S1 E6: Memories Pt. 6

Silver Heart (1 year ago, 2014) 

My body ached and I was parched for water. There was something cool and wet resting against my feverish forehead and there was a light chatter that I couldn't make out. The light was blinding at first, adding to my general confusion, but slowly a figure came into view. An older woman, in her fifties or maybe sixties, was tending to me. Her green eyes were full of worry, and they were amplified by the black pinched-together eyebrows. Her face was slightly dirty and weathered, a common trait of the homeless in this city.  

Why is a homeless woman watching over me? Where the hell am I? 

The woman noticed my gaze and a smile of relief spread across her wrinkled, olive-toned face.  

 “You were out for a good week,” she commented, removing the wet rag from my forehead. Her voice reminded me of a smoker with its gruff edge, but something about it carried authority. I glanced around and discovered I was in a type of field hospital, but the surroundings were a mix of tent, tin, and cardboard.  

How did I even get here? One minute, I'm taking care of loose ends to free my sister and myself, then the next moment I wake up here. I remember the struggle. I remember getting the upper hand, a loud bang and then… And then… Then what?  

“What happened?” I croaked in some mild pain as she wrung out the rag for my head. I really needed some water and a warm shower. The woman stopped for a moment and looked at me interested.  

“You don’t remember busting up my hand, do you?” She questioned, holding up a hand covered in bandages that were slightly damp from old blood and water. I shook my head. I didn't--couldn't-- remember anything past the bang, and I'd never seen this woman before in my life.  

What's her end game? Is she trying to con me? She says I hurt her, and yet she's tending to my needs. Why would she do such a thing? Did she know who I was? Was she looking for hush money? Connections? Dirt on someone? A favor to be owed? I don't like this. I need to figure out what her angle is, and quickly. I can't let a stranger have the upper hand.

She nodded to someone outside my field of vision. I craned my neck to see a thirtyish man, with an unkempt beard and greasy black hair, walking forward with a camera. He placed the cracked screen in front of my face and hit play.  

I couldn't believe what I was watching. The audio and video quality were poor, but there was no mistaking my albino looks. Though, I couldn't tell if my eyes were red or blue in the video. Too far away from the camera. I also didn't understand how I ended up in the alleyway with them and how I could–how I had made a damn blood tornado. It had to be a joke. A poor attempt at video editing and cult initiation.  

Stuff like that wasn't real. Magic… It was something only a mother would tell her child while they played.  

The footage continued, and I watched the woman’s hand shred within the wall of wind and blood. I couldn't help looking away to stare at the bandaged hand beside me while the man stopped the video and started fiddling with the camera.  

“How did I...?”  

“You didn’t know you could do this?” The woman gazed at me, interested, while motioning at the camera.  

Was this the point in the conversation where she would try to get money out of me? Introduce me to a cult? Harm me?  

I shook my head nervously at what she would say next. I didn't have the strength to fight her right now, and I didn't want to risk my eyes going red and getting more questions. 

“Do you think you can do it again?” She questioned, her eyes boring a hole into mine. I felt exposed, vulnerable, but I answered by shaking my head once again.  

“Are you related to the Royal Mob?” The greasy man asked with eagerness. He sounded like an informant and a greedy one at that.  

If I gave them some information, I could learn what their angle is. 

“I’ve heard of them, but I’m not related to them. Big Daddy’s Gang is the only one I know a decent amount about,” I carefully explained. 

What I had heard about the Royal Mob was enough to stay far away. As for what I knew about Big Daddy’s Gang… Man, I could fill a library.  

The old woman looked at me carefully. She could tell I knew more than I was letting on, but I didn't have the energy to put up a façade. They had a week to kill me, and I was still alive. I didn't need to waste energy on them.  

“We don’t work with Big Daddy’s Gang. If you're worried about that, it's too much of a risk with those twins,” the woman explained.  

Twins… I'll keep my mouth shut about my old role… 

“Marcus, get rid of the video and forget that this happened,” the woman commanded, shocking both the man and me. 

“What? Why?!” The man named Marcus protested.  

“The kid isn’t missing. If we were to report to the Royal Mob that we found some random kid, they might think we were going for a ransom and that we had kidnaped him. If we talk to 'Big Daddy’s Gang' he knows they will think we are behind the recent boss’ murder. Both could, and would, kill us in a second,” she spat. 

She wasn't wrong. Big Daddy’s gang isn't full of the most level-headed individuals… Wait. Big Daddy is dead?! He was alive last time I remember. That power… Don't tell me I did him in? Did I leave any hints? Would I go down for murder? I might've been the last to see him. Even if he didn't die by my hand, I could still get dragged into it and go down… Deep into the ground. How long would it take them to investigate? The gang doesn't let outsiders handle their stuff, but they have some cops on the take. Not to mention who Big Daddy is related to. Man, I'm gonna need to investigate under the radar. I could have an army after me. I need to figure out how to hide quickly or find the killer and sell them out to save my own skin. Honor among thieves and criminals is not as important as my life.

"If you have nowhere to go, you can stay here," the woman gestured around us. 

Could I stay here? I could hide... Were they really offering me that opportunity? 

"There’s a learning center down the road," she continued. 

A learning center? What a joke. I have a bad past, probably the worst out of everyone in this room. Cops would grab me in a second... 

“If you have a bit of a past, I know some people who can help you hide it so you can enroll,” the woman smiled knowingly. I was half-shocked she offered to help, but she had probably seen people from all levels of society while homeless. Maybe it even helped some find a way out of this life on the streets… The thing was, this wasn’t my first chance at getting an education. My mind quickly filled with bitter memories. 

I knew people too, but Big Daddy wouldn't allow it… Probably because I was easier to control without an education… Without a way out. This is my chance to start over. A tangible way out… Instead of just reading to escape my fucked-up reality.