The Seventh Family

Can't run forever

Clad just in pants and brassieres, the blonde girl swayed her hips coquettishly, trying to synchronize her steps with the music that blared so loud at the beer pub c*m strip club in Manhattan. As she walked pass a balding man, the man suddenly pulled her and drew her close to him, said something into her ears and she laughed. The man laughed too and they got up and left.

Jane knew what was going to happen next. No! She never let her body out for prostitution even when she was pressed. She was guilty of pretending to be one just to swindle her victims. As she watched the man grab the blonde’s bum and led her to the inner part where there were rooms, she felt her bile rising. The blond seemed not to care but who knew the things going in her mind? Maybe repulsion; capitulation to financial plight syndrome or just recklessness. Jane felt her body deserved some respect and was not willing to let just any swine have her.

Men! She thought with bitterness. Such animals she detested with a passion. They were megalomaniac, inconsiderate, sadomasochistic, insatiable brutes, untrustworthy and blood sucking vampires!

She took another sip of her beer, knowing she was getting drunk and needed a caution but what else could she do? She just took the last shot and only if them, she would have taken her life and leave this grubby inferno called world.

Maybe that hiatus was what she needed. A place where there was nothing and you could feel nothing. Just blank; both physically and mentally. Was that what death felt like? Was it true that there was a life after this? Like what the religions talked about? Was paradise and hell real or just a fairy tale? Maybe they were just idiomatic expressions because she felt hell was Earth.

Was there a Supreme Being called God? Damn it! She knew that the beer she drank was real and that was what mattered for now. She took her last shot by messing with Polosky which was tantamount to messing with Joe and she knew it was be a miracle she survived his bullet the other day. She could not let that swine have her, not even if she was s*x starved. The only way he could have her was by rape and that was going to be a battle. She had already stolen from him and felt there was no need to leave the two hundred dollars. She  sent a part of the money to them and was left with about two hundred dollars after her paying for dinner and beer.

She would not kill herself. She had to be there for them but definitely she had to leave New York City. It was just a matter of time before Joe or Polosky caught up with her.

Where would be her next destination? For now, she had no plans. Was that part of her major problems? Lack of plans? It had always being about immediate survival and after each move for a survival, there was always another need to survive again and there was never a real long term plan. She did not have any future ambition except as a child; she used to say she wanted to become a banker.

She giggled at herself. That was all fallacy. She could not see herself doing that now. She never even had a qualification. She dropped out of high school and enrolled into street life.

The world was a ball of chaos. A wild life with disorderly people feigning to be bring order. What was the World Order about? There was no such thing like Order. It was a wild ball where the stronger fed on the weaker.  Even the lion’s park had leadership order but that could not take away the wildness in them. The order was just the order of the wild life.

So who is going to save the world? Captain America or Spider man? Yes, only Marvel Heroes could do that but not in reality so damn the elites.

She was leaving New York City and that was an ultimate plan. Maybe she would decide where to go and that meant lying low before she gets at least five hundred dollars to leave this zone that is now coded red.

“Hey,” a voice emerged, brought her out of her thoughts and someone sat close to her.

She felt like yelling at him and asking him to give her space before she remembered that this was a club and she did not pay for any space.

She ignored him and took another sip of her beer. She felt like leaving the rest of her beer she could not do that. She paid for them and they must be consumed. Plus, she needed more of the intoxicant. Her head was full of plights and fears and she needed to calm down her nerves. Okay, she knew the plights and fears would still be there after becoming sober but at least she needed that oasis.

She disgorged the remaining content down her throat and felt her head swinging, and something was flowing through her nervous system: something that took away Joe’s macabre image and sent Poloski’s bulldog face into the WC.

“I need it in a pack.” She heard a voice and remembered the man who had come to sit with her. “I said wine.”

She glanced at him. He was probably between twenty seven and twenty nine years old with very dark hair and wore a flat top cut. His swaggering side burns met his low mustache and beards to give a look that made her felt he had an Arabian descent. His nose was slightly hooked, and had blue eyes that looked sleepy. His lips were thick and he had aggressive masculine jaw that gave him a Spartan facade. He was moderately brawny with suntanned skin.

He covered his white T-shirt with blue denim jacket which he wore over black denim pants.

He collected his wine, paid and got on his feet.

“You got your space back, Suzzy.” He said as he got on his feet. “Enjoy your beer.”

Jane ignored him and wanted to order for another beer when she saw a man come in, flanked by two men and she froze.

He was a few inches above six feet tall. His hair was low cut and brown with a parting at the middle. His eyes were thin and viscous below flat, thick nose. His lips were very thin with a square jaw and slightly large ears.

His chest was stout, showing the result of years of body building and rough housing. His granite hard face wore a stern expression which she knew as one of his characteristics.

He wore black shirt which struggled to fit his muscular body and black denim pants.

Jane had not expected him here tonight and she felt stupid to have come here. That was Joe, her nightmare!

Polosky must have told him what she did and she had not bothered to go back to pick her things from his house which substantiated that she was guilty of whatever he told him.

