Fear spread like wildfire throughout the school.

After getting beaten, he still managed to hide 1 dollar, Sam went to the local store which was 100 meters from his house. Sam entered store and picked up a piece of bread and went to the cashier and paid for it. Then he went home. Sam's home was located in the outer part of the town called York and the school Sam went to was also named York. Sam lived pretty close to his school as it was only 1000 meters from his home. He saw the beggar who usually sits on a bench near a tree, Sam usually gave the beggar food, The beggar looked like a middle aged man. Sam gave a piece of bread that he bought to the beggar. Sam wasn't really in need of the piece of bread it was just a habit of his to buy it. Sam sometimes gives a piece of the bread to some pigeons or to the beggar. Those moments were what he lived for, being useful to someone else was that his mother had told him. Sam treasured his mother's words a lot as a kid. His mother who taught him that kindness brought happiness, He didn't really believe his mothers words at the start but after giving the bread to the beggar and the pigeons he felt happiness, seeing the beggars smile after receiving the piece of bread or hearing the callings of the pigeons thanking him. After Sam gave the piece of bread to the beggar he went home it was only 40 meters away.

Sam entered the house. Sam hung up his jacket and put his shoes near the door. He didn't see anyone in the living room, a mouth watering smell came from the kitchen so Sam walked to the kitchen. He saw his mother by the stove who was preparing food, Sam's mother was in her thirties, she had hazelnut coloured hair and her eyes were mix of green and grey. She was very beautiful. Sam's mother was named Jessica. Sam asked his mother what she was preparing, she told him she was preparing curry that would be done in 15 minutes. Sam began walking to the living room to watch an episode of Black Clover before Sam could leave the kitchen his mother had yelled.

- [ ] There was a letter from Alice on the desk by the hall. Alice was Sam's best friend but in Sam's dreams she was his girlfriend. Alice, who was 13 years old, was the same age as Sam. Alice had blond hair and beautiful aqua-blue eyes. You could already see that her body was already developing. In Sam's eyes she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Sam walked fast towards the hall to get the letter. His mother heard those rapid footsteps. She giggled for herself as she understood that her son had fallen in love. Sam opened the letter and it said "lets watch a movie at 5:30 pm" after reading the letter he looked at the clock on the wall. It was only 3 pm. Sam rushed towards the kitchen and told her about the letter. He asked for money. Sam's mother Jessica responded "Didn't I give you money this morning?" Sam couldn't tell his mother about the bullies at school that would worsen the situation at school for him. Sam didn't know what to respond to his mother so he said responded with a simple please mummy with a baby face.

How could a mother deny a request from a child who did a face like that she gave him some money and reminded him not come late because we're celebrating your father birthday today, he will come early today. The time went by and it became 5:30 pm before Sam knew it. Sam was sitting on a bench near the cinema waiting for Alice. She had sent a message at 4 pm that told him to meet up at the bench. Sam was daydreaming away with the wind, thinking about how cool it would be to be Bruce Lee or some ancient martial artist to fight back against the bullies. "Sam, sorry for arriving late. I was helping my dad," said Alice "There is no problem Alice lets hurry before the movie starts," he reassured her.

"The movie I picked is called Avengers" said Alice. They went into the cinema and watched the movie while sharing a popcorn box, Sam thought to himself saying that it was greatest day of his life, as a bullied kid you didn't really feel happiness because you're always in fear in whats to come. After the movie ended they bought cotton candy and headed home. While walking home they laughed and talked each other. Sam thought to himself that its best chance for him to ask Alice to be his girlfriend. "Alice, do you want to be my girl…"

There was a huge commotion going on at the end of the street. As Alice and I ran towards the ruckus, Sam wondered why there were people panicking and screaming and yelling to call the fire fighters. They came closer and closer to the flames.

"WHAT IS THAT SMOKE?!" Sam hopes its not what he thinks it could be, "MY HOUSE IS ON FIRE?!" cried Sam. He ran fast as he could.

When he arrived, he saw few people in front the house he didn't really focus on who they were as he was searching for his parents. However, he didn't find them, He remembered his mother Jessica was in the kitchen making a cake before he left off and his dad just arrived at home before Sam left the house to walk towards the cinema so he tried to run into the house while yelling Dad and Mom but got stopped by his neighbour. Alice arrived at the scene and walked to a man. Sam didn't realise that it was her dad at the start because his mind was dizzy when he saw the fire. Sam was looking at Alice's father, Chairman James. Chairman James were smiling while looking at Sam.

Sam wondered why the chairman was smiling and was about to ask he was smiling but he got interrupted by the chairman. "Your parents tried to disturb my job and I have could have lost money because of them so I took away the threat, I don't kill children so thats why I told Alice took take you to the cinema. and do you really think Alice was your friend. She was just using you" whispered the chairman coldly. Sam was in shock after he he heard those words from the chairman. Tears ran down like waterfalls and Sam started to hit himself with his fists.

After few hits he looked at Alice and said "Is it actually true? Where you really using me to help your dad?" Alice didn't answer but you could read from her facial expressions that she wanted to say sorry, She really wanted to say that she didn't want this but was scared because of her father. The chairman went towards the car. Alice was looking at Sam crying. She didn't try to hug him and after a minute or so, she walked towards the car and the car drove away with her father.

Sam didn't have anywhere to go to and the neighbours wouldn't take him because they thought that he was a bad omen. Calling the police wouldn't work either since the police were wrapped around the chairman's finger. Sam had suddenly become homeless. He walked slowly and saw the beggar so he sat down beside him and told him the story while crying. "Whats your name? I guess since we will be living together we should know each other" said the beggar. "My name is Xen and whats your name?". My name is Sam said Sam with a tired voice. All the crying he did made his throat numb.

Sam responded told him his name. "Sam, if there were a way to give you a chance to take revenge for your parents would you take it?" Sam lit up and responded yes as fast as he could. "Even if it was life threatening? Are you ready to lose your humanity exchange for revenge?" Without hesitation, Sam replied yes because he has nothing to lose. Xen smirked and exclaimed "Welcome to the Shadows, an Assassination Squad!" Sam was flabbergasted after hearing it but he knew it wasn't a lie. Xen then told Sam to call him Master Xen from today.

Sam felt that The Shadows were his key for his revenge. Sam's thirsty journey for revenge had started that very same evening.