Destiny, the only thing we can't control nor predict. We don't know our future or the things we're going to meet on our way. It ties people to each other and separates them at the same time. If you think that you have a control at your life, you're mistaken. One man has learned a very hard lesson of life.
-flashback-
-shattering pieces of memories, a lot of different faces can be seen, laughing and crying can be heard, all in mosaic way-
'Mother!'
'Catherine!'
A strong, male voice is heard.
'Catherine, hold on! Don't die on me here! CATHERINE!'
Another voice is heard.
'Shit! We're losing him sir! C'mon Fury! Fury!'
-the voices are fading, darkness is surrounding-
-one light stands out, it shines like a star-
'Do you wish to see your past again, Bryan Fury?'
A gentle female voice is heard now.
-a single jingling bell is heard as well-
A man's silhouette is seen. It's curled up, looking unsecure.
'Yes', he stated, 'I do.'
Chapter 1, The scent of chrysanths
'Bryney-'
'Bryney.'
'Bryan!'
-a kid's face can be seen now-
A boy at the age of 5 or 6 was sitting on the floor on a comfortable carpet and was playing with his favorite toys – army figures. His intensively blue, ice eyes focused in a moment on something else. Before him there was a standing female figure with her hands crossed on her torso, one of her feet tapping the carpet beneath. She was a little bit chubby, middle tall, having raven hair as the boy sitting before her eyes. Glaring him she made a step closer and finally let go of her serious expression.
'You sure love playing with toys, Bryney.', she stated smiling a bit.
The boy looked into her deep green eyes and grinned as well.
'Daddy bought them for me, right? I love everything he buys for me because he's my idol and I want to be just like him when I grow up!', Bryan replied both seriously and cheerful while holding his favorite toy tank in hand.
'Right right…', she smiled more and gently stroked his short hair.
The boy giggled a bit and blushed when felt a touch of his mother's hand. Looking curiously at the soldier toy he held, paused for a bit, being lost in his thoughts.
'Hey mom-', started quietly.
'Yes-?'
'When daddy will get back from work?', Bryan asked when poking the helmet with his finger.
'Let's see… Probably soon, why do you ask?', the woman smiled.
'Cause when daddy gets back from work he always tells me awesome stories! I can't wait to hear another one for today-', boy's eyes were sparkling with happiness and excitation. There was no doubt that he really means it.
The woman sighed and stroked his hair once more before heading up to the kitchen.
'Do you want to have dinner now or to wait a bit for your dad?, she asked while peeking inside the fridge.
'Imma wait for him, I just ate a chocolate bar in a meantime anyway.'
'Bryan! I told you to not eat anything before the dinner!', she frowned and gave him one of the lecturing looks that moms gives their children when they do something wrong.
The boy just looked down in shame but then peeked at his mother with a smile which couldn't help but to cheer up her a little bit. Shaking her head in disbelief she closed the fridge and looked through the kitchen's window. The weather was typical for early fall. The wind was blowing stronger than before and gave creeps to whoever forgot to put some warm clothes on. Suddenly she felt a strange knot in her stomach, like if something was telling her that something bad is going to happen soon. She ignored that feeling and decided to do some ironing before her husband gets back from his shift.
A few hours passed and the woman was just sitting in the armchair and gazing at the clock every 5 minutes. Something was definitely not right.
'He has never been that late…', she thought 'Something must've happened or… or…'
'Mommy, what's wrong?', Bryan gently pulled her by the skirt she was wearing and placed his hands on her.
She gazed at him quickly like if she was interrupted from something that took all of her concentration.
'Where's daddy… I wanna eat up now and hear his stories…', the boy looked down and then let his eyes meet with his mother ones.
'He's probably in a traffic jam or something, we shouldn't be worrying-', she forced herself to smile after that, 'If you're hungry, I can prepare one portion just for you.'
The boy nodded without saying a word and at the same time they heard the door bell rang for a short but many times. The woman get to the door and without checking the vizier she opened it. She saw what she wasn't expecting to see. A police officer that was standing before her now appeared to be one of her husband's pals from police. He looked at her with a rather morbid and hard look before finally escaping from the range of her eye contact.
'Miss Sarah Fury?'
'Y-yes, that's correct. What's wrong? Did you happen to see my husband?', with determination she tried to see into his eyes every time he tried escaping.
