Steps mix with so many others, and the metal staircase creaks through the hasty race of the one I assume to be the armed man.
“Bring this mother fucker here.” A crawling sound approaches dangerously where I am. I cover my lips with one hand and hold my breath, praying that the advertising panels that reflect the entire surroundings of the station do not put me in focus. “Did you think you could escape from me, bastard?”A dusty, mean and unpleasant laugh reverberates in my bones, and I finally gain the courage to look at the reflection on the panels on the other side. A bald man with an imposing leather jacket leans over a shady body on the floor. Two other men remain on their backs, each looking to one side. One of them even approaches the yellow band, but doesn't bother to look down. Almost sigh relieved, however, when the body stretched on the ground moans and moves, the anguish dominates me again.“I thought you knew where you were getting into, Hunter. You can only stop working for me when I say I don't need you anymore.”The man on the floor doesn't answer. It shows no sign of life other than incoherent grumbling and attempts to move away. He can't make men stop hostilities, and when the armed man returns, my stomach is wrapped in the bitter taste of bile. I fear for the life of the unknown, and even more for mine, because I know that I will not leave here until the group is sure that there is no survivor to watch their crime.“But you know the funniest thing, my friend? I just decided that I no longer need your services.”Another bang that deafens me, another shot. And the shock haunts me in such a way that I start to tremble compulsively, desperate and distressed. Even when I try to control myself so as not to draw attention, my feet that rest on the tracks tremble at an absurd speed. I swallow the cry and force air into my lungs, still covering my mouth with trembling hands.The tremor in my body becomes more intense, uncontrollable. The shock gives way to understanding in a matter of moments, and I suddenly turn my head to the left, where the light of the subway headlights run at full speed to meet me.The gnashing of the brakes completely stuns me and I am no longer able to control my horror. Dying crushed doesn't seem like a good solution at this time, but taking a shot so little seems attractive for a Friday night. Terrified and unstable like a green stick, I decide to face the consequences of being a snooster who was in the wrong place and at the wrong time, and jump away from the rails in time to feel the breath of air messing up my hair with the speed with which the subway approaches.I fall with my back on the icy floor, and it takes a while of numbness to remember the men, but I can't find them anywhere I can look for. There is no sign that they were here, ignoring the dead policeman a few meters from the main pillar, a passenger fallen on the first steps of the staircase and the unconscious man next to me.I'm panting and with my eyes stuck in the ceiling lights, trying to find any plausible explanation for this night's hell. My confusion does not allow me to react in any other way than crying and laughing. Or cry from laughing so much, at this point, I have no idea what I'm doing to myself.The subway goes to your stop, and suddenly I know that it can be considered pure selfishness, or self-preservation, but as the only living witness, I have no way to prove that I am not guilty and I seriously think about the possibility of running away. Besides, denying help is a crime anyway. Staying or not staying will cause me problems that I can't stand. I only have five seconds of insane courage to discover my next step.I remember how lost I am already, and how much this can get worse with a record in the police, and again I'm acting like a coward. I stand on a heel, fix my clothes and my shaggy hair with one hand. My contradictory reactions only prove the intensity of my momentary emotional instability. I can't help the police when I can't help solve my own life myself.On the other hand, I can forget this night without any difficulty. In fact, forgetting problems is the only thing I really know how to do. This is why there is the emptiness inside my chest; to keep the events that I pertinently refuse to remember.The subway still doesn't have its doors open, and I feel relieved to have time to escape. My cowardice is so great that it leaves me oblivious to my overcoat stuck in something on the floor, and even abruptly pulling one side with my hand, the tip does not come loose.Angry, I turn under my heels and mention bending down, and that's when I realize that the man shot and with his face formed by ripples - certainly from the beating he had taken - has opened one of his swollen and purplish eyes.The eye is shaken by a grotesque dark circles, dueling with the color of its iris of an intense green, dotted with amber tones. I venture to say that this is the most beautiful color I have seen in my entire life, and I do not fail to notice how the subject's brown and long hair perfectly adorns his genetic beauty. In addition, I can't tell if the cracked lips on an extensive scar, and the twisted nose at a strange angle live up to what I can see. Anyway, I'm not able to admit my cowardice right now. Not as long as he keeps this eye on me.Squeaky screams make me sure that the passengers who arrived from the subway realized the situation, and my conscience screams against my desire to run away. Despite the vulnerable appearance and the absurd amount of blood covering his clothes, the man does not let me go, and maybe I should thank him for not letting me take such an inhumane attitude.But I don't have time to do anything. In an instant his hand that holds me slides to the floor, and the black tattoo of a cross between his thumb and forefinger fingers enchant my eyes with the same intensity as his look is capable.Still looking at me, the stranger with a disfigured face seeks the air in a nasal breath, and, spitting blood and saliva, begs:“Don't let me die, please.”My eyes threaten to jump out of orbits, so growing is my astonishment.“How can you still be alive?” I question, strange how my voice sounds higher than usual. “And why the hell can this infernal night only get even worse?”A frantic activity begins on my back. Desperate passengers who unite to evaluate the dead policeman, security guards of the station itself who appear from the side doors as if all that time they were waiting for a triumphal entrance, and those who ignore the floor decorated with a generous trail of blood and untie in a blind race, in order to escape from any future confusion and encountering more bodies. I don't blame them, running away is exactly what I should have done.My survival policy has always been very clear: If something terrible is happening, and it's not my problem, I shouldn't get involved. My mistake was to hesitate for fear that this could further harm my sudden state of shock. The man wounded at my feet is partly to blame for this fact.Speaking of
