Free Write

An old man or woman confesses a lifetime of secrets—many of which involve violence, torture, and murder.

I was sat in the worn out chair, trying to find any words, my mind was blank. How do you respond to something like that. I can't believe it, I won't believe it.

Two hours ago, I'd come to Cherrytree Nursing home, for my usual visit with Beryl, I had done the same thing every Saturday for just over a year now. Nothing prepared me for this mornings talk.

I walked into her little apartment as usual, we greeted each other with a hug, and sat down with a cup of tea.
Then Beryl gave me a hard look.
I asked what was up, she said 'I need to tell you something.'
She coughed loudly, as if to see if anyone was outside her door.
'Well....' she started.
' Now that I have been given a guide of how long I have left, it's time I told somebody what I really used to be like.'
I frowned at her, but gave a nervous smile.
'Did you realise i used to be part of a huge organization, well, to put it bluntly Nottingham Maffia.'
I started thinking, has she gone mad, does she need her meds, what the hell.....
'I'm honestly telling you the truth here.' she half laughed.
'When i was young and fit, I used to be a badass, if you didn't pay my bosses, they'd send me and my, god rest his soul, husband in. we'd give them a choice, get the money by the end of that day, or lets just say, it involved legs, vices and a lot of screaming.'
What am I hearing, seriously, this 88 year old sweet dear lady, is telling me that she used to be in the Maffia.
My voice trembling, I managed to squeek out the words ' wow, yikes!'
'I'm not really a bad person, but it was a good source of money, and i kinda lived in the disrict where, you were either with them or against them.'
By then I had kind of let go of my fear, and became curious. She wasn't exactly dangerous now.
' Well, have you, ya know, killed anyone?' I inquired.
'Actually, I have, it was an accident mind you, put his head in...