A door slammed as a still youthful girl flung herself onto her satin bed. A sheet of black hair fell as her tears provided the only feeling in her broken body. She clenched her twig like legs as her fingers interlocked into what felt like a sweaty grease ball. Her sobs ran over her greasy skin as she tried to catch her breath. The house was alive as usual but this wasn’t filled with pleasantries and the talk of successful business ventures. This broken girl’s house was different than others, the little secret that the neighborhood refused to acknowledge.
The Scardino family was a recognized name in the community and they were not public officials. The Scardino family was known to run several casinos and bars in the area. They also owned dry cleaners and a few successful pizza shops. However that was only to the eyes that weren’t inside the four walls of her large house. The information that she had stumbled upon would drive any normal person insane. Even her father was blind to the information that she possessed. Although she would never cross the, “never go against the family” creed that her family preached night in and night out. Her father would wave his fat finger at her with that horrible thick gold ring sitting on his sausage like finger. “Not for fucking anybody, you hear?” Her father always had a way with words.
Yeah, she heard him, but the message had never really sunk in. Especially when she had met the love her life and love went by the name of Mikeal. However Mikeal only owned half of her heart, the other half didn’t belong to her family or anything normal. Her second love was for a drug, a drug that nobody would understand unless time was devoted towards it. The outside world was meaningless to her. Mikeal and heroin were the only things she needed.
Her tears didn’t console her soul for her heart was breaking. Half of her heart seemed to be sliding out of place and her own solace couldn’t be found in the last bit of “black tar” which lay curled in her top dresser drawer. Unable to find the strength to retreat to the safety of her bathroom she cried until her eyes grew tired. She curled herself tighter into a ball and didn’t feel herself unravel until there came a soft knocking at her door. She wiped her eyes as she stared at it. Her pale skin was plagued with small red track marks that stuck out like mosquito bites.
“Come in,” she said trying to straighten herself up, but the mascara she was wearing was already covering her cheeks. Her father was making his way through the door, his brown suit complete with large cigar as always. His wrinkled round face stretched in a pompous, “my little Gia . . . what makes you weep so”? Shaking her head in disgust, “what makes me weep, what makes me weep? You have taken away . . .” she fell silent when her father raised her hand, “I have given you a gift, that boy is trouble and is a well-known drug dealer.” Snorting, “You’re one to talk, and my name isn’t Gia dad, it’s Sarah!” His face became stern but he ignored her with “I have kept our business ventures away from that . . .” he waved his hand “that’s for the classes, for the minorities”. He lowered his cigar, “and I won’t have a strung out daughter anymore, you will show the respect and composure that being in this family requires!” “Maybe Mikeal is my family,” she slid off the bed. “Maybe I love Mikeal and want to be with him.”
It happened in a blink of an eye, his expression never wavered nor faltered. Clenching her cheeks she stared up at her father. It was not the first time that her father had struck her but this was the first time that she had seen hatred in his eyes. “You will do exactly what you are told to do.” Words escaped her as she rubbed her cheek. Her body had become so fragile since she picked up her habitual love interest. Straightening herself up she tried to hold in her tears, “and what if I don’t this time? You gunna beat me to death like mom?” His face remained stern, “I don’t and won’t tolerate disrespect in my house, nor in my family. But I believe a father must make choices for their children even if it takes them to the point of them hating you.”
She shook her head several times maybe her father’s smack had knocked her out harder than she had thought. “I’m a little confused,” raising his cigar, he gave a large drag from it. Letting the orange circle grow brighter, he smiled as a bellow of smoke exited his mouth, “oh don’t worry my little Gia, you will see . . .” he barked a laugh and shook his head as he exited the room “you will see my dear.” Her father exited the room leaving her in disbelief. She watched his platinum wristwatch gleam like a strobe light as he waved two large goons into her room “Knuckles, Chuckles get in here”. “Since when do you go by Knuckles, Charlie?” Charlie Scardino lumbered through the door. Shoulders as broad as a mountain range and mutton chops the size of large paint brushes clung to the side of his meatball like face. Her voice shot at the next figure, a man just as large but a bit rounder, “and you Chuckles, really? Randy?” His pudgy face fell, “don’t call me that Sarah!” Her father nodded with his eyes wide, an expression that she had never seen on him. It was a look of mutual understanding, an unspoken connection which they both nodded in agreement. They turned to advance towards her, “hey . . . what’s, what’s going on?” She tried to peer around the lumbering goons, calling out in an increasingly weaker voice “dad, dad where you going?”
