by Mike Gomes
“Another job after that?” asked José.
“No. Keeping your mouth shut. We all will be brought in for questioning. They are going to tell us that the other guys rolled over. Don’t believe them! It’s all lies. They don’t need to tell us the truth, so they are going to try to get us to go against each other. As long as we all stick to the same story there is nothing that they can have on us.”
“So, what is the story?” asked Candido.
“We just hung around here all night. We will set the fire before we go, and nobody around here will say anything about us. We tell them that we wanted nothing to do with the festival. We have no interest hanging around with the tourists at a shit party. The day isn’t any different for us than any other day. If we all say that and keep saying it then they got nothing on us.”
“What about all the people that see us at the festival? People are going to recognize us.” said Joaquim starting to have a sound of reluctance in his voice.
“We stay apart the whole time. Apart we will not draw the attention. Pull up your hood or put on some goofy hat that the tourists wear at this crap. Anything to blend in. We will meet a few minutes before midnight right behind the ticket booth and do what we need to. Nothing too complicated here boys. It is basically just a smash and grab. You boys in?”
Chapter 17
The young boy with the jagged teeth took his assignment from his leader Carlos with the utmost of seriousness. Before leaving his mother’s home he went to the cabinet and took a butcher knife out of the draw and tucked it inside his pocket. His mother had saved to get the money to buy the knife, but it was well worth it. She and several of the other locals would buy a side of beef by combining their money a few times a year. The price per pound of meat would be just a fraction of what she would have paid at the market buying it for each meal. Instead of paying for the beef, one of the members had a shop and placed an old refrigerator in the back to keep the meat frozen. The others all had to save and there was a waiting list to be part of the group. As for Apollonia she had butchering tools including the knife. She would butcher the animal making equal parts for each family. Her skill was worth her not having to pay. All and all it was an arrangement that everyone was happy with but now the knife that was used to help put food on the table was going to be used for a far more nefarious task.
Slipping out of the apartment without saying goodbye, the sixteen-year-old boy walked with purpose to the opening of the courtyard. The other boys were around the fire just as had been planned. The other boys had a few hours before their individual jobs were to start. Darkness had just started, and the party would be starting soon and the night of MB4 terror was about to start.
The boy’s stomach flipped twice causing him to feel like he would throw up as he walked out the opening of the courtyard. The rich were loud and his mouth filled with saliva. Sweat started to accumulate on his forehead and his heart rate quickened. The idea of the task was more than he wanted to deal with.
Carlos gave me the worst job. What the hell does he want out of me? thought Joaquim. This is bullshit. He is trying to get rid of me.
Pulling himself to the side the teenager bent over at the waist and vomited three times knowing that it was fear and anxiety that was taking him over and not a bad meal.
For the next four to five minutes the boy worked his way through the streets of Funchal looking for a target that would provide him with a pocket full of money and let him complete the job that he did not want to do.
Jardim Municipal Park sat just two blocks from the final target of the festival at Praça do Povo Park. Jardim was a perfect location to find a victim to take advantage of. The foot traffic was smaller than down by the water front where people wanted to duck into the festivals and have a drink. The hotels would hold parties for the New Year on their roofs but the little park that was just inland enough would get some walkers to go by on their way to where the fun was.
Sliding himself into the park and finding a trail that would be the perfect cut through for the tourist that wanted to save the time of not walking around the park. Joaquim sat himself down on one of the park benches and took out the last part of a joint he had been smoking earlier and lit it taking the one hit that was left. If he were to do his job he knew that he would need to be high to complete it.
Screw Carlos. This is crazy! Why do we need to push things this far? thought Joaquim feeling the knife pressing against his side inside his jacket. The boy’s knee started to bounce rapidly as his anger and frustration started to rise and the nauseous feeling started to return.
Taking several deep breaths, the boy welcomed the breeze that pushed its way through the trees causing the leaves to rustle. He desperately wanted to take off his jacket and feel the cool sea air hit his body but that was an impossibility with the knife being held tight inside it.
I can just take the money. How will Carlos know the difference? I can tell him I stabbed the person. thought Joaquim trying to find a way to stop himself from having to carry out the orders of his leader.
A mumbling of conversation started to make its way down the path. Joaquim froze and listened trying to block out the sounds of the leaves in the trees and the traffic outside the park. The voices got closer and it was clear that the voices were of two women. Their feet shuffled causing a scratching sound and laughter jumped out every few moments. Joaquim squeezed the knife inside the jacket and took a deep breath.
“These heels are not made for this path.” said a voice with a slight whine to it from down the path and around the corner.
“Well, we could have walked around but you said no way.” said another female voice that was in the same location.
Joaquim sat frozen on the bench with his mind racing. The knife would have to skid into the skin of one of the girls in her left shoulder. He would push the knife hard trying to drive it all the way through but knowing he would hit the bone. The boy shook his head trying to keep his concentration. The girl would scream and the other would run away. He would then need to reach down and grab her purse and pull out the money and pull out the knife. All that would be left to do is run and get rid of the knife.
