Thirty years ago, somewhere in the world, there existed a town named Green Fields Town. This town got this name simply because there were a myriad of hemp fields. Hemps were not very illegal in this town that's why it's okay to plant and grow them. However, there were people who can't get and consume these herbs: people who were under the age of 18 and foreigners. Because of this insensible law, crime rate had been severely high. These herbs made many criminals and lunatics. Nevertheless, the town leaders kept on legalizing the planting and growing of hemps because they too, were fond of these herbs. In order to solve the crime rate problem and somehow lower it, the Mayor commanded the townspeople to burn some of the hemp fields that were easily seen and preserve these herbs in secret places.

The sky was gray and gloomy one Monday afternoon at the Green Fields Cemetery, the main cemetery of Green Fields Town. A lad in a black hood and a pair of denim pants was standing by the rock tomb of his beloved deceased. He muttered a prayer. After muttering a prayer, he threw a bundle of roses on the rock tomb. Thunder broke the silent and solemn air of the cemetery and his moment of solitude with the deceased. Lightning struck the hills of the forest far from the cemetery; gleaming through the thick gray sky as it summoned rain. Rain fell hard making every rock tomb glistened, the ground damp and him soaked up and cold. The forest where the lightning-struck hills stood also bathed in rain. He exited the cemetery with tears streaming down his face.

Two days before

Sunday. 3:00 pm.

Alastor Academy, the only coed academy in Green Fields Town, was closed that day but all the lads of the Tae Kwon Do team came in to practice for their upcoming match against the academy's rival Jupiter Academy, an academy exclusive for males. Alastor Academy apparently chose only the lads of the team to play on that match so that it would only be a match among males.

In the varsities' locker room, a lad wearing a Tae Kwon Do uniform was standing by his locker, soaked up in sweat. His hair which bathed in sweat was black and reaching under the ear, his complexion was as white as the paint on the walls of the locker room and his eyes were black and little that he appeared like a Chinese. He was well-known to the lasses despite of his having a common face which would not be considered very handsome. He was very smart and a consistent straight-A student. Because of this, he was very proud and had only few friends (He was choosy on the people he liked to hang around with.). But since he was well-known to the lasses, he had had a countless number of girlfriends. His name was Anthony Leon.

The Tae Kwon Do team, including the coach was taking a bath in the shower room. Anthony was about to get his change of clothes from his locker because he can no longer stand the sweat in his body. He was about to open his locker when his teammate approached him. His teammate's hair which also bathed in sweat was black and clean cut, his complexion was brown and his eyes were also black but were a little large and round. He was also well-known to the lasses because of his charm. He was not very smart in class but he was very friendly that's why almost everyone in the academy adored him. The Principal and Vice Principal, the teachers, his fellow students and even the people of the academy maintenance adored him. Aside from Tae Kwon Do he also joined other extra curricular activities such as the academy's dance troop and the academy's choir. Unlike Anthony who had had a countless number of girlfriends, he only had two whose names were Sally Rose and Katharine Bluebell. His name was Seth Jaguar.

Seth offered Anthony a handshake for winning for their practice match but Anthony refused to shake hands with him. Instead of shaking hands with Seth, Anthony invited him for another combat. "You're on." Seth said accepting Anthony's invitation.

Seth attempted to punch Anthony with his left fist on the right cheek but Anthony dodged. Seth's left fist touched the air. Anthony's turn to counter-attack came but as soon as he attempted to punch Seth on the left cheek with his right fist, Seth dodged. Anthony's right fist also touched nothing.

