"Let's just go and see my aunt first, then we can talk about Jessica and her nonsense" I muttered and folded my arms across my chest.
"Alright then, that's good" Frank said and began going through his phone. I took my eyes away, looking outside through the glasses while we continued with our trip back to the Mainland.
Just as we arrived at the Mainland, Frank stopped to get some things from a convenience store. He was at the convenience store when I saw a familiar face walking across the road. I opened the door of the car and stepped out to confirm but then, I couldn't find the person anymore.
"Is everything okay?" The driver asked, he was curious.
Well, I shook my head negatively and said, "Nothing, I just thought I saw someone" I returned into the car, and just as I was about shutting the door of a little girl came in rags, with her blind looking brother and asked if they could get money to buy food, that they hadn't eaten since morning. "Since morning?" I was shocked, "Where are your parents?" I asked.
"We don't have parents, only guardians. And they don't used to give us food always, we are really hungry now" The girl's brother complained, he was obviously the eldest.
That was odd, I never really thought there were cruel people in this part of the world. "Sorry, okay? Let me see what I can do for you two" I said about checking my purse when the driver told me not to bother, that the kids were just faking everything. "As in how, I don't understand!" I wrinkled a brow as I stared at his reflection in the rearview mirror.
"Trust me, they are not who they are. Most of the children here are beggers, they disguuses as handicapped to get money" he explained, and just as I turned to look at the kids they both began drawing back. Even the one that seemed to be blind was now behaving as if he was conscious about his surrounding. Was he really blind.
"Kids, come please... I want to ask you" I said and just then, they ran away. I was heart broken, I really wanted to ask them questions, why did they turned themselves into beggers, weren't they supposed to be in school? Of course yes, they looked eight and ten to me respectively, and kids their ages were supposed to be in school.
"You see, what did I told you?" The driver said and continued, "I was conned thrice by some of those children, they would come to tell you they were orphans or their parents were sick... The stories never end, you know, and if you give them money they would runaway even after disguising themselves as blind or handicapped. And another set would come to you with the same technique, they never get tired"
"But why? Why were they doing all that? I think they are hungry that's why, they are trying to survive by all means necessary" I said imagining how hard it would be for the kids, the fact that they seemingly had no parents or proper guardian.
"For all I know, there are people that are making money off what they are doing. When the kids gets money, they share with those people. In return, the people give them food and place to sleep. They also give them protection against potential harm" he explained further, putting me into shock. Why wouldn't I be shocked hearing such a devastating thing? Those kids were too young to be turned into that, why wouldn't the government interfere?
"What's the government doing? Does the Mayor knows about it?" I curiously asked. He ought to, the fact that he was in charge of handling the affairs of the town. If he doesn't know about it then that means he's incompetent, I thought to myself.
"Well, the Mayor is trying his best. Just that, the people running the business are smart. I don't know how and where they used to get children to use for the business, and those children were mostly from the southern part of the continent and possibly had no documentation" he responded, however I wasn't satisfied with his response. If the government was doing their best, the situation would have been curbed by now. But seeing how badly the situation was, I was sure nothing serious was being done.
"I don't think the government is trying its job, if the Mayor wants to curb the situation I am sure he will do that" I muttered.
"How?" he asked, more like trying to defend the mayor. Like seriously? Was he related to the Mayor or what exactly? I mulled over before replying him,
"Simply, he should organized a secret mission and go deep into the situation. I am pretty sure he would be able to get to the bottom of it, have the cartel broken, and sentence all the big men in charge to prison. Then the children can be sent to the orphanage" I suggested.
"Brilliant suggestion," he commended, "but you are not the Mayor's special advisor, and I am not the Mayor. And I don't think the people here are worried about the situation, ever since you've been here have you ever met those children?" he asked.
"No!" I responded. He kind of got a point there, actually. "I haven't met them but now I have, right?" I wrinkled a brow at him as he turned and looked at me.
"Yes, and that means the situation is now under control. Though not curbed, totally. Before, it was more than this. But now, I think the business is diminishing" he said.
"Okay, I hope and pray it diminishes to zero soon" I said, just then Frank came back with the other guy that was supposed to be sitting in the front with the driver. His bodyguard.
He came back with some nylons, filled with... probably some goodies and the have them kept in the boot (also known as trunck) of the car. Thus, we headed for Cornfield.