Rounding the corner, the two women showed themselves causing Joaquim to double take on them. He had expected to see two young girls in their twenties by the sounds of the voices but instead two women were in their forties and trying to keep ahold of their youth with outfits that were not flattering for them. Joaquim felt a twinge of sympathy come over him knowing these women had planned for a fun night in Funchal but instead one would end up stabbed and robbed and both would be traumatized for life. His mind imagined that this could be just one last hooray for two friends who came to Madeira, but inside he would be responsible for making their dreams shatter.
Catching his breath Joaquim’s vision doubled just for a moment overcome with what he needed to do. The women closed the distance and were within ten feet of the boy. Pushing up out of the bench he launched himself at the women who let out a scream at the boy coming toward them. His hand reached into his jacket and pulled the knife out and snapped it in front between himself and the women. Lifting his eyes, he considered the woman on the right’s hazel eyes. They had immediately filled with tears and her lipstick red lips started to quiver. Her mouth was open, and she blinked rapidly not knowing if she should run or not. She feebly lifted her hand that quivered in fear. It would have no effect of protecting her even from the weakest of thieves.
“Your money now!” barked Joaquim pained by his sympathy for the woman. Stab her now. Stab her now he thought trying to make sense of why he was not willing to follow the orders of Carlos.
The woman screamed and looked over Joaquim’s shoulder causing her to back up two more steps. The boy turned to be met with the impact of Officer Silva’s night stick hitting him in the rib cage. Dropping to the ground he gasped for air on all fours. The knife fell directly below him, and his face was pressed to the ground trying to get the air back in his lungs.
“It’s ok, ladies. I am a police officer. I will take care of this scum.” said Officer Silva placing his hand out to the women escorting them off to the side. “I will need some information from you, so we can prosecute this boy.”
Joaquim looked out the corner of his eye seeing the police officer with his hand outstretched and his back to him. The boy doubted that Officer Silva had identified him at this point and if he could get away then he would be fine.
Pushing himself to his feet Joaquim took one step before feeling the night stick crack down on his back causing him to buckle and roll to the ground on his backside.
“Is that you, Joaquim? I always thought you would be smarter than this. You are looking at juvenile court now.” said Officer Silva. Joaquim pushed himself backward trying to get away from the policeman.
“I have already seen you boy, no use in running. The island is small, and I know where you live. Just make this easy on you and me.” said Officer Silva then posing and looking with squinted eyes. “Is that a knife? You robbed these people with a knife?”
The boy’s body started to tremble with fear looking at the expression that had fallen over the police officer’s face.
“Joaquim! That’s a violent crime. At sixteen you can be tried as an adult. You could go to real prison for this.” Officer Silva turned away in disgust and pointed to the women asking them to step to the side. “You stay there on the ground and I will get a statement from these women. I will try to help you, but you made your own bed with this one.”
Without hesitation or thought the boy leapt to his feet with the knife in his hand. Taking two steps forward he lunged the knife into the back of Officer Silva causing the man to gasp. The two women dropped their purses and ran down the path as fast as they could in the oversized heels.
“Joaquim. No. Why?” asked Officer Silva as the boy ripped the knife to the side and then removed it.
“I am sorry, Officer Silva. I had nothing else I could do. I can’t go to prison. I am so sorry.” said Joaquim through tears that started to cover his face. “I am so sorry. Please God. I am so sorry.”
Gasping for air the police officer attempted to speak again but the bubbling of blood rose up through his lungs and out his mouth blocking any words with one last gasp. Blood sprayed onto Joaquim as the police officer died.
Chapter 18
The gentle olive colored skin of his hands had turned a crimson red. When the knife plunged into the back of Officer Silva the blood shot from the wound covering the sixteen-year-old boy’s hands. Running through the streets he wiped his hands repeatedly, but the blood seemed to multiply rather than fade away. Trying to control himself he slowed himself to a walk and stuffed his hands into his pockets, yet the eyes of every passerby seemed to tell him that they knew what he had done. The eyes seemed judgmental and all knowing.
Warmness filled his body as his feet hit the familiar ground of the path that led to the courtyard. The soft dirt and grass was welcoming compared to the stone roads that made up the city. Needing the comfort of his best-known surroundings was more important than he thought they could be. Joaquim was back at home as he entered the courtyard, but his problems were greater than he ever thought they could be just a few hours before when he had left.
At the center of the courtyard the boys were still there stoking the fire that they had built and making themselves visible to solidify their alibi should they need one. Moving his feet as quickly as he could without running Joaquim closed the distance to the other boys in MB4. Their eyes collectively turned to see him coming and Carlos stood up with a look of concern jumping across his face. Interlacing his fingers he turned them inside out and cracked them all at once.
“What the fuck happened?” asked Carlos with an accusatory tone to his voice pointing his index finger at Joaquim.
