Young Writers Society

im sorry if the paragraphs arent indented correctly, they were originally, but wen i posted it, it didnt seem to space right.

im happy with my prologue. Im mainly concerned with ch1.

Prologue

7:00 am, my eyes open to early morning sun, just coming over the horizon and into my the opening of my window onto my dark skinned face. I sat up coming back to reality, away from the heaven that was my dreams; awake into the hell that was my life. I just sat up in my bed starring out the cracked window in front of me. That window used to be clean and unbroken much like my life. Despite it’s brokenness there was still something that made it all worth it. It was my escape from this horrid house. An escape from the two that say they love me.

This window explains my life. There was a time when it was beautiful and nice, but eventually it was left to fend for itself since no one cared. It was then scarred by one who made it. It seemed worthless until I used it to get out of here every once and awhile. I found one thing that makes it important.

When I was younger, my life was pretty good, until my dad found my mom again. My foolish mom bought into all his lies and we moved in with him here in Ashburg. It was then that I found my dad was an alcoholic and a very violent person. He scarred me from some of his beatings. My mother is a fool who does nothing about it. All she cares about his her blind love who hits her as well.

Pretty soon they stopped caring and helped me with nothing. I have been forced to become something I’m not because of the things that happen out on the streets or in my school. I often have to run from certain gangs or just a group of people trying to jump me. I’m lucky I haven’t been shot yet. Ashburg is a rough city. However I have adapted somewhat. I’m no longer so defenseless. If someone is going to attack me their going to have a tough time.

Even still, I do get hurt though. My parents wouldn’t even care when they saw me walk in the door with bruises on my body, and sometimes my father would add some more. Its gotten so bad that I don’t even come home sometimes. I would rather suffer the streets rather than the constant attacks from my father.

One of the only reasons I come home is to scavenge for food. My life is hard. I had no one who truly cares for me. I had no goal here. I had nothing. There was only one thing in my life that I live for. One thing that shines a light on my dark life.

We met after school one day when these kids were messing with her. Afterwards I helped her out and walked her home. From then on we met a lot. As time went on, I fell in love with her. Her parents are very strict and cautious about me. They see me as a common thug which I’m not. They don’t approve, but Elena and I didn’t care. Although we never said it, we were a couple. She is what I live for. The only love I have in my life, and I’m not about to leave it.

So why do I get up in the morning? Why do I still go to school? Why am I still here? It’s because I need to see her again. She is the only good thing in my life.

Chapter 1

Quickly I snapped out of my day dreaming and got dressed. I strapped my backpack on and headed towards my door. It was still kind of early so my parents should still be asleep, I thought as I cracked open my door to see if anyone was up. I scanned the room but saw nothing but the furniture in the same place as always. Silently rushed out towards the kitchen hoping to get some food. I was starving because I didn‘t come home last night. If all goes as planned, my parents won’t even realize I was back. They don’t even care anyways, so its not if it concerns them.

I turned the corner and almost tripped when I found my dad scuffling around in the fridge. My first thought was the door to just get the heck out of here, but my second thought saw the pantry ahead of me. Perhaps he won’t do anything today. He might be so tired and not even care. My stomach won over my mind as I tried to act nonchalantly walking over to the pantry. My dad noticed and turned around to face me standing so tall. I just ignored him and went about my business of getting some food. I could hardly take his ominous glare following my every move.

“Finally get home did ya,” he said. I replied with a quiet “Ya” back. He walked to stand in my way of the pantry.

“Where were you last night boy!” he said in a threatening tone as he towered over me. “Well?!”

“I was with Elena,” I said avoiding eye contact with the beast.

Remember when I said there was only one good thing I know of that brightens up my life? Well Elena was it

“What the hell were you doing with her huh!?” he shouted. I cringed as his hand met my cheek with a audible smack.

“We were just walking around,” I spoke.

“Really now? What a load of bull shit!” he yelled at me. I turned away as the spit from his mouth darted at me. I could tell that he was totally drunk by the reeking stench of achohol off his clothing. “Why are you gonnna lie to me boy, when I damn know what you were doing?!” He hit me again this time in the neck. He then hit me in the stomach making me fall to my knees.

“You stay away from that little whore!” he demanded as he put his foot on my back.

“She’s not a whore,” I mumbled under my breath as I sat on my knees.

“What was that!” he bellowed at me, pressing his foot harder on my back.

“Nothing,” I replied back trying to lower his ever growing temper.

“I’m tired of your smart ass remarks!” he yelled at the top of his lungs as he shoved me into the table behind me. As he started walking towards me, mom entered the room saying “What‘s going on?” watching as dad hit me again.

