Takeaway

A short story.

                        Takeaway


He held her in his blood-soaked arms.  “Wake up, Samantha.  I beg you.”  He shook her softly, hoping this would cause a reaction from her lifeless body.  Nothing.  Near him was a takeaway.  The front of the shop was covered in lights, and through the big window a man with dark hair stood behind the counter, boredom in his eyes.  “I need to get help, darling.”  He kissed the top of her head, tasting the blood which escaped from the wound.  Laying her head down softly onto the concrete, he got up, knowing what he needed to do.  He ran towards the shop as quick as he could, crossing the busy road was the biggest challenge, as cars were everywhere.  One driver gave him the evils.  To them he was a stranger.  No one important.  Without giving it much thought he charged out into the road causing a car to brake suddenly.  
The man at the wheel had thankfully stopped in time, but from his window, he yelled furiously, “Look where you’re going, idiot.”
Jason didn’t care as he had greater things on his mind, and giving him the finger made his way across.  From the path he noticed the person from the takeaway going through the till, counting money.  Jason rushed in causing the man to put his hand up to his face, while shouting, “Just take the money.  I don’t want any trouble.”  He seemed scared like this had occurred many times before.
“I don’t want your bloody money, but I do need to use your phone,” explained Jason, not needing any s**t.
The man who must’ve been in his late fifties, then said, “Don’t you have a mobile, sir?”
“Please, just let me use your phone.  It’s important,” he answered.  “I haven’t got time to piss around.”
The man seemed agitated, but said, “Follow me.  It’s just in here.”
Jason followed him into a small room where a phone sat on a table about four metres away.  
“Help yourself, sir,” the person said, seeming far from happy about the whole thing.
He left, leaving Jason to ponder on what he was going to say to the police.  Through shock, he froze, his brain unable to operate properly.  What’s happening to me?  Finally after some seconds he noticed three blokes around his age make their way into the room, giving him the most hateful stares.
Then one said, “We don’t like you, arsehole.  You’re going to pay.”
Before he could say anything they rushed towards him, pushing him hard into the desk, making the phone fall to the floor and smash.  Jason thought back to his girlfriend who needed help.  “F**k you,” he yelled.  He grabbed the nearest man around the throat and threw him into one of his companions.  Screams were heard.  The person still standing took a step back, unsure what to do next.  Then he said, “Are you on drugs or something, mate?”
The other two got up, looking extremely annoyed.  “Just go,” the shorter one shouted. “Because we don’t need this.”
He felt like the bad guy.  “Look.  My lady friend is dying across the road from here.  I need to ring an ambulance.  Why did you attack me, what’s wrong with you?”
The man who hadn’t received a beating, then answered, “What do you expect, mate.  You storm in here like you’re high on drugs.  We’re trying to run a business, and the s**t we have to put up with on a daily basis really pisses me off.”
Jason understood.  Living in a rough area all of his life, he knew how bad things could get.  “Yeah, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to scare you guys.  Okay.”  He stared at the man who was a lot taller than him, waiting for a response.
Finally, he said, “The phones not going to work now, but take us to her.  I’ve got a mobile in my pocket.  Do you understand?”
“Thanks,” was all he replied.  
With that all four proceeded out of the shop.  Then waited for a gap in the road so they could cross safely without being hit.  Once they’d made it to the other side, Jason pointed to the area where his lady friend was, even though the lack of lights made it difficult to see her from where they stood.
“Follow me,” he ordered, running to the spot.  A moment later he stared with utter horror at the concrete, realising her body had vanished.  
The other men didn’t seem convinced.  “I get it now,” one said.  “While we are over here with a busy road between us and our livelihood.  Your mates are in there nicking our money as I speak.  Am I right, you b*****d?  This was a set up from the start.”
Jason didn’t know what to say, but begged, “She was here.  I don’t know what’s going on.”
The man nearest to him got him into a headlock, while yelling, “You two get back to the shop and check the till.  Now.”
Both did what they were told, proceeding with concerned looks back towards the busy road.
“I’m telling you the truth,” Jason kept saying, this is when he noticed a puddle of red just below him.  “Look, blood.  That was the exact spot where she was, while I tried to revive her.”
The man let go of his grip, believing the stranger.  “So, where did she go?” he asked, looking all around him like she’d magically appear from some dark corner.
Jason was just about to answer when the person’s mobile started ringing.
“Yes, what?” he asked down the phone.  A moment later he ended the call.  His eyes wide through fear.
“What’s wrong?” Jason asked.
The man turned to him, shock on his youngish face.  “We need to head back to the shop.  Now.”
Jason understood.  Something had alarmed him.  Maybe Samantha was there needing assistance?  The first time he ever saw her she sat in a bar in the posh part of town.  Through the window she looked gorgeous, and staring at her from the pathway he felt compelled to talk to her.  All of a sudden dread was felt, knowing it was all his fault.  “I’m so sorry,” he muttered, knowing it was too late for apologies.
Both watched the vehicles with complete despair, when finally a space emerged, which they ran through back to the takeaway.  Entering the building the two men were met with silence.  “Follow me,” the man ordered.
They headed quickly through two doors into a bigger room.  Jason shuddered at what he saw next.  Laying at his feet was the tall man who’d believed him earlier, but his eyes were closed as blood trickled from his forehead.  It was like he’d been bashed over the head with something solid.  
“What the hell,” he shrieked, unable to take it all in.  This was turning out to be the worst night ever.  And where the hell was his girlfriend?
