AXEL

The night was dark, only the occasional street lights pierced the darkness. Axel walked down an empty alley after the underground fights. An envelope with money weighed down his jacket pocket - a reward for hours of pain and adrenaline. He thought only about how to get to his apartment.

Suddenly a shadow jumped out from around the corner and a short young man crashed into him. The blow was so strong that both of them fell to the cold asphalt.

“Damn…” Axel exhaled, standing up.

The hood fell away, and in the dim light of the lantern, Axel saw the stranger's face. The delicate features seemed unreal, the beauty alien to this dirty world.

But the young man jumped up and ran away. A few seconds later, three tall men in expensive suits emerged from the darkness. Their fury left no doubt - this was a hunt.

Axel stood there, watching them go. One question was spinning in his head: who is this guy?

Several days passed. The thought of that encounter haunted Axel. Every time he saw that face - angelic, but with a shadow in the eyes.

This morning, Axel showed up for his part-time job at a small cafe on the outskirts of town. The owner, Cass, was bustling about behind the counter.

"Axel," she called. "Meet our new employee."

The boy looked up. Axel's heart sank. The boy stood before him. And now he was looking at Axel... and seemed to recognize him.