Part Six
“Everybody shut up!” Jude screamed over the packed bar.
The dark bar went silent, except for the jukebox set to classic rock playing in the background. Dear Mr. Fantasy by Traffic played softly and created a sense sadness and celebration. A haze of cigar, cigarette and marijuana smoke hovered in the air.
The dark bar went silent, except for the jukebox set to classic rock playing in the background. Dear Mr. Fantasy by Traffic played softly and created a sense sadness and celebration. A haze of cigar, cigarette and marijuana smoke hovered in the air.
“I want to make a
toast,” Jude said in a drunken slur. “To my friend, Antonio!”
The bar erupted into cheers, whistles and the sounds of beer bottles clicking
together.
“It's good to have you home, brother!” a big hairy biker yelled out over the cheering.
It was good to be home but Antonio was getting tired of the constant celebrating. He had been back for over a week now and still, every night at the bar, Antonio was given a welcome back party. Those parties were loud, and filled with a bunch of tattooed, drunken, men and women who would fight about anything and everything. Their fights weren't always bad or violent. There were only a few occasions where a chair was thrown or a knife was put to someone's throat. Usually, the fight or argument would die down before anything went wrong.
“It's good to have you home, brother!” a big hairy biker yelled out over the cheering.
It was good to be home but Antonio was getting tired of the constant celebrating. He had been back for over a week now and still, every night at the bar, Antonio was given a welcome back party. Those parties were loud, and filled with a bunch of tattooed, drunken, men and women who would fight about anything and everything. Their fights weren't always bad or violent. There were only a few occasions where a chair was thrown or a knife was put to someone's throat. Usually, the fight or argument would die down before anything went wrong.
Still, even with
the fights and the smells of alcohol and a heavy stench of smoke, Antonio was happy to be back. He just hoped that it
was permanent. The case against him had been dropped because of a
problem with the credentials of the evidence manager. His lawyer
explained it to him but Antonio didn't understand all that lawyer talk.
All he did understand were the words, “You're free to go.” That
was enough for him. The entire release had been a surprise to him,
especially considering the fact that his sentence was for life. He
never thought that he'd see outside those prison gates after he had
been sentenced. Now his biggest problem was the fact that he was out.
Since returning home, he and Jude had been pulled over by the cops numerous times. The cops had the wrong impression of him and his crew. All they saw was a dirty biker that took out one of their own. They didn't know the truth. They didn't know that Antonio and his crew had absolutely no problem with cops or any other law enforcement. In fact, before he was arrested he was actually friends with a few cops and they weren't dirty or crooked like the under cover cop that killed his sister. They were family men. They were the type of cops that gave meaning to the tittle, Peace Officer.
Since returning home, he and Jude had been pulled over by the cops numerous times. The cops had the wrong impression of him and his crew. All they saw was a dirty biker that took out one of their own. They didn't know the truth. They didn't know that Antonio and his crew had absolutely no problem with cops or any other law enforcement. In fact, before he was arrested he was actually friends with a few cops and they weren't dirty or crooked like the under cover cop that killed his sister. They were family men. They were the type of cops that gave meaning to the tittle, Peace Officer.
Even so, he and the
other bar patrons would have to walk on egg shells and they did not
dare do anything outside of the bar that would attract the attention
of the cops that were still out to get them. They were being watched.
Antonio could feel it. Jude and the others were naive. They would
constantly tell him to calm down and that he was just being paranoid.
“You just got out. Of course your going to be a little nervous. Just have a drink and ease those nerves.” Jude had told him.
“You just got out. Of course your going to be a little nervous. Just have a drink and ease those nerves.” Jude had told him.
Antonio did drink
in the little dimly lit bar. Pool games would go on to the right of
him and games of domino's would be to the left at the tables.
Avoiding the games and the women asking him for a dance, Antonio
would sit every night at the bar, looking up at their wall of fallen
brothers and sisters and he would drink. The pictures of his uncle
and sister stared down at him like one of those pictures of Jesus.
Their eyes would follow him everywhere he went. The rest of the
picture's were lined up around the top of the wall and nearly made a
full circle around the entire room. It just needed a few more
pictures and they would have to make a second row.
He wasn't sure if
it was the beer, fear, or his intuitions but Antonio could feel that
something was coming. It was like seeing dark clouds in the distance
just before a bad storm. He could see the storm coming and could feel
the rumble of thunder as it got closer. At this point all he could do
was prepare and take cover.
(To Be Continued)
(To Be Continued)
Copyright © 2012 by April Thompson
All
rights reserved. No part of this writing may be used or reproduced in
any manner whatsoever without written permission from the Author.
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