Memories of a Life That Never Happened

Chapter 64 - Childhood's Bane

After concealing their motorbikes near the side of the road, among trees and high bushes, Nick, Virginie and Leo headed toward an opening on the woods. They stopped right where the trail started, leading into the heart of the forest.  

Nick held Leo's arm. "Are you sure this is it?"  

He tried his best not to sound scared, but the truth was Leo was much more comfortable around armed people than Nick could ever be.  

"Yeah, I'm sure. I've been here before, remember?" Leo chided. "What's the matter? Don't tell me you're having second thoughts." 

"It's not that," Nick let go of Leo and peered into the woods. "These guys are the toll fare I need to pay to have fun. I accept that. But I have no idea how to interact with them! Let alone pretend we are friends." 

Leo put a hand on Nick's shoulder.  

"When we get high, it'll come to you. Trust me," he said calmly. 

As the trio moved further into the forest, Nick noticed that Virginie was lagging behind. She was shooting uneasy glances around, hands tucked deep in her zippered bunnyhug.  

To keep her moving, Nick clasped her hand and gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. It worked. Virginie's lips twitched up however briefly and she picked up the pace. 

"What do we do when we get there?" Nick asked, watching his tone not to scare Virginie again. 

"Leave that to me. Just follow my lead and keep your distance from Macumba's dad," Leo instructed. 

"His dad will be there?"  

"What do you think? Of course he'll be there. It's his home!" 

If meeting Macumba was not Nick's first choice for entertainment, meeting his father was definitely his last. Anyone with half a brain could recognize in Macumba the signals of an abused child. He often showed up badly beaten, lips cut, bruises covering most of his torso. When it came to juvenile misbehavior, no one in the village would dare to pick a fight with him. Every ounce of drug he sold got paid upon transaction, complaint free.  

Evidently, his aggressiveness was a corrupt heritage of sorts. It was instilled in him from an early age, gaining momentum as he grew old. At some point, it had become unbearable and so, in a domino effect, Macumba unleashed it onto others.  

Nick grabbed Leo's arm, forcing him to a full stop.  

"Are you insane?" he whispered so low that Leo had trouble hearing him.  

"Don't be such a pussy. Virginie has more balls than you do. I don't hear her whining every five minutes." 

"That's because she's clueless and doesn't know where we're going."  

Right on cue, Virginie freed her hand from Nick's grip. She bounced a few steps toward a rabbit that had appeared in the middle of the trail, sniffing and staring at her. 

"Coucou, monsieur le lapin!1" Virginie greeted the bunny and began a lively conversation with the animal.  

"Doesn't it worry you, though?" Nick turned back to Leo. "I mean, if a man gives his own son a shiner, what can we expect him to give us?"  

Blood drained from Nick's face and the hairs on his back stood up as he said the words. 

"Look," Leo took a deep breath, hands fisting at his sides. "The man is a major drug dealer." He wagged a finger at Nick. "Not in this village, not in the State, but in the whole fucking Latin America. He's not stupid. He knows we're clients. Good, wealthy clients. What kind of businessman messes that up? Besides, I've talked to Macumba about helping them expand their turf up North. So... he'll treat us just fine. You just don't step on his toes." 

"Where exactly are his toes?" Nick insisted, pushing away a twig that blocked the trail at his chest height. 

The rabbit had vanished through the vegetation and Virginie was back by his side.  

"Like I said, just keep your mouth shut and let me do the talking." 

Nick gave Virginie a quick appraisal. She still seemed hypnotized by the wondrous wilderness.  

"What do you mean we can help him? What the hell are you talking about?" 

Resting the tip of his five stretched fingers on Nick's chest and giving it three slow yet menacing pushes, Leo said, "Calm-the fuck-down. I'm just saying I agreed to put him in contact with a few people who might be interested in buying what he sells. That's all. If you're too scared, go back home to your mama's lap. I don't need you ruining my business or my high. If you want to come, fine, but I don't want to hear another whimper." 

Half convinced and feeling his manhood threatened, Nick judged best to continue. He grabbed Virginie's hand again and the three resumed their trudge in silence. Hungry and a bit tired, they reached their destination.  

Upon laying eyes on the landscape, Virginie gasped.  

The scenery was a time travel into another century. A large circular meadow spread ahead, surrounded by what looked like coconut halves turned upside down. These were huts, completely covered in dry palm tree leaves, which gave them their brown, hairy aspect. Their one entrance was a hole on the wall. There were no windows, but in most huts, there were see-through patches of missing covering.  

Just outside the larger cabana, there was a brick oven: an obvious intruder in this anachronous village. A fuming aluminum pot rested on top of it while burning logs burned and snapped bellow.  

Shortly after their arrival, two boys came out of the main hut.  

The mere sight of them had Virginie squeaking. In a split second, she recognized the boys who had inexplicably shot Alan. 

Leo did not have to say a word. His glare was enough to make Nick understand that they could not afford having Virginie throwing a tantrum.  

Nick's immediate response was to shut her up the only way he could. He held her close to his body, pulled her head gently until it leaned on his chest.  

"Shhh. It's ok. It's ok," he whispered into her hair, stroking it tenderly. Then, cupping her face in his hands, he stared into her eyes and promised, "Don't worry. Nothing will happen to you." 

But the time was unwise for promises. Virginie's scream had already disturbed the demon inside the hut.

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1 Hello, Mr. Rabbit!