When We Were Young

Chapter 29

"You little scumbag!," the huge man growled as he continued to kick him in the stomach.

Rafael grunted in pain as he rolled over on the dirty pavement, bleeding and clutching his stomach. Pedestrians crowded around them to see the commotion.

Rafael noticed some familiar faces in the crowd. Some were from his neighbourhood and school but none of them stepped forward to rescue him. In fact, they were sneering down at him.

"Is he not that slut's son?," one man asked and the crowd roared with laughter.

Rafael felt shame washing over him. It was his label in the town ever since he was born and yet he had never got used to it. Those words poked at the wounds he had carried for so many years. They reminded him of the two most painful things in his life:

1) His mother was the whore of the town.
2) He didn't knew his father's name nor face and his slut of a mother had refused to tell him till this day.

"I heard his slut of a mother took off with one of her big time customers and never returned," another man responded.

"Don't let this rascal anywhere near your stores or offer him any job. I caught him stealing money in my store," his assaulter yelled, earning horrified gasps from the crowd.

"Let's take him to the police," one angry man shouted and the crowd roared their approval.

"Don't you think you have punished him enough. The poor boy is bleeding and hurt," an older lady argued.

After a few arguments, the crowd dispersed after finally agreeing that he had learned his lesson. The older woman who had vouched for him, approached him, her grey eyes full of compassion.

Rafael wanted to thank her but his body hurt too much. His mouth was bleeding and his teeth rattled with pain.

The woman opened her purse and laid a clean ten dollar bill next to him.

"Get yourself some food and medicine. Next time don't steal anything or you will end up in prison," she told him and then walked away.

He was left lying on the cold pavement bleeding and shivering in the early night chilly air. Darkness was slowly approaching, shrouding the surroundings in a pale golden light. Stores were closing and streetlights were turning on.

He felt hungry and hurting in all places. Few people walked by and pretended not to see him. To them he was just another homeless beggar. Others shook their heads in pity as their passed him.

"His mother was that famous whore and home wrecker down at Dalton nightclub. I heard she ran off with one of her lovers. Poor kid, he is now a thief. I heard he doesn't even know his father," they whispered among themselves as they walked by.

Rafael had never felt more ashamed in his entire life. He wished the ground to open beneath him and swallow him whole. A few tears escaped his eyes. He felt alone and in pain. The small town was now shrouded in darkness save for a few blinking streetlamps. Stores had closed and there was a deadly silence. He could faintly hear laughter and music blaring in the distance probably at Dalton nightclub downtown, the place where his mother used to sell herself off making them the mockery of the entire town.

He angrily brushed off his tears. He was never going to forgive his mother ever for reducing him to a homeless beggar and thief. He was strong and didn't give up so easily. Someday he was going to get rich and powerful and make sure that woman regrets her decision of abandoning him. He closed his eyes and silently prayed for the pain to go away.

Rafael woke up breathing heavily and sweating. He rubbed his hands over his sweaty face and drew in a deep breath. He was having those nightmares again! He took a glass of water on his bedside table and gulped down some water. He had stopped having those nightmares four years ago when he had thrown himself into building his empire but seeing his daughter's face, which resembled his mother's budding beauty, those nightmares had came back to haunt him.