was slicked back in a messy fashion. I noticed the stubble around his mouth whenever he’d turn his head to blow the smoke away. I noticed the way he squinted his eyes as though he was trying to focus on something and nothing at the same time. Rainer wore faded black jeans that were ripped in different areas, black boots, and a black leather vest with no undershirt — at least from what I could see. On his vest was a large white logo that looked like a skull. Under the skull, it looked like it said California. To the side were the initials MC. I’m almost certain the words above the skull read Crisis.
“Let’s make this easy,” said Rainer, breaking his silence. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know!” the guy sobbed. “I mean it, I really have no idea where she is!”
He took another hit of his cigarette and exhaled, “Where is she?”
“I don’t know. I swear, I really don’t!”
Rainer paused for a moment, looking away as he combed his own hair back with his free hand. “This is your last chance,” he said in a calm voice. Then suddenly he yelled, “Where is she?” Rainer was already intimidating as it was, but the angry sound of his voice amplified my fear.
“Please! I don’t know! I really, really don’t know!”
Rainer looked up at the others and nodded, his eyes closed. “Very well.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I don’t know where she is. I’ll bring her to you! Please, just let me go. I’ll do anything—”
Rainer took a huge drag from his cigarette, put his head down as he held the smoke in for a moment, then exhaled a large cloud towards the guys bloody face before standing back up. The guy, still pleading for his life while surrounded by shattered glass and drenched in gasoline, continued to sob in between coughs. He lay there with an ounce of life left, begging for mercy. Rainer didn’t seem to acknowledge him at all.
It was over for that guy and I knew it.
I cringed when Rainer firmly grabbed my wrist. His reaction gave me the impression that he was the type of guy that usually gets what he wanted — but this time he didn’t. We walked a few feet towards one of the vehicles; the engine was still on from earlier. The popping sounds of the other engines grew louder as they moved closer to us. As firm as his grip was, it didn’t seem like he wanted to hurt me.
I didn’t know who this girl he was looking for was, or why he wanted to find her so badly. I didn’t know what the guy on the floor did, or if he even deserved any of the suffering he just took. All I knew was that Rainer could have let me die, or he could have killed me himself — but he didn’t.
For some reason, Rainer didn’t let go of me when we got to the door of the vehicle. I’m sure he knew I wasn’t going to run away, but he held on anyways. We didn’t say a word, and no one else did either. The only noise came from the howl of the wind, the roaring of the engines, and the mysterious guy still whimpering on the ground.
I stood motionless as I watched Rainer’s cigarette burn shorter and shorter each time it came into view. I held my breath, anticipating his next move. I dreaded the thought of what would happen once his cigarette became too small to smoke anymore. It was hard to accept, but it was obvious that something bad was about to happen.
Rainer finally released his grip from my wrist and lifted the lit cigarette. He watched as it burned for a moment, and it all felt longer than it probably was.
He slowly lifted his free hand, and to my surprise, he began to put the cigarette out in his palm. I allowed myself to exhale as I watched the unlit butt fall to the ground.
“Get in, sweetheart,” he said. “Careful, watch your head.”
He placed the clean palm above my head and I moved in with his guidance. I sat with my hands on my lap, afraid that if I made any sudden movements, I’d be shot. I sat in silence in the empty and dark vehicle, surrounded by the sound
“Let’s make this easy,” said Rainer, breaking his silence. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know!” the guy sobbed. “I mean it, I really have no idea where she is!”
He took another hit of his cigarette and exhaled, “Where is she?”
“I don’t know. I swear, I really don’t!”
Rainer paused for a moment, looking away as he combed his own hair back with his free hand. “This is your last chance,” he said in a calm voice. Then suddenly he yelled, “Where is she?” Rainer was already intimidating as it was, but the angry sound of his voice amplified my fear.
“Please! I don’t know! I really, really don’t know!”
Rainer looked up at the others and nodded, his eyes closed. “Very well.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I don’t know where she is. I’ll bring her to you! Please, just let me go. I’ll do anything—”
Rainer took a huge drag from his cigarette, put his head down as he held the smoke in for a moment, then exhaled a large cloud towards the guys bloody face before standing back up. The guy, still pleading for his life while surrounded by shattered glass and drenched in gasoline, continued to sob in between coughs. He lay there with an ounce of life left, begging for mercy. Rainer didn’t seem to acknowledge him at all.
It was over for that guy and I knew it.
I cringed when Rainer firmly grabbed my wrist. His reaction gave me the impression that he was the type of guy that usually gets what he wanted — but this time he didn’t. We walked a few feet towards one of the vehicles; the engine was still on from earlier. The popping sounds of the other engines grew louder as they moved closer to us. As firm as his grip was, it didn’t seem like he wanted to hurt me.
I didn’t know who this girl he was looking for was, or why he wanted to find her so badly. I didn’t know what the guy on the floor did, or if he even deserved any of the suffering he just took. All I knew was that Rainer could have let me die, or he could have killed me himself — but he didn’t.
For some reason, Rainer didn’t let go of me when we got to the door of the vehicle. I’m sure he knew I wasn’t going to run away, but he held on anyways. We didn’t say a word, and no one else did either. The only noise came from the howl of the wind, the roaring of the engines, and the mysterious guy still whimpering on the ground.
I stood motionless as I watched Rainer’s cigarette burn shorter and shorter each time it came into view. I held my breath, anticipating his next move. I dreaded the thought of what would happen once his cigarette became too small to smoke anymore. It was hard to accept, but it was obvious that something bad was about to happen.
Rainer finally released his grip from my wrist and lifted the lit cigarette. He watched as it burned for a moment, and it all felt longer than it probably was.
He slowly lifted his free hand, and to my surprise, he began to put the cigarette out in his palm. I allowed myself to exhale as I watched the unlit butt fall to the ground.
“Get in, sweetheart,” he said. “Careful, watch your head.”
He placed the clean palm above my head and I moved in with his guidance. I sat with my hands on my lap, afraid that if I made any sudden movements, I’d be shot. I sat in silence in the empty and dark vehicle, surrounded by the sound
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