“Honey wait stop,” she passively spoke.

“Shut up woman!” dad yelled back at her as he took another swing at me.

My mom was always an obedient dog to dad even when her son was getting beat in front of her. She always told me how dad didn’t mean it and that he will change in time, but he never did.

I got up as quickly as I could, but I wasn’t fast enough for him to get me again. By this time I lost control of myself. I then rammed my palm into his nose with a cry of pain following out of his mouth. Again he swore as he tried to punch me. I then kicked his balls and he swore at me some more. He went reaching for a kitchen knife to his left as I took off towards the door pushing my mom aside as she tried to grab me. She would always grab me and try to convince me and dad to say sorry to each other, but that always ended up with me on the ground trying to crawl away.

As I ran out the door, I heard “That’s right get the hell out of here and don’t come back!” Like I ever wanted to I thought.

I soon slowed to a slow walk trying to catch my breath. School was just a few blocks down the road. The reason I spoke after dad hit me, was because I love Elena and I can barely take it when people say something about her in front of me. That’s why fighting dad back came so easily to me.

Last night I didn’t come home, because I didn’t want to face the beast that dwells in my house. I was past my curfew so he would’ve been mad at me and probably beat me some more. Instead I hung out with Elena. We walked around for a little and when it got late, I walked her home. She wanted me to sneak in her house so I could have a place to sleep, but I would rather not be caught by her parents, who would definitely bring my dad into this.

Elena’s parents don’t approve of me. To them I am seen as a common thug, but that’s not me, that’s what I try to be to keep others away. Despite their disapproval, me and Elena see each other anyways.

I met her after school one day when these kids were messing with her. I would normally have stopped those guys, but they weren’t the people you want to mess with.

Afterwards I helped her out and walked her home. Well since that day, we saw each other a lot and as time went on, I fell in love with her. Although we never said it, we were a couple. She is what I live for. The only love I have in my life, and I’m not about to leave it.

So why do I get up in the morning? Why do I still go to school? Why am I still here? It’s because I need to see her again. She is the only good thing in my life.

I always thought about Elena on my way to school. I always meet her at her house and walked with her to school. She never asked me to do that, but I would rather her not walk alone to school. You never know whose walking around.

Speaking of the matter, I noticed three guys start following me. To make sure, I decided to branch off the main street, going away from Elena’s house. Surely enough, I saw them turn the corner following me and getting closer as they trotted down the sidewalk. Finally I turned around to face them.

“You want something!” I said in a threatening tone. They flinched for a second, but continued at me.

“What you got?” one said as they walked closer and stood in front of me.

“I got nothing for you so get your ass away from me!” I replied in the same voice. One of them ran up to me and pushed me.

“You’re asking for it you little punk,” he said as the others began to surround me. Sensing no way around this, I got ready for a fight.

“I think we ought a teach you some respect,” another said.

“I think you guys better back off before you get shot!” someone threatened walking from behind me. I looked to see Big John coming to my rescue. He lifted up part of his shirt showing a 9mm pistol strapped to his stomach by his shorts. One looked at him with an angry look.

“Come on guys this fool ain’t worth our time,” he said as the other two followed walking away.

“Thanks man you really saved my ass,” I said to John as our hands met to a high five.

“No applause please ,” he replied back jokingly. John was always the joker of my friends. “You know maybe I wouldn’t have to save your ass if you carried some heat man.” We began walking to the main street continuing our conversation.

“Nah man I don’t plan to be charged on murder some day,” I answered.

“Ya your right, you’re the one whose going to be murdered,” he replied wittily. “Look man you don’t even have to have it loaded, just use it as a threat. I can hook you up with one real easily.”

“I don’t know man I’ll think about it,” I said as we turned the corner heading back to the school.

“Look I’m just trying to look out for you. I don’t wanna be going after someone one day because I found your dead body on the side walk,” he said with no sarcasm in his voice.

“I don’t know, I get back to you on that alright,” I replied sticking to my virtue of never needing a gun.

“Here,” John said putting something in my hand. “At least keep this with you so you can fend off people aight?” I looked down into my hand. It was a simple pocket knife.

“Alright fine,” I reluctantly agreed as I slipped it into my pocket. “I’ll meet up with you later alright.”

“Where you going?” he asked confused. “Oh wait let me guess, gonna go walk Elena to school huh?”

“Ya what if I am?” I replied.

“Hey I mean no offense man go do your thing,” he said giggling a bit. “Just don’t let me catch you two surrounded by three guys again aight.”

“Alright man I’ll see ya,” I said walking off to Elena’s house.[pre]