Chapter 6:

Sympathism Act III

Darkness Between Roses


Waking up I kept thinking about that girl yesterday, and came to the conclusion that many people are ungrateful, wanting things the right way is not wrong, but blaming and judging others for common mistakes shouldn't happen either, but I also think that in the same moment that you accept these judgments without complaint... it makes you a less positioned person before the derived situations of life.

After thinking, I got up for coffee, it is strange to have to get up and not have a maid by your side saying "Your coffee is ready, sir!" with a serious look and professional speaking tone, although Lana is a cordial woman, so she will tell me something like:

"Good morning Johnny, did you sleep well?!" in a soft, cozy-toned manner

Walking to the kitchen I start to hear moans from Lana.

"Leonard you should stop it.... It's morning already... Aahhhh" Lana speaks moaning in a soft and gentle tone, Having no idea what might be going on I decide to listen

"Calm down Miss Lana... if there's one thing I know how to do... it's satisfy you" Leonard says in a soft nonconformist tone

"But...aaahhhh...I think I'm going to faint if you continue" Lana continues saying in the same tone, I really didn't know what was going on, but just the same I decided to look, as I reached the kitchen I saw Leonard Massaging Lana's spine using the palms of his hands, applying a little force to the area from the hips up.

"Good morning Young Johnny, Did you sleep well?!" Leonard says in a cordial and friendly manner with a smile on his face.

"You overslept Johnny, it's almost time to leave" says Lana in a slightly annoyed tone and with slight groans

"Sorry, it's just that I thought too much tonight"

"Johnny have you ever realized that you think, think, think and still don't understand anything about people let alone life or society itself...you should have a little more insight into everything" Lana says in a sarcastic tone, I grab a cup and pour some coffee to wake me up a bit, after taking it I put on my suit and head for the door.

"I'm leaving early, I'll meet you guys later" I leave and close the door a little hard , coming down the stairs of the building I see a man with short hair and one of a rose that covered much of his neck, he looks directly at me out of the corner of his eyes, he was wearing a gray suit and had a card from a clothing store that was a little old and half torn, there was a number in the corner of the card, "1767" was the number.

I ignored him and went on my way to the restaurant where this girl worked. Arriving near the restaurant I see her serving a cup of coffee and a chocolate croissant to an older gentleman who was wearing a beige and gray striped suit and had a very well done chevron mustache and a slightly bulky beard that was just below the chin and running down the ribs of the jaw.

"Miss, I will pay extra today for "another" service from you" says the man as he looks directly into the cup

"Wait, what?" says the girl a little embarrassed

"Exactly, I've been talking to some friends of mine and I understand you do services at night, correct?" speaks the man in a noble and cordial tone with mischievous eyes

"E.. I-I don't...I don't want to talk about it...here."

"I don't care, I want you to come to my house on Santa Rosa Avenue" says the man with the same malicious eyes

"But... I n-no... I don't want to, have a good appetite sir" as the girl speaks and walks away holding the tray in her hand, the same sir takes her hand and pulls her close to him.

"Who says you have any choice? If I'm paying, do it!" the gentleman speaks in an intimidating tone and with a serious look, while the girl holds back tears so as not to cry and be weak in front of such a person.

Looking at that situation I couldn't hold back and rushed towards him, raising my fist and pushing with my right leg, using my left hand I grabbed his arm and pulled it towards myself, with my left hand using the very strength of the speed I was in, I punched him hitting his face and messing up his Chevron and throwing him to the ground.

"Don't you ever dare step foot in here again, Don't you ever even think of coming to this restaurant and don't you ever even think of messing with this girl again, did you hear me right?!!, or do you want me to repeat it?!!" With an intimidating tone of voice and neutral face I spoke looking directly into his eyes.

"O-okay... excuse me, I'm coming hehehe" as he speaks the gentleman gets up and leaves walking a little fast and with a limp

"Thank you for helping me... but I really could defend myself... but still, thank you!" the girl speaks in a nervous and somewhat intimidated tone and with an embarrassed face

"Oh right... My name is Johnny... eeh... just Johnny hehe" I speak in a slightly doubtful tone and some vocal flaws

"My name is Alice. Alice... eeh just Alice hehe" Alice speaks while smiling nervously and blushing a little

Her nervous smile was beautiful, her blue eyes sparkled in the sun, even though she couldn't speak much, the few words I spoke were very communicative

"I-I... I want coffee" a little bit haltingly, staring into her eyes, I speak with a nervous tone and sit down in the chair with slightly halting movements

"Ah... Okay hihi" She gives a smile and writes down my order, as she walked into the restaurant I thought

"I think...for more information...I should be in"

After a long day and 5 long cups of coffee, I wait for Alice to leave, "Will she be safe while walking back home?", thinking about it I started to notice out of the corner of my eye a man in a gray suit was standing on the other side of the street, Because it was a more businesslike area I didn't care much

"Are you still here?" Alice asks with a cordial and friendly tone

"Ah... yes yes... it's just that..." Barely able to speak, trying as hard as I could to ask.

"Look...I know you're worried about me, but I really don't need anyone, thank you so much for helping me with that man but you really don't need it" in a forced manner and with a neutral face, Alice spoke directly looking into my eyes, turning and heading to the corner and doubling over, that face of nervousness and anxiety on mine became one of sadness and concern.

Returning home I see the man in the gray suit going directly towards Alice... in a way a little slower than her steps, with the same concern I started to follow them from the other side of the street, "That guy still wants trouble with her, he should give up" I thought all the time and tried to consider the situation in what occurred. The man bent sharply entering inside a small market, at the same time Alice stops and enters a place of graffiti walls and no windows, a low building of three floors and an iron door with a dirty man in a white shirt with no pattern with a cigarette in his mouth

"Look who's here...straight from wonderland, Alice!"

"Leave me Geraldi" Alice speaks looking to the Side and with a slightly annoyed face

"Aaah stop... last time you liked it a lot" Geraldi speaks in a malicious tone and with a look of the same

"I don't want to talk about it" Alice speaks in a slightly louder tone and decides to leave

I looked into Alice's eyes and I could no longer see that blue glow and the little sad look from earlier, what was just sadness became.... Melancholy. At that moment I cried, I don't know why but I felt a great tightness in my chest, I thought to myself, "How?, Why does she have to go through this?, If there is a God why does she have to go through this?" the pain I felt was spreading more and more, until I leaned against the lamppost lighting it and leaving that dark street more illuminated, when I look to the side and I see on the other side of the street a sign with the name of the avenue:

"1767 Mother Magdalena Avenue".

Moments after I saw the sign, that grip of pain and sadness became fear...




-june-
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