What Used to Be

Chapter 4

He looked at the small paper package again, whatever was inside wasn't solid. It was probably drugs, that's what the gangs around his town were known for.
He took another breath, turning right at the end of the alley instead of left which would eventually merge to Elliot Road where he lived. It wasn't very late so as he walked through he noticed that most of the shops and buildings were still open though hardly anyone was in sight. The road was dusty, Matt kicked a small pebble off the sidewalk as a car drove past. He resisted the urge to wave them down and ask for a ride to the next town, or maybe the town after that, the likelihood that would even do him any good was small. Besides, he could never actually leave his mom and brother. That would completely wreck his mom, since it would be repeating what his dad had done twelve years ago. Went to work one day and never came back, it was three years before he wrote a letter, and by then he was engaged to someone else.
In actuality the letter had been divorce papers.
All in all, Matt wasn't disappointed he had never gotten to know the man who was supposed to be his dad.
By the time he turned onto the correct street where the 'client' lived, the back of Matt's shirt where his backpack pressed against him was soaked with sweat, though his hands and feet were numb with cold.
Matt stopped as he viewed the street, he wasn't sure what he'd been expecting but this definitely wasn't it. It was such a normal looking neighborhood. Just a few houses pressed close together, each one virtually identical except for the color and landscaping. Sure, not a rich area but it wasn't as if the people who lived here were almost homeless. Each one even had a small front yard with lawns and fences. No one was throwing a huge party, there were no druggies that he could see, there wasn't even that one suspicious rundown house that most streets had. He toyed with the paper and what it contained. Should he open it? It was sealed, but only with tape, he could probably just retape it with the same piece....
But he didn't. Maybe it was for the best that he didn't know, and if somehow this turned out to be extremely illegal and he was arrested then at least he could say he didn't know what was going on and they wouldn't find residue on his hands.
He walked towards the end of the block, checking once or twice behind him to see if the two gang members had followed him. They had probably just taken his phone and left, deciding it was worth more than what they had sent him to do. It was probably all a scam. He stopped in front of the second to last house, in the fading light it was hard to tell the color....blue maybe? The light was on in the front porch and shone down on a dark wooden door.
Matt stepped onto the raised platform that was the porch, his chest constricting, what if a crazy person really did live here? What if they didn't recognize Matt and became angry? Matt shook his head to halt his racing thoughts, he was probably just overthinking. It would be fine. Maybe they'd be to high to tell a skinny blonde high schooler from a burly tattooed mobster.
He knocked on the door.
There was a few minutes where Matt considered leaving and telling the guys that no one was home and it was all just bad luck, but then the door slowly opened.
A middle-aged balding man with watery eyes looked out at him. Past him and into the house Matt could see that the place was trashed; empty cans and bottles, old pizza boxes, dirty plates, socks, it was as if a hurricane had swept through the living room.
That definitely hinted at personal issues....whether it was drugs was questionable.
The man stared at him for a moment. "....Yes?"
Matt took a quick breath, glancing back into the street though at this point he wouldn't be able to see anyone unless they were standing directly under and streetlamp. "I-I have....I have this." He held up the bag.
The man continued to stare for a few minutes before heaving a sigh. "Alright, just wait here a minute." He disappeared into his disaster of a house before returning with a wad of cash. "I believe this is the agreed amount."
Matt forced his hands not to shake as he took the money and gave him the package.
"Jesus, you people just keep getting younger and younger."
Matt didn't know how to respond. He nodded awkwardly before stepping off the porch. Now, it was officially dark and cold. The moon was bright as he made his way back, blowing breaths of hot air into his fists and rubbing them together. That wasn't so bad....it had just been an old guy who wanted drugs. They were probably even medicinal.....probably.
Not that it would matter, now he would get his phone back, go home and forget this evening had ever happened. His mother would be happy to see him.
Crap, he'd forgotten about her. Her and his little brother were probably worried sick.
He stopped at the entrance to the alley, all he could make out were shadows. Had they left? After all that was it really just a big lie?
He turned to leave, at least he had some cash.
"Hey."
The voice was raspy. "You got what we wanted?"
Matt didn't move from the entrance. "Yeah, I-I have the money."
"Good." Nickel stepped from the side of the dim street, he was holding something that reflected light. Matt's phone.
"Damn, kid, I'm impressed." It was the first guy, Matt still hadn't heard his name. Matt stepped back as the man fell in step with Nickel. "I mean, Nickel hear owes me twenty bucks now but I still wasn't sure you wouldn't wet yourself and run off." He flashed a grin. "But a deal is a deal, Nickel."
Nickel tossed Matt his phone, Matt caught it awkwardly, still holding the cash. He offered it up. "It's all there."
Nickel grunted in response, taking the cash. He flipped through the bills for a brief moment before nodding at his partner.
The man held his hand out to Matt who shook it awkwardly. "See ya around, kid."
The man's hand had been rough, Matt wiped his palm on his sweatshirt as the gang members turned to leave. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"Ah, wait a minute."
Matt froze. This was it, this was always the time in all the movies where the bad guy kills the expendable character. First they let the audience think they had a heart, and then they pulled out a gun to tie up loose ends. That's all Matt was....a loose end....and expendable side character. He closed his eyes.
The man slapped a five dollar bill in Matt's hand. "Even the errand boys get their share."
He winked.
Nickel laughed.
And then they were gone.
Matt stared at the bill in his hand and strangely he wanted to laugh too. He looked around the alley, it was suddenly almost as if the whole exchange had never happened. He had his phone, his backpack, and his life. The only evidence he'd done anything other than walk straight home from school-except the the loss of time-was the money.
He turned and started walking towards home. Five dollars, that was it? Five dollars after all he'd done? Could he even spend money he'd gotten illegally? Obviously there wasn't proof but....it was still dirty money wasn't it? He frowned, how should he feel about using money he'd gotten from probable con men who'd technically jumped him in a dark alley and forced him to do their evil bidding.
He shrugged to himself as he stepped onto the street that he lived on. Money was money right? And had he really had a choice?

