Angel and his Mafia Don

11| Hospital Memories

*Drug Abuse, Abusive relationship

Aleksandr

The strong smell of disinfectant dominates my nose. It's artificial and sickly, something I really despise. As I walk down the gloomy hospital hallway, my eyes wander to the desperate patients who would do anything for a chance to live. More desperate are their loved ones surrounding them, teary-eyed with hearts armed full of hope. It's more than most. I'd say hope is the most powerful weapon in the entire world. Keeping us humans going, always striving for more.

The plain white beds are lined up like soldiers going to war. In this case, they are. They're going to take their patients on a battle. Through all the highs and lows, some people will make it and others won't. It's the circle of life.

I'm in a constant struggle as my mind plagues me with dark thoughts. I fight them off like I've been doing for the past ten years. I reach the room Eda is being kept in. It's deadly silent. You could hear a coin drop. The silence mimics her tragic state. She's hooked up to several IVs and her body looks deadly pale.  The resemblance to a corpse is striking.

Out of nowhere a hand lands on my shoulder. A familiar touch gently comforts me.

"Alek, she'll be fine," Dimitri reassures.

I reply, completely aware of my own lies, "I know."

The life of a great Mafia Don

Please.

They tell you about money, power and success. Drilling it into you from day one. Selling the dream. They're all false promises of security. No one tells you about the pain, loneliness and deaths. People dying around you like some great war is going on. People you love, people you don't.

My mind is pricked by a very poisonous past. Death. Death. We all die eventually, so why does it still hurt? I can't think about it again today. It's just too painful. I force myself back into reality and out of my dark rabbit hole.

I stare straight into Dimtri's eyes, ready for answers, "Enough emotions Dimitri. What exactly happened ?"

He simply nods, understanding my need for the truth. Hell, he's probably just as desperate.

"The police report states that she was found in an apartment on Coal Street."

Why would she be anywhere near there? I raise a questioning eyebrow at Dimitri. Coal Street is part of a network of streets, alleys and roads that form the most deadly area in the entire city. This is partially due to the fact no mafia or gang can claim it. No one knows why. It's one of the many mysteries of New York City. Some say it's cursed land because of a murder that occurred years ago whilst others are suspicious of the government. Anyway, it has one of the highest crime rates in the city. It's a total no go zone. Everybody knows that, heck anybody with one brain cell would know that. Even Eda.

Dimitri carries on, "She also had 3 grams of cocaine in her system, mixed with alcohol."

"Are you sure Dimitri," I question suspiciously.

"Why would I lie?" he counters, clearly offended.

"I'm not accusing you of lying. It's just her ex was an addict. She hates drugs."

Eda always believed that drugs were the evilest thing on this planet. They completely ripped apart her family, destroying everything she loved. When she confronted her ex about her addiction, she flipped a volatile switch. The women she loved transformed into an unrecognisable monster.

The pieces of this puzzle definitely do not fit. Something is off. I'm going to find out what.

Dimitri hands me the report, "I knew that too, but it says it in here. Look."