Twist of Faith

by Kelly A. Purcell

24

  How Low Can you Go

  When Sherry opened her door, she expected to see the tall good natured stranger from Alex’s church, now not so much of a stranger but the one person she hoped could make sense of all this. After all he was the only person she knew who’d gotten through to Alex. But instead there were three at her door, Nicole included, looking up at her with the greatest anxiety.

  “Come in,”

  Reuben led the way, appearing to be the most comfortable of the three. Nicole ducked from her mother’s questioning yet worried eyes and James couldn’t stop staring. He looked at Sherry as though she was the most spectacular thing he’d ever seen. Sherry could not think much of it now, not with Alex missing. She had left the house in such a state Sherry believed that she could be anywhere right now, completely vulnerable.

  “I’m sorry if I call yuh in a bad time,” she said to Reuben as she shut the door behind them.

  Reuben smiled reassuringly, “it’s never a bad time where Alex is concerned, anything I can do to help I will.”

  He turned to James, “this is my friend James, and while we’re here I think you two would like to get acquainted as well.”

  James stepped forward and offered his hand, Sherry took it. He held her hand with both of his, bowing slightly as he greeted her.

  “Such a pleasure to finally meet you,” he said.

  Sherry frowned and slipped her hand out of his, frowning at his enthusiasm. She led them into the living room where Nicka was sitting on the edge of the couch, looking absolutely frantic.

  “Nicole!” she exclaimed, getting up to go to Alex’s sister.

  “What happened Nicka?” Nicole asked.

  Nicka grimaced, “Alex... she’s gone.”

  “What do you mean gone? Look Alex must’ve just gone to blow off some steam, you know how she gets sometimes,” Nicole said with a nervous chuckle.

  “I saw her a couple days ago... and there might have been reason for her to uh... be mad,” Nicole continued, glancing over at Sherry guiltily.

  “No, she didn’t come home since she leave here yesterday, we had a bit of a falling out with Ryan,” Sherry said, her voice quivered slightly and she looked out the window nervously at the setting sun, soon it would be dark and she would still have no idea where her daughter was. Alex had never been this angry before.

  “When she didn’t come home yesterday, I say she maybe gone to your place... but I call Mike...” Sherry shook her head and took a deep breath, surprisingly overwhelmed.

  “She wouldn’t come near me,” Nicole muttered, taking a seat.

  Nicka shook her head, “When Ms. Moore called me today I knew something was wrong, I saw her yesterday at that party with that Kane guy, we had a fight over it... and I left her there. I shouldn’t have but... I did,” she shook her head, remembering the events of yesterday. The others were looking at her expectantly, as though they knew there was more to come.

  “I saw her at school today...” she continued.

  “Well that’s great then, she’s fine,” Nicole interjected with a smile.

  Nicka shook her head, “no it’s not, where did she sleep? Not at your place, nor mine, nor her mother’s,” she looked at Reuben and James, “what about you?”

  Reuben shook his head, with a sad frown, “last person on earth she’d come too, I think,” he said.

  Sherry sat down with her hands over her mouth, shaking her head, looking utterly anguished, “all of us push her away,” she sobbed.

  Reuben sat down next to her and drew her close to him like he’d known her all his life. The room grew silent then, everyone deep in thought.

  “That’s not all,” Nicka said softly, everyone looked up expectantly, “We had a mock French test today...” she shook her head.

  “I’ve never seen Alex so unfocused, she walked out of the exam first, I didn’t see her afterward, when I got home, Miss Moore called me.”

  “Don’t worry Miss Moore, we’ll find her, won’t we Reuben?” James said solemnly.

  Reuben gave a terse nod, “definitely.”

  “Aww, can’t find your sweet little Angel,” came a taunting voice from the foot of the stairs.

  They all looked up at a sneering Sonti.

  James frowned at her, “you know where she is?” he asked.

  Sonti perused him from head to foot, smiling appreciatively, “I might.”

  James took a step toward her, “Where?” he asked.

  Sonti chuckled, “What makes you think I’ll tell you?”