If her father’s refusal of her never seeing Mikeal was bad, the discipline that she had been given from her father’s goons was incomparable. She lay crying in her bed this time her face had become numb and her warm tears felt absent. The house had become silent and her father had not returned since he left. The goons had beaten her into the corner leaving her to sob on her pearl white carpet. She managed to crawl onto her bed. The only feeling besides her heart breaking was the swelling in her face. The history between Knuckles and Chuckles seemed to have been put aside. She heard Knuckles voice say “I’m sorry Sarah . . . Don’s orders.” She could almost feel the first slap again. She curled up tighter trying to forget it.
Falling in and out of sleep or maybe consciousness, she awoke to a light tapping on her window. Running her hand over her face or so she thought her face had grown stiff and tight. Her finger’s touch was numb against her skin. Her left eye was swollen like an allergic reaction to a bee sting. A dark figure was at her window. The figure opened it and stumbled silently into the room. She smiled when she heard a familiar raspy breathing. “Mikeal,” she whispered.
After a short pause she whispered again, “Mikeal . . . sweetie?” She felt her bed sink to the floor and then a whisper as soft as the wind. “Sarah,” “Mikeal,” she said jumping back at a voice that now seemed to confuse her. “Sarah, it’s me . . .” Sarah tried to slap him but all she felt was wind. “Jesus Mikeal you scared the crap out of me,” “yeah well your family scares the death out of me . . . literally.” They both chuckled, “has anything happened to you Mikeal?” He nodded, “those two goombas that your father has as bodyguards came by my apartment earlier tonight.”
“My love,” she said as she reached over and felt relief as his face lay smooth. Yes, it was oily but the absence of any swelling or bruising was clear. “What happened, what did they say?” She grabbed his cheeks and he kissed her, “what happened to you”? She turned, “my father,” Mikeal turned, “I’ll kill him.” She actually started to laugh, but soon she fell silent. “Are you sure that nobody is up,” she shrugged “I think so.” Mikeal walked to the door and placed his ear against it.
Sarah sniffled, “oh Mikeal, they are never going to let us be together.” Turning back to her he pointed, “That . . . that is why they did this . . . over me”? She turned from him, “well . . . kind of.” Mikeal was speechless, and it took him several minutes to speak. But when the words escaped him, she wished he would have remained silent. “Let’s runaway together,” it took her a minute to reply but her mouth was stuck together like she had been eating peanut butter. “Think about it Sarah, let’s just take off! We can just go and live the life we want to.” Sarah began to laugh again, “Oh Mikeal, I have forgotten about your cute little innocence.” “Cute little . . .” he stopped and sat down on the bed, “what is the problem, don’t you love me?” She smiled, “of course I do, but anywhere we go my father could find us.” She lowered her head, “we could never be free, we’d be hunted like escaped prisoners”.
Mikeal shook his head, “no I can take you someplace where we could be off the map.” She snorted her skepticism, “there is nowhere that you can take us that my father wouldn’t be able to find.” To her astonishment Mikeal gave a convincing, “oh I know a place that we can be safe in.” “Really,” she said trying to hide her disbelief but Mikeal must have caught it. “You say you love me right,” Sarah nodded, “well then you must trust me right?” Sarah hesitated, “of course I trust you. I trust you more than my family and now that is saying something.” “Well, with that aside I have to ask you, will you trust me?” She stared at him, “what about money and . . .” Mikeal silenced her with a “will you trust me?” She hesitated and said, “until the end my love, until the end.” She couldn’t tell but she knew that Mikeal was beaming at her. The bed rocked quickly as Mikeal’s voice had gone into overdrive. “Oh my god Sarah this is going to be so great. It is the greatest decision you will ever make. I promise that you will never regret it.” He grabbed her hand and gave it a little kiss, “now pack your bag sweetie and pack what you will need to survive and only that.” He smiled as he headed to the window, “and what about you?” He grabbed the edge of the vines and hoisted himself over, “I’m going to go home and do the same, meet me out around the side in exactly one hour ok?” She nodded as he gazed back at her, “I promise everything will be better . . . sooner than you think.”
