Tainted (Urban)

Chapter 6: Alexander Hayes

"What is it?" Keith asked, his eyes narrowing sharply on my face. I knew that he was analyzing me. He was actually one of the only people that could successfully do so. "I've seen that look before, Allen. What's going through your head right now?"

I barely heard him over my own rambunctious thoughts. I knew that Keith was familiar with the faces of my overthinking, and I knew that he would quickly figure out that I was up to something. With that in mind, I decided to let him in on my thoughts, for I knew that he'd manage to crack me open eventually.

"Hear me out," I began. I instantly regretted my choice of words. Not in the entire history of the English spoken language did "hear me out" incur anything except a preemptive resistance to what was going to follow. I could see it on my best friend's completely straight face. But I continued anyway. "How about you let me take Dante's place in the crew? I can help you flip work. With the two of us, we could make enough cash to end this whole ordeal quickly."

As soon as the words escaped my mouth, Keith's lips parted slightly as his jaw began to hang. With eyes wide, the entire room fell completely silent. Even Dante was strangely quiet, his face expressing one of mild curiosity. He turned his head towards Keith, waiting for the man to say something. The silence was far too long for my comfort, but it was finally broken.

"Are you out of your damn mind? You have to be, right?" Keith's face was contorted with anger and that confused me. I understood the shock of what I had said, sure. But where was this rage coming from? "Never in my life will I allow that to happen. You're in enough danger just knowing what's going on in my life. I don't need you diving into shark-infested waters trying to save a drowning man. I'd never forgive myself."

I already anticipated a response like that, but this was no longer in his hands. Once I had an idea in my head, I'd stop at nothing until I ran with it.

Keith often thought that I didn't think things through, but it was quite the opposite. I overthought things all of the time; I just chose to ignore the consequences every once in a while. This was one of those times.

For now, I had to get out of there and make a few visits. Feigning disappointment and even a bit of sadness, I replied.

"I understand. I'll let you do what you have to do," I said. But in my head, I knew that I had to do what I had to do as well.

I slowly began to make my retreat while Keith hung his head as if he were in deep thought. I knew that he must've still been thinking about what I had offered.

"I need to get going, though. I got some matters to attend to. But be safe, Keith, and I'll be sure to check in on you soon."

I knew that my abrupt dismissal was sketchy, but Keith was so preoccupied with his own thoughts that he probably didn't make anything of it.

I began to climb the stairs when Keith's words cut through the silence like a knife through butter. I stopped in my tracks. I felt my grip tighten nervously around the handrail as he spoke to me.

"And if you do anything stupid or try to take matters into your own hands, I'll never forgive you either."

The eeriness of him seemingly reading my mind or seeing right through me was't too surprising, but I can hardly say that I took the words into consideration. Sorry, Keith, but I was hardly deterred. My mind was set on my new plan. I continued my way up the stairs while Dante laughingly shouted his goodbyes.

He also promised that the next time I saw his face, I would be dead soon after. I had no intentions of letting that "prophecy" be fulfilled. I would happily avoid his ugly mug if he ever escaped Keith's basement. But I knew that if he were to ever get out of the basement, my bestfriend would be the first person that he'd kill. I pushed the thought out of my mind.