Burning Passions

led a

ughts, I return to that point of the May day when

ffened, his pain was short-lived, but the moments that followed were heavy. I saw him figh

to. I really d

a sin that will never be redeemed. Ei

ir. I just wanted to thank him, then he collapsed. The soldier left us here, he said to

dually begins to regain its color. The torch casts a warm light on his face, the flames of the f

sip of

me with big

g is confusing, yo

sit up, holding onto the bed frame,

e mug with both hands. He seems quiet yet fragile.

rything

n

d. He looks at my hand for a while, then hesitantly extends his small, bony finge

s his eyebrows. Something comes to his mind. Slowly, he turns towards the window, gets up from the bed,

er

you d

kes hi

ot allowed

n

derst

ee relief in his eyes n

e your

n

you s

kes hi

ou communicate

on the gl

pe

rds my bag. I start se

ank page. I write down a few things with my

s acce

ncil from me. His fingers move swiftly on t

e

are you?

u? - Comes the

Your handwriti

utiful too. - There's a

re yo

tebook on the dresser, steps back with his hands behind his back, li

- a soldier enters.

es

boy beh

dn't do anything

me. I see gratit

n tomorrow. Good

even

out, and I'm left al

y. I look at the piece of p

t me he

essage didn't mak

ng... He must have an

n a cold sw

who isn't that man. I imagine someone else in the man's place, somet

his vo

gs, pushed myself to the brink of suicide. Today, I've put away the alcohol, sleepi

for us drivers, we got a separate room, a uniform, they send a list in the morning and evening of the places we need to go, but

boy that worries me. I hav

when I hear a k

twenty-year-o

ome to the club." - We shake h

rc

room, then stops by the window, leaning agains

" - He

you, sa

usual" - I ti

tonight, we have a little driver

I haven't dru

hurt, make use

l pa

re at night anyway? You can't e

disapp

- he looks up

them, you wouldn'

couldn't care less abou

ything, just let me know, I'm tight with

'll handle

way, food, cigarettes, boys, anything you want and anything you do, just manage your morning a

around a bit, but I

s guy, somehow he exudes smugness and ar

and walks ou

ere aren't too many guys

They're communicating with a notebook, and I can see that the boy is completely diff

work together, I think it wouldn't hurt if we knew a little about ea

blish strong connections with anyone... My conn

ight?" - the soldier appears, the one

es

he hands me a Bible, then sits in front of me. The chai

take a

ks, which surprises me, and afte

hink

uckles. - "You have to

allow down another bite. - "But I believe th

two seats away. - "That's where he passed away." - The man watch

I clear m

Took the Lord's nam

ea how to talk about them, but I think t

ommend you skim through this" -

anything, but I

then stands up

on't have any trouble with h

live, he has to do w

d evening coordinates on your phone, they'll guide you to

got

space. Will there ever be a time when I'm not left alone

aiting in t

him a bracelet that indicates his location, so if he wanders off, I can track him, and if I hear a beepi

dy t

it if he wants to stay alive. I see myself in him. I did the same. I

ws. Three of them are parked side by side, and one of them

th ge

ts on the

Although we're not within the walls of Dale's, there are no cameras, at least as far as I know, but if s

of tall buildings reflect the spring sky, and people are already sitting outside in the parks, enjoying their lattes

at the d

n. Relatively average. Freshly cut grass, blinds

nocks. A bearded, bespectacled man opens the door. He's wearing a tank

wa

. It'll be a crime story with a little thriller spice. A rookie detective is the protagonist, and he has to interroga

of guilt, a drop of anger, a drop of aggressiveness, a drop of impatience, a drop of pain, a drop

constan

but as I realize what happened, I quickly get ou

is in t