Taking Chances

There were only two people in front of me as I stood in line at the corner market by his house we would always come to if we ran out of food late at night. My foot tapped impatiently against the tiled floor and I huffed a few times to show I was bored of waiting. This was taking forever. It was called ten items or less for a reason and the twat in front figured, hey, an extra dozen or so wouldn’t slow down the process. Wrong. I had to get home, I had things to do, didn’t they see?

My attention went from looking over my nails to out the large store window as police sirens sped by, one after another after another. My heart stopped in my chest at that moment, almost like I sensed where they were going. We weren’t even together anymore but still I worried every day for him. If something had happened, if he got too deep in over his head, if we were still together would things have stopped and gotten better? Those sorts of questions that made me sleep terribly at night, even months later. I was pleading silently for them not to turn left up at the next corner and I held my breath as me and the rest of the store watched where they would go. They turned left.

Without another moment to lose, I shoved everything in my hands down onto the conveyor belt and bolted from the store. I didn’t hear the yells of the cashier asking what was my problem or the disgruntled murmurs of people I pushed out of the way to get from the store. I had to get out. I had to make sure everything was alright. Even if the sirens were for something else and I would feel incredibly foolish afterwards, I had to make sure. Even if he didn’t care anymore, I still did. It would haunt me if I just let this slip right by. Feeling that sudden burst of adrenaline, I ran as fast as I could. The ground pounded under my trainers and I nearly missed the turn because I was in such haste. Skidding around the corner, I ran towards his house. Please don’t let it be for him, please not for him.

Once again the world seemed to be against me as I turned down the road that led to his place. The police cars were scattered in the small cul-de-sac and bright yellow tape blocked half the street off. I was nearly hit by an ambulance before I registered I should get out of the way, the horn honking at me bringing me back to life. I made my way closer, trying to duck under the police tape. I didn’t even care if I was supposed to do that or not, I had to find him.

An officer standing near caught sight of me and pulled me back, shoving me away from the scene. “What do you think you’re doing? No one’s allowed in there until we’re finished. Get out of the way.”

“What happened?!” I yelled back at the officer. “Who’s it for? I can’t lo-”

Before I even finished my sentence, two other officers were coming out of the house, leading a man out in handcuffs. He resisted them some and every time he did, they would jerk him forward to keep him walking. I knew who he was as soon as I saw him, and while I was glad they finally got him, it meant something else was wrong. The front of his white t-shirt had what was unmistakably blood down it and I had to choke back a sob as they led him past me to shove him in the back of one of the cars. As they did, we met eyes and he gave one of the most evil grins I’d ever seen anyone do. That was enough to make me want to kill him.

I turned back to the police officer, my eyes wide with fear. “Please, I’m… I’m a friend. You’ve got to let me know what’s happening, please!” I begged. The officer looked at me and his expression softened a little from what it had been before, but it was still a look of ‘I can’t yet’.

It was only a matter of time though before a few more officers came from the house. They had bags of confiscated drugs, weaponry and other things. After, more officers came out slowly. Between them, they were carrying a long black bag. A body bag. My whole body began to shake. No. No, no, no. I wanted to run over there but the officer near me was still watching every move I made.

There was once a chance I didn’t take. And I wish I could fucking take that back.