It didn’t take long for Sarah to pack up her stuff. Whatever was going on made her “punishment” seem like a distant memory. Her mind was moving a mile a minute as she climbed out of her window. It’s funny how fast you can pack up your life when all you have is an hour. Her life seemed entirely contained within two backpacks. Wiping her black hair from her face, she rubbed her fingers over her chapped lips staring upon a large pool that held huge parties for all the greatest fights in history. Although millions of dollars were exchanged here, her father always called them “social gatherings”. Tip-toeing through the grotto, she made her way to the side of the house, where Mikeal was supposed to meet her. “Two book bags,” is all she could say. Her life was contained in two book bags.
Waiting under the moon light that night seemed calm. No wind rustled through the trees and soon she would be free. “Free,” she said, what did that even mean anymore? Her father’s disgust for Mikeal was plain the day that she had brought him to visit. She remembered his goons patting him down before he even entered the front door. He had even gone to the trouble of borrowing a suit from a friend. A bit tired and dull but the brown suit didn’t suit him, it seemed out of place. She remembered his hand trembling as she grasped it, “don’t worry everything will go fine.”
The whole dining room was filled with people and Mikeal had been so nervous too. The toughest people a person with money could find all sitting around a large dining room table loaded with cuisines, and all of course “family recipes” that her father would continuously brag about. Every member of the table eyed Mikeal like a parasite. Although Mikeal told them “that he was independent contractor,” I saw every person’s eyes dart almost humorously at one another. That was the day that I knew my father had been doing background checks on all of my friends and now boyfriends. He knew about his charge with possession and he knew the secrets that Mikeal had only recently started telling her. Their yearning for the drug that he sold was the reason for their “coming together,” but their love is what kept them together.
“Sweetie,” came a soft voice as she turned to see a tiny baby like face popping out from between a particular large set of bushes. “Mikeal,” she smiled. Her eye and face were still painful leaving his features still slightly distorted. She had to almost feel her way towards him. The swelling in her face seemed to be intensifying. He grabbed her as she ran her hands over his face. A small nose with lips like thin gummy worms, his skin was oily but when they kissed it still sent butterflies in her stomach. “Is everybody still asleep,” she nodded and he took her hand, “the car is around the corner, we should move quickly before somebody catches us.” Sarah paused hesitating as she took one last painful look up at her home. She bit her lower lip and notice that it had swollen to twice its size, “Mikeal where are we even . . . I mean.” He nodded and stroked her chin, he understood and it was a bond that few couples shared. “Did you at least leave a note,” she nodded again and that was all that needed to be said. For the first time in her life she was going to directly disobey her father. This was the day that her new life was about to begin.
Mikeal’s car was a 1996 Sunfire. Red with black stripes and still shined like the day it rolled off the tracks of an assembly line. Stuffing her belongings in the trunk she breathed a little easier when she saw belonging littering the entire trunk. “Food,” she exclaimed as she held up a box of Nilla Wafers. “Yeah, well you are going to be happy that we got those.” Tossing them back she hopped in the passenger seat and before Mikeal could start the car she stopped him. “Mikeal, once we do this we can never go back,” “I know,” he said and started the car. He flew down the street, “good bye pa pa,” she said without a final glance.
They took the side streets of the suburban area which lead to I-294 expressway. Mikeal traveled north and it remained his current direction until they had reached a town that Sarah had never heard of in her life. “Sarah,” “mhm” she said not really paying attention, “well I was just wondering since we are doing this is it possible to finally know what your father does for a living?” The car must have come to a complete stop for her heart had missed several beats. “Excuse me,” Mikeal began to stammer, “well, I know you said . . . . never ask, but after all . . . the circumstances . . . . were kind of, and you know?” Sarah began to laugh, “I guess so after it’s not like he wouldn’t kill you for knowing too much after all your technically kidnapping his daughter.” Mikeal expressionless face made her smile fade a little, “I’m just kidding . . . so, what do you want to know?” “So were my suspicions about him all along true? You know, he’s part of the mafia . . . right?” She laughed, “Not just part, the don, the big cheese, the chief Goomba!” “Really, “he said giving a little gulp, “I always thought he was just like . . . a right hand man or something?” She shook her head, “nope he is the head of the Scardino Family Crime Syndicate and all that it incorporates.” “And what does that exactly mean Sarah?” “Well,” she said but her stomach gave a little twinge, “I don’t know how much longer we have to go but sweetie is it possible I could get a little hit. I haven’t been able to get a taste since this morning.” He chuckled, “will you EVER answer any of my questions?” Leaning across the seat she leaned in and began to lick his ear, “I’ll answer anything you want if you just give me a little taste . . . come on baby something to just tide me over.” He chuckled “in the glove box, but I won’t have needles until we get there.”
