Strawberries and Mortality

7-Elija

"The view is nice" I turn to look at Catti, her still waiting for a response to a closed ended statement. 

"Yea." I break away and look at the city, my first home. All the places I've moved have been in Georgia but Atlanta, Atlanta is my city, the lights, the people, the parties I could never turn my back on it even if I wanted to. 

My mind counties to drift farther and farther from the girl sitting right in-front of me as I think about the old friends I have here but deeper down in a darker place in my head thinks of my mom and what she went through in my city. 

I was young. Too young in fact to experience what I did. My mom and I were just walking through the city looking at the stores the restaurants and the pretty graffiti art, her favorite was by a old parking deck in a few blocks from the Aquarium. We were walking and I saw a dog, it looked hurt so I followed it but behind the dog were thugs and they tried to take me but when they saw my mom one of them tossed me to the ground and took her instead. They threw her behind the garbage bin and there were a lot of them and I was little so I couldn't really do anything by the time they were done she with her she couldn't move her legs and her face was bloodied. 

"Mom" I shook her she didn't move.

"Mom! get up you're hurt"again no response. 

I look through her purse her wallet was gone but her phone was still there I picked it up and dialed my dads number. he'd know what to do. 

"Dad! dad moms hurt and shes on the ground and some men and shes not moving and shes bleeding and mom and its my fault." I'm trying to get everything out as fast as I can so he'll come save us. 

"Slow down son. I can't understand a word you're saying."

"Some guys hurt mom dad." I'm sobbing my words only come strong enough to be semi audible. 

there is a pause before he responds. 

"Call 911 and keep your mothers phone make sure you go to the hospital with her and call me when your there" His voice is dark a version of my dad I've never heard. 

Catalina taps on the table with her finger one side manicured and the other not the sounds helps me change the subject in my mind but annoys me because of the repetitive sounds in the quiet. Like when a kids screams in his ear how "I'm not touching you. I'm not touching you!"I glare at her to stop, not mad at her or anything just the guy downstairs put me in a bad mood so now the tiny things could tip me over. She continues to stare at me as I glare and try to understand me.

My mind drifts back to my past, I sigh out loud thinking about the past Atlanta holds.

 I try not to look at her too much. 

She's sitting in the single seat side and I have the bench side both sides are cushioned with red and black trim. I laugh to myself because I'm pretty sure a porno has been filmed in here and if not they should, perfect setting.

My mind goes back to what Catti said down there. I know she wasn't trying to be rude but why did she say we were dating and then why did she react like that when I didn't. I felt taken aback and I don't like feeling aback by small stuff like that but I don't know it just puts me in unease when I can't predict what she feels.