Trust Issues

The familiar sounds of random sirens, honking horns, and chaotic conversations from the street filtered in through the slightly opened living room window as the two young boys played quietly in their room. April stirred the powdered cheese into the macoroni as the ding from the oven let her know the chicken nuggets were done. She was so happy with herself. They had been settling into their new place the last couple days, and so far the neighborhood was better than the last one. The boys would be going next door in the morning while she started work at the motel around the corner, and she finally managed to have all of dinner ready at the same time. This was definitely shaping up to being a better future for them. They might even be able to stay longer this time. April had been desperately trying to find them a place they could safely stay long-term for almost a year now. She was tired of running, and she knew they were too. She was pretty sure that they could rest longer this time. The last place was only three months, and it was getting to be so hard to keep the boys' hopes up that they would find a place that they wouldn't have to leave at a moment's notice. She called the boys in to wash up before dinner and the seven and nine-year-old did as they were told. They sat at the table excited to eat their dinner. It wasn't the healthiest meal, but their happiness seemed to keep taking priority. She silently chastised herself and she knew she couldn't do it forever, but after everything they'd been through, they deserved happiness especially in the small things. As they began to eat and casually talk, the noise from outside continued on like background noise. The boys got used to the sounds of a city much easier than she thought they would. They'd spent most of their lives locked in a compound. Maybe there was too much silence for them and the constant background noise was comforting. She really wasn't sure, but she was glad that they were adjusting. It was about halfway through their dinner when they heard a heavy thud and the window slammed shut in the living room. The boys froze instantly in place, looking up at her fearfully of what that might mean and April put her hand up to keep them still. Her heart raced as she slowly stood. There was the real possibility that they were found. "Don't move." She warned them almost silently, and then put her finger to her mouth so that they knew not to make a sound. Given any other child this might be a 50/50 chance on whether or not they would listen, but the truth was those two boys had been through more than any other child that she knew and they knew how dangerous it could be if they made a sound. April slowly inched her way into the living room, peeking her head over the threshold before rushing back to the boys. "Run and get some towels." She told them. "Hurry." They rushed to do her bidding and April rushed back to the man who had fallen in her living room. He was hunched over grasping the side of his stomach and holding a gun on his thigh in the other. He looked up at her as she approached. It was the same look the boys had. Haunted and afraid. She closed the blinds to the window behind him and knelt down as soon as the boys came in with the towels. The man was covered in intricate tattoos and blood. Lots of blood. There was so much that she was actually hoping it wasn't all his. "I'm April. What's your name?" She asked as she pressed one of the towels into his side and replaced his hand back over top. "Go get a couple belts." She said to the boys and they scurried off. "You're pretty calm for being in a dangerous situation, April." The man said weakly tipping the gun in his hand. He was beginning to sweat, and it concerned her. "It's not my first. What's your name?" April insisted sternly. The boys came back with the belts and she began making a tourniquet for his leg. She wasn't entirely sure where he was bleeding but she knew she couldn't stop it. "Josiah." The man breathed out. "You need a hospital, Josiah." "No hospital." He began shaking his head and trying to move to get up, and she stopped him by tightening the belts around his upper thigh. Josiah groaned and laid back against the wall in pain. He looked back at her with a grimace and she smiled trying to sound comforting. "Josiah, you're bleeding out. Do you understand? You're going to die here. Is there somewhere I can take you? Someone who can help you?" April didn't have any way of doing any type of surgery or any means to ensure that all the bleeding stops. The man looked at her and the two boys. "How long?" He asked. "I don't know. A couple hours maybe. I have no idea how long you can hold on. I would be calling an ambulance right now." She explained. "I'll give you an address." He said. She nodded and began helping him to his feet. "Boys." She said and they grabbed her keys, phone and wallet before opening the doors for her. She got everyone in the car and sped off, following the location Josiah had put in her phone. It took them to a small warehouse in the business district. The place was in a row with other warehouses and all of them were completely empty. Flood lights filtered throughout the dirt alleys and she pulled in front of a door at warehouse E. It didn't look any different than any of the other ones and Josiah had already passed out. She was praying that he didn't die in her car. April got out of the car and began banging on the small windowless door as she called out for help. The door opened outward and a man pushed her back with a rifle in his hands. She gasped slightly and then pointed to the man in the back of her car. "He needs you." Were the only words that she could manage. The man called into the warehouse in another language and two other men came out and they silently took the man out of the car. They dragged him into the building and shut the door behind them. April banged on the door again a few more times, but no one came back to the door. She backed away in confusion. They hadn't even closed the car door. The whole night went by so fast and it was all so strange. She looked back at the boys, who seemed just as miffed as she was. So much for a normal day. April got back in the car and took the boys home. Now she had blood to clean out of the car before work in the morning.