Capítulo 1: There Is No Greater Pain Than Helplessness
During stormy seasons, it was common for rain to fall so frequently that weather forecasts became unreliable. Yet, like any ordinary person, plans could still be made regardless of the weather.
One rainy day in May, long into the night, the Jones family emerged joyfully from a theater. Despite the weather, they had no intention of canceling their family plans.
After attending a performance at the Goble Theater in London, a crowd had gathered outside to take pictures of celebrities smiling for the cameras. Among the throng, one peculiar sight stood out—a small boy wearing sunglasses.
His name was Max Jones, and yes, he was partially blind.
The condition tormenting him was retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic and degenerative disease affecting the retina, causing progressive vision loss and, in advanced stages, blindness. While RP has no cure, in some advanced cases, certain mutations of the condition could be treated surgically.
Max was one of those rare cases, and he had a chance to regain his vision. This hope was the source of the Jones family's happiness.
People soon noticed Max's condition and offered him compassionate smiles, seeing him as "different."
But for Max, the only difference was that he couldn't see the world's beauty. Beyond that, he felt no other distinction.
As they left the theater, Max's parents planned to guide him, but he insisted on walking independently like a regular person, with only his cane for assistance.
Within him was a sense of self-sufficiency. He believed it was essential to show confidence to a world that might judge him.
The family of three aligned themselves: Max in the middle, flanked by his parents on either side. Passersby noticed Max's condition immediately. No one pointed it out; instead, they kindly stepped aside to let them through.
At that hour, the dim streetlights and a few open convenience stores were the only sources of light.
The family stood near the theater's side door. Max's father opened an umbrella and asked, "Is anyone hungry?"
At the mention "hungry," Max's stomach growled in response. He said, "I remember there's a convenience store nearby that should still be open."
Max's mother smiled. "I didn't even notice!"
His father added, "You're better at noticing things than all of us! Let's see if they have something we can grab before heading back to the hotel. Maybe we'll find the dark chocolate you love."
That chocolate, a 100% pure variety, was one of Max's favorite treats. He nodded eagerly.
A few minutes later, they entered the store. The young woman behind the counter greeted them, "Welcome."
Her face briefly registered surprise at seeing little Max, and she hesitated before asking, "What can I help you with?"
Max, meanwhile, had already detected her presence through the sweet honey-like scent of her perfume before she even spoke.
He walked further into the store, called London Food and Wine, a compact supermarket-like shop that even sold rotisserie chickens.
Max caught the aroma of roasting meat, waved his hand, and savored the scent. "That smells good—is that rotisserie chicken?"
The cashier, initially surprised, thought Max was complimenting her perfume. When he mentioned the chicken, she smiled in slight embarrassment.
Max's mother noticed the cashier's expression and understood her thoughts. Women often appreciated compliments, especially from children who couldn't judge appearances.
Max, being blind, was the perfect source of such compliments.
Ironically, his blindness made him endearing to others—a peculiar truth about humans, naturally prone to insecurity.
"Should we buy a rotisserie chicken?" Max's charming mother suggested, amused by her son's behavior.
The cashier stepped forward and calmly explained, "We only have rotisserie chickens with mustard sauce left. We also have skewers that were made earlier today."
Max considered this for a moment. "We'll take a chicken and a few skewers—one for each of us."
The cashier smiled, nodded, and began preparing their order.
Max turned to his mother and asked, "Where's Dad?"
She replied with a smile, "It's rare for him to have a day off tomorrow, so he went to grab some drinks."
Just as she finished speaking, Max's father returned with a few cans of beer. He placed them on the counter and said, "After wrapping up a deal with the Japanese, I told the director I was taking some time off. It's not easy for the boss to take many days off, but exceptions are always made for Max's upcoming surgery."
Max, unfazed, declared, "Dad, when I grow up, I'll repay the millions this surgery costs. I promise—I'll do incredible things once I regain my vision."
His parents looked at him with moved expressions. No matter the cost, they knew their son would always value the little things in life.
After the cashier packed their food and scanned a few extra snacks they added, she placed everything in a bag. "That'll be 39 pounds. Will you be paying by cash or card?"
Max's father took out his wallet and was about to pay when suddenly, two people burst into the store.
"Empty the cash register!"
Both men held Glock pistols in their hands and wore black ski masks that covered their faces. The man speaking was taller than everyone else present, but his build was slender.
By instinct, Max's father immediately shielded his son and wife behind him, then looked at the thief who was talking.
"Calm down; no one will do anything stupid. You can take my wallet."
"Calm down, you say? I am calm! As long as everyone gives me their money, no one will get hurt." Another thief pointed his gun at the girl behind the counter. She was so scared that her face turned pale. She had never expected something like this to happen on her first night shift.
All her movements froze, and she could barely breathe.
What if she gave them the money, and they deducted it from her salary?
What if they accused her of being an accomplice?
Max's father saw the girl's panic and said, "Don't be nervous, young lady, just do what they ask."
"This guy's pretty smart. Bitch, listen to him, and hand over all the money. Then we'll get out of here."
Seeing the thief wave his gun around erratically, Max's father decided not to make any reckless moves as long as his family's safety wasn't threatened.
Even if he didn't have a weapon on him, he would use his fists and teeth to protect the people he cared about most in this life. For now, the priority was to calm the erratic behavior of the thieves.
The girl listened to his words and began taking money from the register. During this time, one of the thieves noticed food on the counter and grabbed it, wanting to try it.
The man who had been shouting scolded him.
"Are you a pig? Don't you know what we're doing here?"
"We're already here; why can't I eat something?"
These men were too high on drugs to think clearly about what they were doing.
The girl placed all the money into a bag, trembling, and set it on the counter. "It's all here," she said.
The thief nodded with satisfaction, then pointed his gun at Max's family and shouted, "Now you hand over all your belongings, too! Hurry up!"
Max's father pulled the money from his wallet, and another thief quickly grabbed it, stuffed it into the bag, and then pointed at the woman beside him.
"Honey..."
"That's everything we have. There's nothing else you can take."
Max's head buzz. Perhaps if those words hadn't come from his father's mouth and they continued obeying, the drugged thieves might relax their attitude.
But his father's authoritative tone seemed like a challenge to them. One of the thieves yelled, "If I want your wife to strip, she will! Did you hear me, you son of a bitch?"
Judging by the behavior of these two men, it was obvious they wouldn't let them go after just taking their money.
That's why, before anyone could react, there was a loud crash, and bottles and cans from the shelves scattered across the floor.
Max's father had decided to act.
Seeing the situation turn bad, one of the thieves kicked at Max's father, but he dodged easily. The thief who fell to the ground simply tried to get up, only to be kicked down again.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Max's father was a strong man, and he quickly subdued the thieves with ease. But what always wins against fists? Yes, guns.
The thief who had fallen to the ground crawled toward his weapon, grabbed it, aimed at Max's father, and pulled the trigger.
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