We continued our daily lives. Emily would go to her job and we would go to college. We would meet up from time to time and met some friends she made here in New York as well as some friends that we made.
However no matter how many friends we made it was always us three goofing around. As the days went by we saw Emily's complexion getting worse.
"Michael, do you think we should say something?"(Antonio)
"Yes, let's confront her about it, she's worried about something alone. We should force it out of her." (Michael)
With that resolve, we headed to Emily's place and stormed it. We arrived at Emily's parent's apartment. We ring the bell.
"Who is it?" (Emily's mother)
"It's us!" (Michael)
She opens the door.
"Are you here for something?"(Emily's mother)
"Not much, we just need to talk to Emily for a bit." (Antonio)
"Come on in then, Emily is in her room."(Emily's mother)
"Okay, thank you. (Antonio)
We walk in and go straight into Emily's room, Emily jumps scared, see us and then relaxes
"What is it guys, you guys scared the shit out of me. Is there something that you need from me?" (Emily)
"We are here to question you!" (Michael)
"And you have no say in it!" (Antonio)
"Wh- What do you mean that you are here to question me?" (Emily)
"We know that you've been worrying about something and you aren't telling us about it, so we came here for answers." (Antonio)
"How could you-"(Emily)
"It's obvious if we look at you, try seeing yourself in a mirror and we'll know what you mean." (Michael)
"Well I mean-" (Emily)
"No excuses, we are here to force you to talk." (Michael)
We started pressing her for answers. We kept pestering her over and over again until she finally gave in. Her sister was being held for ransom by the same people that agreed to smug her into the country. She said that if they didn't pay the ransom by a certain day, then there's a good chance that they would either sell her organs or sell her into prostitution.
By the end of the conversation, she was crying. and we were there listening unable to say anything to comfort. The only thing we could do was stay there with sad faces. However more than sad, we furious, someone had made "our" Emily cry.
We stayed there the night comforting her by talking about her sister, talking about the good times and offering our help if something were to happen. We left the next day, both of us planning to help her in some way shape or form. While they may have been many ways in which we could've gone about it, we both arrived at the same conclusion.
"You know what we have to do, right?" (Michael)
"I'm with you all the way." (Antonio)
We decided to try our hands in finding out about whoever was it that made Emily worry like this. We went around at night, mixing in with the crowd. Trying to find out what the biggest underground organizations around here were, and which one specialized in Human trafficking. We arrived at the name "Bloody Crips."
We continued our investigations, the days went by and the clock was ticking. We prepared ourselves as best as we could. We tried our hardest to find more and more about "bloody crips" but in the end, it was all in vain. We weren't fast enough, we couldn't find where Emily's sister was much less about who was running Bloody crips, all we knew was where one of their minor bases was.
With that, Emily had to say good-bye to her sister that fall. We weren't able to protect something that was precious to the person that we loved the most. We cursed ourselves for not being able to do anything. We tried comforting Emily but she said she needed some time alone. So we grabbed a couple of beers and started getting drunk.
"Damn it! This is so frustrating!" (Michael)
"We couldn't do shit in the end, even though we were so close about finding out about Bloody Crips, we were so close!" I say as I chug another bottle of beer
"Should we call the police on them? Maybe they'll be able to do something about it." (Michael)
"The police can't do shit, if they could, they would have already done something about Bloody Crips before we even heard the name!" (Antonio)
"Fuck!" Michael says as he smacks the table and keeps on drinking.
With that, we kept drinking away and drinking until there was nothing left. We talked and talked about it until there was nothing left. It was only 8 pm but we were already dead drunk.
"You know, If we can't call the police or anything like that, why don't we just storm the fucking place we found out about ourselves?" (Michael)
"...Don't be an idiot, Emily already lost her sister, do you have any idea how she would feel if she loses us too?" (Antonio)
He looks at me and starts considering something. He nods his head and comes to an understanding
"...I guess you are right. Let's sleep."
"Good night then."
"Good night."
Like that we fall asleep. Or at least I thought "we" did. I wake up in the middle of the night. I try finding Michael. He isn't here! Don't tell me that idiot! I try running to the hideout we found out about but I keep on stumbling.
I'm still drunk, I hope I can make it and stop that damned idiot. I try running, it's cold outside despite it being the beginning of all. I can't let him do this, I keep on running and stumbling. My whole body feels so heavy and my head is pounding but I keep on stumbling, almost there I tell myself, Almost there!
I hear gunshots being fired, please! Let me get there before it's too late. The gunshots stop and I see a figure walking towards me. Michael is walking this way! I try speeding up more but it makes me stumble, I get back up again and try getting to him.
"Michael!" My voice is shaky with the smell of alcohol. I'm still drunk a, I can barely see him with my tears and the world spinning. But it doesn't matter as long as he's okay. "I'm glad you are alive!"
I get to him and grab him in order to support him. I feel something wet on my hand. I look at it, it's some read liquid, this is blood, "Michael, please, no, Don't do this to me." (Antonio)
He looks at me in the eyes.
"I'm sorry...Please..." (Michael)
"SHUT UP! DON"T SAY ANYTHING! I'M CALLING AN AMBULANCE!" I say as lay him down. I start to take my phone out.
... take care of... for both of us. " (Michael)
"What are you talking about?! What do you mean for both of us?! Weren't you going to win?! Godamn it! Weren't you going to beat me to Emily!?"
Michael doesn't answer back, his body feels cold to touch.
"Is someone there."(???)
Someone walks over behind me.
"Is this idiot who just pulled this stunt your friend?"
"..." I give him a small nod
"Take him outta he and scram if you don't want a bullet to the head."
I want to say something back to him but I can't. What if I also die here? I'm too scared, I'm sorry Michael, but I can't be like you, I can't confront them. I start tearing up and do as he tells me to and take him out of there. I don't remember much what happened after that. I called an ambulance, got him to the hospital, I filed a report and then left for home.
The next day I woke up with a massive hangover and the memory of my dead friends. I started crying again, I despised the organization who would do this to my best friend. I will definitely get back at them.