Their real combat started with giving each other punches, avoiding and missing each other's hits. Anthony gave 386 effective hits to Seth and missed thirty-one hits; Seth gave 385 effective hits to Anthony and missed twenty hits. Anthony was one point ahead in their fist fight. Seth felt he was losing in their fist fight so he decided to resume their combat with a combination of punches and kicks. After the interval of ten seconds, Seth attempted to punch Anthony on the left cheek with his right fist and this time it was fierce enough that it hit Anthony and pushed him to the lockers almost making his head bumped to his locker door. But Anthony was able to avoid getting his head bumped. Seth then ran toward Anthony and decided to attack him with a side kick but Anthony quickly jumped in mid-air with his arms spreading, making his body looked like a cross defying gravity, then jumped backward to the highest locker door and rested his feet on it, let his arms down and then finally jumped down to body slam Seth. Seth broke away from Anthony and then shoved him. Anthony stood up and then Seth rose. Seth walked a few steps backward from Anthony, mustered strength for another attack - a flying side kick! Seth ran toward Anthony to attack him. Unfortunately for Seth, Anthony (using his left hand upward) caught Seth's left foot. Seth rested down his left leg for a little while. He couldn't believe that someone could control his flying side kick. Anthony approached Seth and then attacked him with a double leg takedown which put an end to their combat. With that, he made Seth lied down on the floor, exhausted in their combat. Anthony came back to his locker, and then opened it to get his change of clothes - a plain white T-shirt and a pair of denim shorts. He clothed himself with these, exited the academy and then headed home.

5:30 pm.                  

Upon entering home, Anthony laid on the couch then turned on the TV. What he started to watch turned out to be news:

On news today, three out of four lasses were killed in a car accident at the Green Fields Town. The said car, a red Volkswagen, bumped to the Green Fields Bridge and its front surface, including the rearview mirrors cracked. The ones who were killed are identified as Katharine Bluebell, Marianne Hyacinth and Amanda Violeta. The survivor, identified as Helena Lilac, having found sitting on the driver's seat, is deemed responsible for the tragedy and is apparently believed to be drunk-driving due to her drunken state when she was being interviewed.  According to Helena Lilac, the alleged killer of the three lasses, she was not responsible for the tragedy. She stated that the one responsible whom she named Sally Rose is missing. The town's police and detectives are going to have further investigation to find a proof if Helena Lilac's telling the truth or fabricating a story just so she could escape from the punishment that would be given to her by the law. Helena Lilac would temporarily be arrested and in custody at Green Fields Jail. Good afternoon, I'm Nancy-

CLICK!

Angered by the news, Anthony stood up from the couch then threw the remote control at the TV. Fuck her for killing my Amanda! His little black eyes burned in wrath.

A lad wearing black shades, white sleeveless shirt and a pair of camouflage pants was inside a convenience store with another lad who was taller and wearing the same apparel. He ran toward the cashier then commanded, pointing a gun at her and an index finger at the cashier box, "Give me everything you've got there." Alarmed by the gun pointed at her, the cashier presented all the cash inside, and then submitted them to him. After he got all the money, he and the other lad ran outside the convenience store. The cashier attempted to call the cops but before she could dial a number, the shorter lad immediately shot her on the hand. The two lads exited the convenience store and went inside the car then drove out of sight.

6:15 pm.

The two lads were inside a garage that was so dark and full of killing weapons such as knives, guns of different sizes and kinds and two Samurai swords. This garage appeared like a hideout of a criminal gang. The taller lad, still wearing the same apparel he wore in the convenient store, was dragging the other who was shirtless but still wearing the same pair of pants, had his mouth taped and his hands bound tightly by a handkerchief. The shorter lad, who had become the victim of the taller lad, was trying to loosen the tight bind of the handkerchief. He felt a dagger inside his heart. He felt he had been gravely betrayed by his friend. He yearned for vengeance at this moment. But at this moment, vengeance was useless because he had been captured. All he can do was to be powerless and remain a mere capture. The owner of the hideout came. To one's surprise, it would seem that the place these lads were lingering did not belong to any criminal gang. It belonged to someone they knew. He was pale and lean in his white T-shirt and a pair of denim shorts. The shorter lad gritted his teeth when he recognized him. It was Anthony. 