  James cocked an eyebrow, “oh I know you will.”

  Alex scrutinized herself in the full length mirror in Kane’s room, behind the bar. She tugged at the hems of the skimpy red dress that Kane was so proud of buying for her and bit her lip. I can’t possibly stoop any lower than this, she thought, just as Kane came up behind her and kissed her neck.

  She took a deep breath to put the wave of nausea at bay and tried to smile, it was almost as if he was preparing her for something. What had Alexis gotten herself into? She had no intention of staying at Kane’s place last night, but as it turned out, the punch was the least of her worries. She woke up in his spare bedroom with another hangover, lucky for her he wasn’t as lecherous as he presented himself to be, or a drunken runaway would’ve been the perfect opportunity. Her cheeks reddened as she remembered the way she had thrown herself at him last night, but he turned her down, much to her surprise and relief.

  She continued to stare at her reflection, hearing nothing Kane was saying. The girl staring back at her in the mirror wasn’t the same Alex, and she wondered if she could ever get her back.

  Kane led her out into the life of the club and took her to the bar. Alex looked about her warily; the people were getting out of control by the minute, even as the upbeat dance hall music was changed to thumping Techno. The room seemed to swell with waves of dancing bodies, flowing like a dark sea under a wavering neon moon.

  “Don’t look so scared” Kane said, “That makes you a target for club jacking paedophiles” he grinned at her but Alex didn’t think that was funny.

  “Interesting word choice,” she said, “how can people listen to this nonsense?” Alex asked, referring to the sexist song blasting through the trembling speakers. Still looking at the ocean of madness, she took the offered beer and lifted it to her lips.

  Kane smiled, “But they’re not listening to it Môn Cherie, they’re dancing to it” he corrected, “Tonight I introduce you to a new kind of party.”

  Alex looked at him angrily, “Whatever Kane, and stop calling me that, we both know am not your love,” she sneered.

  “Whoo ho ho” Kane crowed, “We are a little feisty tonight. Red really is your colour. I will not mind seeing a little less of it though,” he chuckled mischievously.

  Alex swallowed hard as she tugged at the mini dress. It had seemed like a good idea to wear it an hour ago, with him grinning at her appreciatively, but now she just felt... cheap.

  He leaned closer to her ear and whispered almost maniacally, “you do not want to make this difficult for me Alex. I was a perfect gentleman last night remember.”

  Alex suddenly felt like crying, her throat, snapped shut and she felt her head get light. It was clear what Kane wanted from her and now she wasn’t so sure she wanted him to have it.

  “I wanna go home,” she said, “my mother is probably worried.”

  Being with Kane had never felt so dangerous before, every decision she had made over the past couples days just rolled right into another. She was finally opening her eyes to how foolish her actions had been, how she might lose everything she’d ever fought for but she wasn’t sure there was much she could do about it now.

  Kane smiled, “Come babe, haven’t you been having a good time with me, besides we cannot just leave like that. Here,” he handed her a small shot glass.

  “What’s this?” she asked, looking down at the bland drink in her shak
ing hand.

  “You know you can trust me,” he said and planted a light kiss on her lips, “Be right back.”

  Alex looked at his retreating figure and sighed, then swallowed the whole drink in one gulp. The shot went right through her; she winched and scrunched up her face at the bitter taste on the back of her tongue.

  “Oh God, ugh!” she looked at the glass as though seeing it for the first time, “What is this?” she asked to no one in particular.

  “Well if you didn’t buy it, tell yourself it’s you against luck tonight.”

  She turned around toward the voice; the bartender was smiling at her.

  “What?” she asked,

  “You don’t look so well,” he said as he slid a glass of beer to a customer at the far end of the bar.

  Alex shrugged, “I feel fine.”

  “Really?” he narrowed his eyes at her then reached for her empty glass. He took two quick sniffs, and then held it up to the overhead lights, peering at the drip of liquid at the bottom.

  “What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?” he asked, placing the cup between them with a thump that was not necessary.

  “Kane is my cousin but guys like him are…”

  But before he could finish Kane showed up and grabbed Alex from behind, wrapping his long arms around her midsection.