The man swallowed his salvia before finally letting these words out.
'…Your husband was killed during the operation, I'm sorry-', he paused, 'There was nothing we could do to save him.'
Bryan was looking at them, not really understanding what the other guy said. What he saw was his mother hiding face in her palms and sobbing while the man placed a hand on her shoulder. The boy understood though that something bad had happened. Something that he couldn't help. He didn't have much chance of analyzing the facts his own way as his mother embraced him strongly with teary eyes. He didn't even remember all the words she was trying to say to him.
'Your father.'
'Never.'
'Coming back.'
All he was able to do was to embrace her back and let her cry on him.
-small records of funeral can be seen-
-tape is damaged so all of the scenes are either blurry or covered with scratches-
-first there's a close up at Bryan's face and later at Sarah-
-saluting police officers and family friends can be seen gathered at the cemetery-
-the last picture shows a grave with the name EDWARD ANSEL FURY and a bouquet of white chrysanths-
A few months passed since the head of Fury family died. Because Edward was the only person working that time, Sarah and her only son was having a really hard time with being able to eat full meals or to pay the bills like for the warm water or electricity. Bryan was attending local elementary school and his mother was trying to find whatever job or paid tasks she could do. She didn't go to the university or college in the past because right after she finished the senior year of a high school, she married Edward and soon Bryan was born. She never felt bad about making that decision. She was happy enough to find a 4 years older partner who took care of her and treated her like a goddess on earth.
But he died.
Nothing can be changed.
Bryan has never cried because of his father's loss, at least not before Sarah. He felt responsible for his mother so he tried his best, getting the best notes at school as he could and never getting into fights. He was cleaning the tiny apartment room instead of his mom so she could rest after her work. One could say he was quite mature as for his age.
That day wasn't different than from the rest of the days. The black-haired boy was playing with his toys in the other room, waiting for his mom so they could eat dinner together. After another hour of waiting, his mother got into the flat and smiled at Bryan.
'Mommy! Welcome back home-', he nearly jumped on her and embraced tight before she could do anything.
She moaned a little bit but actually hugged him back.
'Hey- Don't squeeze me that much.', she said with a rather fragile voice and lightly stroked his hair.
Then the boy was able to see a few scratches and swollen parts on her face.
'Mommy, what's wrong..?', he looked at her with scared and concerned eyes, still refusing to let go of her.
Sarah let out a weak, sad smile on her face and gently caressed his cheek.
'A small accident at my workplace, nothing you should be worried about.', still smiling she gingerly kissed boy's forehead.
The soothing warmth of mother's kiss and hand were stronger than his doubts so he finally surrendered and smiled back, letting her to put off her coat and shoes and actually going to prepare dinner.
When she was sure that her little son was fast asleep, she sat in the armchair and let go of a cry that she was fighting back all this way. She couldn't cry in front of him.
'He's too young for that… He needs a proper childhood… All I can do is to be there for him, pay bills and make him able to finish the education… I… I shouldn't interfere with my adult problems in his young life. Everything… Will be okay eventually. I know that this boy will have a bright future before him… I'll bear with everything just to make sure he's happy…'
Sarah rubbed off tears from her reddish eyes and went to take a shower. She wanted to go to sleep as soon as possible to stop thinking about the past few hours. Before she got into her bed she heard knocking to the door and a loud ring. At first she thought that someone might have mistaken the flats or something or it was one of their neighbors that picked up a latter for her or something so she opened it and soon after was grabbed by her throat and pushed back. The loud smack eventually woke Bryan up as he moved on the bed and opened his eyes.
'Owww..! What… What do you want from me? Why you're here? How dare y-', Sarah pierced the tall man around the age of 40 with her glare but then got kicked off to the ground again.
'Watch your mouth you bitch. I'm just making sure you won't get a stupid idea about talking what happened today to the police. Remember what I've told you?', he raised one of his eyebrows and gave her a sly grin.
'… I do you sick bastard.', she spat and lifted herself with her arms.
'I like rude woman, they're so exciting when fucking the crap outta them. Too bad you didn't agree to my proposition. It would make the things easier for you…', the man faked a concerned tone of his voice and grabbed her face with his hand, 'Your face is quite pretty, you know…'
When she was about to break free from an upcoming kiss, the guy was hit by some hard object right in his head. After a second it was clear that Bryan threw one of his toys to help his mother. He was standing in the middle of the room with the teeth and fists clenched.
