Freak with a pen walks out in a black shirt, blue jeans, and a white dress shirt, used as a coat.

Freak: hey everyone. Freak here with a new chapter for Decaying Hope. And, here to do the disclaimer… THE CROW!!!

A black bird flies from off screen and lands on Freak's shoulder. Freak looks up at the crow with a smile on his face. After a few minutes the smile fades.

Freak: maybe this wasn't a good idea.

Freak then looks at the screen.

Freak: ummm… well I own nothing from the crow comics, movies, or show. Now on with the show!

Decaying Hope

Chapter 2:

Check list

Mike ran through the streets of the city with no real direction, speeding down alley ways, turning left and right at odd intervals and pissing off a few motorists while doing so. He would have kept running if not for the dead end alley he found himself in. He looked up to see a fire escape. He jumped up and grabbed the latter; he climbed the fire escape to the top and then jumped onto the roof. He ran to the opposite side of the roof and jumped. He landed on the roof of the next building. He looked back at the roof of the former building and the distance was a good ten feet. He looked to the sky to find the crow flying in circles above him.

Mike: this could even the odds…

The crow then flew of suddenly.

Mike: hey where you… AHHHHHHHH!!!

Mike's vision blurred. Suddenly he saw the landscape as if he were soaring through the air although his other senses told him he was still on the rooftop. His line of sight went down and he saw a man in a seedy alley behind what looked like a bar. His face was obscured by long black hair. Mike had guessed by now that he was seeing what the crow saw. The crow landed on a dumpster near the man. He was obviously throwing up whatever he had digested in the bar. Back on the roof top…

Mike: what is this, pay per spew?

The man was in a long black trench coat. He rose from his hunched over position. Once his face was reviled Mike recognized him as the man who shot him. Mike's vision returned to him and he saw that the crow was flying back towards him. The crow landed on Mike's shoulder. Mike took off in the direction the crow had come from. He hopped two roofs to get to the alley that the man was in luckily he was still there, having a smoke. Mike whistled to get his attention. The man looked up just in time to move out of the way as Mike fell foot first into the pavement. There was a sickening sound of bones crunching, skin tearing and muscle ripping as Mike crouched to the ground almost immediately after hitting the ground. The man looked at mike and started to laugh hysterically at his attempt at an attack. The man then walked over to one of the dumpsters in the alley. There he found a bent pipe. He picked it up and lightly hit the palm of his hand with it.

Man: ohhhh kid. Here's a free tip, don't let someone know when you're about to hit them.

The man then raised the pipe above his head and swung down hard. Mike caught the pipe centimeters above his head. Mike pulled the knife from his boot and slowly rose as his leg made a repulsive sound, which resonated through the alley, as it mended itself. Mike looked right into the man's eyes, his own filled with hatred and the man's filled with fear. Mike's knuckles turned white as he gripped the knife handle.

Mike: good advice.

Mike moved his body to move the pipe to his side while giving his swipe of the knife extra momentum. He slashed the man across the face.

Man: OH GOD MY FACE!!! MY FACE!!!

Mike: get up… I SAID GET UP!!!

Mike kicked the men in the ribs so hard he skidded into the street and into the light of a street lamp. The man turned on his unharmed side and coughed up blood.

Man (weak and harmed voice): what the fuck is your problem man?

Mike slowly strolled out of the alley with the pipe in one hand and the knife in the other.

Mike: look at me, you miserable piece of shit

The man quickly retrieved something from his coat and pointed it at Mike.

Man: look at this mother fucker

The man then shot mike in the head. The bullet went straight through Mike's skull. For a few moments the man thought he had won but looked on in horror as the hole healed in seconds. Mike grabbed the man's hand and forced it to the ground.

Mike: ohhhh now if we can't play nice we get our toys taken away

Mike raised the knife into the air and stabbed it into his hand.

Man: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Mike grabbed the man by the hair and forced the man to look at him

Mike: look at me. Do you remember me?

Man: NO MAN I HAV… no, no, no, no, I shot you, you're dead.

Mike: there were five of you that night, who and where are they?

Man: if I tell you will you let me go?

Mike: if you tell me, I will return the favor.

Man: okay, there was Laughing boy; he's probably at the smiley face, that meth place on cherrywood. Then there was that psycho bitch, mocking bird, knowing her she's in the red light district, trying to get some dick. Then there's Pack rat and Fuck-o, but I got no clue where those junkies are. Now come on let me go, man

Mike picked up the gun

Mike: I said I'd repay the favor

Man: wha…

But as he said that mike jammed the barrel of the gun into his mouth

Mike: you shot me so I'm going to repay you the favor

Mike pulled the trigger and the bullet flew out the barrel and into the man's head. Mike looked down at the body.

Mike: hmmm… nice coat

Mike took the coat figuring that the man would not need it. He looked down at the blood as it mixed with the small amount of dirt from a deep pot hole. It made a strange black mud he dipped his fingers into it. Something compelled him to smear it on his face. Soon he had dawned the colors that those before him had. He walked away and dawned the coat. He then placed his hands in the pockets and felt something sharp in his left pocket. He pulled it out and found it to be an Exacto-knife. He took the knife in his right hand and rolled up his sleeve and used the knife to carve the names of his targets into his arm. They healed but left scars in the shape of the names. The crow then flew down and landed on his shoulder.

Mike: looks like we got work to do, Polly.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o end of chapter two o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Freak: Well there you go, please review. And no flames, cus if I can think of that stuff. Imagine what I can think of to do to you. And as always, peace to all my fellow freaks.