The boy’s mouth dropped wondering how the information got so quickly from the streets back up to Carlos. It had not been more than 30 minutes between the knife ending the life of the police officer and Joaquim getting back to the courtyard, but Carlos knew. He could read it on the face of the teenager.
“I...I...” stuttered Joaquim.
“What happened? Why is there blood on your shirt and pants?” snapped Carlos letting his finger point up and down on the boy then stepping in close to him and grabbing him by the jacket.
Joaquim’s eyes were distant and without feeling. A blankness took them over from the shock that rested in them. There were no words that could coherently fall from his mouth to explain what had happened despite that it felt as if a million things were swerving around in his head at one time.
As his body started to tremble his eyes filled with tears but stopped short from letting them flow. Without breaking his eye contact his hands slowly pulled themselves from his pockets and lifted them into view for all the members of the gang to view.
A hardened silence covered the boys without a word being said, but all eyes locking onto the hands covered in drying blood streaked with clear areas that rubbed off from removing them from the pockets.
Carlos’s voice took on a stammer that was new to the other boys. “What happened?”
“Officer Silva.” said Joaquim still maintaining the blank look on his face.
“The Cop!” snapped Candido from his usual spot at the table. “Did you stab him?”
Joaquim's eyes looked over to Candido but gave the impression they were looking through him. “I think I killed him.”
“Fuck man. Who said anything about killing a cop? We are screwed.” continued Candido.
Carlos let go of the jacket of his friend and turned away from the other boys facing the fire casting a shadow back upon them. He let himself drift back and forth two to three steps causing the boys one by one to take notice of him before turning around to face them.
“This is a good thing.” Carlos said without turning back to the boys. “A very good thing.”
“What? “ mumbled Joaquim looking down at his hands.
Carlos spun back to the boys and moved quickly to Joaquim and placed his arm around the fellow gang member “This is going to catapult us into the upper limits man. This is going to make everyone take notice and, Joaquim, you’re going to be a legend. ¨
“I am a murderer.” said the boy transfixed by the blood he had on him. “I am going to prison.”
“Nobody is going to prison, friend. Where is the knife?” asked Carlos.
“I threw it in the woods on the way back. I threw it as hard as I could.” said Joaquim as the tears started to run down his face. “It was in the back. I stabbed him in the back. He never saw it coming. There were two women there. The cops will not just let this go by. They are going to get me.”
“Calm down. It will be ok. The weapon is gone, and you don't know if you really killed him or not. We stick to the same plan we had to start tonight.” said Carlos
“You want to go on with the grab at the festival tonight. No way man! That’s just wacky. The place will be crawling with cops. “ said Candido with desperation starting to work its way into his voice. “Heads are gonna roll with this one and they are going to look at us first. We need to stay clean.”
“No. No. No. No. My friend, this is the perfect time to hit the festival. While every cop in Funchal is looking for every little clue at the scene we will be taking all the money from the festival. There will be nothing but a skeleton crew of cops there. No way they can watch everything that is going on.” Clapping his hand and pumping one fist into the air in front of him Carlos took on a smile and confidence that he had normally held. He looked to the other boys trying to project his dominance on them and letting them feel his emotion.
“What about him?” asked José with his voice cracking and pointing to Joaquim who was still standing looking down at his blood covered hands. “He is not going to be able to do anything tonight.”
“Are you kidding, little man?” said Carlos returning to the side of Joaquim. “This here is the man who just pushed MB4 right t
o the baddest gang in the history of Madeira Island. He will be by our side. You just wait and see. He just needs a drink or two to shake this thing off.”
The boys all looked to Joaquim recognizing the boy had not heard a word of what their leader said despite him being just inches away. The trembling hands remained and the realization of the act he had committed was starting to take its toll.
“You’re with us right, Joaquim?” asked Carlos slapping the boy on the back trying to break him out of his daze. “You’re going to do the job with us, right?”
Joaquim looked up making eye contact with Candido and then José. His head and eyes darting between the boys looking for an answer that they did not have.
“MB4 comes first. MB4 is your family and your life. We all made the commitment to that. You have shot and stabbed two different police officers, so you better remember where your priorities lie.”
“The Festival? The money? Why?” said Joaquim turning his head looking to Carlos for an explanation.
“Why? You’re asking me why?” questioned Carlos “We are doing it because we can push the status of this gang to the top in one night. You know what people will think when they realize that we killed a cop and robbed the festival after it? They will think there is nothing we can’t do. The cops will be afraid of us and all the people of the island will be in fear of us. We will rule everything that happens here from tomorrow forward. We must complete tonight to make it all come together.”
“He’s right. We are just afraid, so we don’t see what we have in front of us.” said Candido standing up. “If we just do the plan we have had from the start we will be fine. Nothing has really changed. Silva got stabbed just a little while ago. Nobody around town knows about it yet.”
Carlos moved fast and shook the hand of Candido and pulled him in for a hug. “I know my boy José here will do whatever the group needs him to do. Right, little man.”