  “Hello darling,” he greeted, as he eyed the bartender with a daring smile.

  “Kane, this your girl?” the bartender asked, his brows furrowed in confusion; torn between loyalty and duty.

  “Yep” Kane replied and nuzzled Alex’s neck for emphasis, “all mine.”

  Alex could not understand what they were saying, or maybe she just didn’t care. Something very strange was going on, yet she could not focus long enough to figure it out.

  The music seemed to have gotten louder, like it was crawling under her skin, digging into her thoughts. She turned to look at Kane and beyond his smiling face she was certain she saw Antonio’s familiar face smiling at her, but then he disappeared into the crowd. Alex frowned, easing off her seat uneasily.

  “Hey,” Kane said, “look at me,” he turned her face toward him, “What’s the matter?”

  “Take me home,” she mumbled, feeling her heart thumping against her chest; fighting with her breath for a steady pace.

  “I know what you need,” Kane was saying, his words seemed to stretch and bend against the rhythmic techno. She didn’t need more to convince her that she was no longer in control.

  He pulled her into the sea of dancers and without any prompting Alex threw her head back and shook out her hair, it felt so liberating. She shut her eyes and started swaying in time with the jumpy beat, her body eager to exert itself. Gradually, her swaying eased into a quick rhythmic jump; soon she was lost in her own world, a colourful world, bending in and out of shape, curving around her pleasantly.

  She couldn’t see the hungry and excited look in Kane’s eyes as he moved in closer.

  “That’s my girl” he said and pressed a small pill against her lip, “This will make you feel better.”

  She let him press the pill into her mouth, not hearing a word he said. All she wanted to do was contain herself in this pleasurable feeling, she could feel nothing but the thrill of dancing, of the music seeping into her, nothing else existed but the music and Kane’s hands holding her steady. She was so absorbed in this colourful new world that she didn’t even notice the difference in the hands that held her, or the body that was now pressing against her... neither did she care.

  “Hmm, looking good, nice and sexy” came the oily Hispanic voice.

  Her eyes flicked open. Despite her inebriated state, she knew that detested voice, she knew that she needed to get away, the ugly gash on his face floated before her eyes, mocking her, but she was helpless to respond to her fear. So helpless... she closed her eyes and let the rhythm of the club take over.

  James walked into the room and a surge of heat overwhelmed him, the music seemed to press against him, like an invisible force field. He looked around him and the knot in his stomach tightened, why did his search for Alex lead him here? He took a deep breath and gagged, the strong smell of alcohol and Marijuana almost stifling him. In all his life he’d never been at a party like this, and he’d been to a good bit of them, so he couldn’t figure out why in the world Alex would be here.

  Reuben came up beside him, looking quite uncomfortable, “Oh Lord, please don’t let me be too late,” he muttered.

  As the two of them pushed through the heated crowd James whispered a prayer for guidance. They made their way to the bar, with Reuben throwing furtive glances over his shoulder, hoping to notice the familiar face yet afraid that he might.

  “What’ll it be?” the bartender asked.

  James shook his head, “I’m looking for someone” he said.

  “Aren’t we all. Have a drink man, you look tense.”

  James swivelled on the stool so he could get a better view of the crowd, they were out of control, the sight of men and women gyrating and jumping all over each other repulsed him. Reuben just stared, clearly out of place here; James was beginning to regret bringing him.

  “Maybe I can help you out,” the bartender offered.

  James turned to face him again, “Maybe,” he eyed the man suspiciously, “I’m looking for a man they call Kane, and my sister,” Alex had become like a sister to him, even before he’d met her. He could see recognition flash in the man’s eyes.

  “Well Kane’s sorta busy right now,” he jerked his head toward the back of the bar and James looked over in the direction he pointed. There was a small group gathered by the DJ, dancing like there was no tomorrow. James squinted, trying to make out Alex in the jumbled group.

  “You get her out of here,” the bartender said.

  James turned to look at him, his gaze sharp. “You know my sister?” he asked frantically.

