Veil of illusions

MM

nding the corner

ent things. After all, I clawed at his face, kicked him in the

and force me to spend a d

ts against itself. I can almost feel it opening its mout

middle as if that will m

Many homeless people who don't spend the night here

y hands together in a half-assed atte

on. A few news vans are scattered around the shabby building. Reporters and camera

m. Okay, maybe I clawed at his face and punched him, too, but that was in self-defense. He's the

thing-but I can protect myse

e. Why would the respectable director of a homeless shelter, who's

shelter. But will they let me in if

the deal for him? If it was the latter, so be it. Because k

round. A smile lifts my mouth when I make eye contact w

I whisp

to join him in a small alleywa

ge. Not that Ben and I are the best smelling people around

he told me-and he has the wrinkles around his eyes as proof of the time he's spent on this eart

got from some charity. His boots and gloves are navy blue. O

The one thing I love most about Ben's company is that he's not the talkative type. We both daydream in each other's presence, not bothering to ask too many q

around for each other, so when one is sleeping, the other takes guard so no one touches us. When there

over for you." He pants

oun

teal some

N

he bridge of his nose as

e. I didn't ha

d to neve

ssues." Maybe that's why I've been feeling off-balance all afternoon. I have

mme

ssive hand in the shelter's genera

re releasing them. "I

M

think the police and

called them ove

exa

n wh

d dead in his off

he throat and confiscating my air supply. Whe

a pool of his own blood and the p

M

he died or if the staff and the others witnessed

side of me. "I didn't kill

e has thick skin with some blotches, probably due to

all

a crazy little thing,

hat. "Who are you cal

man, you l

like on

n us, as if he's afraid to touch me, and I'm thankful for that. Not because his t

d to leave befor

f I hide, that means I'm admitt

policemen? What are you going to say? Like, 'umm, hey there, officers, I'm the

tell them w

ho saw him alive before you disappeared. You're guilty in their eyes. And if you go in there, they'll l

t I want to dismiss them as fast as possible. I want

suggest I do,

. Lie low for a while and then we'll figu

een attached to this merciless city with super glue. Besides, it's where I have mem

...B

is hands in his orange coat

ke my

get locked up

e you...com

. We ride together

e some motorcycl

hazel eyes shining with concentration before he focuses on me. "Now,

him in a brief hug. "H

s intel. I'll find

im, I carefully make my way t

st one last glimpse at B

ight in the subway station. The benches are our friends and

alize my mistake when I see the news ab

ir blue Giants hats, stop in front of me to watch the news. I shrink

ays, lighting a cigarette, d

meant to run for mayor," the oth

, have you even been

? Wh

oward his friend and lowers his voice as if he's sharing Central Intelli

the other man

n, you idiot. You wa

ng a distance, to get a whiff of their conversation. If Richard was backed by the mafia, then the scary me

lians?" the no

I block my nose and mouth with the back of my

ssi

hat the r

ans getting involved

is no joke. Heard they kil

a country

to catch his breath from the force of it. "What law

ath isn't as simple as the m

line that reads "Richard Green, New York City mayoral candidate, wa

s with a wanted caption on top. How come they didn't even mention m

's office, and I'm, without a doubt, their prime suspect. So how come I'

scary, dude," Ci

han the

han any other criminal ring." He throws his cigarette on the concrete

he TV has changed to some other world news and I keep staring at the burnt butt. How the f

ike my

der the countless layers of clothes. It still burns as if my finge

aving the station. I need to go to a quieter place because, ev

in the back of my head as I sneak from one a

om earlier today. His accent was very Russian, but not really rough like I've heard before. It wa

of the mafia Ciga

a just because he has a Russian accent? He could be a Russian b

a s

Except James Bond, but he's fiction. The Russian stranger drew so much attention, and the weirdest part is that he seemed kind of oblivi

gave me. Okay, so I did throw it in the trash, but then

him this and if she'll question him about its whereabouts. Though he se

ird stranger out of my head and take a few turns until I

ayer being an idiot. It doesn't take much effort to slip past him. No

ren't occupied. Just one-third of the neon lights work, but even if they all blinded me, it wo

en. Not literally. But basically being a light slee

of the buzzing from the half-broken lights and the swishing of the cars passing by on the

He could call the cops on me, and that's the last thing

ion, although the cold is seeping through my bones

to my growling stomach or t

o go from here when I offici

kes its toll on me and I f

ke my mind has become a blan

all opening across from me that serves as a window. It's still night, and judging by th

garage. It's so silent, I wouldn't have heard it i

then pull the hood of my coat over my head to cover it c

me, I should be fine. It's more logical to pic

n the tight space between a Hyundai and the wall, thanking everythin

he car is doing. For long seconds, there's no sound

en's feet standing right in front of the Hyundai. I place

I've been touching triggers a sense

ing his feet. He's wearing brown shoes and he

way.

ead over and over again as

you believe in something str

lease a breath of relief, but it's cut off when a st

ended mid-air, before a bulky man with scary fea