Anthony walked toward the shorter lad, flashing him a sinister grin. "Isn't it surprising that we have a common friend, Seth?" Seth darted his eyes at the lad who betrayed him. You'd be done for Siniztah. He said only in his mind. He glared at Anthony, still trying to loosen the bind of the handkerchief. "You can't get out from the hideout by merely doing that." Anthony said. "You must get away from us first. But of course, you can only do that if you agree to do what I want."

"What do you want?" Seth raised his voice.

"I'd tell you without beating around the bush. I need you to be part of our clan to kill Helena while she's in jail. " He continued. "I can't wait to see her perish after she killed my girlfriend. It'd be better if one of us kill her than to wait for ages for the court to give her punishment for they won't give her the right punishment that is death! So if you screw this up - say if you tell the police about this hideout or our clan, I'm going to slash your pretty face."

A lad in a black T-shirt and a pair of denim pants who had a ghastly fair complexion and was apparently paler than Anthony, piped up, "But there's no proof yet that Helena killed - "

"Shut up Ghost! Don't ever disagree with me or dissuade me of continuing my contrivance. Don't you remember that you owe me for saving your family? If you want to screw this contrivance up, you'd better prepare coffins for your family.

"This is want I want to happen boys." Anthony looked at each member. "I prepared a poison for Helena to take. One of you has to stir it up in her juice. Since Ghost's Helena's best friend and is well-trusted by her, he'll be the one who's going to do that. Ghost must visit her to her cell to give her the poisoned juice and some food. Of course I'm going to watch Ghost and make sure that Helena drinks the poisoned juice. That's plan A boys. If this screws up," he glared at Ghost and then to the rest of the clan. "I'm going to need your cooperation." He threw a hemp to Seth, Seth caught it. "Welcome to the Hemp Boys Seth." was the last sentence that came out from Anthony's mouth. As a tradition to the clan, whenever a new member was introduced to the founder (which was Anthony), every one was obliged to smoke hemp before they do the founder's contrivance. That's how they got the name of the clan. 

Anthony went outside the hideout. He knew that Ghost may betray him so he started plotting plan B in his mind.

6:45 pm.

The cell where Helena was staying was a very dingy place. Its interior was full of dust, dirt and smoke (because all of her inmates were smoking). The black paint of the bars was fading. Some of the bars were nearly gray. Everyone who's inside the cell was sweating due to its hellish temperature. The cell guard called Helena's attention, and then presented her visitor. Helena neared the bars upon seeing Ghost.

She was in tears while she was holding the bars. "My parents don't believe me Kenji." She called Ghost in his true name. She was trying to stop her sobbing and wiped her tears with her right hand. "I talked to them on the phone. They said that I'm a bitch for killing the girls! They ask me why on earth did I do such a thing and told me that they did not bring me up to be a killer! I swear I didn't do it Kenji! I swear I didn't do it!" She cried her heart out. "I know Helena. I believe you." He said in an assuring tone. He offered the juice and some food. "Trust me Helena. Everything will be fine. You just have to wait for this situation to be better." Through the gaps of the bars, he held her hands dearly. He was near tears. "I gotta go..." Anthony saw Ghost and Helena conversing with each other. He ran toward Ghost and then whispered. "You know what would happen if this thing messes up." Ghost nodded and then exited the jail.

Anthony visited Helena in her cell. He greeted her with swear words and said things like, "You whore! How dare you kill my girlfriend! You should've died now!" He was very angry at the sight of the lass. He waited for a few moments for the poison to work. After ten seconds if Ghost didn't change the juice, Helena will die. He counted in his mind ten...nine...eight...seven...six...His grin was reaching his ears...five...four...three...two...one...What the fuck! I knew that bastard's gonna betray me! He called Seth on his cellphone hissing, "Finish Ghost!"

The rest of Hemp Boys, Seth and Siniztah saw Ghost exiting the jail and avoiding their glares. Seth and Siniztah gave him punches and kicks all over. After beating Ghost, they got inside Anthony's car and then Seth drove them to the hideout.

