As the trunk creaked open, revealing the shadowy figure of the hitman, a disarming smirk played across his lips.

"Surprise!" he quipped, his tone intoxicated with a charm disguised as something else. With a casual flick of his hand, he gestured for the restricted individual in the trunk to relax and be quiet. They were in the middle of nowhere, or as close to nowhere as Oscar could get by driving off path from the freeway. "I know, my trunk is not exactly the FountaineBleau, but hey, we make do with what we've got, right?" His words, laced with a twisted sense of humor, danced on the edge of danger as he flashed the glistening golden Beretta on his hip with a matching dagger on standby.

OPEN: CHRIS

Seated on the gritty sidewalk, bathed in the soft glow of neon signs that flickered overhead, the young man nursed his bruised knuckles and wounded pride. The sounds of the bustling city faded into a distant hum as he cradled the makeshift ice pack of frozen vegetables against his swollen cheek, wincing at the cold sting. His denim-clad knees drawn close, he replayed the heated altercation in the smoky bar, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.

            lay me down in the river, love me like i’m a sinner

if i drown in the river, will my soul be delivered? ©

OPEN: CHRIS

Seated on the gritty sidewalk, bathed in the soft glow of neon signs that flickered overhead, the young man nursed his bruised knuckles and wounded pride. The sounds of the bustling city faded into a distant hum as he cradled the makeshift ice pack of frozen vegetables against his swollen cheek, wincing at the cold sting. His denim-clad knees drawn close, he replayed the heated altercation in the smoky bar, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.

Includes drug and violence tw, a mix of which muse is the criminal, if not both.

“Your mother would be ashamed of you.”

“C’mon, the cops are stupid, they’ll never catch us.”

“The car’s a piece of junk anyway, they’re not gonna miss it.”

“Carry on the way you’re going and you’re gonna end up in prison.”

“I’m not that much of a scumbag, I don’t steal from old ladies.”

“One last score, then we’re out of the game, what do you say?”

“I’m only doing this because I need to pay my dealer.”

“Prison? Occupational hazard.”

“They pissed me off, I made sure they won’t be walking for a while, no biggie.”

“So you’re a drug runner or a drug dealer?”

“Prison ain’t too bad, you’ve got a bed and they feed you.”

“I get all tingly when you break into cars like that.”

“I do it for the thrill – and to fund my drug habit.”

“Did you kill him/her?”

“I never meant to hurt anyone!”

“I needed the money, what else could I do.”

“We grew up around criminals, of course we became them.”

“What kind of example are you setting for your kids?”

“I grew up, you probably should too.”

“He had it coming.”

“I just gave him his final warning.”

“I’m calling the cops!”

“I’m passionate about two things, bank robbery and you.”

“I’m a street rat, but I’m good at it.”

“Dealing in an alley, classy as ever.”

“If you don’t have my money, you know I’m going to have to teach you a lesson.”

“Bonny and Clyde made this look so much more glamorous.”

“One day we’ll be rich and we won’t have to do this anymore.”

“That’s not your wallet is it?”

OSCAR ISAAC for Brioni