The whistle of the winter wind whispers on my face, the touches as soft as the gentle caresses of a mother. Although refreshing, this does not ward off the fire on my tired legs and arms. My whole body throbs with pain."I can't take it anymore..." I complain softly, stumbling on my own feet. The man staggers and falls next to me, stalling on the ground like a rotten fruit. I try to feel sorry for your fall, but my muscles creak because of the effort and I don't allow myself to ignore pride. "You're too big, damn it!”Frustrated, I drag a lock of hair away from my face, and watch the stranger laugh with blood on his teeth and chin, as he crawls into a dark window that displays mannequin shadows wearing lingerie." Funny... "The unknown pulls the hair of brown locks with a lethargic movement of his hands, displaying in the moonlight each spine on his injured face. "You’re not the first woman to say that," he manages to throw a naughty smile.I bite my tongue, holding the urge to reply
"That wasn't quite what I expected for a Friday night," Penelope grumbles, snorting with the effort to sustain the weight of the unknown man among us."It serves as a consolation" I gave a grunt in response to the strong snap on my shoulders, where the man's arm rests itself "I would have preferred to suffer from a sad episode of the House of the Dragon in the company of a generous jar of ice cream than to try to save the life of a stranger.”Pulling the mild air into my lungs with a difficult swallow, I face the illuminated facade of the hospital, reminding me that there was no longer a cold breeze involving us when Penelope parked the car close to the curb of the Lingerie store to save us, ten minutes ago.The man passed out with his head hanging softly to the side, however, remained cold and inert. My friend helped me put it in her car, and I couldn't be more grateful for not hearing any complaints from her about all the blood that soaked the man and his clothes. During the trip, I
The receptionist looks away with a curious shyness and I lean over to completely see Penelope's face. Here is the purest face of my friend; the unwavering impulse to win the attention of those who conquer yours. Judging by the blush on the girl's cheeks behind the counter, I'm sure it's working.Penelope is not the kind of person who can describe herself as demanding. She lies with both men and women, having a greater preference for her own gender. All his art of conquest focuses on the depth of his black iris look and the beautiful smile he reserves only for those who draw his attention. In the middle of twenty-five years of age, she can already have a collection of hearts in need of her sympathy, and the list only increases."Subscribe here... "ask the receptionist with one hand over the visitor's book.Penelope doesn't look away from the girl until she gives me the pen and takes the patient form. I realize that instead of the real name, my friend used a pseudo and, without blinking
I sigh, studying the surroundings of the empty waiting room. There is no possibility that my bad night may arouse interest in my mother, and talking about the end of the marriage will only give you the chance for your curses and offenses to be released.So I play my role.“He... Hm... He's in the shower now, mom... Is it something urgent?”“Oh, no...” Her tone is still so hard that I doubt very much that she has been convinced. "I just wanted to talk to him without you having to pass on the conversation. Something between mother-in-law and son-in-law, do you understand, baby? He didn't answer me all day and seems to have turned off his cell phone now... Sometimes I find it so strange that you never allow us to talk directly to him, his cousins were here earlier and agreed with me. If I didn't know my own daughter, I would swear that this whole story is a farce. "She sighs with false discouragement. "You look so downcast, especially tonight, it worries me so much, dear.”Lie... What she
"Simple, isn't it?” I say, ironic. "How can I find a fiancé out of nowhere, Pen? The marriage happens in less than four weeks, and all my relatives already believe that there has never been any man. If only they believed that I am a lesbian and that I invented this situation for fear of prejudice. But, no! Even that they don't think I'm capable, and I hate that they think I'm not capable of something... I can't lie for a long time and telling the truth at this point in the championship will only make everything worse! "I catch my breath with a strong archesh. "I don't know what to do...”"You'll find a solution, my friend.”"I'm not going to” I cry, feeling more fragile than ever. "This time I have no way out. The more time passes, the worse things get. Maybe it's a punishment, you know? Things go wrong like that. It's a punishment for my cowardice.”"You're doing that thing again..." she points out, impassive. "Breathe deeply, Suzy. No one dies for being betrayed, and surely a forced
The receptionist is no longer alone, and does not mind giving a concrete answer to my questions. His words are always evasive and short, and this, in addition to all the secrecy regarding the non-mention to the unknown patient, annoys me. My breakfast is as improvised as my nap, since I fill myself with snacks and juices from the vending machine, deliberately avoiding having to move away from the surroundings of the reception to look for the snack bar.My frustration lasts for two more long and endless hours, and Penelope emerges from one of the long corridors illuminated by strong lights, fluttering her pink dress and honey-colored hair. Her bag hangs next to her waist, drawing the contour of the canteen inside, however, Penelope still looks quite sober with her soft steps. A discreet smile pulls the corners of her lips before she reaches me, wraps her arm around my shoulders, and pulls me to the exit."I was talking to my mother's ex-boyfriend and I found out some things about her G
"So, Suzane, after analyzing my report, do you still consider that the investment with Brazil can be advantageous for the company?”Biting the lid of my pen "a vicious mania that only hits me in moments of distress", I keep my gaze on the vastness of downtown Boston reflected in the windows of my office, and the attention on the voice of this one who sits on the other side of my very well organized desk."Not only do I consider it, but I'm sure. Benden had promising results with the Niobium tests. And, as you know, Brazil is the country with the greatest possession of this element.”"What about the tax incentives offered by Canada?”"Tell me, Blackmore... "I boost my rotating chair to face it, shadows of the twilight on my back oscillating by the movement. "Do you prefer to secure a contract with a 98% chance of success, or stay at the mercy of the group in Canada, knowing that the remaining 2% of chances can still fail? "I arch an eyebrow and watch him bow his head curiously. "Just r