33: Odd Friends (Flashback)

*The world had just been back to normal from the devastation of World War II. Economies were trying everything to get back on their feet. A generation of youth, that was severely concerned about the future of the planet after the blatant genocide and nuclear explosions, was determined to make some changes. The colleges and universities were witnessing a sharp rise in new admissions. The refugees from the regions that were ravaged by the war, were eager for a fresh start. Those of them who had somehow managed to bring some money, bought stores and shops while those who had barely survived, worked odd jobs and urged their children to study. Neighborhoods were witnessing an influx of newcomers from different ethnicities. Some neighborhoods warmly welcomed the refugees while the others, not so much.

*The Lawsons were among the families that spent a fortune in welcoming and rehabilitating the new neighbors. The Lawson residence was in the posh area of Boston. They had been known to be extremely generous and charitable. They assisted dozens of household heads in getting their first employment opportunity in the land of the free. They even facilitated housing for many refugees. The older residents of the neighborhood didn’t like it. They saw it as jeopardizing the property value and security of the neighborhood. Lawsons didn’t care and decided that leaving them unassisted may force them into a life of crime. Most of the refugees were from Europe. Most of them were extremely poor and didn’t even dream about thriving in such a luxurious area. Lawson family used their connections across the country to facilitate their transfer to cheaper states. A few that had enough money to buy property in Lawson family’s proximity, decided to stay. The older neighbors didn’t mind their stay as they looked better-off than them. Among such families was the Ivanovic family. They had fled from Poland but had been fortunate enough to bring their fortune with them. They had been a highly educated family with a long background in civil service so they had connections in the embassies. When they arrived, the older residents were queueing to get themselves introduced. The Ivanovics were a pleasant lot. They were four in total. A tall gentleman with a heavy mustache named Andre Ivanovic, his wife Anna Ivanovic, his old bed ridden father Robert Ivanovic and his son Boris Ivanovic. Andre had inherited a well profiting shoe factory from his father back in Poland. Things went south when a guy with a smaller mustache decided to invade his country and started killing people on paranoid suspicions. The family had tried to recommence the factory once the war concluded but it was not to be. They had waited for a few years before selling off their assets and fleeing the country. They became friends with everyone the moment they set foot on the American soil. Their bond with the Lawson family was special. They had so much in common. From educational background to charity, both the families were a perfect match for each other. Lawson were three in total. Henry Lawson, the industrialist father, Margaret Lawson who was an educated housewife and their only son who was looking for his way to college, Edward Lawson. Edward and Boris were roughly the same age and Boris was also looking to pursue higher studies. They became best friends and both ended up in the same college.
The years flew like a breeze and they were just about through college. Their time together at the dormitory had rendered them inseparable. They were famous and infamous. If someone had solved a century old equation or if someone had blown up a car in the college garden on Fourth of July, the suspicions went to the same duo. The convocation night arrived and the two were supposed to be sharply dressed for the event. They had other plans.

