Chapter 5: The first Dark path

The money I had saved from work was just enough to pay Emilio's school fees and buy the medicine Mom needed.

When I told Emilio that we were going to his school today, to pay the fees. Emilio's face lit up, and I felt proud for a moment.

When we got to his school, I paid the school fees at the Treasurer's office. While I was there, I met Emilio's teacher. She was a nice woman.

"Emilio is a bright boy," she said. "He's always eager to learn and participates actively in class."

Hearing the teacher praise Emilio made me feel a little better.

It reminded me that even though things were tough, Emilio was doing well.

After paying the fees, I walked Emilio to his classroom and watched him settle in.

Seeing his happy face made me forget my worries for a little while.

I left the school feeling a bit lighter. Maybe things weren't so bad after all.

Later, I went to the pharmacy to get Mom's medicine, making sure she wouldn't miss a dose.

And that's it. There was no money left for rent, and it was due in less than a week.

I sat down that night in the chair in the kitchen, tired and frustrated. "what am I going to do?" I said to myself.

At this point I knew walking two jobs won't even be enough.

That's when desperation kicked in.

After my shift ends at the construction site, I will go home, check on mom and Emilio, and make dinner for them.

I would smile and act like everything was fine so that he wouldn't worry.

After dinner, I'd change into new clothes and walk the streets at night, trying to figure out how to get more money.

One night, a man walking ahead of me dropped his wallet.

He was in a hurry to get somewhere while holding his phone in his ear explaining something to someone on the phone with an anxious voice.

I hesitated for some seconds before I went over and picked up the wallet, the wallet was quite heavy.

I knew for sure that a reasonable amount of money would be inside it.

I wanted to say, 'Hay, Mr., you dropped your wallet!' But words couldn't just leave my mouth.

I gazed at him as he went far away from me.

I stood there for half a minute before I slowly put the wallet inside my sweater pocket. The guilt was high but the money felt like a lifeline.

From there, it escalated. Every Night after work, I hang around busy areas, picking pockets for phones, wallets, anything I could grab without getting caught.

I'd sell the phones to shady dealers and use the money to cover what my paycheck couldn't cover.

It wasn't something I was proud of, but I didn't see another way.

Each time I stole, guilt ate at me. I'd think about my dad and what he'd say if he could see me now. But then I'd look at Mom, lying pale and frail on the couch, and Emilio, doing his best to act brave when I knew he was terrified.

The guilt didn't matter. Keeping them alive did.

In a few days, I made enough money to pay for the rent, but I kept going.

The nights were dangerous. I've had close calls with security guards and even the cops.

One time, I barely escaped a store alarm, sprinting through alleys until my lungs burned, But every time I made it home with enough to cover another bill or buy Mom's medicine, it felt worth it.

One fateful day, I was at the city center.

That's where I get most of my stuff.

It is the heart of the city, filled with shops, restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues.

People come here to dine, socialize, and enjoy the nightlife.

That's why stealing from them here is very easy.

It is always crowded in the evening time, which makes it easy to steal and escape.

The sun was settin.

The cars, the music and the sound of people talking to each other made it very noisy.

I scanned the whole place searching for someone careless enough to leave whatever valuable he or she is holding careless.

I spotted a woman in a nice dress, busy bargaining with a fruit seller.

I slipped closer, pretending to admire the fruits on display, but I was waiting for an opportunity to take the bag and run

A voice came from behind me. "What do you think you're doing?"

I looked up to see an older teen, tall and muscular, looking at Me. His face was hard, with a scar running down his cheek.

"I...I just," I stammered, trying to think of an excuse.

"This is my spot," the older boy snarled. "You're new here, aren't you? You don't take from my customers."

I clenched my fists. "I didn't know this was your spot. I'm just trying to help my family."

The older boy said. "We all have families. But if you don't leave now, you won't have hands to steal with."

A group of boys appeared behind the older one, all wearing the same threatening expression.

They belonged to a gang that controlled pickpocketing in this part of the city, especially in the city center.

One of them said he has been monitoring me for so long, as I steal from the customers and run away with it.

Get out from here and never return. The same boy shouted,"I'll leave," I said, backing away. My voice shook, but I tried to sound brave.

Good thing people were around; if not, those boys should have beat me up real bad

"Good choice," the older boy said, smirking. "But don't come back. Next time, we won't just talk."

I turned and walked away quickly, my heart pounding in my chest.

I did not stop walking until I was far from the city center.

For a few days, I stayed away from the city center, and focused on only the construction work I had. but the huge bills didn't stop coming in,"I had no choice.

I have to go back."

I returned to the city center, hoping the gang wouldn't see me.

I waited for a chance, standing near a busy bus stop. The air was thick with the smell of roasted corn and exhaust fumes.

People hurried past, faces all serious, like they were rushing to get somewhere. Some were laughing and talking, lost in their own worlds. I watched them, trying to read them.

Who looked distracted?

Who wasn't paying attention to their belongings?

I saw a woman sitting on a bus.She was reading the newspaper, not looking at her bag.

The windows were open and her bag was at arms ridge from the outside of the bus.

I moved quickly, grabbed the bag, and ran, But this time, the gang was watching.

As I ran through an alley, the gang surrounded me. The leader grabbed me by my shirt and said, "We told you not to come back!"

"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't have a choice."

The boys didn't listen. They pushed me to the ground and started hitting me.

I tried to fight back, but there were too many of them.

They punched and kicked me until I was bleeding through my nose.

"You better stay away from here," the leader said. "Next time, it will be worse."

The gang left, I lay on that ground, for some time, before I got up slowly.

I did not sustain any serious wounds from the beating, apart from the nosebleed and some bruises mostly on my arm and my back.

Not much on my face,cause I covered my face with my hands the whole time.

Before heading home, I knew I couldn't walk in looking like I'd been in a fight, so I looked for a place to clean myself up very well.

I found a rundown public bathroom near the market.

The water was rusty, but I washed the blood off my face and hands as best I could.

I fixed my shirt as much as possible, trying to hide the worst of the bruises.

I knew Mom would worry if she saw me like this.

I had to be strong for her, even if it meant hiding the truth.

I walked home slowly, my head down, replaying the fight in my mind.

After I got home, I took a bath, and sat on the steps of my home, staring at the empty street. My little brother's schoolbooks lay on the table, untouched.

I felt anger and shame burning in my chest. I wanted to help them, but the world seemed determined to push me down.

After my encounter with those boys, I left the city center.

I went to other parts of the city to see if I could find something. but stealing in an area that is not busy is next to impossible, cause when you start coming very close to a person they will immediately start suspecting you.

but in an already compacted and noisy area all you have to do is just steal what you want to steal and be on your way

I know it's not a good idea to steal from the city center anymore, Because If those boys catch me again and beat me to the extent that I can't work for a day or two.

It will be a big problem for me.

I thought about joining the boys' gang, but it would eat up too much of my time. I wouldn't be able to work on the construction site anymore. I'd be with them all the time, and the money wouldn't be good.

As a new guy, they'd expect me to steal stuff and give it to the leader. Then he'd only give me a cut of what I stole."

The only benefit is that if i get into trouble or a fight the gang will be there for me.