7:45 pm

Seth and Siniztah presented Ghost to Anthony. Anthony glared at the three: firstly, to Seth, secondly to Siniztah and finally to Ghost. He slapped Ghost with all his might that Ghost fell on the ground. "You can kill me if you want. But not my family and Helena." He kneeled before Anthony. Anthony kicked Ghost and then pointed at him." It's worthless to do that Ghost! You're not part of the clan anymore." He continued in a proud voice. "And that means you suffer more in your life than you ever know."

Ghost exited the hideout and then Anthony announced plan B to the members. They nodded after hearing the plan.

Ghost's dream

Ghost had a dream. In his dream he was sleeping in a hemp field. An iridescent light woke him up. The part of the hemp field where he slept grew as high as the hills of the forest that stood far from the hemp field. The hemps vanished and were replaced by pink roses. The iridescent light sang to him saying that he followed its path. He followed the path of the iridescent light as it became a full rainbow. He heard a sound of a violin. He knew it was Helena who's playing the instrument. He climbed the rainbow to see her. He went up to the sky and stood on the cumulus clouds. She was wearing spectacles, standing in her bent posture and had fly-away hair. He walked through the cumulus clouds, toward her to hug her. As soon as he hugged her she stopped playing the violin. He removed her spectacles and then looked deeply to her jade-green eyes. He was about to kiss her cherry-colored mouth but -

A lass with red hair and round blue eyes appeared beside Helena. She was wielding a great scythe that looked like Death's before his eyes. She shoved him down through the cumulus clouds and then he woke back to reality.

Monday. 10:00 am.

Helena was sitting still with her inmates who smelled of smoke and sweat. She had been staying for a long time in her cell with awful-looking women who had eye bugs, yellow teeth and stale breath. All the jailers had been forced to engage in manual labor for as long as twelve hours just so they can eat decent food or be paid for just a little amount. Sometimes they were forced to work just to follow the orders of the authority. Last night the jailers had eaten rice which were not well-cooked, fish which were not fresh, beefs which presented merely of bones and scarce meat and stale bowls of soup. Helena had not eaten since her last conversation with her parents on the phone. She cried her heart out as her parents' words reverberated in her mind. She grasped one bar and then slid her sweaty hand on it. She examined the dingy floor and found a cockroach scampering on it. She disgustedly stepped on the cockroach and then slid it outside with her slipper. After killing the cockroach mercilessly, she sat still again. Suddenly, a manly figure stood by her cell. It was just the cell guard. "Wake up jailers! Visitation time!" The cell guard piped up hostilely as if he had eaten something sour.  All the jailers came to the visitation room to have a quality time with their loved ones, for just thirty minutes.

In the visitation room a tall and handsome but geeky-looking lad came to Helena and greeted her cheerily. It was Stanley, her older brother. He had a tremendous resemblance with Helena. He looked like a male version of Helena who had a fair complexion, jade-green eyes and black clean-cut hair. He wore thick black-rimmed spectacles, plain red shirt and denim shorts. A tear slid down her cheek. "I miss you Stanley." She said with all her heart. "I miss you too." Stanley returned warmly. "Let's go home." Helena embraced her older brother lovingly and Stanley embraced her too. As she sobbed in her older brother's shirt, she noticed one thing different about him: he wore a pungent perfume. She knew Stanley wears only a mild one. No he can't be my older brother...He can't be Stanley! Someone set a ruse on me! These words kept reverberating in her mind until-

Blank.

Everything had become darkness.

PLAIN DARKNESS.

No light, no ugly women, no fellow jailers, no cell, no guards,

the lad who pretended to be him is gone. NO EVERYTHING.

But wait - there is one thing left!

A memory. A violent memory.

The memory of the dagger slashing her throat.

Scarlet blood runs like a river

drowning her body. A river drowning her wholly! Flowing

from her neck, down her heart, her legs, her feet

and finally, on the floor.

Soon...

The scarlet river runs continuously.

The memory becomes feeble, as it's consumed

Gradually.

The memory is gone. Darkness emerges again

Till it becomes total darkness

DOWNRIGHT DARKNESS. Nothing is visible.

