A Touch of Color

Chapter 10: Vultures

Vulture (dictionary definition): A contemptible person who prays on or exploits others
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I rode in a cop car for the first time that night. It was nothing like the movies where they'd abuse you for no reason or spit in your face for asking a question, but I could tell they were all up to something. Neither of them looked at me. When they felt my stares upon them, they completely ignored them. I hated that. I just wanted to go back home. I mean, jail was a place I thought I'd never get to see the inside of. No one in my family had ever been nor had I. For that reason, I never even wanted to think about a prison, but there I was now standing inside of a cell. The physical presence of beings wasn't even slightly enough to throw off the fact that I stood there cold, alone, and scared. I refused to sit by the person in my cell. There was no telling what they had done or even what they could have done to a person like me.

I assume he didn't care about my discomfort since he continued to stare at me intensely. It felt like I had no choice, but to look back at him. Instead of the hard stare I was sure I'd felt prior, I received a warm smile. A man, who I had not known for a mere 2 seconds, was smiling and patting the bed seat like a grade schooler would when meeting their first friend.

I slowly walked towards him and sat down. I turned to ask him what was wrong. I mean in all of the rumors I'd heard about jail, there was always something about how rude the people were. Of course I believed them because I had never experienced jail before now. All of this was just so new to me.

In return he simply asked, "Do you want to hear my story?"

I was baffled at why he had randomly let these words free. Though I still ended up agreeing to hearing his story.

He threw a slight smile and gently let it fade as he began," Life isn't always hard, ya know. Good things come, you just have to remember to let go of the bad. Sometimes you're what's standing in your way. I had to learn that in a way that no earthly being should ever have to though. I was both accused and abused for being a slut when in reality I was a victim—a victim of  Mr.Colton's."

"You mean Gabriel Colton!?"

"If you get any louder, the security guard is going to have a fit and we might not even get lunch."

"Oh, sorry. It's just crazy that somehow we're all connected to this."

"What do you mean?"

"Well Gabriel is the one who planned this whole thing. I could see him calling one of the cops that forced themselves into my house this morning."

"So that's why you're here?"

"That's only half of it. Unlike you, I probably deserve to be here. I mean, I killed my mother for god's sake."

"You have a good reason for it. I'm sure of it."

"Must you always be this positive? If it will satisfy you, I do have a reason—she was one of the most evil people alive. It's not the best one in the world, but I had to get to her before she got to me. It's sad when you don't even know what a true mother is, so you put up with bullshit for years and years just for the fun of it."

"I had a mother once. She was tall with brown hair and freckles. My memory is a bit blurred, but I can remember her smile clearly. It almost never faded—almost. I could tell she tried but I soon found out it was only a surface act. Underneath all of that makeup and plastic lied a not so perfect woman with insecurities. She tried to put everyone down including my father. One day she cheated, and just like that she was dead to me. My father never spoke a word after that. Quite literally speaking, he had gone mute and life at home was never the same."

"Why? Why tell me this? Why not another—someone who can actually help you."

The man wiped his fallen tears, and I sat there with my face on his—noses practically touching to make him feel what I couldn't say which was it gets better.

Before as much as a mumble could leave my mouth, one of the guards unlocked the cell, and slightly came in.

"Cut it out, lovebirds." He said. "You're out, Deniese. Somebody paid your dues."

"I'm free to go?"

"That's what I said."

I looked at him then back at the yet to be named man. "How much is his bond?"

"You're going to pay for it?"

I raised my voice a bit higher. "How much?"

"Five thousand."

"You'll have to go before a judge, you know." The man spoke up.

"I know."

"You don't have to do this."

"I know. I just feel like you deserve it—"

"Cameron."

"Cameron, you deserve change."

"C'mon, I don't have all eternity!"

"Yeah. Yeah, chill your beans."

"My beans?"

"Just take me away."
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Cameron's bond would be paid and he would be proclaimed a free man, but he'd die shortly after because he was a victim of police brutality though Kai wouldn't be informed until a year later.
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And just like that I found myself back at the start. I walked the streets and soon saw the gang's house, and also a shadowed figure pacing. I squinted to get a better look, but all I got was an angry expression when he caught me. As the figure moved towards the light, I could see that it was Logan with a gun. He began to smile creepily as he ran closer.

Terrified, I ran into the house in search of a weapon. I didn't plan on coming out, but he began banging on the door harder and louder each time. He almost busted the glass through, so I decided it was time to face him. I cracked the door open a bit with my knife in both hands. That didn't do much though, because he ended up quickly pulling me out. I didn't want to hurt him, but both he and Colton were vultures on this earth. Thinking of that, I cut him. I looked at his wrist then back at him. What had I done?