He lifted Ethan over his shoulder; Ethan's arms hung limply, swaying as Gabriel walked away.
Elena looked around at the chaos, then at Gabriel as he departed, and called out:
"Hey, darling!"
Gabriel turned his head.
"What is it, boss?"
Elena smiled—genuinely this time—and waved at him.
"Don't forget our gathering next month."
Gabriel nodded, pushed the door open with his shoulder, and finally headed home.
-------------------------------
Gabriel walked through the wide corridors of the mansion, carrying Ethan on his shoulder. The yellow lights reflected off the cold floor, and the servants moved around, passing by Gabriel without looking at him.
Gabriel kept walking, Ethan swaying slightly on his shoulder, as he opened the door to leave.
The cold night air hit Gabriel's face sharply as he stepped outside.
He looked around, his eyes stopping on a blond young man smoking a cheap cigar beside a gray car.
Gabriel smiled faintly with his eyes and called out:
"Jack!
Hey, Jack!"
The man with the cigar looked around, left and right, until he spotted Gabriel calling to him. He flinched in place, then hurried toward him, saying,
"Mr. Gabriel, sorry for being late."
Gabriel nodded calmly and replied coldly,
"It's fine."
Jack sighed in relief, then looked at Ethan hanging over Gabriel's shoulder. He tilted his head and raised a hand, asking,
"Wait… what happened to him?"
Gabriel walked toward the car and replied without turning,
"Nothing serious. You know.
Now, do your job."
Jack nodded quickly, ran to the car, and opened the door for Gabriel with a nervous smile.
Gabriel ignored him, went to the other door, opened it, and threw Ethan inside. Then he looked at Jack and said,
"Fix his head from your side, I'll take his legs."
Jack nodded fast and said as he followed orders,
"As you wish, Mr. Krauss."
Both Gabriel and Jack adjusted Ethan in the back seat, then Jack turned the key.
The car lights came on. Gabriel got in beside Jack, and they drove away.
---
[Update | 3:24 A.M.]
[San Bernardino, California]
The car stopped in front of a neglected house.
Gabriel and Jack both got out.
Gabriel took a deep breath, the cold air filling his lungs. He looked up at the house, studied it for a moment, then sighed tiredly.
Jack hurried first, opening the back door of the car while blowing warm air into his hands from the cold.
He bent inside, looked at the sleeping Ethan, and shook his head like someone questioning his life decisions.
Jack put his hands under Ethan's arms and started pulling, muttering,
"Why... Shrrrk... me... Shrrrk... every damn time... Ugh—thmp."
He dropped Ethan's body heavily on the ground, exhaled with relief, then turned around happily—but—
Thnk—!
Jack bumped into Gabriel's shoulder behind him.
Gabriel looked down at Ethan lying on the ground, then back at Jack, expressionless and silent.
"AAHH!"
Jack quickly bent down, lifted Ethan awkwardly, and smiled with difficulty.
"Do you... want me to help you, M-Mr. Gabriel?"
Gabriel exhaled slowly, then walked toward the house.
Jack turned with Ethan and said enthusiastically,
"Yes, sir! I'll take him inside."
He lifted Ethan higher and muttered, "Oh damn, how much do you weigh?"
Jack entered, breathing heavily, Ethan in his arms. He looked around but couldn't see much—the lights were off.
"Mr. Gabriel... Mr. Gabriel!"
Jack called out as he moved through the darkness, but the only response was his own echo.
He took another step and muttered with frustration,
"Hnngh... how much do you weigh, man?"
clnk—whoa—thud!—Sht!*
Jack fell, Ethan collapsing on top of him after tripping over an empty beer bottle on the floor.
Jack pushed Ethan off with effort, sat up, breathing hard, and when he looked up—
"Hah!"
Gabriel was standing in the darkness, silent.
Jack placed his hands over his pounding heart and shouted,
"Mr. Gabriel! I almost had a heart attack!!"
Gabriel bent down, lifted Ethan back onto his shoulder, and said while doing it,
"We appreciate your effort, Jack... Hnngh."
He gestured toward the door with one hand.
"You'll find fifty dollars on your windshield. Hurry before the wind steals it."
Jack got up on shaky legs and said while leaving,
"Th-thank you, Mr. Krauss... excuse me now."
He ran out quickly to his car, grabbed the money from the windshield, got in, and muttered in fear as he tried to start it,
"Come on... come on... come on... come on!!"
Rrrk—rrrkk—vrrrooom!
The car rolled backward fast, then sped away from the place.
---
Inside, Gabriel had entered one of the bedrooms. He looked around; all he saw were empty cheap beer bottles and rotten food scattered everywhere.
Gabriel's face tightened briefly from the smell and the sight.
He stepped carefully through the bottles and scraps of food until he reached the bed.
He bent down, Ethan still dangling from his shoulder, and gently set him down. Then he pulled the blanket up around him quietly.
Gabriel stepped back two paces, then felt something sticky under his shoe.
He lifted his left foot and looked down—
a piece of rotten pizza clung to it.
Gabriel inhaled deeply, then exhaled through his nose, murmuring,
"Well... looks like that boy needs some help."
He bent down and began picking up a bottle here, a plate there, walking around the house for three hours straight.
---
Meanwhile, Jack sat at a bar with his fourth glass in hand, complaining to the bartender,
"You know, buddy~
That's not even all of it... Hic—!
I work as... Hehhah... a monthly driver for a bunch of cannibals... Hic—!"
The bartender glanced at Jack while wiping a glass and said tiredly,
"He should've stopped at the third one."
------------------------------------------