NOTHING! This is how it goes and ends.

Her soul escapes her body.

Then Darkness becomes

DEATH.

Upon exiting the jail, Seth's cellphone rang. "Did you do it well buddy?" The voice on Seth's cellphone said. It was Anthony. "Yes, you'll see it on the news later." Seth replied. The voice chuckled wickedly. Seth turned off his cellphone, and then headed to the bakeshop.

11:00 am.

Seth had planned to buy a cake for his mom's birthday that day. He was about to enter the bakeshop when someone pulled him -

"Dude I need money today, you've gotta help me. My daughter's sick. I need to buy medicine for her."

Seth glared indignantly at Siniztah and then shoved him. Siniztah kept clinging at Seth. "Seth please. I really need it. I'm sorry about last night." Who is this guy? After what he did he's saying sorry? Sorry himself! Seth said in his mind.

Seth retorted, "I'm gonna buy a birthday cake for my mom. This is my money. I earned this for doing Anthony a favor. I'm the one who really needs this." He gave Siniztah a mightier shove. Infuriated because Seth did not give him the money, Siniztah produced a dagger and then placed it near Seth's neck. Seth stole the dagger and then buried it to Siniztah's forehead. Siniztah's forehead produced a fountain of blood spouting all over his face. Seth ran hurriedly before the owner of the bakeshop and the residents of the street who saw that incident report him to the police. He then headed to another bakeshop on the left corner of the street.

Seth entered the bakeshop then bought a cake for his mom. After he bought the cake, he headed home where his mom was cooking an early lunch for him, her only son. It was only the two of them who lived in their home. His mom had become a widow when Seth was only nine. His dad had died of lung cancer at an early age of thirty. Seth mourned so much on his dad's death that he made a vow to himself. That vow was to make his mom happy each day, so that in return, he'd be happy. He also vowed that he'd love his mom as much as he loved his dad. That he did. And he was happy for it for he knew he was making his dad proud and blissful in heaven. He was fulfilling his vow so far.

Seth's mom heard the door open. She greeted her son with a "Where have you been this morning?" His son answered her. "Just from the bakeshop mom. Happy birthday." Seth greeted his mom. His mom turned to him as she wielded a saucepan, resting her arm down. She was surprised to see the cake. "Oh dear, you don't have to." She said in a common maternal tone, sweet and loving. "No, it's your day mom." Defended Seth as he presented the cake like it was some sort of a gift of gratitude. "I just want to make the best mom here on earth happy."

"Thank you dear." his mom said gratefully. Seth placed the cake at the dining table, beaming at her. For a little while, he signaled at his mom that he needed to go to the bathroom (for it was part of his routine to wash his face when he gets home.). His mom let him go to the bathroom.

Upon entering the bathroom, Seth washed his face. The lights turned off and the interior of the bathroom became pitch dark. He headed to the door and saw a lass in a white dress, with wavy black hair, pale face and jade-green eyes having no white on them. He was about to shriek when she swallowed his whole body, spat his soul to the toilet bowl and then flushed it.

3:00 pm.

After Ghost watched the news about Helena's death, he went to Vertigo Town, a town which was two hours far from Green Fields Town, to find and kill the true killer of Katharine Bluebell, Marianne Hyacinth and Amanda Violeta. He knew that the true killer of the three lasses was indeed, as what Helena said, Sally Rose. He heard from his neighbors that Sally Rose moved to Vertigo Town the day after the incident at the Green Fields Bridge. He desired to take revenge for the one who framed Helena for the crime she didn't commit. He wanted to kill her for good so that he and Helena will live in happiness, peace and quiet. Oh how he missed Helena badly! Her black flyaway hair hanging on her shoulders, her face that looked like as white as clouds and her jade-green eyes that sparkled only when she smiled...It was only him who realized her beauty. For him, he and she were the only ones who deserved to be happy together.