  “I thought she looked like a runaway. The tall light skinned fella in black, he’s the one you want to talk to,” he turned to attend to a customer.

  “I see them,” Reuben said, “dude, that can’t be Alex!”

  James pushed his way through the crowd, his eyes darting from one face to the other, his lips upturned in scorn. Reuben stuck close behind him.

  Kane was back in the crowd now, grinning widely joining in the intoxicated revelling, like nothing had happened, like he hadn’t just handed over a helpless girl to a complete stranger.

  James became like sculpted stone, blind to all the other bodies bouncing into him. Alex was soaked with sweat, the short tight dress she wore revealing more of her than he could comfortably look at, her hair was loosed and tousled, her curls sticking to her face and neck like curled leeches, as she slithered quickly and steadily against a large man whose hands knew no bounds on her body, looking old enough to be her father.

  “Get away from her!” he yelled and charged toward him.

  Kane turned around from where he stood and in an effort to stop James, stepped in front of him and brought him right to the ground with a fury powered punch. James, though dazed, reached out and grabbed Kane’s leg, pulling him down with him. The crowd parted, leaving the two men scrambling on the floor. James managed one rage laden fist into Kane’s jaw and that was enough. He jumped to his feet, looking frantically about the crowded room for Alex. When he couldn’t find her, he turned back to Kane who was struggling to his feet. By now the music had ended and those who still had an ounce of sense had started heading out the front door, while others looked on.

  Kane staggered to his feet and made an attempt to punch James, despite his strong build, his movements were sluggish and repetitive.

  “Come on,” he mumbled.

  After a moment’s hesitation James slapped him hard across the face, he staggered backward and fell against the onlookers behind him.

  Someone touched James on the shoulder and when he turned, his face wen
t right into a fist. He staggered back and took a deep breath, tasting blood; he wasn’t expecting that. He looked up at his assailant; all he could see was a big shadow.

  “Oh Lord,” he mumbled, lifting his fists feebly.

  Suddenly Reuben took the giant from the side, a hard upper cut to his right jaw, he didn't budge save for the slight jerk of his head but he definitely felt it. He turned to Reuben, growling like a bear.

  “Go!” Reuben yelled.

  The dance floor had become chaotic, those who didn’t run away had just started beating up each other, and it now became a matter of ducking and punching.

  James looked in the direction where Reuben had pointed, just in time to see the man Alex had been dancing with, drag her out the back door.

  “I got this, go get Alex!” Reuben called again, handling the raging bulldozer surprisingly well.

  The back door opened to the back of the club, on a step lodged against the wall of the building with a metal railing going down the length of it and down the side to the ground. James came out just in time to see the kidnapper jamming Alex against a wall, trying to calm her down, she was unusually hostile.

  He dashed down after them, so fast the man barely had time to react; he was a small man, about twice James age, this angered James even more. He grabbed him by the back of his neck and slammed him against the railing, as the man slumped to the ground. James wondered if he’d used too much force maybe overreacting a bit, but when he looked over at the frightened Alex he convinced himself that it was justified.

  “An...Anto...” her eyes darting about in her sockets like a deer’s. He took off his over-shirt and attempted to put it over her, but she stepped back from him, her eyes frightful.

  “Al, it’s me James. I’m not gonna hurt you, okay.”

  “How did he find... me?” she muttered, “how did he find me?” she asked a confused look in her eyes.

  “Who is he Alex?” he asked despite the fact that time was against them.

  She looked up at him with frightened eyes, “Antonio,” and she motioned to the man, now starting to stir on the ground at their feet.

  “He’s not gonna hurt you Al, am here now, come on.”

  This time she did not prevent him from putting his shirt over her, and she was very docile as he led her down the steps, but before he could get to the bottom he heard the angry shouts of pursuers coming after them. Two huge men were just a few stairs above them, their size was one thing, the other frightening thing was the fact that they were armed. What kind of people had Alex really gotten involved with?

  “Hey!” they called.

  With adrenaline pumping, James pushed Alex forward.

  “I’ve got you,” he said, reaching out for her hand.

