CHAPTER 54: A Look In The Past - 2
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"Is he alive?"
"Yeah... He's just a bum."
People? People talking? On the rooftop!?
I opened my eyes to see two people standing over me. A woman who had a look of fear. The other, a man with a look of disgust. Both were older than me for sure.
"Are you okay, sweetie?"
"How did I... end up here?"
"You fell from the rooftop! However, somehow... you're unscathed."
"Oh... Wait! What!?"
"I told you fell!"
"Oh my gosh! I'm alive!"
"Well, it looks like you're fine, sweet."
"Stop calling him a sweetie, or sweet. He's nothing but a bum. How about getting a job?"
"I do have a job, sir. They give me free food, and a place to sleep."
"What are you, a house cleaner or something?"
"I- Yes! Yes, I am."
"Yeah, you have no job at all..."
"I do!"
"You lied. Anyone with eyes can see it. Just admit to being a bum and I'll give you $10 right here and right now."
"I'm a bum."
"Wow. You really have no life. It's sad to see how our generation of men nowadays has fallen in our society. Here take your dirty money!" The man said, throwing two five-dollar bills onto my head.
"Thanks! Now, what is it I had to do..."
"Nothing because you're a bum with no job."
"No, I have a job... I have a job! They're going to kill me for being late! Especially the big man! He said he has my head for being late! Unless I'm not late... What time is it?"
"A quarter to nine." The woman who stayed quiet said in a more relaxed voice.
"I can make it! I just have to run... Oh! Thank you for the help! Oh and the money!"
"Sure whatever, let's go hon." The man said as the woman smiled at me before going.
"Aww, sweet lady... I'm going to be late!"
My feet trucked through the crowds of people and the dirt occasionally shot onto my pants but I don't care at this point. I can wash my pants at the cleaners there. Right now. Right now, I need to hurry!
I dashed through, sweat flying off of me and my back aching heavily but it was worth it once I made it to the factory. A building that produced mattresses on the surface but underneath was our headquarters.
"Made it."
The moment I was seconds from the door, Dazin came out running with an angry expression.
"Morning?"
Yet, Dazin dashes right passed me and kept going in the direction I just came from.
"Wait! Wait up! What's wrong!?"
Once I said that, Dazin just fell to the ground. With his arm covering his eyes. The way he fell was that of grace and despair, as his leg slowly folded down and his bones loosened in tension and fell as well. I have never seen Dazin like this. so I ran towards him.
"What's wrong? What happened!?"
"I'm too kind. I'm too naive. I'm too foolish. That's what's wrong."
"What? What are you talking about!?"
"They're making it so I won't be the head of the family! I won't be the head because I'm simply too nice for their liking. They don't think I'll be able to take care of it."
"But there is no one else to take the slot."
"There is."
"Who!?"
"My brothers."
"Brothers!?"
"Yes but both of them declined the position after a while. However, they're going to be forced and I'm going to be the burden on the family. There is also a potential I could be kicked out of my own crime family."
"No. There's no way."
"But there is! That's how these families work!"
"But you're forgetting that this is your family. Before the members, before the money, before the crime. This is your family."
"That doesn't matter. I wished it did. But once you're in a life of crime it spreads like a disease. My family made it their livelihood. What do you think it did to us?"
"Still! Have faith! Johnny is a good man!"
"He's a good man to people he deems good! Anyone who prays to him, he feeds on them. It's so- It's just so stupid! I find that completely idiotic! Why!? Why can't you love your own son!?"
"I'm sure he do-"
"What do you know!? It's not like you have much of a family anyways!"
"I- I don't know..."
"Oh, my god. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I really didn't mean it."
"I'm just going to let you cool off. Talk to you later."
"Wait, Apollo! Wait!"
I don't want to turn around. Those words... they hurt. Really bad. Why? Why do they hurt? Is he not telling the truth? Is it the fact that it's true is why it hurts? I can't think of it right now... I just can't.
"Apollo! Please! I'm sorry! Turn around and talk with me! You're all I have left!"
Dazin. He's a pure soul... right? Even someone nice makes mistakes right? I used to think that Dazin could never say anything mean or rude to actually hurt someone, let alone me. Was I wrong? Am I a fool for thinking in that way?
"I- I want to talk to you. I want to help you. However! I don't think I can give you anything! You're right! You're right Dazin!
"What?"
"I said you're right! A family talks around a dinner table, a family goes on trips and takes pictures with each other and frame them on the wall! I barely do that because I left the only family I had! You're right! You're right!"
"That doesn't make a family! I was wrong! Don't fall into my stupid thinking!"
"My brothers. I don't even know where they are and barely can send a letter! My mom died, and my dad is nowhere to be found after killing women across the globe and doing god knows what. I don't have a family that I can have a meeting with! You're right! You, the guy from earlier in the alleyway, the members here, all the eyes. All the eyes that just stay on me looking at me like I'm a different person."
"Apollo! Please! I didn't even mean it!"
"I'm nothing but a broke bum."
"Shut up!" Dazin screamed at me bringing his hand all the way back and slapping me with full force.
"Shut up! Do you hear yourself!? You're not anything! You're more than a bum! I know that's hard to see, but take it from me! No one. No one likes me. You're my only friend. The only person I can rely on. I feel horrible about leaving that burden on you. Still, you act like it's not a burden for the first time in my life! You're an amazing person with an amazing heart! So please stop! I was wrong. I was so wrong. Could you forgive me?"
"Can you forgive me, as well?"
"Forgive you for what? You did nothing wrong."
"No, I did. I made this about me. I also made you seem like a horrible person. That's not really fair of me. Can you forgive me for that?"
"I can. Anyday. Can you forgive me?"
"Of course."
"Apollo, thank you."
"For?"
"Being a good person in a life of horrid crime."
"Same to you."
"Well. I'm going to go... Well, I guess nothing. Since I'm not going to be the next leader."
"You're going to be. Just give it some time."
"Well in the meantime I have nothing to do. Want to hang out like we're supposed to?"
"Yeah."
"Well... What do you want to do?"
"Wel-"
"Sorry, you two. No plans are happening." Mo said in a calm voice freaking us both out. As I turn around I see him looking at me with a pale face as well.
"What? Mo!? Wait, why not!?"
"Because one of you has a favor to live up to."
"Right. Dang. I have to do that."
"You go ahead then Apollo. Finish quickly so we can hang out!"
"Alright then. Wait for me!"
"Okay. Hurry up, however! I am still human and get tired!"
Right. He's human. Humans make mistakes.
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