Sinners and Saints II

Chapter 41

Tony wandered around the really empty park, following the lights just as Rafael's text had instructed. Not  just the lights, Rafael's location on his map too. The park was way too big for one man to cover on his own without help.

Where was he?

Tony took a quick glance around the park the moment he realized the map marker had stopped moving. He could see a figure sitting at the middle of one of the garden sections. He let out a tiny relief exhale as he found his way to where Rafael was sitting, staring lost at the bottles of cheap beer in front of him.

"Why did you ask me to come here Ralf ?" Tony got a bit closer and then paused abruptly at the sight of all those empty bottles. He could count about six, Rafael was on his seventh. He sighed.

"Someone has to drive." Rafael stuttered not bothering to look at him.

"Rafael, brother, what's the meaning of this?" Tony was still in so much shock to even process what was wrong. He slowly rose his head to Rafael's. "You're drinking beer?"

That was the most surprising thing of all, considering the fact that the man sitting in front of him wasn't a beer person. He wasn't the type to drink till he was drunk- too drunk to even look at him. Tony let out a tiny grunt.

"You're drunk."

Rafael scoffed.

"Rafael, what exactly is going on? What are you doing here by this time of the night? Why are you drinking yourself insane?"

"If you're going to nag, you might as well just join me." Rafael gestured at the unopened bottle of beer in the large shopping bag at his other side. "Go on."

Tony studied Rafael for a while. He had not seen him so lost, so scared and so miserable in a long time. Something had to be up. He could feel it and he just wanted to know.

"You had better explain yourself man," Tony tried to make himself comfortable on the ground, "You had better explain all of this-"

"Do you believe in fate Tony?" Tony rose his head to meet Rafael's. He could see Rafael finally raising his head to glare at him with a lot of tears in his eyes. Tony blinked twice, still managing to keep his gaze on him. "Do you believe in destiny and the law of karma?"

"W-what's the problem?"

"Just answer me!" Rafael rose his voice just a little bit above Tony's. He shut his eyes and let out a shaky breath. "Please." He opened it again. "Do you believe in these things?"

Tony swallowed hard.

"I-I mean, I've heard stories." Tony stammered, trying as hard as he could to keep his head straight and his mind attentive. "I know sometimes, the heavens set rules and consequences for breaking those rules, make our futures and past connected in some sort of way. God, sets these consequences. Good for those that deserve it and terrible for those that don't, thus, the law of karma."

Rafael sniffed loudly before Tony could even finished his last words, causing Tony to watch him clean the tears that had fallen from his eyes as fast as he could. He slowly drew his half empty bottle of beer to his lips and took a long drink. Tony watched him empty it and then throw the bottle alongside the others that were empty on the lawn.

"Man," Rafael's voice broke. "I think the heavens are playing some sort of game with me. I'm being punished right now." Rafael sobbed loudly causing Tony to lean forward to him. "And I can't even save myself."

He was crying now.

"Bro," Tony slowly reached for his arm, shaking him gently. "What the hell is wrong Rafael? Why are you being like this?" Concern was written all over Tony's face. He wanted to know now. He had to. Rafael sniffed and then quickly reached for another bottle of beer, and then a bottle opener. Tony watched him fight with himself to get the cap off it. It was like his hands were shaking too much to even concentrate now. He was finding it so difficult. Really difficult. He kept struggling with it, groaning as hard as he could until he got up in a hurry and then threw the bottle far away from the garden in frustration.