Gang Ties

Good For The Heart

If you were born with the weakness to fall you were born with the strength to rise.

I flipped the page and continued reading to the serene ambiance filling the room from the large flat screen stereos.  I'm home alone, not completely alone- some of the security guards are here, but all of the Cobras went to tonight's drug deal.  Leaving me here alone is like a little test run,  another way to prove my loyalty, and I'd easily take it.

Sitting on the couch, reading a motivational book, with my environment filled with the pleasing scent of vanilla and the calming sounds of plentiful rain is exhilarating; there's nowhere else I'd rather be right now.

BANG

I turned to face the door, it swung open with a thunderous bang, letting in all of the sounds of the electrifying thunder and pounding rain, with chilling breezes and magnifying gusts of lone rain droplets.

But among the confusing scene, nothing scared me more than seeing Reid, draped over Jessie and Laurie's arms, with a large splotch of spreading blood, bleeding through his black sweater near his abdomen.

"Reid!  What happened to him?" I asked with tears forming in my eyes as I anxiously toyed with my locket.

"Can't explain right now, Claire, go get the gauze rolls from my room and bring them to boss' office." Jessie ordered as he and Laurie drug a pale, bleeding Reid across the living room.

I ran to Jessie's room and searched his medical drawers for his gauze, after a minute or two I found 9 rolls of gauze tucked in between bandages and medical tape.  With my heart pounding out of my chest I ran to Reid's office, Laurie's waiting for me at the door.

"He'll be okay, Claire." She reassured me with doubt and fear in her eyes as she took the gauze and closed the door behind her.

Stunned and afraid I stood at Reid's door for at least 10 minutes; fighting the tears threatening to fall.  I snapped out of my fear at the sound of the door opening again, standing at the top of stairs I saw Brooks enter with three familiar gang members.

He looked at me and gave me a slight nod before opening a supposed  Cobra painting and taking four semiautomatics out for each of them, closing the painting, he then left as soon as he came.

I waited a few minutes after they left and went to investigate, any normal person would see a painting, but Cobras saw a hiding place for weaponry. I felt around the painting, on the painting, and below the painting, but nothing happened until I ran my fingers down the golden border of the painting.

I unexpectedly pressed a button and the painting popped open, just as it did when Brooks did it.  A few guns, mostly handguns, and small clips were inside.  I mentally noted this and closed the painting. 

I feel useless and confused.  I needed to keep myself busy, so I decided to cook tomato soup.  It's distracting enough.

After two hours the soup was done, a few Cobras came and gone, their only destinations were Reid's room or the front door.  I started to pour the soup in containers when Laurie approached me, she looked exhausted, yet thankful at the same time.  She had a bit of blood everywhere,  even in her hair, but she didn't seem to mind it.

"He wants to see you, Claire." She whispered in a strained voice, loud enough for the both of us to hear.

"Can he eat?"

"Certain things, he's stitched up, but that should be good." Laurie said pointing at the soup.

I nodded, then poured a little soup into a porcelain bowl, along with a side of leftover mashed potatoes, and a bottle of water, all placed on a red tray.