Chapter 3: Healed

Chapter 3: Healed

On Sunday morning the week after the incident, I was released. I was able to walk now but my arm still needed a few weeks for healing before it can work again. I took a taxi back to my house. The taxi ride was  long but at least I was able to return home. When the taxi stopped in front of my house, I paid the cab man the amount of money for the trip plus a few more Irish pounds. "Here's your change sir." said the cab man. " keep it." I said. A smile formed on the man's face. "Thank you sir." he said as he drove off. I walked towards the door and picked up the daily news paper on the mat and unlocked the door. I stepped inside and shut the door behind me. I went toward an armchair in front of the fire place. I sat down and read the news paper. I looked at the headline that read, 'Gangsters Numbers Increase' . I read the article. 'A certain group of gangsters have increased in numbers lately. The origin of this group and their activities still remain shrouded in mystery. Reporters from various sources claim that they  have seen these gangsters in drug trafficking activities late at night when these reporters take an evening stroll. It is also said that...' I stopped reading. I began to think about the gangsters that beat me up last week. I wondered if the article was referring to these gangsters. These thoughts raced around in my mind and then I fell asleep. I dreamed of what those gangsters could've done to me if they were high. They could've killed me. The dream was very unpleasant and I woke up a few minutes later. Either I was shivering from the cold autumn air or it was the thought of those merciless gangsters. I decided that I needed to take a walk to calm my nerves. I put on my coat and went outside. The air felt cold on my skin. I headed toward the park. Then I started to walk slowly when I reached the park. I was feeling cautious now. I walked along my usual path but then I stopped. In front of me was the location where I was attacked. I kept my distance from that place and began walking again. The memory of me being attacked played around in my mind like a horror movie. Fragment after fragment, the memory of it returned. I was walking along another path now which was quite far from my original path. I was very cautious for I wasn't sure wether the gangsters were here. I kept walking and tried to forget about the attack but my efforts to forget the event were futile. I was entering an area with trees on both sides of the path with branches that curved on each other forming a tunnel. There was little sunlight that burst through the trees. I walked while observing my surroundings. The air was colder around this area. I fastened my pace. I heard a soft rustling noise from the bushes in front of me. I stopped walking. I slowly approached the bush. I looked into the bush and was relieved to find a squirrel collecting nuts. I felt foolish that I mistook a squirrel for a threat. I turned back home.