Chapter 1: The Fall
New York, Manhattan
10:42 AM
Siren High School – Basketball Court
The ball swished through the net again.
Wally caught it on the bounce, spun, and rose for another shot. Practice was the only time the noise in his head went quiet. The court, the rhythm of the dribble, the sound of the net—it was the closest thing he had to peace.
"Hey, Wally!"
A short kid with messy brown hair jogged toward the edge of the court, waving both arms.
Mael.
Always too excited. Or too nervous.
Wally let the ball roll away and wiped sweat from his forehead.
"What is it, Mael? I'm in the middle of practice."
"It's not me," Mael said quickly. His voice cracked, and his eyes darted toward the school building like he expected someone to appear at any moment.
"It's Chris. He's at it again. Behind the gym. You gotta hurry—I don't think that kid's gonna last much longer."
Wally's stomach tightened.
Chris and his crew had been escalating all semester—shoving freshmen into lockers, cornering kids for "protection money," and worse rumors he didn't even want to believe.
Someone has to stop him.
If not me… who?
He grabbed his water bottle from the bench.
"Lead the way."
They jogged across the empty court and around the building.
The alley behind the gym was narrow and shadowed, trash bins overflowing with plastic bags and broken boxes. It was the kind of place teachers never checked.
As they walked, Wally glanced at Mael.
The kid was pale, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets, his eyes glued to the ground.
"You okay?" Wally asked. "You look like you're about to puke."
Mael forced a laugh, but it came out shaky.
"Yeah… I just hate seeing this stuff. Chris has been worse lately. Ever since his dad pulled strings to keep him from getting expelled last month."
Wally nodded.
"Rich kid thinks he owns the school. Classic."
He bumped Mael's shoulder lightly.
"Thanks for telling me, man. Most people just look away."
Mael flinched slightly at the touch before mumbling,
"You'd do the same for me."
Of course I would, Wally thought.
We've been friends since middle school.
You, me, and the basketball team… that's my real family.
They rounded the corner into the alley.
Wally looked around.
It was empty.
"Where are they?" he asked.
Mael had stopped a few steps behind him.
His hands trembled slightly.
"I'm sorry, man," Mael whispered. His voice cracked. "I didn't have a choice. They… they said they'd hurt my little sister if I didn't…"
Wally turned slowly.
"Mael… what are you—"
Pain exploded at the back of his skull.
The world tilted.
His vision faded.
The last thing he saw was Mael's face.
Then darkness.
.....--
Hours seemed to pass in an instant.
Cold water splashed across his face.
Wally gasped awake.
His head throbbed violently as his vision swam. He was on his knees, rough concrete scraping against his skin.
Wind rushed around him.
Too much wind.
Too high.
He blinked against the blinding sunlight.
Seven stories below, the school courtyard looked tiny.
The roof.
His hands were tied behind his back with a thick belt. Blood dripped from his temple, warm and sticky.
Christian stood over him.
An empty water bottle dangled from one hand.
His white hair shifted in the wind, bright under the sunlight. A small silver piercing glinted from his left ear whenever he moved his head.
His uniform was slightly stained with faint red spots.
That smug smile.
Two lackeys stood behind him with their arms crossed.
"Finally," Chris said lazily.
"Thought you'd sleep through the fun."
Wally spat blood.
His tongue felt heavy.
"You're… sick."
Chris chuckled.
"Still talking big."
He crouched down to eye level.
"You're the only one who never knelt. Everyone else knows their place. Why fight it?"
Wally tested the belt binding his wrists.
Too tight.
His head pounded with every heartbeat.
"Where's Mael's sister?" Wally rasped.
Blood ran down his lips as he spoke.
"What the hell did you do to her?"
Chris smirked.
"Ahh, that."
He rolled his shoulders casually.
"That was actually pretty clever, wasn't it?"
"I could never get my dad to step in for things like this. So I handled it my own way."
He began removing his sweater and watch, handing them casually to the boys behind him.
"What was the best way to get you?" Chris continued.
"Ambush? No."
"Seduction? Please. I know you too well for that."
He leaned closer.
"To break a man… you break the people he trusts."
Wally looked up slowly.
Rage burned quietly in his eyes.
"You still didn't answer the question."
"What happened to his sister?"
Chris waved a hand dismissively.
"Relax. I didn't touch her."
Then he grinned.
"Turns out threatening her was enough."
Wally stared at him.
Chris tilted his head.
"It's amazing how you still care about him," he said with a quiet laugh.
"After he betrayed you."
Wally said nothing.
He simply kept staring.
Like a predator watching prey.
Chris's smile faded.
"What's with that look?"
He suddenly backhanded Wally across the face.
Stars exploded across Wally's vision.
Fresh blood filled his mouth.
"You don't seem to understand your situation," Chris said coldly.
"Your life is in my hands."
The lackeys laughed.
Chris straightened.
"Get him up."
Rough hands grabbed Wally and dragged him to his feet.
The world spun.
They shoved him toward the low railing at the roof's edge.
Chris spoke loudly, almost theatrically.
"The vice captain of the basketball team was drinking and fell off the roof."
"He'd been acting strange lately after failing to make the championship finals."
Wally's legs trembled.
But he stayed upright.
Through sheer will.
Chris circled him slowly.
"Any last words?"
Wally's head hung low as blood dripped from his forehead.
"…How come?"
Chris frowned.
"How come what?"
Wally slowly lifted his head.
Their eyes met.
"How come… even now…"
"…as I'm about to die…"
"…all I feel for you is pity?"
Chris's face twisted with rage.
He drove a fist into Wally's stomach.
Air exploded from Wally's lungs.
Another punch followed.
Blood sprayed from Wally's mouth.
But the impacts loosened the belt slightly.
There.
That's all I needed.
Chris grabbed Wally's collar and shoved him against the railing.
"You think you're better than me?" Chris hissed.
"You're nothing."
Wally smiled faintly through the blood.
"Yet here you are…"
"…wasting your time on a nobody."
Chris's face twisted in fury.
"Who the hell do you think you are acting smug when you're about to die?!"
As Chris raised his fist again—
Wally moved.
He stepped sideways and drove his head forward.
His forehead slammed into Chris's nose.
A sharp crack echoed.
Blood sprayed through the air.
Chris stumbled back, clutching his face.
The lackeys rushed forward.
Wally twisted and kicked the first one in the stomach.
The boy collapsed with a gasp.
He spun and drove another kick into the second boy's knee.
A scream followed.
Then a punch to the jaw.
But Wally's vision was fading.
His head rang violently.
Chris recovered, fury blazing in his eyes.
He charged.
Wally tried to dodge.
But he was too slow.
Chris slammed into him.
They crashed into the railing.
Metal screeched loudly.
For a brief moment—
Everything slowed.
The railing bent outward.
Chris's eyes widened in sudden panic.
He grabbed Wally's shirt tightly.
As if that could save him.
Then it broke.
They fell.
Wind roared past them.
The ground rushed upward.
Wally stared at the spinning sky.
Only one thought filled his mind.
Mael.
The alley.
His trembling voice.
"I'm sorry, man…"
Wally exhaled slowly.
So it was real.
You really sold me out.
His chest tightened.
Not from fear.
Just disappointment.
You should've just asked for help…
Idiot.
The ground rushed closer.
And everything went dark.