Streets of Gold
Author's Note: This is dedicated to Salysha, an extremely talented writer. Please check out her fics if you get a chance, you won't be disappointed!
These streets will never change. Depending on what part of town you were in, the scent in the air seemed to change to fit its prosperity. In the richer areas of Mexico City, the air smelled of various spices that would be used to cook expensive meals for those that could afford them. The air in the areas less fortunate carried a sense of heaviness and smelled of dirt and sweat. It was a smell that I'd never forget. The people here had grown accustomed to it as it was the smell of hard labor and not enough positive results in return. Countless children roamed the streets, looking desperately for something to claim as their own. Fathers worked long hours of physical labor just to make enough money to keep their families under a roof. Mothers worked vigorously in gardens that they themselves grew, using wrinkled hands to sift through piles of dirt just to find enough to provide a decent meal for their children. Like these people, I have understood what it means to suffer, to lay in a cold bed and cry myself to sleep.
Now I am King, a famous wrestler known for my charitable deeds to this community as well as countless others. But before the mask, before the financial success, I was someone else. I was someone without a true home, someone without guidance. Just like these children on the streets, I used to roam around desperate to claim anything as my own. I wanted anything, something to make me feel in control of my life. Whether it had been a loaf of bread or a bracelet of many beads, I searched for anything that I could call 'mine'. Because in a world where you are given nothing, your first instinct is to reach out and take whatever you can. Without parents of my own to rely on for support, I had to live off the streets and fend for myself. Life was a competition, a race to see who could survive the longest. Many friends that I had grown with since I was a baby had become mere victims to life itself. Poverty, injustice, and violence was all we knew. If only people knew just how many friends I watched die, how many I craddled in my arms as they took their last breaths. Friends that were beaten to the point of broken bones, just because they had something of 'value' around their necks or wrists. Friends that were so hungry, their ribs and pale skin had become their most prominent features. Friends that were like me, with no home to return to and no one to look out for them. All we had was each other, and that was all we could rely on.
After most of my friends had died, I became a violent thief, taking from whomever I pleased or deemed unworthy of what they had. Trouble followed me everywhere I went and I welcomed it. There was so much anger inside of me, so much frustration. After all, if life was just a game to be played, then I would play it to the fullest. I was consumed by rage and jealousy, unwilling to lie down and let life defeat me. But one day, that all changed when a man stopped to help me. He was the original King before me, the one person who single handedly saved my life that day. Wearing a jaguar mask and walking with a sense of hidden pain, he stopped me from entering the point of no return, pulled me back from the edge of darkness. His words were kind and even though he was a tall and intimidating man, his actions were gentle. I'll never forget his words to me on that day.
"Son, why were you going to kill that man?", he asked.
"Because he took something that belonged to me, that's why.", I responded. But before I could turn around to leave, the man put a hand on my shoulder.
"Where are your parents?"
I remained silent, remembering what had happened. My eyes stayed on the dirt path underneath me, listening to the sound of the wind blowing and chickens searching for seeds. But after a few moments, I felt like this man was genuine and that I could trust him. Doing something I had almost never done anymore, I told the truth. "My mom and dad left me."
"What do you mean?", he asked, kneeling down to my eye level.
"When I was little, they drove me out to the shore and told me to look for some shells...when I got out of the truck, they drove away. And after that, I never saw them again." I remember feeling vulnerable, something I hated to feel.
"That is a terrible thing to go through...Tell you what. Why don't you pick out someplace nice to eat and I'll take you there. Would you like that?"
I was no fool. "Sure, as long as you're paying." The man kneeling in front of me laughed through his mask. With a nod he agreed. Later on that day, he told me about an orphanage that he ran. He said that if I'd like, he could take me in as one of his own. To be honest, I planned on stealing his wallet after the meal, but something about his offer caught my attention. It wasn't the free housing or the free food, no it was something else. He seemed like a good man and I had a feeling that I could learn a thing or two from him. I accepted his offer that day and he took me under his wing. He taught me how to wrestle and how to properly defend myself. I didn't know it that day, but over the years, he became like a father to me. I became a better person under his guidance and that feeling felt better than anything in the whole world. When he died, I took up his mask and his identity. His spirit would not die, for I would continue to share his teachings and his kindness to as many people as I could.
"Hey! Give that back!" The scream caught my attention, and I stopped in my tracks on the street. My eyes searched for the source and before long, I noticed a little boy standing in front of a small girl. She was crying and her hands gripped tightly to her pink dress. Her face was hidden by her long brown hair, as if in shame. Curious as to what was going on, I started to walk over.
