Prologue

Thud! Thud! In quick succession. Thud! Pow! Thud! Again and again, the sound of a punching bag being beaten over and over resounded like a heartbeat in the still of an abandoned boxing gym. Overhead a single lamp lit the dusty room, as the early morning sunrise had yet to peak through the boarded windows. Fists covered in hand wrap, dressed in grey-scaled camo-cargoes, and a white T-top, the young man continued to strike the bag with fast and solid combinations. Face covered in sweat, his eyes were narrowed in concentration as he “fought” the bag of leather and sand which hung by a single thick chain.

               “If you are go’n to survive in da hood, you must learn how to fight. If you learn how to fight, you learn how to survive. To fight… is survival.”

These words from his uncle echoed in the young man’s mind as he punched the bag. Age 18, Lazarus Free is a somewhat tall, and some would say rather handsome looking young man with silver eyes, and raven black hair. Pausing his exercise, but not before finishing with one powerful POW! Landing a roundkick to the “midsection” of the bag which hung by a chain, Lazarus walked over to a small table just to the right and up against the wall.

               Taking a white-hand towel, he wiped the sweat from his face and around his neck before slinging it across his left shoulder and then placing both hands on the table as he leaned over a single small photo of him and his mom. The picture was taken almost three years ago, on his sixteenth birthday, before his mother became extremely sick. Lazarus and his mother currently live in a small one-bedroom house, as old and rundown as the neighborhood is. The neighborhood community itself is one of several small neighborhood communities which make up the “Southside” district of Chicago, one of the poorest and most gang infested areas in Chicago itself. This was Lazarus’ home for as long as he could remember.

               Crime, and more specifically… violence, was common in his neighborhood, also known as “Canaryville”. Primarily made up of Irish-American residents, it had a bad historical reputation for the gangs “back then” having participated in the “1919 Race-riots” against the African-American blacks, and to this day they (the Irish and African American) gangs and communities still don’t seem to get along. Lazarus has so far done his best to stay out of the whole gang business. Although the “Wild Canaries”, Canaryville’s operating gang, have tried several times to get Lazarus to join… he has so far managed to refuse without too much hassle. Yet their persistence has grown recently, with the recent gang-wars that have been going on.

               Lazarus so far has managed not to get into the gangs, but his mother’s health getting increasingly worse, and with rental bills stacking up the roof because she is unable to work… Lazarus has become the “head-of-the-house” in trying to provide for his family. With no job around that unless it involves dealing of any kind, and with the fact that he has to be there for his mom and try to nurse her back to health, although she doesn’t know it… aside from dropping out of senior year in high-school, Lazarus most recently has resolved to… stealing. And was already planning his next heist even if only his second….

               With a heavy sigh, Lazarus picked up the photo and tucked it in his backpant pocket. Grabbing his long-sleaved, Navy-blue-hoodie and putting it on, zipping it halfway, he grabbed his small black backpack and slung it over his left shoulder while shoving his free hand in his pocket. Walking out the side door, he made sure no one was looking before latching it shut. Turning, he went down the street and heading to school, not because he was attending but, because he knew there was money in the Principal’s office… and he planned on taking a little more than just enough for some pain-pills for his mother. This was going to be Lazarus’ first “major” heist… and provided he didn’t get caught, it just may not be his last.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

A very good opening chapter. I liked the name of the main character. I liked the set-up of the story. You made me wish to read more. A lot of decisions were made. Good or bad. Lazarus must decide. Thank you Carthage for sharing the amazing introduction.
Coyote

[Carthage Thorne| The Wildcard]

Thank you so much for reading! Hopefully you will enjoy the story, an update on it I know is due and coming soon.

[Coyote Poetry]

This is good. It is well written and entertaining. You are welcome.

[Corset]

A young man with a sick mother, endearing character, even though he is about the wrong business to survive
already we are on his side to do what must be done and forgive him in advance. The characters are everything in the story and this one is off to a brilliant start.

[Carthage Thorne| The Wildcard]

Thank you so much! With this busy semester finally over, I fully intend on continuing the story over the course of this summer. I appreciate your review and hope you will enjoy what comes next.

[Corset]

Student or teacher?

[Carthage Thorne| The Wildcard]

I am a college student, working for my Bachelor's in Creative Media Production, minoring in Film.

[Corset]

That's sound fun!