  Alex yanked her hand from his grip and glared at him, “don’t touch me.”

  “Al” he called, but when she looked at him her eyes grew wide with terror.

  “Stay away from me” she turned and fled.

  James prayed under his breath as he pursued her, he could hear the men behind him again; it wouldn’t be long before they caught up with him.

  Alex was still running from him, his shirt tail flying behind her like a cape, until she stumbled and tumbled down the steps.

  James cried out and made his way toward her, where she laid in a crumpled heap at the foot of the stairs. Before he could reach her though, she’d jumped to her feet, blood was streaming from her forehead and down the side of her face but she didn’t seem to feel it. She turned and hurried out into the night.

  James followed her, she was running like a crazy woman from one side of the parking lot to the next screaming hysterically, he stared at her in disbelief. Then she stopped and stood completely still, staring at him as though noticing him for the first time, her grey eyes big and frightful.

  “You alright?” he asked and made his way toward her, she looked at him and her eyes widened even more.

  “You’re...bleeding,” she stuttered.

  He looked down at the splotches of blood on his shirt from the broken nose she’d sustained in the scuffle.

  “Just a little blood, nothing much,” he assured her, he was more concerned with her bleeding head and the palm of her hand now lined with an ugly gash – he had no idea where she‘d gotten that.

  “Let’s go. To the car,” he gestured to the battered corolla parked a few feet away and Alex started to stumble toward it, despite her shivering body.

  James hurried after her, all the while looking behind him, maybe they wouldn’t come all the way out here, he thought as he fumbled in his pockets for the keys. He quickly took out his phone and dialled Reuben.

  “What’s your status man?”

  “I’m outta there, the police are storming the place. Meet you back at Miss Moore’s,” Reuben replied.

  “A’ight, cool scene,” he hung up, “Let’s go Al.”

  “Aye” a voice thundered behind him.

  He turned to see a figure staggering toward them. James reached for Alex and eased her behind him, while trying to make out the identity of the approaching figure, in the dark it was hard to see.

  “Get in the car,” he whispered, “Listen man, I don’t want no trouble.”

  The figure stepped closer with the pale light from the distant street light falling just to his waist, his maniacal laughter filled the lot as he took his hand from behind his back.

  James froze at the sight of the gun in his hand and he pushed Alex further behind him toward the car, ensuring that his body shielded her.

  “Alex, don’t panic, yuh hear,” he whispered.

  He slowly pushed Alex toward the car until he was close enough to push his hand behind her and feel the handle.

  “Look man, you don’t want to do anything crazy,” he reasoned with the dark figure, hidden by the shadows.

  Alex gasped at the sound of the bullet being squeezed out of its chamber; she jerked involuntarily at the first but by the second she was being shoved into the car with James stumbling after her, he was quick. He swung out of the parking lot, holding down Alex’s head, now covered with shards of broken glass.

  The guys pulled up at a gas station to fill up for the long ride into the country and Mike took the opportunity to pick up some snacks and take a bathroom break.

  “Hey Mike, grab some chips for me eh,” one of them yelled as he sauntered toward the store.

  This was his first real job, his first chance to see the internal workings of Giant’s world, and though he wouldn’t show it to them, he was utterly petrified. He didn’t want to experience a day in the life of a gangster, he wanted to sing, he wanted to live a life that didn’t include guns, death and constantly running from the law. He shoved his hand in his pocket as he entered the store, and walked up to the cashier.

  “Excuse me, yuh have a bathroom I could use?”

  The cashier looked up at him, a greying woman of about sixty, with thick glasses that made her eyes look bulgy. She gestured to a door on the right; he nodded and headed toward it, his fingers tracing the folded edges of the envelope where it was lodged in his pocket.

  He went into the bathroom and shut the door behind him, he closed the lid, sat down and took out the envelope. His name was scribbled across the front in Chris bold print and he smiled as he thought of his good humoured brother. He wondered what had been going through his mind as he wrote this; it was so uncharacteristic of him to write a letter. This told Mike a lot about how things had changed for his brother; he still couldn’t believe he was gone.