The journey to Mikeal’s mysterious location took several hours including two rest stops. The journey had taken so long that Sarah had actually fallen asleep. “Sarah,” said Mikeal whose hands were now shaking her softly. “Hey . . . we’re here,” Sarah opened her eyes as she gripped the side of the door to raise herself from her uncomfortable position. Opening her eyes wider she stared upon a large cabin built with large wooden logs. “You took me to a cabin,” Mikeal smiled, “yeah let’s see your father find us here.” Sarah opened the door as she stared upon the dark forest, “God it’s creepy,” she said noticing that forest had a fog slowly drifting through it. “Where are we,” “this is a friend’s cabin. I gave him some product to be able to use it for a couple months.” She turned back to him, “when you say a friend you really mean a . . .” he nodded, “His father actually owns the place but he died so the cabin never gets used anymore. Come on let me show you the rest of it, its actually pretty sweet.” “What about all our . . .” he waved at her, “it’s alright I’ll get it later, let’s get you some sleep.”
Escorting Sarah up a flight of wooden stairs, she noticed the small porch and a swinging bench. Unlocking the door they walked into the small cabin. A short staircase ran the wall and underneath the top of the banister sat a bathroom. “Bedroom is up there,” he pointed “to the right obviously that is the living room.” A small wooden fireplace looking out into a room filled with books on wooden shelves. A hard green couch sat in the middle of the floor. “Once you get a fire going its quite romantic, you always wanted to cozy up next to a fire.” Nodding her head with a smile he showed her to the left, which sat a small kitchen table which looked like it held a second function of a poker table. “Kitchen is right over there and . . .” “What’s that Mikeal?” His attention turned from the old fashioned kitchen to the door that she was pointing at. “Oh that, boiler room I think, now let’s get you to bed ok,” motioning towards the stairs Sarah stopped him. “Wait,” she said throwing his hands from her shoulders, “I need a taste, and I need one now! I waited all that time and you shouldn’t keep your lady unhappy.” “Sarah you have been through hell tonight don’t you think that it is time for you to get some rest . . . at least let me make you some ice for your swelling.” Shaking her head, “Are you sure . . .” “You gunna get it or do I have to?”
You would think the hardest part of taking the “brown girl” would be inserting the needle, but the part she hated most was the tying off. However the look of the black liquid sometimes made her gag in her throat. But the happiness it provided was worth all the gags and nausea feelings. It hit her like a warm egg and dripped down the tip of her head. It covered every inch of her body and an euphoric feeling filled every inch. Her soul seemed free as the pain in her face diminished. Soon they were drifting off into a Neverland few would ever know and all never leaving the hard green sofa. They didn’t start to come around until the sun began to rise in the sky. Mikeal was busy stroking her hair, “I need to take a shower Mikeal . . . get off me” he just muttered sleepily, “you need to get some more sleep Sarah.” Sarah never knew how long they both slept there on the couch. After they woke up and had themselves another taste the day had already past. Night had come upon them and Sarah hadn’t even begun her day. Mikeal stretched rubbing his neck several times, “Jesus that couch is uncomfortable makes me think of the twin bed that we stayed in at Johnny’s house. Oh by the way, I brought in our stuff from the car last night and I put it by the door.” Sarah made her way to their possessions scattered in several bags by the front door. “Where is the shower in this place Mikeal,” searching through her bag she began to pull out her stuff. “Full bathroom is upstairs in the bedroom,” pulling out a towel Sarah looked blurry eyed at Mikeal, “how long do you think we need to stay here?” He shrugged, “I’ve thought hard on it and I believe we should stay here for at least three months.” Gasping she exclaimed “three months,” he nodded “Three months should be enough time for everything to die down and then we can be free. We can have the life we always wanted . . . we can even get married!”
A shower was just what she needed. She let the steam wrap her like a warm blanket as she let her sore arms relax. Emerging from the bathroom wrapped in towels, she dressed in her most comfortable outfit. A pair of gray sleeping pants made from the smoothest silk and a black long sleeve shirt. Drying her hair as she came down the stairs, she stopped when she saw Mikeal had pulled over a coffee table near the uncomfortable couch. Her mouth dropped when she saw a brick of heroine with a stack of cash next to it. “Jesus Mikeal, where the hell did you get all that?” Fiddling with a sliver spoon, “don’t speak your making it spill.” Walking over to the pile of money, “how . . .” her hand grabbed the stack and ran it over her hand, “how much is here exactly?” Flicking his lighter he concentrated hard on his task, “approximately fifty thousand.” “FIFTY THOUSAND,” she shouted. “Sorry,” she added quickly as Mikeal had finished his process.
