Short Stories

Loose Ends Pt 1

I was sitting near the window, enjoying the view of the raindrops falling one by one against the glass, dividing me from the peace and quiet that waited for me outside rather than the loud commotion that roamed throughout the apartment.

Ray was calling for me once more asking where his belongings were. Getting up from my warm position, the sudden draft from the apartment sent shivers to my fragile bones, crossing my arms over my chest, trying to form some warmth to my body as I walked down the hall towards our bedroom.

Once I arrived at the doorway, he was searching in the drawers, emptying all of its contents on the bed. In a calm voice I told him that I have hidden them away, once these words escaped my lips, he froze in place and craned his neck towards me.

"You what!?" he raved, taking long strokes towards me, forgetting about the mess he just created. Looking down at my feet, I reminded myself of why I did it. He needed to understand what he was doing was going to get him in trouble and I won't be able to do anything about it. I had to remain strong and not break under his gaze.

"Tell me where you hid them! Ashley! I do all of this for us! Why can't you understand that!" he roared. I wanted to snap back at him, but that never ends well. We end up fighting all night, ending with my eyes being red and puffy from the number of tears I had shed, and with him leaving for a couple days allowing me to be swallowed by my thoughts and sobs.

"I understand that you do it for us, but you need to do it another way. Without the gangs, the cops, the guns. You'll end up being caught or end up dead" I reasoned with him, not bothering to look at him, feeling that the words would just become pure air.

"Look at me," he pleaded, I wanted to look at him, to get lost in those emerald eyes, but he needs to understand what he is doing is wrong. Nothing he could say could make our situation even better, other than the four words I wish to hear 'I'll leave the gang', but that's something he couldn't give me. The feeling of his warm hands against my cheeks sent electric shocks down my body, slowly tilted my head up, where I was met with a swirl of many emotions making me feel helpless.

"Ashley, we live in a poor and sketchy town. This is a better way to get money, this is how we can afford this lifestyle, we have a roof over our head, food on the table, and clothing to wear. I had to learn the hard ways of the streets. Remember when we first moved here and a robber came inside? Do you remember how scared you were?" he asked. I remembered that night perfectly, I was hidden in the closet with a phone in my hand. Since that day, Ray decided to join a gang to learn to protect ourselves and to earn more money, but he ended up having a reputation as well.

"Now, where are my belongings?" he repeated.

"I'm not going to tell you, it's still not right what you are doing" I claimed.

Scoffing at my answer, he let his arms fall from my face where anger took over his facial expression, "How many times do I have to tell you?! This is the best way to get money, even yet, its the only way to get money!" The knots in my stomach and throat formed, becoming tighter and tighter with every word he said. It was killing me, I couldn't take it anymore.

"No! How many times must I remind you?! This isn't the only way and you know it, there is so much more than stealing, robbing, and mugging! Every time you go out and come late than at the time you said you would come, I think that you are bleeding out on the edge of the sidewalk and they left you to die! And I could have prevented all of that, but you never listen!" I shouted, he remained emotionless like a child who found out that Santa was never true.

I felt my blood was boiling with so much anger and pain that was trapped for two years finally being unleashed. I turned around and muttered that his belongings were in the bottom bathroom cupboard. As I approached the door, I grabbed my keys, my coat, and put on some shoes, that all seemed to be waiting for me, and left the suffocating apartment. 

As I continued my walk, the rain ceased to stop. After a few minutes, I began to make my way back home, hoping that my words entered his hard skull. Taking a shortcut through the alleyways, in the distance, I was able to hear sirens, a wave of disappointment crashed against me. Why should I even be disappointed? I should have known.

He doesn't know the consequences. If he gets arrested, that isn't going to be my fault, I won't do that again. I had to have two jobs to bail him out, and once he was out he went straight back to that gang. Once I was at home, I set down my keys and coat. It was time, I went to get some paper and a pen and began to write. After some time, I was finished, I put the letter in an envelope and placed it in our bedroom.

I walked to the closet and pulled out a suitcase and began to fill it with necessities, in my mind, I was hoping my parents would accept me if not hopefully a friend, they never seemed to accept my relationship with Ray, but we are humans, we all tend to make mistakes.

Grabbing my suitcase and my coat, I headed towards the door, but before I was out the door, I looked back inside. Where the memories came flooding back bringing tears to my eyes. Cleaning away my tears I whispered that I was doing the right thing, taking in a deep breath I slammed the door shut.

Walking down the sidewalk towards the bus station, once more I was able to hear the sirens, but they sounded much closer than they did before. A black Toyota Corolla came into my view as well as the cop cars right behind their tail, racing down the street they tried to turn, a scream escaped from lips as I fell to the floor, covering my head. The car turned over and began rolling around, creating a harsh impact on a light post. The police cars surrounded the crash, soon the police officers exited their vehicles pointing their guns at the car as they slowly approached. 

"Ma'am, are you alright?" an officer asked me. I looked up at him and nodded my head, extending his hand, I accepted his offer. As he was helping me get up, I heard my name. Looking towards the direction of my name being called, I noticed it was Ray. He was handcuffed and assisted by two officers, one at each side. He was covered in cuts and bruises, drops of blood were falling from his face.

"Do you know this man?" the officer asked me. I looked back at the officer and nodded my head.

"We would like to take you the police station for questioning," the officer spoke. He placed his hand on my shoulder leading me to one of the police cars.