  He carefully unsealed the envelope and took out the letter, pushing back the wave of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him in that moment.

  Hey bro,

  Two more months in this joint and I’ll be heading back home, can’t wait to see you guys again. How is mom and the girls? I know you taking good care of them. Mike boy, things have changed for me man, three weeks ago I give my life to Jesus, acc
epted him as my Lord and saviour, this is just about the best decision I has ever made and you know I had my share of bad ones. I wish you could experience this man, am in prison but I feel so free.

  But Mike if you reading this letter it means I didn’t get to tell you this myself, it means I didn’t make it back home, mostly ‘cause I got so much enemies waiting for my release I don’t know how far I would be able to get to get back to you guys. Thinking about that makes me real mad at the decisions I made with my life, some things just don’t disappear, like the memory of that first life you took, or the memory of your friends hitting the pavement beside you in a shoot out and never getting up again.

  I don’t want that for you, I want this joy that I feeling now for you, but I want you to have one with no regrets. Don’t be like your brother man, you have so much more potential, especially with that voice of yours. God give that to you for a reason, I know you gonna figure it out soon enough. Take care of the girls for me, especially mom, she gonna be real sad if I die, and Alex how is she? Probably real grown now, you know you have to watch out for her right, if you don’t who will? I guess this is all I have to pass on to you, but for sure is something worth-while. I love you bro, and God loves you he’ll take care of you if you let him.

  Chris.

  Mike folded over the letter with tears in his eyes, this was Chris; he could almost hear his voice. But the content of this letter was not the Chris he had known, this was a grown up Chris, an older version he would have liked to have known, maybe be like. Chris believed in him, but Mike never believed in himself, if he did, he would not be here right now. He would be at home in his bed finishing that song he was writing, he would be excited about the future.

  He took a deep breath and got up, shoved the letter back in his pocket, “alright Chris, I hear you loud and clear bro,” he breathed into the air, “am scared,” it was tough admitting that, even if it was to himself.

  What about God, could he admit that to God, had God heard? He shook his head, he loved his brother but he just could not understand the concept of salvation, some things just did not add up in this life. But then again did it have to add up? Did it have to make sense? What if it just was?

  He stepped out of the bathroom and headed out to meet the guys. Before he stepped outside he saw how they were hurrying to leave through the glass of the store, he froze.

  “Moore, let’s go boy!” one of them yelled.

  “I’m not going,” he muttered, the sudden decision resounding in his head, freezing him to the spot. He was afraid, but for the first time it was not his fear controlling his decision.

  “Go find him!” he heard Giant command, sounding annoyed.

  One of the guys turned and headed back toward the store, just as Mike turned and slid down to the ground against the wall, behind a shelf, watching the other guy run into the bathroom and come out again. He sat with his fingers crossed, beads of sweat tumbling down his temple, his hands shaking where they hung in his lap.

  “Oh God, oh God,” he chanted, not realizing the power of those simple words uttered in dire need.

  He did not know what they would do when they could not find him. He could hear Giant’s angry voice outside.

  “The little weasel run!” he growled, slamming his fist against the hood of the car.

  “He a coward, we all know that,” one of the guys said with a chuckle.

  “That not the point,” Giant bellowed, “We go get him afterward, right now, we ha’ bigger fish to fry.”

  “Bigger fish?” another one questioned.

  “James Franklin,” Giant said, his hands balled into an angry fist.

  Mike’s eyes grew wide, “I have to warn James,” he whispered, hearing the car squeal out of the driveway. He jumped to his feet, still cautious, he headed to the door.

  “Go through the back,” the cashier said suddenly.

  Mike stopped, “Excuse me.”

  “You made the right decision young man, go through the back, less chances that they’d see you.”

  Mike frowned at the smiling woman and nodded, “thank you,” he said.

  “Not a problem,” she returned his smile.

  He dashed out the back door. James had saved his life from something he did not even care existed, now it was his turn to save him from imminent danger, or he’d at least try, he was no coward this time. As he ran, the cold night air whipping about him like an embrace, he felt lighter and freer than he’d felt in ages.