"That's my sister's, so give it back!" The boy was screaming at a group of three other children around the same age. In one of their hands, I noticed a bracelet. It must've belonged to that girl. The three saw me and right away, they turned to leave. But the angry boy would not have it. Crouching to the ground, he picked up a heavy stone and took a step towards them. Thankfully, before he could act, I grabbed his wrist and took the stone.
"It's King!", he said once he turned around. Carefully, I threw the stone away and knelt down to both him and his crying sister.
"Hello.", I said to them. Right away, the little girl stopped crying and started to suck her thumb. They both seemed to be afraid of me. I didn't blame them; a tall muscular man wearing the mask of a jaguar would appear frightening to most children. Behind them, I noticed that the other three that had taken the bracelet were peeking from around a corner. Everybody knew who I was here, for many, I was a hero and a role model. That was an image that I was proud to live up to.
"What're your names?" The girl remained silent and the boy hesitated.
"...My name is Diego. And this is my sister, Lorena.", the boy finally responded.
"Well, it's nice to meet you Diego and Lorena. Would you mind telling me what happened?" After I finished my question, Diego seemed to become more comfortable. He immediately pointed towards the three boys hiding around the corner.
"Juan, Roberto, and Manuel took my sister's bracelet. I tried to tell them to give it back, but they wouldn't listen to me. Can you please beat them up for us, Mr. King? Please?" The three kids in hiding gasped and watched to see what I would do. Shaking my head, I asked Diego another question.
"Why would I do that, Diego?"
"Well because you beat people up in the ring, you can do it now can't you?"
"Diego. There are many reasons to fight, but not all of them are right. I fight to raise money to help children all around the world. I fight to protect people. But fighting to harm someone for revenge, I've learned, will get you no where. You have to be stronger than that." I looked back and forth between Lorena and Diego's eyes before continuing. "When I was your age, someone very important told me that violence will only bring more violence. If you hurt someone to get even, they can hurt you worse."
"But Mr. King, if you beat them up, they won't be able to hurt you back because you're strong!"
"Diego, think about this. If you do something bad and get hurt, then who will look after Lorena? You're her big brother, you have to be there for her. And if you get yourself in trouble, how will you be able to protect her?" The young boy looked to the thought, as if pondering the idea.
"...I...I guess you're right Mr. King. But...what will I do about my sister's bracelet?", he asked. I patted him on the head and stood back up, walking over to where the other three boys were hiding. As soon as they saw me turn the corner, they gasped in fear. Being careful not to scare them, I crouched down slowly and smiled.
"Hi there. May I please ask why you took little Lorena's bracelet from her?" One of the boys swallowed hard before answering me.
"Umm...well I really liked it and I thought my mother would too, so I took it as a gift for her..."
"And what's your name?"
"Uh it's Roberto."
"Well Roberto, did you see that you made Lorena cry? It's not nice to take things that belong to other people. Would you mind giving it back to her and saying you're sorry?"
"...okay Mr. King sir, I'll give it back to her." With that, he and his two friends made their way over to Diego and Lorena. I watched as they shyly gave back the bracelet and apologized. Satisfied with the outcome, I approached the group and made an offer.
"You know, I'm so proud of all of you for being so nice. How about I buy you all some more bracelets to share? But you have to promise me that you won't steal anything again and that you'll be nice to each other, okay?" The children seemed to light up, their smiles prompting my own. Once they all nodded, I stood up and walked over to a nearby stand and purchased enough for all of them to divide equally. After thanking the vendor, I turned and knelt back down to the children, spreading open my palms for them to take the bracelets.
"Thank you!", they all yelled in unison. I smiled again and offered one last bit of advice before continuing on my way.
"You know, material things can be important, but what's even more important is friends and family. You all have to look out for each other okay? In the end, only the support of people you care about can make you truly happy." They all cheered and thanked me again, running off with each other towards their homes. Diego waved to me with a smile before telling his sister Lorena to follow him. She turned, still sucking her thumb. But just as I was about to continue walking, she turned back around and ran towards me. Shocked, it took me a moment to realize that she was hugging me.
"Thank you, Mr. King.", she said with a gentle, quiet voice. With a pat on the head, I sent her off towards Diego again, watching as they waved me goodbye. Seconds later, they were out of sight, back inside the safety of their homes. Putting my hands in my pockets, I laughed silently to myself and continued down the road. I always thought that these streets would never change. But maybe I was wrong. Maybe these streets did change. Maybe these children would be the ones to make things right.