The past never forgets

His eyes opened, not so much at once. The light was too strong, blinding him, making him feel sick. He vomited on the side and then, noticed he was on a chair and he was tied to it, by hands and legs. As he couldn't turn so good, he had vomit stains on his new trousers, the ones he had bought for his first days as general manager of the bank.

 - Awake? - said someone behind him.

A young boy appeared in front of him. He was using a hoodie and jeans. The boy grabbed a metallic folding chair that rested against the farthest wall. He opened the chair in front of the tied man, sat down and smiled at him.

 - How do you like it?

 His voice was soft, to the point of being annoying. Somehow, the guy in the chair knew he had heard the voice before but couldn't put all the thoughts together. He felt his head pounding and an urgent urge to vomit again. But he didn't.

 - Alex Winston. You even have the perfect name for what you are.

Then he felt it: something liquid sliding down his forehead and falling on his pants. It was blood. He started to breath fast, finally realizing he was in danger.

 - You sure are slow. I'm afraid that's what a baseball bat does.

He wanted to talk but couldn't. The boy smiled when he noticed these attempts. His mouth stretched so big. Or maybe he was imagining it? He closed his eyes but the pain remained.

 - Trying to remember? Take your time honey. Meanwhile, let me help you.

The boy stood up and the tied man trembled. The boy smiled again and walked past the man. He tried to gather all his strength to free himself but it was useless. His arms and legs felt like noodles and his head wasn't exactly up for the task of walking. The small amount of consciousness he had told him that maybe he had been drugged too.

The boy came back with a cellphone on one hand and the bat in the other, drag it on the floor. The guy in the chair then trembled again and found it difficult to breath.

 - So, Alex... You're 32, right? General manager of the FN Bank... Sweet, huh?

The man stood still and only breathed heavily.

 - What? Something to say before I begin?

But Alex said nothing. His body couldn't help him do nothing.

 - Ok then. Let's start. You're a naughty boy, aren't you? You like boys and girls, metrosexual, a player. But do you remember? Do you have the capacity to feel? Both really great questions.

He then got near and Alex shivered. The boy laughed out loud. He raised the cellphone on his hand and showed the displayed image to Alex. It was the picture of a girl, maybe twenty years old.

 - Remember her, Alex? Do you ?

Alex didn't remembered. And his attacker saw that on his face: he punched him in the stomach so hard, he started vomiting again.

 - While you do that... - He browsed to more pictures. - ... do you know him?

He grabbed Alex by the ear and made him watch: the picture was now even more grim. It was the one of a dead boy, probably the age of the mad young men that held him there. But Alex did not remember.

 - You fucking piece of shit.

Alex thought he was going to be hit again but, instead, the boy went back to his seat. His way of moving, his expressions, everything about that guy was disturbing.

 - I have three others but first I want you to speak. Tell me your father's name. Now.

He had to gather all his energy. It wasn't much. But he managed to say one thing: "Robert". The boy was evidently pleased. He stood up and got near the chair. Alex shivered again but the guy only grabbed something from below the chair: a bottle filled with water. He opened and told Alex to be still: he poured some liquid into his mouth and watched as he drank.

The water made him feel better but, suddenly, memories came rushing to his head and, in return, the headache was bigger.

 - "Always watch behind you". Isn't that a great lesson? I sure learned it.

He watched Alex to the eyes and Alex new he had to do the same, or he would stand no chance. The guy smiled again but this time hatred could be felt, as if it had a temperature, a very low one.

 - Water makes miracles... Now, do you remember them? Or... do you remember me?

Yes. He did. But when he realized who the boy was, they both kept silent as, in the distance, sirens could be heard.

 - Well, that's my cue to get the fuck out. And please, never forget my face.

He stood up and left the cellphone on the chair. He then walk towards Alex and kissed him in the mouth. He didn't close his eyes as he did it. It only lasted a few seconds. After that, the boy disappeared behind him.

As he felt a bit stronger, he began trying to release himself and only managed to burn his wrists. Then, just minutes after his captor had left, a team of policeman and special forces agents stormed the building he was in.

The first they did was take the phone from the seat. They only released him from the ropes when they had checked what it apparently contained.

He told them he didn't remembered anything and that the guy that had kept him there, a young man, had hit him with a bat and punched him too.

 - You could catch him. He left only minutes ago.

Then, a police woman entered the premises. As she checked the cellphone, she asked for Alex's father and apparently browsed through images and documents. She finally looked at Alex and walked to him.

 - I'm Sheriff Janice Jones. It is my duty to inform you that were putting you under arrest for the rape  and murder of, at least, four people.

Alex didn't hear the rest. He was being handcuffed when he realized what was on the cellphone. It was the one thing he had dreaded for years and that guy, that young man...

They had met years ago in a party and bonded over drinks. He was an innocent, idealist guy. But Alex wasn't. And he did what he had always done and that was his downfall.