Lost and damned

Chapter 4: Michael Daniel

"Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit."
  ---Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics," which he wrote around 350 BCE.

  I leaped into the fray, backing up Michael. A swift uppercut sent one of them crashing to the ground, while I managed to distract the other long enough for Michael to grab a stone from the ground and strike the scattered fool with it, The fight came to an end with the two boys fleeing. Michael slumped to the ground and remarked, 'You really took charge back there, thanks bro.' '

  "Alright, you can laugh now," he said with a hint of sadness. "Laugh? About what?" I asked, puzzled. "I mean, here I am, not just a miserable drug addict, and now I'm here getting into fights, relying on you to save me," he said with a mix of sadness and anger in his tone,I sighed and sat down next to him. "Michael, we’re both in this mess. It’s not about who’s more pathetic. We’ve both hit rock bottom."

He looked at me and said. "You don’t get it, Jason. I’ve been fighting alone for so long. My dad left, my mom doesn't care. The streets are my home now. And you, you were supposed to be the one who made it out. Seeing you here, like this... it breaks something inside of me."

For a moment, we just sat there in silence, the weight of our shared despair hanging in the air. Finally, I spoke, my voice barely above a whisper. "We have to find a way out, Michael. Together. Before it’s too late for both of us."

He nodded slowly. "Yeah, maybe. But how? Every day feels like a new fight, a new failure."."

I took a deep breath. "Actually, I’ve been trying to change. I resisted smoking and drugs yesterday. For the first time, I felt like maybe there’s a way out."

Michael looked at me, a mix of hope and skepticism in his eyes. "You think we can really do it? Get clean and turn things around?"

"I don’t know," I admitted. "But we can try. Maybe if we support each other, we can make it."

He shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "You always were the optimistic one, Jason. Alright, let’s give it a shot. What do we have to lose?"

"Exactly," I replied, "One step at a time, Michael. We can do this."

Michael nodded, the flicker of hope returning to his eyes. "Alright, Jason. Let's try. For old times' sake."

We got up and dusted ourselves off, the bruises and cuts from the fight a stark reminder of the path we needed to leave behind. As we walked away from the scene, I felt a strange mix of emotions—fear, uncertainty, but also a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we could find our way out of the darkness together.

As we walked away from the scene, I couldn't help but ask, "So, who were those two guys, anyway? Why were they attacking you?"

Michael shook his head, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips. "Just a couple of idiots I owe money to. Drug dealers, like everyone else around here. They think violence is the only way to solve problems."

I frowned, concern etching deeper lines on my face. "How much do you owe them?"

"More than I can pay," he admitted. "I thought I could make a quick buck flipping some stuff, but it backfired. Now I'm in deeper than ever."

I felt a pang of anger. "Damn it, Michael, this is serious. What are you going to do? You can’t keep living like this."

He gave a bitter laugh. "You think I don’t know that? Every day feels like a countdown to something worse. But what choice do I have?"

"We’ll figure it out," I said firmly. "But no more deals, no more debts. We need to start cleaning up this mess, even if it means facing those guys again."

Michael gave me a skeptical look. "And how do you propose we do that, Jason? It's not like we have any money or resources."

"I don’t know yet," I admitted. "But there’s got to be a way. Maybe we can talk to someone, get some help."

Michael looked away, his voice low. "You really think someone out there cares enough to help us? After everything?"

I nodded, feeling more determined than ever. "Yes, Michael. I believe there are people who care. We just need to find them and ask for help."

We walked in silence for a while, the weight of our situation pressing down on us. As we neared my house, I said to him, "I can give you the little money I have, but we need to find the rest somehow."

He responded, "This is my problem, Jason. I don't want to drag you into it. Besides, after you stepped in during the fight today, I’m worried they’ll come after you too."

I shook my head. "We’re in this together, Michael. I’m not going to let you face this alone. We need to come up with a plan."

He sighed, looking defeated. "I appreciate it, man, but these guys are dangerous. I don’t want you getting hurt because of me."

"I’m already involved," I pointed out. "And we both know there’s no easy way out of this. We need to stick together and figure out a way to deal with them."

Michael looked down, kicking at the ground. "I just don’t see a way out, Jason. Every time I think I’ve found a solution, it just gets worse."

"I know, Michael, but giving up is not an option now," I said to him. It was true that I had dragged myself into this mess, especially since those bastards seemed really dangerous.

Michael sighed heavily. "I just don’t want you getting hurt because of my problems."

"We’re friends," I replied firmly. "We stick together, no matter what. And besides, it’s not just your problem anymore."

He looked at me with a mixture of gratitude and worry. "Alright, but we need to be careful. Those guys... they're not just bullies. They're involved in some serious stuff."

"I figured as much," I said. "But we can’t let them intimidate us. We need to stay strong and think of a way to get out of this."

Michael nodded slowly. "Maybe we can find a way to pay them back without getting into more trouble."

Before we parted ways, I said to him, "Alright, see you later, man. Try to think about staying away from all this, you know, a fresh start?" He replied, "I'll try."

From there, we went our separate ways, each heading home. Just before entering my house, I remembered something. It had been a long time since I last saw the devil. I didn't even feel his presence anymore. It had become strange. It seemed like he had given up on me, completely uninterested since I stopped following his ways،well i didn't think of it much i ate my dinner brushed my teeth went straight to bed...

To be Continued