“Mikeal how did you get so much money,” “what are you my mother?” Snapping “no but I think I have a right to know when we have fifty thousand dollars laying around with the inclusion of enough heroin to last us for the next three months.” “Well I knew we were leaving so I sold everything I had.” “Clearly not everything, “she reached down to pick up the light brown powder. “Don’t touch that,” he snapped as her fingers rested mere centimeters from the plastic wrap. “The guy I bought it from had this new shit that he wasn’t selling . . . claimed it was dangerous. Two guys that tried it died from overdose.” “Really,” biting her lower lip, “have . . . have you tried it?” Shaking his head, “no but since it’s so potent I promised to wait for you.” “Damn straight,” she said sounding excited by the potency of her second love. She sat down next to him and watched him prepare the second needle. “I want to go first,” shaking his head, “no Sarah this is too dangerous I should try it first.”
“No, you should let me do it first, because you are better at it than I am”. He stared at her for several seconds before tapping the filled needle, “give me your arm.” Hopping slightly as she moved closer to him. Stretching out a black belt as he pulled it tight around her arm, he placed the end in her mouth. “Keep it tight,” her words were garbled, “I moe, I moe!” She felt her drool run down it as Mikeal tapped her forearm, “now listen this is just a very small dose, so let it run its course before you want more.” “Fust wo it aweady,” he bit his lip as he slowly inserted the needle inside her. She never took her eyes off it inserting slightly into her forearm. The dark liquid swirled in the syringe as it slowly disappeared being pumped into her vein. Her eyes flickered with every dash that was crossed. Euphoria filled her and seemed to overpower her head. “OH . . . my . . . god,” she said as she struggled to breath. Her head hit the hard metal headrest as her breathing began to slow. “Sarah,” whispered Mikeal sounding scared, her eyes opened slightly as she smiled, “come join me it’s so nice up here”.
Pictures flashed across Sarah’s eyes as the living room scrambled like a broken television. She looked at him as she licked her lips. She watched a happiness fill him that only she could make happen. She giggled as she ran her leg down his. He turned to her as she gave a devilish smile climbing on top of him. His hands ran down her thighs as he came up to kiss her. Her finger traced over his mouth, “I love you,” her tenderness was a soft as a pillow and shook slightly. He kissed her with an “I love you too”. Their love blossomed until the sun was rising in the sky. Sitting on the couch their sweating bodies were intertwined around each other. Exchanging a laugh when Mikeal complimented the chair, “yeah this chair and love making go together like your father and I.” She laughed as she began to pull on her clothes, “you know what, let’s go for a walk.” “A walk,” Mikeal said with such shock, “we just screwed and now you wanna take a stroll?” “Well, we are in the middle of the forest right?” He shrugged, “I guess.” “And you said we would be safe here right,” “yeah I did but I don’t think we should go out right now . . . the sun is barely even up.” “Why Mikeal” he shrugged, “you don’t even know what day it is do you?” “What does that matter, I want to go for a walk and you said that this place was safe now are we going or not?”
After changing minutes later they were strolling hand and hand down a dirt road. The sun rising slowly behind the horizon leaving the forest to grow more peaceful, “god it’s beautiful out here.” Mikeal’s hand squeezing her tighter, “yeah my buddy said that fall is the best time to be here. The only way your father could find us is if he tracked down all my clients.” “After everything that has happened I’m just glad we can finally be together Mikeal,” he nodded, “yeah all we need now is patience, but for now we got enough food and junk to keep us happy for the next three months.” She froze, “so you expect us to do nothing but screw, eat, and take junk?” He smiled, “no Sarah of course not, I expect we will be watching some television here and there.” Shaking her head, “yeah well as long as that money goes towards our future,” gripping her hand even tighter, “I promise you will never have to see your father again.”
Walking across the bend she realized that the cabin sat upon a large hill. “I didn’t know that we were in the hills,” he nodded, “oh yeah and down there is Crystal Oaks Lake”. Staring down at the water her eyes traveled around the smooth shores, “looks wonderful . . . hey what’s that?” Pointing to a small cabin by the lake, “well Sa