She began to shiver but tried to calm her frayed nerves. What was going to happen to her? Did he come to look for her?

Damn! She looked round the busy pub and felt the red lights may not hide her from him.

She looked at the man who had bought wine.

“Hey! Take me home.” She said in a flummoxed state. She did not know if she was taking the right step but anything was better than being caught by Joe.

She had seen him torture and kill those he felt were his enemies. He was ruthless and she regretted ever allowing herself deal with him. But she did it to save herself from the wildness of the street and he was the only one who gave a job where she got the chance to steal to earn more money.

The man looked at her sharply, studying her.

“What the hell are you talking about?” He said, “you never even replied to my salutation and now you…”

“Shut up and take me home.”

“I can’t take you home. I am going to my house.”

“Why are you such a doofus? I mean your home and if you don’t want it, I will look somewhere else.”

The man glanced round the pub and smiled. She saw Joe looking round.

Jeez! He was definitely searching for her. Oh no!

“Come on, let’s go.” The man said all of a sudden and she was a bit surprised. She hoped she was not going for a bigger devil. No, anything was better than Joe.

She nearly screamed as she saw Joe walking towards her direction. He was with two of his henchmen. This was not good!

What was she going to do? She moved and held the man before sending her lips to his. She did not care what he felt about her. She was not even thinking about him but how to escape from this cold blooded killer. He may probably think she was drunk. She was tensed and at point, she lost her nerves and departed from the man, made a quick turn and walked towards the restrooms. She was confused and could not remember if she had ever being more scared in her life. Joe was not the type that would be kind enough to just shoot her at once. He would only do that if he had no chance to take her away to a place he could kill her slowly and that was her greatest fear.

She rushed into the restroom for ladies and got into one of the rooms. She was now breathing harder and very paranoid. She needed to urinate. That was pertinent due to alcohol and fear.

She came out of the room and bumped into a drunken girl who apologized and went into one of the rooms to ease herself. Jane cared less about her. She wondered if she should stay in the restroom until he must probably left. What if he came searching for her? What if she got caught up here?

She remembered the guy with the wine and felt he must have gone. She should have followed him but she lost her nerves. She would not wait here to be shot dead. Maybe going into the crowd was a better idea. She looked into the mirror and saw her crestfallen face. She closed her eyes, wished she could open them to find herself so far away from this trap and fear.

She opened her eyes and cringed. There was a lady directly behind her, dressed in blue skinny gown and had red long hair. Jane who was paranoid and jittery she felt frightened by her sudden appearance and the manner at which she was standing behind her and starring at her.

“Hello sweetie,” the lady said with a roguish smile, “I guess you are hiding from Big Joe.”

Jane turned at her, feeling her heart beat drumming.

“What are you talking about?”

“He is asking after you. His described the girl he is searching for and you are a perfect match.”

“You talk nonsense.”

“You look like someone hiding. I saw how you came in here and that made things add up.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because he is still out there looking for you and he does not look happy. Joe does not come here for fun  and he seems desperate to find you. I want you to leave without him finding you.”

“What makes you so sure he is looking for me? I don’t even know who the hell Big Joe is?”

“That is so cushy to substantiate. I will go tell him I see a girl who matches his description.”

“Stop the nonsense!”

The lady chuckled.

“Your eyes tell a lot. You are wasting time. Another person may have seen you and may not have a dialogue with you like I am doing.”

“What do you want?”

The lady lit a cigarette.

“I need three hundred bucks and I will delete you from my memory.”

“You must be crazy!”

She puffed out smoke, twitched her lips and smiled.

“Thank you for the compliment. Craziness is good for me and I will ask you one more time. Give me the money or I will leave this room now and run straight to Joe.”

Jane felt like smacking her on the head with a bottle and send her to quietus but she did not have any bottle and this lady looked rough and pugnacious. She had only two hundred dollars with her and that was her last cash. She needed money to leave and she was now on the run.

“I don’t…”

The lady did not wait for her to finish her sentence but turned to leave.

“Wait!” Jane said and there was a sharp note in her voice.

“I will give you fifty.”

“I gave you a chance……”

“I have just two hundred and I got things to do.”

“With these hips of yours, you will make that amount within two nights. Give it to me all.”

“What?”

“I swear that is my last offer and gesture of kindness.”

Jane realized that she was wasting time. The lady was right. Someone else may have spotted her and could tell Joe. She gave her the money.

“b***h!” Jane cursed

“Thank you for the compliment.” She said and collected the money, inhaled and exhaled smoke.

Jane walked away, peeped and saw no sign of Joe. She walked across the pub and made for the exit. She turned and saw the lady walking briskly towards the bar.

Jane nearly ran out her skin as she saw that she was going to meet Joe who was sitting on a stool.

She did not wait to see what was happening. She dashed out of the pub and saw the man with wine sitting on a bike.

“You wasted my time.”

She did not expect to see him and never felt more pleased to see anyone. She climbed the bike and he rode off. She turned back and saw Joe come out with his thugs.

He did not make any move to come after her but stood like a pole, the silhouette of his face directed at her. She guessed what he was thinking: I will get you, Jane!