Isolated

Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Jackson was having a hard time continuing his personal narrative. No doubt because we reached the part I've wondered about for so long. The part Jackson would clearly have a hard time talking about.

I stared at his ridged face, his hands twitching in need for movement. His eyes were just as restless; they aimlessly looked around the room, but didn't reach me. Never have I seen Jackson so on edge and distraught.

"You met a man named Jacob," I reminded him, pushing for him to continue in scared emotional anxiousness. The name Jacob triggered him into silence and therefore told me this Jacob dude had something to do with me being sold.

Jackson's eyes stopped mindlessly on the coffee table, palms rubbing together. "I just finished an interview with a car washing place. It didn't go well and for how stressed I was, I didn't go home for a few hours. I-I fucking should have. If I went home, maybe shit would have been different. But no. Instead, I moped at the bus stop for hours like a pathetic pussy." Swallowing, he exhaled a shaky breath. "Well, a man sat down next to me. Jacob. We started talking. It was random bullshitting, but after the small talk, I told him my issue. How I just fucked another job interview. I had no idea at the time he sought me out. He knew I had financial problems and did his homework on me. But in my eyes, this dude was keeping conversation while he waited for the next bus. I thought he was normal, but he eased into this... insane proposal. He said he could make me rich. Immediately, I thought horse shit. Basically, he told me if you sign a contract and honor it, they will forward you as much money as was agreed. The guy was vague and I didn't believe a damn word," he chuckled. "Plus, the man was not much older than me. Clearly, this was some joke; it actually made me laugh. Even still, he gave me his word. He told me to meet him and his 'colleagues' in some warehouse the next day if I wanted to see for myself. And that's what I did. I was bored, amused, interested to see him elaborate on this retarded story. So, I met the guy in the warehouse, laughing all the way. However, by the time it was over, I was excited," he said in a disappointing tone. His eyes... still stuck on the table and avoiding mine.

My heartrate jumped zero to 100. Perched at attention, my throat grew tight. My emotions were already getting stupid. Sinking my nails into the worn grey cushion on each side of my legs helped.

Jackson tongued his teeth behind tight lips, blinking a few times. "I met with Jacob and two of his friends. They gave me more details, but not many. Just enough to bait me. He explained this was a new business – an illegal one. He showed me documentation, real transactions done with people, real contracts, showed me the business. I got a kick out of it, but not because I thought it was total BS. I was still skeptical, but if this was real, I would be the ones scamming them. They were young and it was a very 'simple' and brand-new business. If it was real, it would not last. And they wouldn't be able to enforce shit anyway. Easy way to scam them out of money. That's the way I thought about things. That's how I was. Stupid and arrogant. They showed the different types of contracts. First the work ones, which I wanted nothing to do with. If this shit was real, the work contract would have taken me away from my family. All I was interested in was money. Fast, easy, tons of money with no attachment to these idiots. That's when they said many people do a one-time deal. One he specifically mentioned was... was... well, a child-contribution contract," he mumbled, face turning pale before he dipped his head towards the floor. The curve of his back from where he was sitting forward heaved with a deep demanding breath.

Thank god the bitch wasn't looking at me otherwise I would have been fully exposed. Exposed and embarrassed. It was harder than expected; unbelievably painful to hear. Especially those last words we both struggled with: child-contribution contract.

Stomach rolling, my throat grew thicker. My fingers clenching the cushion trembled. The man was having a difficult time himself. And I hated that. I hated that! For whatever reason, seeing him struggle enhanced the gut-retching pain. I didn't know why! This was a sick son of a bitch. So, I buried it, buried my emotions. Nothing was going to make me falter if I could help it.