Blackness. The sound of heavy breathing. A distinct smell of urine and other things not so appealing to the senses. This is what I’m initially greeted with as I awake, my consciousness returning. My last memory is meeting an old friend, his face distinct in my mind as it races with recent memories. I remember his smug fuck’n look before the lights went out. If I ever get a chance to see him again, I’ll cut his fuck’n throat and feed him his own voice box. Scumbag, fuck’n disloyal rat shit!

As my mind rallies back to the present moment and away from Terence, I wiggle. It’s still dark, too dark. I feel something tight on my face. I must be blindfolded. I try to open my eyes but the cotton strip has them pinned closed. I struggle to move at all, only really able to kick my legs about, my hands feeling the rope cutting through my wrists. They feel sore, and tied tightly behind my back.

Fuck that prick. I trusted him. Smarmy fuck’n shit eater! FUCK! I need to get out of here. Clam down. Just calm the fuck down, I persistently tell myself, as oppositely a fire burns in me thinking of wanting to gut that son of a bitch. He would deserve it for this, but maybe I also deserve to be in this position too. No, NO! Fuck him!

Then I hear it. A whimpering. Soft, sobbing, mixed with unrecognizable incoherent mumbling that breaks my fury. Someone else must be in here with me, wherever here is. Without thinking I try to speak, try to make contact with them. My heart’s racing, yet all I can muster is an equally muffled hopeful plea, sounding somewhat like a groan. My mouth is also bound, and the cotton is cutting into the sides of it.

FUCK. THIS. SHIT! What do they want with me? I try to think through who would be doing this, who would want me dead, or some information from me, as I lay there gagged and bound. The list is long, too fuck’n long. I’ve fucked with, and over, some prominent figures in this city. Ultimately the day would finally arrive for me to meet my maker, but still, the fuck am I doing here like this? FUUUUCK! I kick about, trying to break my way out, ambitiously, hopefully, persistently, foolishly.

As I spew with anger, resentment, spitefulness and vengeance, I continue to kick and struggle. My passion gets the best of me and I expend more energy than I maybe should. I reach the point of exhaustion and begin sobbing, helplessly, whilst laying on my side with my face pressed against the cool concrete floor. Just as I do, the sound of a door opening cuts through the moment. I immediately quiet down as it catches my full, undivided attention, pricking me into a state of suspended alertness...

“Pitiful rats.”

The voice spat as they walked through the doorway. I was trying to pin point if I knew this voice or not. When you have lived on the blocks for as long as I have you start to learn who everyone is and recognize them. I couldn't quite figure out who this was.

“I am very amused how you both ended up here, betrayed by your own friend. I guess when you care about nothing besides yourself eventually your own selfishness will get you in the end.”

The boots of this man began to walk closer and then kicked the other person.. I listened as they cried out and winced as I knew what came next. I braced myself for impact, but it never came. Instead the man just chuckled.

“If only you knew who was laying across from you. Do you remember your old pal Terence? Of course you do. He was kind enough to get you both for us. He is an excellent package deliverer.”

Shit, that means the only person that could be laying across from me is...Willie. Oh god no! We were one heck of a crew. The banks hardly knew what hit them when we all were running together. Is this what that is all about? That means if they have us and Terence is on their side...they don't know where Jean is.

Jean was our distraction, she was easy on the eyes and had one of the most attractive accents I had ever heard. I hadn't seen or heard from her since the day she took off with all the cash. She screwed us. Made off with what we planned to live off of for the rest of our days. We all were going to get an equal portion, go on our merry way, and enjoy life the way we really wanted.

She was never a fan of Terence, she felt she couldn't trust him. She wanted him out of the job, but it was Willie and I that talked her into it. We obviously also talked her into screwing us out of the money too. She felt bad though, both of us got a little lump sum a few months later and a note. A note that...

“Luckily for you, kid, you have an out.”

His face was right next to my head. The sound of his voice tore me from my thoughts and made me question what kind of out I have.

“You see...you happen to have some valuable information. If you give that information up then you can leave. Simple as that, but unfortunately for your friend we will have to kill him for lying to us, if he has, but you'll be the one to determine that.”

I could hear Willie yelling through the cloth. Things were all starting to come together...