By Urooj Khan
The young man lay defenseless by her feet. Sobs wracked his frail body as he gently placed his cheek against the pavement. His blue eyes looked steadily ahead at the scene unfolding before him. The woman knelt down to stroke his matted hair. He shut his eyes and mentally willed himself not to say something he would regret. He was at a crossroads and whichever path he chose would ruin someone’s life.
“Promise me.” His voice seemed frightened, as if he had not yet come to terms with his decision.
“I can assure you that he will be well taken care of. You have my word,” She said curtly, resuming to her upright position. Her heeled boots clicked away and the door clanged shut behind her.
The man hastily leapt up and looked at the screen in front of him. The grainy video feed gave him access to view his son’s nursery. He saw the door open and his wife hobble in. She appeared to smile lovingly into the crib and her arms stretched out to cuddle the little one. At that very moment, her arms snapped backward as she whirled around.
“No! What the fuck?” The man’s eyes widened in confusion as he took in his wife’s terrified expression. He followed her gaze to the figures clad in black that raced through the door. His stomach dropped as he saw the automatic weapons clenched in their burly arms. The feed was cut. But not before he heard the barrage of gunshots.
“No, no, you promised! You promised me you wouldn’t hurt her! What did you do? What…what did you do?” He screamed his breaths coming out in irregular gasps. Tears freely flowed down his cheeks as he leaned forward to punch the small television set before him. It cracked and fell to the ground. Any chance of him having a normal future was as dead as that radio feed.
Toby stared through the window at the desolate street before him. The dawn sky was beginning to illuminate the vast expanses of manicured lawns and immaculate sidewalks. The eerie silence was a far cry from the subway noises and bustling tourists of the city. It almost seemed forbidden to talk or break the quiet. A knock on his bedroom door snapped the teenager out of his reverie.
“Come in.” He turned to look at his mom sashay in.
“Good morning, honey. Are you ready for the first day?” She leaned by the end of his bed, her tired eyes hopeful.
“I won’t try to make a scene if that’s what you’re asking,” Toby mumbled as he shifted his weight to face away from her. She let out a rueful sigh.
“That’s not what I was—“
“You were thinking it.”