'Leave my mom alone!'
'-Oh? Isn't it your little bastard? Tell him to go to bed, he's gonna interrupt us and I think we need to talk more…', the man grinned in a meaner way just to squish her face with more power.
'I told you to leave her alone!', the boy rushed at them with one of his fists ready to deliver the strongest punch he could ever do.
'Bryan no-', Sarah was being pushed on the floor and before she was able to do something, the boy was already kicked hard in his belly.
'Just as I thought, like mother like son in this case. I warned you.', then another kick was deliver but this time right into Bryan's face.
The poor kid clutched the pained face with one and the belly with another hand while whimpering.
'Stop it! If you wanna hit someone, then do it on me!', the woman stood up on her legs and shielded her son with opened arms.
The man glared at her for some time and then decided to let them go. He walked away towards the door, giving Sarah a chance to hug Bryan and check if he's okay.
'But remember. Just one word to the police and you and your little son will taste my wrath. Money means more than justice in this world. Sorry beings like you don't have a right to stand before someone like me.', with those words he left the flat .
Sarah snarled and then moved her sight on the boy who's head was lying on her lap. She gently whipped off a blood strain from the corner of his mouth and caressed his red cheek. She was nearly heartbroken to see him in that state because of her.
'I'm so sorry Bryan… I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you… It's all my fault… I promise that he's not gonna hurt you anymore aga-'
The boy placed his pointing finger on her lips to prevent her from talking more. Swallowing his own tears he gave her the warmest smile he could in his condition.
'Next time, I'll be the one to protect you.'
The woman remained silent from the astonishment and then slightly nodded. She realized that she shouldn't hide anything from him. Instead of holding a 6-year old kid, she held a young man now.
More years passed by month and month, Bryan was getting bigger and stronger. During his summer break he was taking small tasks or collecting cans to gather as much money as he could so his mother won't have to work that hard. If not picking up cherries from trees, he was taking neighbor's dogs for a walk or helping old lady with emptying her trash bin. He wasn't complaining about that even for once. Always when he handed money to his mother he was smiling widely, giving her a sign to not worry about him. He didn't know though, that he should've been worried about her.
One time when he got back home with a money stuffed into his pockets, he rushed into the living room and spotted his mom lying on a bed.
'Hey mom, hey mom! Lookcha what I got-! Now we have enough of money to save on the warm water in winter time.', he said aloud while getting closer.
Then getting no response, he examined her more closely and noticed that she's all red on her cheeks and was sweating all over her body, wheezing horribly. He didn't even need to check to see to that she's having a strong fever.
'M-mom? You alright..? Mom..?', he gently shook her arms.
When he did that, she finally manages to open her sick-looking eyes and gazed at him.
'Yes it just seems that I've caught a cold or something. No worries-', she whispered and coughed rather strongly after that.
'Have you taken any pills yet? It doesn't look like one of these colds that go away by their own…', he gingerly took her hand and lightly squeezed it 'I can go to the drugstore and get some.'
'If you could, but don't buy the expensive ones-'
'Shhh. I'll get whichever I can. Your health is the most important now.', he grinned and then rushed to the nearest pharmacy.
When he got back, what he saw wasn't looking all that good. His mother was coughing up blood. Bryan didn't even get stepped forward the room, because he ran down the stairs to knock on neighbor's door.
'Oh, hello Bryan, how can I help you-?', the door was opened by an old lady.
'Please, can you call up for an ambulance? My mom… My mom needs to go to the hospital!', pleaded with teary eyes, fighting back with an urge to cry.
-hospital's building can be seen now-
Bryan was sitting beside his mom's bed at the Sutter General Hospital. She had put on oxygen mask that helped her with breathing and was connected to multiple IV bags. From time to time the boy was sniffing and gazing at her weak face with a pained heart. He was wishing her to be alright in mind when a doctor came to the room. It was a tall, black man looking rather tired, he was probably up from the very morning and now the day is almost ending.
'Do you know what's wrong with my mom now?', the boy looked at him with concerned and worried look.
The man nodded and gazed at the lying woman.
'Miss Fury, wake up.', he ordered with a strong tone that indeed made Sarah awaken.
Running with sight all over the white walls of the room, she finally spotted her son and the doctor.