*******

His mother was sitting on the front porch wrapped in a blanket when Matt finally arrived. When she saw him he felt immediately guilty, she practically flew to him as he jogged up the wooden steps to the porch.
"Thorsten Matthew King where have you been?" She swatted the back of his head then pulled him in for a hug. "I was just about to contact the sheriff's department. I called the school, I called the neighbors, where in the world have you been?" She pulled back far enough to look him squarely in the face. "I had thought-"
He cut her off. "Everything's fine, mom....I'm really sorry." He hugged her again. "I....just....was at the skating park....and lost track of time..."
He lied. And it was such a dumb lie too. He didn't skate, he didn't have any friends who skated, the skate park itself was only ever full of elementary kids....and never this late at night.
But his mom didn't know that.
She was glaring at him the only way a relieved yet furious mother can. She grabbed his arm and marched him into the house. "You lost track of time?" She yanked off her scarf and blanket, tossing them onto the couch. "You couldn't have texted or-or called? I mean really?" She was waving her phone in front of his face. "Detention Matt? When have you ever gotten detention?" She dropped her arm, reaching out towards him as if she was going to hug him again. He stepped back, his eyes down. God, he hated lying.
"I know, I'm sorry." He didn't know what more to say.
She clearly didn't either. "Go to your room, your grounded." She forced the words through her teeth, not looking him in the eye. "There will be serious consequences young man."
Everything felt wrong. He started up the stairs to his room. He hadn't even really thought about it, he'd just said what had seemed like the better option after seeing his mom's reaction. He didn't want to make her more upset or worried than she already had been. If he'd told her she probably would have contacted the sheriff or police department and told them god knows what. It was better to be a nobody than be known as the kid who was jumped or harassed behind Star Mills, be the brunt of whatever skewed story came from the game of telephone.
Besides, it was all over now. He flopped onto his bed, heaving a sigh. It was just a one time random event, it was just bad luck they had come across him, nothing more. He rolled onto his back and held up the five dollar bill. And the quicker he spent this, the quicker he could forget it had ever really happened.
"Matt?"
Matt sat up looking in the direction of the small voice coming from behind his closed bedroom door. He stood up and opened it to reveal his brother, sporting red race car pajamas and a bad case of bed head. "Hey, Brax." He stooped down to Braxton's level. "Whatcha doing out of bed dude?"
His little brother shrugged sleepily. "Mom was crying."
Guilt crowded in on him again. He should have just told her that he had been momentarily kidnapped by two gang members (with slightly better wording), if he was going to tell her at all he would definitely have to make it more interesting. He kneeled down on the carpeted floor feeling like the worst older brother in history of older brothers. What kind of older brother tells his younger brother that he was semi-jumped in a back alleyway and told to deliver drugs and then did exactly what he was told at the first thought of a gun. It's not like he actually tried to resist and it's not like they actually had guns....that he knew of. Technically, they did threaten him but realistically he could have just contacted the police once he'd pretended to agree and he doubted he'd ever have heard from them again.
But he hadn't.
And he wouldn't.
And now it was too late to do anything but pretend that the last four hours hadn't even occurred. To pretend that he wasn't a chicken irresponsible seventeen year old who was a terrible role model.
But obviously that last part wasn't really pretending, was it.
"She was?"
"Mmmhmmm." Braxton yawned, rubbing at his face. "Where did you go?"
"Oh, just....to the skate park."
God he was pathetic.
His brother reflected on that drowsily. "I want to go to the skate park."
Matt laughed softly, ruffling the younger boy's hair. "Well maybe someday I'll take you there....now get to bed before mom comes up."
Braxton nodded before turning and making his way back down the hallway. Matt stood up and picked the bill off the cover of his bed where he'd left it.
And then ripped it to shreds.