Confessions

The blank stare had returned to Adam's face along with his heavy breathing and bad memories. He drank again as he remembered the dawn of Monday, a week ago.

"I tell you and you get out of here."

"Done! - A smile escaped, but Adam did not smile at this time."

"It was fast. It's been a week. John told me to do a night patrol in the city's harbor area. I was curious but I didn't ask why."

The reporter was writing everything quickly in a notepad she kept in the back pocket of her pants.

"I arrived at the port and nothing seemed out of place, not that I noticed. When I returned to the base, John was not there. So I heard an explosion in the city center. I rode my motorcycle to the blast site and had the harrowing vision of John being completely erased from this world by the hands of a man. I don't know who he was, but I hate him for taking my only family from me."

The words strangled in the notepad were written more slowly until they came to a complete stop. Listening to the town protector's death, as they called him, was like losing hope for a secure future for Gold City. What would be of the city? What would become of Adam? These two questions prowled in Charlotte's mind, and her simple pursuit of money and perhaps a promotion at work were replaced by a feeling of empathy.

"I was covered with a feeling of anger and at the same time, fear. I could do nothing but run toward that bastard. I went into a frenzied state and didn't realize that he was much stronger than me. I tried to shove my fist in his face and he just looked as if he already knew where my fist would hit. When I realized I was already on the floor, he had countered me. After that he came to me, and crouching, whispered in my ear, "It's not your time yet." I blacked out and when I woke up it was day and no one knew where Golden Phoenix was and the man who killed him. I haven't said publicly that he died, you know?"

When she was just a child, Charlotte was taught to help others, and seeing this man like that touched her in the depths of her heart. She was trying to convince herself that it was none of her business and that she was only there for the newspaper story.

His self-conviction failed and his hidden kindness spoke stronger this time. She needed to help him.

"We can see tomorrow Adam? It's late for me and I think I have written enough." She just did not want to tell him that she felt sorry for him and wanted to help him. "Keep my number." She gave him a card with her name and phone number written.

Elegantly got up and walked out the front door. That bar was definitely no place for Charlotte. The only woman had left the room.