Chapter 2 - The First Step

The city was quiet that night. Streetlights stretched long shadows across empty roads, and Buddy 1’s black luxury car hummed softly as it glided through the darkness. He sat alone in the driver’s seat, one hand on the wheel, the other tapping lightly on the steering. His mind wasn’t on the road. It was still at the reunion, replaying the moment when Buddy 2 had raised his glass and whispered about their wildest thoughts.

He could hear the voices of his school friends in his head.

Kill ten people before I die.

Change life itself.

Build a medicine mafia.

A small smile curled on Buddy 1’s face. Back then, it was just a childish promise. Tonight, it didn’t feel like a joke anymore.

Suddenly, a figure stumbled out of the shadows.

Buddy 1 slammed the brakes, but it was too late. A drunk man staggered right in front of the car. The impact shook the car, and the man rolled onto the hood before hitting the road with a dull thud. The car skidded to a stop, and a loud crack echoed in Buddy 1’s ears. He stepped out and saw the headlight smashed into pieces on the asphalt. His million-dollar car was wounded.

His chest burned with rage. He turned to the drunk man groaning on the ground. A wave of anger and something darker washed over him. For a brief moment, he imagined smashing the man’s head against the road. No one was around. The street was empty. He could end this man and walk away.

He picked up a heavy iron rod from the roadside and stood over the man. His hand trembled—not from fear, but excitement. He had imagined this moment for years. One strike, and his wild thought would begin.

The drunk man coughed and groaned. Buddy 1 froze. A voice in his head whispered, Do it. Another voice said, Not yet. Not here.

After a few seconds that felt like hours, he dropped the rod with a loud clang. The sound echoed in the night. Without another glance, he got back into his car and drove off, his heart pounding. He switched off his phone, not wanting to hear anything from the world.

Far across the city, Buddy 2 lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. His apartment was dark, lit only by the glow of his laptop screen. He had spent the last hour reading about chromosome mutations and lab experiments, scrolling through forums where hobbyists shared illegal experiments. His head buzzed with possibilities, but his stomach churned with doubt. Could he really change life itself? Could he make the world where only boys are born?

His phone buzzed. Buddy 3 was calling.

“You can’t sleep either?” Buddy 2 asked when he picked up.

“No,” Buddy 3 said with a sigh. His voice was low and heavy. “I can’t stop thinking about tonight. About what we said. About… all of it. I feel like I’m going crazy.”

Buddy 2 laughed softly. “Crazy is better than boring. You wanted to build a mafia, right? You think that happens while sleeping like a baby?”

Buddy 3 didn’t laugh. He rubbed his face and stared at the medicine bottles in his small clinic room. He had spent the last hour staring at them, wondering if he could ever cross that line and turn his dream into reality.

After a pause, Buddy 2 said, “Have you talked to Buddy 1?”

“No. I tried calling him. Phone’s switched off.”

Buddy 2 smirked, even though no one could see it. “He’s probably already doing something wild.”

Buddy 3 didn’t reply. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought.

They talked for hours, drifting between excitement and fear. They made small, nervous jokes about their old pact, but underneath, both of them were restless. They wanted to do something but didn’t know where to start.

By the time they ended the call, the first light of dawn was touching the sky. Buddy 3 sat alone, staring at the sunrise, his mind buzzing with what could be. Buddy 2 leaned against his window, eyes burning with sleeplessness, thinking about chromosomes and forbidden experiments.

And Buddy 1, in his dark bedroom, lay wide awake, replaying the accident in his head. His heart still raced from the thrill, and deep inside, he knew something had changed. The next time, he wouldn’t hesitate.

None of them realized it yet, but the old pact was alive again. And Buddy 1 had just taken the first step into the darkness.

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