*“Where’s my other boot!?”, Boris shouted. They were getting late for the event. Edward was ready. His expressions said ‘I told you so’. He had been reminding Boris to ready his stuff in advance but he had ignored him as usual.
“Found it!”, Boris exclaimed and put on his shoes. The duo raced to the car and left for the event.
As expected and planned, they were the odd ones out. The entire hall cheered when they entered. Two boys with full clown costumes with all the makeup and props. They even had the small brief cases and long foot boots. First thing Boris did was to approach his longtime friend Clara with a water gun. Edward stood there frozen, fearing that his friend may hurt himself. Her boyfriend Drew tried to stop him but Boris expertly dodged him. She ran for it but Boris was faster. He cornered her and emptied the tank of the gun on her. She resisted it but with laughs. Drew wasn’t pleased with it. His friends huddled up with him but he told them to let it go. The duo was respected by all the teachers and most of the students. The event ended on a pleasant note and every one dived into the refreshments. The duo hung out with their friends and made a lot of promises. As the hall was emptying, they decided to go for a real drink and headed to a bar that was a block away.
*
*They were exhausted. They had dumped the fancy clown boots, wigs and the props in the car. The moment they stepped inside the bar, they called for shots. They found an empty able at the far end of the bar. Edward realized that they weren’t the only one in there from the college. They decided that they had seen enough familiar faces for the day. The shots arrived and they received them with open arms. Both of them drank recklessly until they were at the verge of throwing up. They couldn’t recognize each other anymore. Everything wobbled. The bar was half empty by the time they had reached their limit. Even in the wobbled state, Boris could make out Drew’s face glaring at him from across the bar. Boris waved his hand to him but Drew didn’t move. Boris decided that he was seeing things.
*
“We should leg it”, Boris said to Edward whose face was planted on the table. Edward groaned in agreement. Boris placed a couple of bills on the table. He staggered to his feet and shook Edward who was irritated. Boris pulled him to his feet and stumbled with him to the door. Edward decided that they were both too drunk to stand up let alone drive so they looked for a taxi. There were none in sight. The street was deserted. It was no use waiting for a cab so they hoofed it through the alleyway to the main road. As they entered the dark alleyway, a muscle car drove in front of them and screeched to a halt. Half a dozen men emerged from it with baseball bats and chains. Boris and Edward were trying to make sense of it when they heard Drew laugh from behind them. As they looked back at him, they found him strolling toward them with three of his friends, all of them wielding a club or something resembling one. Boris wasn’t hallucinating after all.

*“You shouldn’t embarrass someone’s girl!”, Drew spoke, unmistakably influenced by alcohol. Edward knew this was going to happen sooner or later. Drew had been accused of assaults on multiple counts and accusations seemed true because of how he operated. Drew was seldom found alone. He always hung around with his pack of scumbag henchmen who followed him around for his money.

*“Buddy chill! It was just a joke and even she liked it!”, Boris said in his defense. Drew wasn’t having any of it.
“She’s my girl and you keep the fuck away from her!”, Drew shouted with his slurred speech. Boris was in no mood to argue with the drunk brat. He looked to his henchmen for an intervention which never came. Drew’s henchmen were aware that he was not hundred percent in his judgment at the moment but they still decided to assist him anyway thinking that he might get pissed if disagreed with. *

*“We’ve been friends since before she knew you even existed! Grow a pair and give her some space!”, Boris snapped. Drew was fuming. He swung the bat across Boris’s face and Boris was too slow to dodge it. He dropped to the ground. Edward dashed to intervene but was restrained by the gang. Drew was unleashing his fury on Boris, one lusty blow after another, as Boris cowered to shield his head on the ground. Edward looked around and found an empty beer bottle just by his foot. He quickly grabbed it before any of the goons could react and pelted it at Drew. It landed on the head and shattered on impact. Drew was bleeding. The gang jumped Edward. They were kicking and punching him as if their life depended on it. It took a moment for Drew to gather himself but once he did, it only added to his rage. But this time, it was aimed at Edward Lawson. Boris was seeing his friend getting beaten up from the ground. He was sure that the gang would be on their way as soon as the drunken moron’s ego was satisfied.
*
“Get away from him! He’s mine!”, Drew yelled as he paced towards Edward. The henchmen dispersed. Boris awaited the last of the blows. Drew pulled out his revolver and aimed it at Edward’s face. Boris gasped. Edward was paralyzed with fear and the gang recoiled as soon as they saw the weapon. They wanted to talk sense to him but that ship had sailed. Edward caught his friend jolting and wriggling at the corner of his eyes. He had a gun pointed at his face yet he was looking at his friend. A deafening cry came from behind Drew and everyone spontaneously turned to see where it came from. Boris was nowhere to be seen. A thudding noise emerged from the muscle car that stood at the other end of the alleyway. They looked at the direction of the parked car and the muscle car came flying their way. Edward saw the car fly over him from the ground. Everyone ran for cover. The car bounced twice before making its way out of the alleyway from the other side. They looked back at the spot where the car stood a moment ago and caught the bone chilling silhouette of a werewolf standing ten feet tall, glaring at them with glowing red eyes. Edward’s vision blurred and he passed out. *
*