He reached the village where Sally Rose was residing. He was lucky to have found her jogging in the village. The two of them were facing each other. She was full of fear at the sight of him and was overwhelmed by conscience for framing the love of his life; he was merely full of anger at the sight of her.

They had known each other since they were Freshmen. She was friends with him and the love of his life. He couldn't understand why she did it to her. She was just jealous over Helena because he didn't notice her. She had long kept her obsession over him and her anger over her. She had had enough that's why she killed the three lasses and framed her.

Ghost produced a dagger and then aimed it at Sally's heart; she was fixated at him wielding the dagger and was unable to move because of fear. She was utterly yielding to her death. And it was so easy for him. He threw the dagger to her heart and at last it ended her life. Blood flowed all over her sleeveless shirt. He hurriedly ran outside the village before anyone sees that he killed her and reports him to the police.

5:30 pm.

Anthony and his new girlfriend were making out in the clan's hideout. Both of them were feeling sultry and not contented. He pushed her and said, "Let's do this inside."

In a snap, a motorcycle broke in the hideout. Ghost was riding on it. "What are you doin' here freak!" Anthony exclaimed. "Thought you were long dead!"

"You're gonna pay for what you've done to Helena!" Ghost retorted. Anthony's eyes burned in anger and a desire to kill Ghost emerged from himself. "Fuck you!"  

Ghost got down from the motorcycle and then ran toward Anthony. He attempted to punch Anthony on the face but Anthony dodged. Anthony then attempted to punch Ghost on the belly and hit him. Ghost grunted, lowering his head while touching his belly.

Ghost was on bended knees, facing the ground. Anthony stood by Ghost and said. "I'm giving you a chance to give up if you don't wanna die."

I'm gonna win this combat for Helena no matter what. Ghost said in his mind. Ghost resumed their combat.

The two exchanged punches and kicks. Anthony gave 388 punches and received 348 from Ghost. Ghost gave 387 kicks and received 345 from Anthony. Ghost felt a little tired in their combat. The two of them were apart from each other. "Are you gonna give up that easily Ghost?" Anthony said. Ghost ran toward Anthony, attempting to shove him and attack him with a dagger but Anthony stole it and then hit it on Ghost's neck. The dagger went inside Ghost's neck and then jutted on his nape as blood oozed all over his shirt. "No one triumphs over me!" Anthony said. He laughed like a madman. He laughed maniacally as he kicked Ghost's motorcycle and buried the dagger on Ghost's back. After he did all these, he felt great about himself. He praised himself and proclaimed endlessly that he was invincible, powerful and stronger than anyone.

"You can't be certain about that." An angry female voice behind him said. He turned around, surprised that these words came from the mouth of his girlfriend. "The last blood that cries will be yours!" Her face turned into Helena's. The jade-green eyes burned as they appeared reddish. She produced a gun, aimed it at Anthony's heart and then fired it. And at last, blood poured out as it cried in pain and grief.

One day after

The sky was gray and gloomy one Monday afternoon at the Green Fields Cemetery, the main cemetery of Green Fields Town. A lad in a black hood and a pair of denim pants was standing by the rock tomb of his beloved deceased. He muttered a prayer. After muttering a prayer, he threw a bundle of roses on the rock tomb. Thunder broke the silent and solemn air of the cemetery and his moment of solitude with the deceased. Lightning struck the hills of the forest far from the cemetery; gleaming through the thick gray sky as it summoned rain. Rain fell hard making every rock tomb glistened, the ground damp and him soaked up and cold. The forest where the lightning-struck hills stood also bathed in rain. He exited the cemetery with tears streaming down his face.

In a few moments, the rain stopped. The sun rose up and then a rainbow appeared in the sky. A calm female voice sang behind him. Captured by the voice, he turned around and was surprised to see the love of his life - Helena Lilac. She beamed at him. He looked deeply to her jade-green eyes, then to her cherry-colored mouth and then kissed her. And she kissed him too. No words were uttered to express their deep feelings. They merely communicated with the most powerful language of all, the only language that conquers everything even the most bloody of wars - Love.