Ch.1

July 5, 1999-

It was hot and humid that day. The sun’s burning rays could be felt in the stifling atmosphere. It’s one of those days in downtown Toronto, Michael thought, where stupid people do stupid things for no reason.

As Michael Thompson rounded the corner of the block, basketball thumping rhythmically, two shots sounded not far from where he was. Sirens wailed a few moments later and as Michael grew closer to the source of the gunshots, the sirens grew louder.

He quickened his pace, hoping to catch a glimpse of the action, and just as quickly he stopped dead in his tracks. About ten metres in front of him was a lifeless body on the ground with a patch of deep red blooming outwards from the abdomen. The head was lolled to one side, its alert yet distant eyes looking out at Michael.

The basketball dropped to the ground as Michael’s hand fell to his side. The percussion of the ball echoed loudly and in seemingly slow motion in his head. One word fell out of his mouth in a whisper, “Dad…”

He felt himself break out in a near-sprint towards his father as police cruisers and ambulances arrived. He saw a medic check his father’s pulse while the officers handled crowd control, and began dispersing in different directions in search of suspects and clues. The medic gave his partner a headshake and immediately began CPR. As Michael neared the scene, he yelled, “Dad…!”

The officers and some of the bystanders that had gathered since, turned around. The officer standing in front of the body caught Michael firmly in his arms. “Let me go!” he cried, “He’s my father!”

The medic, a few feet in front of them, said, “No pulse. I’m calling it. July fifth 1999, 7:24pm, victim pronounced dead.” Tears stung Michael’s eyes as a white plastic sheet covered the body, concealing the distant eyes of his dead father. Michael buried his faced into the officer’s chest, tears streaming and teeth clenched.

Nothing was the same for Michael after that. There was no comfort or joy, no reason to live. Nothing until those sacred words had finally been spoken to him a few years later, “Welcome to the Blood Brothers, Mikey.”