Ch5 : The unwanted

“This is out of the question,” said a man with

tattoos covering the part of skin that could be observed under the dim light of the room, they were malignant snakes, creeping in wait for any prey to close in, ready to swallow everyone whole. It was nauseous to see.

“Look at him, He is just a bag of scrawny bones” the man leaned to take a seat as if he weren't in the mood, full of annoyance, his words addressed to the woman looming in front of him, a snake more than the ones drawn on his skin, this time it was him who was devoured. She who gave off a pernicious and overwhelming presence wore all fancy clothes and a lot of ornate jewelry. Coupled with the man they were your typical pair of crime team.

“Look, Leo, we had agreed on keeping him until the child support system gave up their periodic visits, I helped you to fake the documents and played as your wife in that old lady's office! Now I want my share !!” she was clearly frustrated and hadn’t been trying to hide it lately. That pissed him off.

In anger, he threw the glass of wine which he started sipping from at some point. The glass shattered into pieces littering the floor, some even reached the kid hugging his knees in the corner, you could say this all was about him. When Leo saw himself almost inflicting harm upon the little boy, he finished but then quickly managed to hide it before being exposed. He growled in an attempt to cover it but was interrupted.

“You are attached to him, I knew this will happen, that’s why we agreed ahead on leaving before you start having ideas like actually using the money we've got on the kid” It seemed like she had enough. After saying what had to be said she prepared to leave. Just before exiting she turned around again.

“You owe money to your previous gang ..... I have heard rumors Leo"

*clench*

" ………"

" Then your brother was shot while your previous gang was chasing after you .... and passed away”

“Shut.It” He said, angered.

“.. you were hunted by a sense of guilt and now-“

“ Shut up!! you know nothing since he brought it upon himself! No one asked him to take a bullet off me! ”

"...I have no reason to feel guilty" the guestroom's table was now lying upside down at the side.

The woman looked at the raging Leo who was throwing her death glares then switched to the boy.

“I know what he means to you because I can see it too. The boy resembles your late brother. So……. make sure to have the money prepared for later and contact me” She continued toward the front door, while Leo kept looking dumbstruck at her departing back, deep in thoughts.

*creak*

She had left.

“Meg …. I know.... It was my fault he died but you still extended me a helping hand” After taking some deep breaths he turned to the boy.

'It was more likely you, Meg, who saw my brother’s visage on this kid'

'Maybe she was right, if this kid stays by my side it will implicate him'

He closed into the kid's side and lifted him.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

The little boy had disheveled hair which made it impossible to make the outlines of his expression, but Leo seemed to know what kind of face he was making, he smiled to himself.

"You really look like him, Mirak is it? a peculiar name"

he thought of taking care of the shattered glass pieces only to remember something and stop.

“ I didn't hear Meg closing the door” He swiftly put Mirak down and suddenly was by the window sneaking peeks outside.

The neighborhood he chose to hide in was mostly consisting of poor families, those who can’t afford to have a car.

Those who could still afford cheap ones? He remembered them all.

Which is why.

“A black van in the middle of nowhere, I knew that bitch wasn’t trustworthy”

“She really is good when it came to manipulating others”

*pit* *pat*

There were footsteps coming from bellow. Leo jumped into action, He used the table from before to block the door then closed it from inside.

He drew out two guns from his jacket and was ready for the fire only to remember he wasn't on his own so he looked at the kid and approached.

He wanted to say something first then shook his head. Lifting a kid like Mirak and running would be easy but he decided to not give his back to the enemy again; so he took him inside the closet and handed him one of his guns.

“Don’t use it unless you feel endangered” he looked at the door then looked at the kid again “A bad person is after me, he has a lot of friends outside waiting there, I know that because I was one of them ….. I guess that makes me bad too. Well with the bad Karma I accumulated I might not make it out”

He gave the kid a good bow“Sorry for using you, sorry for not giving you a good family. At least to me now, if I die today, you would be my second brother what do you think ?”

“I …”.The kid tried to say something but all came was raspy sounds.

“Too tired to talk? just rest, for now, I will handle the remainder” said Leo while chucking to himself.

The kid’s eyes glistened within the dark, even under the cover of his disheveled hair light could be reflected.

“I …” it sounded raspy “A brother ….. I …have-“

Before the kid could finish his sentence they heard something coming from the barricaded door.

*click* someone tried to turn the doorknob.

Then

silence descended both sides of the door.

“………………..”

*click* Again another clicking sound but this one was different

Leo thought it was familiar

“DUCk! “ He cried and pushed Mirak down.

*BANG !!!!!*

“Ahh! “ He was hit and accidentally dropped his gun.

*BANG!!!* another bullet smashed the doorknob. all was left was the table blocking the door.

With a strong shove, the kid’s back hit the inside wall of the closet. The muffled sound of his head knocking against the wood was too low to be noticed. Blood now flowing out from the boy's newly inflicted wound. Leo couldn’t see the pained expression of resentment in the kid’s face, he was occupied with keeping both of them alive.

Leo took light steps toward the window to retrieve the gun where he dropped it. Some movements from outside caught his attention.

Men in blue suits were crossing over to the house's side of the street.

He was easily outmanned and had to think of something very quick. It was then that a random police car popped up from afar, all he needed then was to draw it in.

*Slam*

Someone managed to take care of the door at last. Leo already had his gun on aim.

“This place is surrounded! Drop your gun where I can see it and everything will be done with”

The ones on the other side didn't immediately barge in but rather gave a warning.

There was nothing blocking their way anymore but they still didn't act up.

They all refused to be the ones to take action. They knew that the first to show up will be the one likely to be shot by desperate fire.

Leo also gave his own warning.

“Oh Sam, you know numbers meant nothing for the likes of me, even if it was all about numbers my backup would be here just about now“ Leo's last sentence held a tone of madness to it.

“Don’t make any foolish moves!!” yelled the one called Sam.

Without heeding any warnings Leo took aim on the van and fired.

Then came an explosion.

What followed next was a bunch of surprised exclamations.

“You bastard What was that for!?” entered a man with an angry stride, tall and had a mask, he was that Sam. Some of the other gang members got down to check on the explosion.

It was only them two now.

Leo maintained his smug face.

Sam was furious at the obvious provocation but was interrupted by police sirens.

"really? Police ?” he didn't believe his old friend, a criminal too, would side with the police, he thought it was all a trap set by him and that Meg.

“Surprise” Leo gave such a short answer like he was making fun of Sam.

The other gang members were making a commotion.

“ let’s wait for Sam !”

“No! we will move separate, that way they won’t be able to catch up to all of us”

“They are smart,” said Leo while putting his gun back in his jacket.

“Unlike you “ Sam also his inside.

Sam’s gaze was fixed him.

“ Remember Leo, this won’t be the end“ it was his last words before retreating.

Watching the man leave, Leo leaned his body on the window to see the police officers disembark.

“Me working with the police? I don’t believe Sam fell for that”

“boy you can get out now”

There came no answer.

“were you afraid?“

Again there was only an eery silence.

Sensing how odd it was Leo turned to see what was up.

*BAAM*

A bullet hit Leo right in the chest causing him to lose his footing and drop from the second floor.

*crash*

"A gunshot ! the sound of a gunshot !! call the ambulance someone was shot!" police flood the house.

From within the closet, A small silhouette had a gun on the air.

“I have no brothers…….. I-”

Then he tossed it all the way to the side, the light shining off the scattered broken glass has swallowed the boy in a gentle embrace.

“I have no family”

****************************

Mirak suddenly woke up covering his face with one hand while leaning on the other.

“This is disgusting”

He smelled awful.