WICKED GAMES WITH THE MAFIA

SOUP KITCHEN

I was back in my cave, alone and depressed. I sat on my creeping bed, laptop open wide as I went through all the evidence I had, sorting out the recordings and listening through them, getting confessions of shipments, getting numbers and dates, deals made with different people, some known while others unknown . There was too much evidence and the photos just tied everything together. Who would have thought I would be able to infiltrate a cartel yet I was not as excited as I should be. I was actually going through so many emotions that just knocked me down, fighting with myself.

My phone rang in the darkness nearly making me jump up, quickly grabbing at it, my eyes falling on the screen and sighing, knowing what was to come.

"It's been twenty-four hours and you have not sent anything, so we have to come grab you?" Her voice was harsh and impatient as always.

"I have been sorting it out, will send it just now." I answered, the line dying just after, what a bitch. My eyes trailed back to my laptop, the screen lighting up the dark room even though it was well past midday yet the thick curtains kept the room as dark as I felt, kept the warmth in as I looked at the screen, my hands shaking knowing that if I press send there was no going back. My palms were sweating, picking up my phone and searching for his number finding it only to stare at it. Maybe if I confess to him then he would not kill me, maybe if I come clean he would understand but then the whole government would be coming for me and I doubt that he would want to protect me after hearing my confession.

The phone was thrown on the bed bouncing as I myself fell on it. How was it that I was the one bearing consequences when I had not done anything? How was it that I was the one caught in the middle of all this deadly drama?

All I needed at this point was a knight in a shining armour whisking me away and taking me to a safe place, protecting me from all the evil of the world but then this was not a fairy tale and I just had to be my own knight being selfish for once and taking the choice that was best for me so I sat up, pressing send before I could even change my mind, panic setting in as the email with all the attachments flew away.

I should not have done that!

My fingers quickly went hitting on the keys but it was too late, it was all gone, having picked my side and now I had to stand by it knowing that it had been the worst choice I had ever made, my head hitting the pillow and my heart breaking tears, streaming down my face. I was the most horrible person in the whole world. My face was buried in a pillow, weeping my heart out just seeing them howling him in cuffs, grandma giving up the fight as they laid the news to her and the whole Rosewood empire crumbling down.

I could not bear to cause so many people such pain, already seeing the betrayal in his eyes.

How did I get here? I did not know but at this point I had to bear the consequences and wait to see what would happen.

The information would take some time for them to grab all those involved, making them confess and building up a case while I waited for everything to be finalised before going back to work. My days were spent in the soup kitchen helping out, it being the only joy to see other people happy, to feel as if I was making a difference in the world, helping people out. The bonus earned was sent there to help ease the bill that had Marlin barely eating.

"Melissa I can't stand this, if we keep on going like this then we would have to close in a few months. Where will all this people go?" Marlin huffed as I squeezed her hand knowing that I would have to scrub my whole pay check to help the place out. This place could not close, so many lives depended on it.

It seemed trouble attracted each other as I smiled at the man in front of me carrying his dish and waiting to be packed the bean stew I was dishing out. I scooped the spoon full of the delicious beans cooked by none other than me.

"Enjoy Sir," I said as the homeless man walked away, excited to finally have something to eat, feeling a tug in the pit of my stomach at how many people were suffering out there with no one to look out for them.

I dished the following woman, her smile getting brighter and brighter as Marlin leaned on the counter looking so lost and troubled. Today we had three teenagers that had come to help out cook and dish out as per their community service. The line was long, looking down at the beans knowing that not all of them would get food, it tearing my heart apart. We needed donors, anyone to help as this place would shut down if none came.

The line went on, the food on the metallic serving dishes getting lower and lower. I dished the lady in front of me quarter of the spoon filled with bean, seeing that her eyes were wary knowing that it would not tame the hunger that plaque her, knowing that this was probably her first meal in a long time yet she turned around, leaving with the plate with barely anything on it. My heart ached, realising how we took so many things for granted, things that other people would go through world war three to just have.

The was suddenly nothing as I scrapped the edges trying to get all I could but nothing, the girl in front of me defeated seeing the tears brimming as her lower lip trembled. She looked just above nineteen, walking with her little sister that looked not older than ten both of them dirty and their clothes tone, carrying a torn up bag probably filled with more dirty clothes. I could not bear to tell them that there was no more food, could not bear to see them walk out with their aching bellies.

"Hey, come here." I called one of the teenagers who was a boy about sixteen years old, lips black from smoking, eyes red with all the chains he had around his neck.

"What is your name?" I asked him when he got closer.

"Brad," he answered, cockiness filling him nearly making me scoff.

"Take this two hundred bucks and run down the shop to buy ten loafs of bread and a five litre concentrated juice. Hurry all these people are hungry." I said giving him the last money I had on me. He turned, walking away.

"Sorry ladies and gentlemen, if you can just wait ten minutes." I shot out seeing relief flood on the faces of all the twenty people in the line that had been devastated at the realisation that there was no longer any food for them.

"Melissa you didn't have to do that, you have already done so much for us." She said grabbing my hands, her own eyes brimming with tears.

"I have to Marlin, I want to help in any way I can, just know you are not alone." I said squeezing her hand as she wiped away her tears nodding her head. The old lady looked even more grown than the last time I had seen her. The stress was really eating away at her.

We began taking away all the serving dishes back to the kitchen where the other three teenagers began washing them, complaining about how this was unfair, blah blah blah. I could not understand they see how hard life was, did not see all these people not even sure if they were going to get a meal anytime soon after this now that was unfair.
Brad walked in the door carrying two large plastics on one hand and the juice on the other, passing on to the kitchen where he placed everything on the messy table. He turned leaving it on the counter and watching the others wash the dishes as they complained on why he was not helping them.

Of course he would not give me my change, of course I would have to walk all the way back to the house.

Marlin and I cut each bread in two before going over making two full twenty litre buckets of the pine flavoured juice. When that was done we carried everything to the front, Marlin giving out the bread while I poured the juice, using a plastic jar, in smaller cups, the people taking up the cups moving to seat down and eat.

I stood up straight, everyone sitting down and eating as I watched happy as everyone got they bellies full. This was what made my heart flutter, seeing all these people eat and chat just enjoying these few moments of their lives from the little they could get.

We took away the bucket that was still filled with juice, closing the bucket and putting it away for tomorrow, all the bread was gone as I sighed, finally being able to breath. The teenagers were bickering in the kitchen like idiots, messing it up than the other way round. The water they were washing the dishes with was spilling on the floor while they stepped on it with their dirty shoes, leaving the whole kitchen more dirty than it was, the dishes they were washing sticky with oil making me sigh in frustration really not getting a break in life. They were more than happy when we stepped in, washing all the dishes even the ones they claimed they had washed, cleaning the floors after.

It was eight o'clock when I helped Marlin lock up, heading our own ways as she went home to her family me walking down the nearly empty street, the night cool with the moon shining and lighting up the sky. A few cars passed now and again, my hands in my pockets slowly walking to my house where nothing waited for me.