CHAPTER 001: An Act of Kindness

[RAELYNN'S POINT OF VIEW]

I remember when it all happened—when my life changed so dramatically that it knocked me off my feet, and in a flash, I gained and then I lost everything. This is how an innocent act of kindness turns into a game of power, betrayal, and manipulation.

It’s 4 p.m. in New York City, and the East Side of Harlem moves in current. Cars are honking and people bustling, and I blend in perfectly with the crowd on the sidewalk, with my delivery bag filled with orders of takeout hanging over my shoulder and my face hat over my head blocking the view of the setting sun. I walk with a destination in mind.

New York City is known as the City of Dreams; this city is like a breath of air that is suffocating and refreshing at the same time and growing up on the street of Harlem as an orphan is like living in a combination of both. This city becomes unscrupulous when you realize you have no one to rely on but despite the struggle, every day is faced with a smile.

My smile is my shield; it's my way of telling the world that no matter how tough things get, I will not be beaten down. 

My journey stops in front of a house in the center of the neighborhood. I look at the building in front of me and then at the delivery slip to confirm the address. Once I'm sure, I step on the front porch and ring on the doorbell. It opens a few seconds later to reveal a woman in her 50s and a scowl on her face as she looks at me up and down.

“Ms. Finicky.” I read off the slip with a smile that she frowns at but nods and holds out her hand. I unhook the bag and take out her order. She snatches it.

“You are late,” she snorts, but before I can respond, she moves back and slams the door in my face, leaving me standing there like a fish out of water.

I look at my wristwatch to confirm and find out I'm only a minute late. “I'm sorry, Ms. Finicky! It won't happen again!”

“Get off my porch!” Her cranky voice comes from inside, loud and clear.

Flinging my bag back on my shoulders, I left the irked woman's porch, and as soon as I was back on the sidewalk, I felt my phone vibrate inside my pocket. I take it out and answer the call.

“Daphne.” 

“Are you done yet? I'm starting dinner already.” My best friend and roommate’s voice comes from the other side in a strident tone.

I giggle and continue on the path. “I will be done in an hour, Daphne.”

“An hour it is then,” she finalizes and the call ends with a beep.

*~*

It's 6 pm when my shift finally ends for the day. I stride in lanky steps, taking the familiar alley that I usually use as a shortcut, leading to the shitty apartment I share with my best friend, Daphne.

The alley is narrow and confined with old  tall buildings on both sides. The alleyway is usually quiet at night but tonight it feels somewhat eerily. I amble faster but as I round the corner, my ears catch the faint sound of a grunt.

Promptly I pause as my heart jumps over a beat. I strain to see in the dark and there slumped on the brick wall is a man in a suit.

I look around me, back and forth to see if there's anybody. My instincts tell me to twirl and take another path but my body refuses to listen as I take a step forward and the closer I get, I finally see the pool of blood forming puddles around him and it also spreads through his clothes.

Damn instinct! Apprehension crams me and I sprint to his side. “Are you okay?” I realize the question is nonsensical the moment the words leave my mouth. I place my fingers under his nose to feel his faint breaths but his eyes snaps open, revealing a shade of color I can't discern in the dark. He’s alive! “Hold on, I need to get you to the hospital,” I put my hand under his arm to support him but he let out a protesting groan.

“No hospital.” 

His voice is faint; I almost miss the words that come out of his mouth. “No hospital?” I repeat in battlement. “You are going to die if I don't take you to a hospital!" I continue in panic realizing his clothes are getting more soaked with blood. How is he even still alive and who the heck is he? He’s unfamiliar. His clothes look like he isn't part of this side of the city so how did he get here?

“No hospitals,” he repeats in the same faint tone. 

I look around again; there’s no soul in sight—none to help. I look back at the man; his eyes have flattered shut and his breathing has gotten slower. I pat his cheek, and his eyes barely open. “Hey, you have to keep your eyes open.” Damnit, I can't watch him die. No one deserves to die like this. What should I do?

With a thought in mind, I turn my back to him. “Get on,” I say, biting my lip and it goes silent for a moment before I feel him throw his arms at my back and his weight presses down on me like a bag of bricks. Shit! He’s heavy.

“~~*

I arrive at the little apartment room I shared with Daphne, bursting in through the door while dragging the feet of the now unconscious man. “Daphne!” I scream at the top of my lungs breathlessly. Daphne appears a second later, looking slightly panicked, and when she sees what I have dragged home, her mouth hits the floor.

“What the hell, Raelynn?!” She clamor in perplexity.

I finally let go and place my hands on my knees to catch my breath. “I-I found him in the alley, and he refuses to go to the hospital, so I brought him here.”

“Can you freaking hear yourself; you found him—he could be a criminal and you brought him here, what the hell are you thinking, Rae?” Daphne shriek and instantly, I realize I didn't think that far; I only thought of saving him. Is that why he doesn't want to go to the hospital?

“No one knows he’s here. You know first aid; you can treat him, can't you?" I look at her hopefully; she reciprocates my stare with a glare. “Come on, he could be an innocent man for all we know; I can't watch him die without doing anything!”

“All you had to do was look away.” She hisses and finally approaches the man on the floor, she squats and places two fingers against his pulse.

“He’s not dead, right?” I question. All my efforts will be wasted if he dies just like that. He had been holding on till I accidentally dropped him from my back because of his weight.

“Not yet, but he’s going to die if he loses any more blood,” she answers. “We are not taking him to my room. I'm only going to do this because you already brought him here and I am not going to watch a man dead in our home, but that doesn't mean he might not die in the process of me trying to save him.” her tone is warning as she looks at me, and I nod my head eagerly. She sighs. “You are going to land us in trouble one day, Rae. Let’s hope he’s not a criminal.”