Saving Athiya

ONE

AARON

TWENTY FOURTEEN

Eating lunch...well, any meal here at this cafeteria was like eating two weeks old left-overs but a guy has got to eat something. Better this than going through the day with an empty stomach. An empty stomach would mean passing out in the middle of my training class in front of everyone. Everyone.

I looked up from my plate to stare at my best friend, Nate. Nathan Waters. We grew up together. Went to school together. Went on double dates back in high school. Even went to university together. We did everything together. So, it was only natural that we go to the Washington State Police Academy together.

"This food is shit!" We said at the same time. I laughed as I watched him laugh. We were so alike that we could pass off as siblings. Too bad I had blue eyes and black hair while he was the blondest blonde with green eyes. If you could ignore those differences, you wouldn't be able to tell us apart.

"Fuck man!" I exclaimed. "I don't think I can eat here anymore." The food was that horrible.

"Ughhh!" Nathan grunted. I laughed at his annoyed expression.

"I am glad today is our last day. I can't wait to graduate and then," I continued, "I can be an official cop and go save lives." I admitted. My grandfather was a police officer and so was my mother. They both died on duty saving innocent lives.

My dad always encouraged me to be just like my mom up until he died of prostate cancer. Even in his last few days, he would tell me to follow my mother's footsteps. I never understood his obsession with me being a cop but I never questioned it. And here I am, less than 24 hours away from being a police officer.

"I know right! I can't wait either." He exclaimed excitedly. I smiled.

Nathan's story was a heartbreaking one. His parents were murdered in a home invasion accident when he was only seven. After his parents' death, he came to live with his uncle who lived right next to us. For years, his drunkard uncle would abuse him, hitting him with belts and scaring his body where no one would even think to look.

Until...up until my mom caught him in the act. That day I lost my mom but more than that, she saved yet another innocent life. That day, Nate decided to follow mom's footsteps and become a cop. He decided to help who couldn't help themselves from monsters like his abusive uncle.

My heart hurt every time I thought about that day. Nate was laying, stomach down, on his bedroom floor conscious. Carpet that used be gray was covered with his blood. His uncle kept beating his 13 years old body with his belt. There were welts all over his olive colored skin.

Some scars were fresh while others were ages old. An indication of years of abuse. The proof of a happy childhood lost. Sign of a childhood filled with only abuse and years of suffering under a man who was supposed to be family.

"Are you thinking about that night again?" Nathan's voice brought me back to the present. Slowly, the chatter in the cafeteria fell into my ears deafening me for a few seconds. I kept staring at him trying to process his words.

"Yeah." I admitted, "I am so glad that bastard is dead." Nodding my head, I placed my chin on the palm of my right hand as I brought my elbow to the surface of the lunch table.

"And you lost you mom." He mumbled while looking down at his half-eaten plate. He always got upset whenever he remembered that mom died saving his life. He always blamed himself for her death even though it wasn't his fault, at all.

"Yeah," I continued, "but she died doing what she loved...saving lives."

Silence fell between us. There was always, always uncomfortable silence between us when we remembered that night. More so for him than me since he treated my mother as his second mother.

"Anyways," I watched as he tried to forget about the past and cheer up. "did you hear the news? About Hades?" He asked. I looked at him confusingly.

"Dude! It's all over the news." I laughed as I saw him jumping in his seat. "Apparently, they raided his mansion in LA and get this," he paused.

"What?" I exclaimed wanting him to continue.

"They found a 24 years old girl who went missing three years ago from Xtacy. They didn't put out all the info yet but looks like the girl was tortured. Badly!" He continued but this time his voice carried a hint of sadness. "They showed her picture on TV that was taken right after her rescue and you can't even tell it's the same girl.

"One of her eyes was swollen shut. The other one wasn't that better either. Her face was all bloodied and her lips were swollen beyond belief. Plus," He continued to emphasize using his hands and pointing at different parts of his face, "she had hand prints all around her neck. They are speculating that Hades was trying to kill her when the raid happened."

I can't even imagine what that girl must have went through. I can only compare her situation, her pain to Nathan's but, obviously, her situation was much worse. I mean, she was kidnapped right under everyone's nose and was kept captive for almost three long years.

The three longest years of her life, I bet. Hades is known for being a ruthless killer and even more brutal when it came to drugs and sex trafficking. Him getting caught is one of the most brilliant acts in history. I hope he stays behind bars for the rest of his life. Or, better yet, I hope they sentence him to death.

"I can't imagine what she must be going through right now. What she must have gone through under his watch." I admitted, and I honestly couldn't imagine the pain and emotional suffering she must have went through for the past three years or so.

"Ditto! I am just glad they caught his ass finally. I hope they keep him behind bars for good!" He agreed. I nodded in agreement. "Anyways, let's go and pack. The moving truck is coming at 2 and it's," He looked down at his wrist watch, "shit! It's 1:50 right now. Fuck! Let's go, Aaron!" He exclaimed and ran towards the exit doors.

I sat back and laughed. I can't believe he fell for it. It was only 11 in the morning. I laughed harder as I remembered that I tinkered with his watch while he was in the shower. Payback's a bitch, Nathan! I thought as I ran my hand through my, now, green hair.