'Yes?', she whispered.
'Do you wish him to hear what I'm going to say?'
Bryan pierced the man with his slightly annoyed glare in response.
'I'm her son, I ought to know that!'
'It's okay doctor, I can't keep on hiding things from him… This won't make it any easier.', she closed her eyes and squeezed Bryan's hand.
'As you wish ma'am, judging from the x-ray results we can say that you have pneumonia. A really nasty one but it's not just it…'
'It can be cured with today's medicine… right?', she asked.
'Yes but I'm afraid that if you're going survive it, another illness will come up and strike you.', he paused and then looked into her green eyes, 'You were infected with HIV virus and now you have AIDS that hasn't been treated at all.'
Sarah didn't say anything for a few seconds. She closed her eyes for a longer time while taking a deeper breath.
'… Mom?', the boy gently squeezed her hand and looked back at the doctor.
'How… How long?', she opened eyes, full of tears but despite them her voice wasn't trembling.
'I'm afraid that two, maybe three weeks at most… We can give you some medicine that might slow down the whole process but at your rate I don't think it will be much better anyway.'
Finally one of the gathered tears rolled down her cheek as she bit her lower lip.
'Did you know that you were infected with the virus? Didn't you see any signs of getting weaker?', the doctor looked at curiously, 'I wonder how is that possible. You don't use any drugs or sleep with random men, do you?'
'I… Was raped 5 years ago.', then she paused biting her lower lip a bit stronger, anger rising within her with every next second, 'But I didn't think that it was AIDS causing my weakness for the past few months. I was too busy thinking about earning money so my only son wouldn't be hanging around with an empty stomach.'
Bryan looked down for a while in shame and then moved his sight at the doctor who wasn't looking severely at all. Especially after what she said. He took a deep breath and turned away.
'I'm sorry miss… Well uhm, I'll tell the nurse to bring you your medicine. Take care.'
After that he left the room with a tensed atmosphere. The boy looked into her glittering eyes and then felt how his cheeks are getting wet from his own tears.
'Mommy…', he only managed a very quiet squeak when he buried his face into her chest and started crying.
'Oh c'mon Bryney… You're quite of a man… How could you cry…', she gently embraced him and kept him close trying to sound strong but even she was crying.
In a soundless way so he wouldn't be any more heartbroken. The woman fondly started combing his short hair with fingers in order to comfort him as much as she could. She thanked god that he didn't look at her face since that moment. Without even noticing she fell asleep with him and was finally free of all the thoughts that were weltering inside her head.
A few days passed since then. Sarah didn't need to wear an oxygen mask anymore but her condition didn't get better at all. She was getting weaker from the antibiotics and AIDS that was slowly killing her in a painful way. Now she wasn't even able to sit on her own. She kept on lying motionless in the bed and coughing. Waiting for the death to come. Bryan just got back from the toilet when he saw her gazing at him in a unusual way. Her big green eyes were now almost grey and looked smaller than before. She even had more visible wrinkles on her tired, pale face. Her raven glossy hair was now matt and her skinny body was nothing like it used to look. Finally she broke the silence smiling as happier as she was able.
'Bryan, can… Can you sit with me?', she asked.
The boy nodded and quickly sit on the chair next to her bed. Not wasting any more time she gave him another question.
'Will you promise me something?', she moved her hand to touch his cheek.
'Yes, of course- What is it?', he gently cupped it with his hands and brought close to his face.
'Can you be the policeman just like your father was when you grow up? Can you be a strong and proud man…?', her eye lids were now half closed.
Bryan nodded again and then noticed how his mother has closed her eyes.
'I'm so happy…', she whispered 'Your dad… he…'
'… Mom-?', the boy gazed at her, feeling unsecure.
'He's proud… of you… So proud…'
Then a very small tear escaped from one of her eye lids and she smiled even more. After that the machine that was supporting her life stopped to make any sounds. Scared, he accidentally loosened the grip and her hand fell on the bed, lifeless.
'Mother…?'
There wasn't any answer.
'Mom… Mommy…', now he whispered shaking now like never before.
'Mother!'
He screamed on the top of his lungs. Feeling hopeless and so powerless. He failed on protecting her. It was his fault.
-the picture of him screaming gets blurry with noises all over it-
-the last one focuses on Sarah's motionless hand and then everything goes white-
