Empathy

Framed

After Francesca left, I sat in the middle of the room.  The boxes surrounded me.  I laid flat on the floor, stretched my arms enjoying the space; something I never had.  

Later that night, I unpacked a few things to get me through the night and ordered Chinese food.  I dragged the twin mattress into the small one bedroom, and stayed there slurping on my noodles.  Got ready for bed as the night grew lonely and cold.  I reached out and turned off the lamp next to me.  Snuggled in the sheets while silence looked down on me.  Silence.  Also something I never had.

_______________

The next morning I woke up around eight.  I got ready, and headed toward the door.  I didn't start work at the coffee shop until tomorrow so I had an extra day on my hands to visit the city.  I took the bus to Van Cortlandt Park then took the subway to Times Square.  After about an hour or so, I was here, about to take foot in actual New York City.

I've lived here all my life but I've never actually seen Time Square, or the statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building.  How sad is that?  But I have my own place, and i'm going to let the past be the past.  

I step off the subway compartment as I'm about take my first steps up to Times Square.  My heart starts beating faster and faster by the second.  I take a breath.  I see the lights the big screens.  I turn to get a full 360 degree view of Times Square.  I felt amazing.  There's something magical about this city.

I walked past the shops to see what there was.  Even though it was day, the lights still kept shining bright.  I wasn't able to hold back a smile.  I told myself..."I'm going to live here one day."

_______________________________

Around sixish I hopped back on the subway and headed back to the apartment.  I was walking home to from the bus station, and I saw movement on the ally of my apartment building.  I peeked around the corner.  There was three men.  One in a tan suit, and two other men in black suits surrounding him.

"Look I-I told you.  I don't know w-what you're talking about." Said the man in the tan suit.  One of the men in the black suit held his neck.

"Shut the hell up!  Hey Marty, why don't we play a game huh?" Said one of the men in black to his partner.

"Give this bastard what he deserves!" Exclaimed Marty, who was obviously the side kick.  This looked almost how they showed in the movies!  Even talked like it too, in an Italian accent.

"Okay you piece of shit! I'm gonna give you three seconds to tells us where the money is, if you refuse, you lose with a bullet between your eyes. Okay?  Tell us where the money is!"

"I don't kn-"

"One" The man in black reached for his gun, he pointed it at the man in tan.  I began to digg threw my purse for my cell phone trying to be as silent as possible.

"I told you!  That I don't-"

"Two" he cocked his gun.

"Okay, okay! Don't shoot!  The money is with Morgan!  You can find him about like four miles north from here, he's in the abandon building on the left!"  Found my phone!  I began to dial 9-1.

There was silence for a brief second.

"Please don't shoot me!"

"Nah, I think I'm still gonna kill you."

"W-what, w-why?"

"Because no one screws over the boss."

A gun shot fired.  I jumped back and dropped my phone, oh no.  They heard me.

"What the hell was that?"  Said Frank, walking in my direction.

Someone must of called the cops because I could see and hear the sirens approaching the scene.  Talk about saved by the bell.

"Common Marty, lets get outta here."  He turned back around.

They ran out the back.  I ran towards the body.

"Sir!  Sir, can you hear me!" I could felt my heart beating out of my chest.  I rolled him over so he could face me.  The man in black was right he did plant a bullet between his eyes.

"Ahhh!" I screamed in terror as my hands were dripping in blood.

"Ma'am!  Stand up and put your hands up where we can see them!"  Yelled the policeman two other squad cars arrived beside him.

I stood, shaking at the murder I witnessed.