The Mafia's Curse

It was 6pm but the streets was lively, people were walking about, mostly buying things from the street vendors, some were obviously lovers enjoying the allure of the sunset.

Sunset is one of the most romantic moments generously provided by nature, it unifies the colour of the world making all seem equal, it brightens dull clothes and moderately bright clothes, the breeze teasing your hair and your skin.

This was the same situation today except the beautiful colours of that sunset did nothing to brighten the black suit worn by the man walking along the streets.

It had nothing to do with the clothes. The man's aura was dark, he screamed dominance, he overshadowed those walking by his side. He's everything wanted and everything forbidden.

He made the world his audience and attracted them like bees to honey. No moths to fire is a better description as the moths end up burned to death, he wasn't beautiful, no... That will be the worst of description. He was alarmingly striking and everything tempting, he didn't make girls giggle or coo at him, no, he made them dazed and left them bewitched.

He didn't make men jealous, he made them feel small and insignificant as he walked. He didn't bother glancing at the audience, not that he was oblivious to their attention, he just found them unworthy.

Belle café, the sign read, it was a beautiful and cozy place, it wasn't crowded neither was it empty, Col didn't bother looking for a seat as he entered, he dismissed the waiter approaching him with just one glance, when his grey-green orbs settled on a man sitting in the far corner.

The look on his face was of satisfaction. The man was obviously on edge as he shook. He couldn't even successfully take his cup to his lips. He kept on looking around, his eyes darting from one face to another, until he found the approaching figure. Immediately, he lost his balance, the hot coffee drenching his trousers but he didn't even seem to notice.

His eyes were focused on the door as he made to bolt, the approaching figure hissed;

"Don't even think about it, Amigo, every human should possess at least one of these, courage or loyalty, you can't lack both" .

"Col." the other man pleaded, his eyes glassy with uncried tears.

Col just shook his head as he brought out his gun.

"Death, Miguel" he replied.

"We were friends, I still consider you a friend." Miguel cried out, it was obvious he was grasping at straws.

"Do you know what keeps me going after taking all those lives as per orders? It's the look in friend's eyes when taking the lives of their so called friends after their betrayal. That's the best part of my work, but as you said, we were friends and for old times sake, I will grant you two favours. Eternal love with your wife, and your reason for betrayal didn't go unnoticed. I will let your mother live longer. I won't even touch a hair on her head. I will even allow her share your last moment, how very generous to a traitor." Col replied leaving Miguel aghast.

As if on cue, a black jeep parked in front of the café. A beautiful blonde woman came down from the driver's seat. She made her way to the back seat and as gently as possible brought out an old woman. She wasn't that elderly, probably around 60years, the woman was wearing a hospital gown and a long coat over it, her hair was in a bun and she was on wheel chair.

The blonde bent and whispered something in her ear and she nodded in affirmation. As they entered the café, all eyes fell on her. Behind them, other men, around 5 or 6, wearing black trooped in. One looked at col, he nodded at them and they vanished behind the counter.

The TV came on and a bruised woman appeared on the screen. She was tied to a chair, her eyes, though purple and swollen due to obvious brutality was filled with tears. She looked like she was struggling to keep them at bay, to keep them from spilling.

" No, not her col, please not her, she is so fond of you Col, I swear, She has nothing to do with this."

Miguel became hysterical as the sight of his wife clawed at his heart. She was his everything. She didn't deserve to be treated this way. His sympathy for his wife overwhelmed him, pushing out every tinge of fear and rationality. He pushed the nearest chair towards Col and used his right leg to kick his ... Well, the target was his face until Col caught the leg mid-air.

"Wrong move," he said and twisted the leg until Miguel's screams, his mother's screams and the joint dislocation sound were in sync. Miguel fell back crawling away from Col.

"Mother, Mother." he begged as he crawled to the woman on wheel chair, her scream seemed to remind him that she was in the café.

Some people tried to go out as they couldn't bear to see what would happen next but every exit was locked with two men guarding the door. Without any argument, they went back, trying to keep as much distance as they could from the ongoing hiatus.

Miguel's mother crouched on the floor hugging her son and crying hysterically, her sobs coming out in broken gasps. "Please forgive my son, please spare him, please Col, don't do this, please." She cried as she tried to kneel properly with her son's head on her lap.

Col just nodded his head and a remote was passed to him. Immediately he pressed a button, a sound came from the TV.

"Say your final words to your husband." was heard from the television.

"Miguel, it's not your fault. You did nothing wrong. I love ..."

BAM, the gunshot was heard, the bullet traveling straight into her head causing the blood to splatter around and trickle down her fore head. Her lifeless eyes stared back at them as she fell to the floor.

She had just died, the love of his life had just died, and with that he lost it. He left his crying mother's lap and lounged at Col.

"You monster, just kill me. She didn't deserve such fate! She loved you even more than she did me, she would always say there was some good in you and that you weren't all that bad, but you are bad! No! you are the worst of them all. Just kill me too!" He said, shaking him violently.

Granting his wish, Col brought out his gun.

"Say your last words to your mother." he whispered to him.

Miguel looked dumbfounded, struck to silence as if he just realised what was going to be his fate. The tears in his eyes hung there and refused to fall.

"Please," he whispered. "Not in her presence. It will shatter her."

Those were his last words before he fell to the ground, a bullet engraved in his head. The tears in his eyes and blood trickling as if dancing to a dirge. The people's cries were buried by his mother's screams.

She had managed to reach her son as she put his head on her lap hugging him and begging him to stay with her.

Her white hospital gown was now stained with her only son' s blood as his lifeless body laid on her lap.

"Take care of the mess, and her too. Make sure she is given enough care by the best doctors." Col ordered as he made his way out of the building he had turned bloody on his arrival. After all, he was the messenger of death.