From behind a big table stacked with pizza boxes, a faint voice said, “I’m hurt.  Help me please.”
The two men rushed to the spot not knowing what both would find.  The other colleague lay on the floor clutching his chest.  A little blood spilt from his mouth.  He looked in pain.  The moment he saw his friend, he said with anguish in his voice, “Our boss has the girl.  He’s got plans for her.  I was so scared when I saw him coming towards us with a baseball bat.  I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him.”  His gaze turned to Jason.  “I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you.”
“That’s okay.  I wouldn’t have believed me either,” Jason answered, a slight smile on his face.  Because of him these poor people had suffered through his mistake, but he needed to know where Samantha was.  “Where has he taken her?”
The person by his side peered at him, before saying confidently, “I know where he’s gone.  But first I’ll ring an ambulance for my friends.”  
“Yes.  I agree.  If you would rather stay with them, to see they are safe, you could tell me where he’s gone.  I swear to you I won’t harm him in anyway.”
Straight away the man replied, “No way.  I don’t trust you as much as I would like.  I’m sorry, but I know my boss is a good man.  End of.”
Jason felt agitated and gritted his teeth.  What the hell?  “Fine.”
Once the ambulance had been called the man peered down at his colleague, then said, “Help is coming.  But I need to go with this man to find his lady friend.  Will you be okay?”
“Find her,” was all he replied, giving him a nod of approval.
Jason felt a hand on his shoulder.
“Follow me,” was all the person said.  So Jason did what he was told.
At the back of the building they ran down a dark alley with the odd street light, which made it a little easier to see where both were heading.  Crossing a quiet road, Jason stopped, needing answers.  “Where the hell are we going?”
“You’ll see.”  
A few moments later a graveyard was observed, with a little gate at the front.  Inside was dark.  The two men entered reluctantly, following a narrow path into the unknown.  Finally they stopped.  A faint light was seen a few yards away.  Then Jason saw something which sent a shiver through his very soul.  By a headstone a man was observed while a body lay by his feet.  From the flickering candles the man seemed clearly upset as he prayed.  
“What are you doing, Emre?” asked the man standing beside Jason.  “Because we’re very worried about you.”
He peered up, sadness in his eyes.  Then he replied, “I heard your conversation earlier, and as I looked out of the window a miracle occurred.  Do I really need to say any more, Mert.”
Mert seemed clearly confused, and said, “What are you talking about, Emre?”  
The man looked down at the body of the woman.  A tear left his eye, before replying emotionally, “When I say a miracle, I mean it with all my heart.  It was like God from above was speaking to me to act.  And so I did with as much courage that my heartbroken spirit could muster.”
Mert was agitated while he rubbed his forehead.  “So, what was the miracle?”
The man chuckled, before carrying on, “While you argued in the back room I noticed the road in front for the first time in years was quiet.  Yes, that’s right.  Not a single vehicle.  And as quick as I could I ran across the road to find the young lady.  A moment later I saw her, then picked her up knowing I needed to bring her here to where it was safe.   Thankfully the road was still quiet while my beautiful wife looked at me from above, wishing me the greatest luck in what I was doing.”  Tears flooded his eyes.  “I miss you so much, my beautiful treasure.  The day they broke into the shop and you died in my arms.  Ever since that day I’ve wanted to die as well so I can feel your lips against mine, knowing you’re safe and loved.”  Above him was her grave.  He blew her a kiss.
Mert began to cry as well.  “I know you miss her, brother.  Friend, boss.  I do as well.  Them thugs are in prison now.  But why did you bring the lady here, I just don’t understand?”
Emre stared at Jason with cold eyes.  “What you did tonight was a terrible thing to do.  Especially to the woman you cherish with all your heart.”  He turned his gaze back to Mert.  “Explain yourself to my good friend.  Tell him what you did.  Now.”
Jason fell to his knees.  It was all his fault.  “We had an argument.  But what you don’t understand is that I loved her so much, but she was sleeping with my best friend.  And I only discovered it tonight by accident.”  He covered his eyes with his hands hoping to escape from this surreal nightmare, where he was the bad guy.
Emre picked up a brick near to where Samantha lay.  “This is how you killed her, as I saw you from behind the counter, while I waited for costumers to come in.  Then the moment this arsehole stormed into the shop asking for help, I froze, thinking back to the night six months ago when my soul mate left me through such tragic circumstances.”
Mert was on his mobile instantly to ring the police.  Jason had no fight left, knowing he deserved everything that was coming to him.  Minutes later a flashing blue light coming up the road caused Jason to panic.  He fled from the scene hoping to escape from the law enforcers.  But at the other end of the cemetery many policemen waited.  He was s**t out of luck.  They handcuffed him and threw him into one of the vehicles.  While he sat there he noticed Mert, the kind man from the takeaway staring at him from a fair distance away.  Standing beside him was the boss of the place,  Emre, and standing a metre from him was the figure of a woman with the most spellbinding eyes.  A moment later they’d all vanished like magic leaving Jason all alone.  His next destination, hell.

                           The End

Reviews

[Marie]

I didn't understand at first that Jason had killed Samantha. He tried so hard to get help for her.
The story was suspensful, with a lot of action, but you're still usine too much passive voice. For instance: "They handcuffed him and he was thrown into the back of one of the vehicles." You could say "They handcuffed him and threw him into one of the vehicles." It's a more fast-paced sentence.
I love the drawing you did to illustrate.

[steve]

Thank you, Marie. When I wrote this story I didn't have my computer and did it the old fashioned way, pen and paper. Much appreciated for your comments. And yes, you're right as normal. xx