Chapter One-New beginnings

Chapter 1

            I walked through the cool autumn breeze admiring the bright green almost neon colored leaves on each of the trees. Up ahead the houses were all the same model. They were cheap houses that some modeler had made and mass produced so that the poorer people could live under a roof. Unlike the nicer houses their white picket fences were replaced by chain linked fences that held wild Dobermans and German shepherds that were born and bred for attacking anyone who entered their domain. Even if anyone did want to break into any of these houses there would hardly be anything worth stealing. I should know, I live in one.

            I came to the end of the street where the houses stopped and across the street there was a massive field full of dead grass. I crossed the street and walked through the field while younger kids had gotten up a baseball game using trash bin lids as bases.

“Milo!” someone called to me.

            I stopped in my path and turned watching Carmen run towards me. Her bright blonde hair was pulled back and was held behind a navy blue hat. She skidded to a halt kicking up a little dirt into the air.

“Whatch’a want short stack?” I asked her, I took her hat and put it on my own head and began to walk again, she took the hat back.

“Dad called.”

            I stopped and looked her in the eyes, “What did he say?”

“He said he was coming back.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know Milo, but I don’t want him to.”

“Come on Carmen he won’t do anything.” I told her.

“How do you know?”

            I sighed, “I don’t.” I continued across the field while Carmen followed me staying at my side.

            Thoughts of my drunken father quickly crossed my mind, just when I had started to forget everything, it was going to get uprooted and tossed around. I didn’t want to see him again, but I had no choice, he was coming back, whether I wanted him to or not.

“When?”

“He didn’t say.”

“How very convenient for him.” I said.

            We passed a drug store filled with greasers that were messing around and having a good time almost as if they had nothing to worry about, but nothing can ever be like that. While Carmen and I roamed the streets wasting away the time left in the day.

             As the sun went down over the buildings the sky turned pink and then black. Soon the street lamps turned on hardly showing any light onto the sidewalk. Carmen and I walked not speaking to each other, each with too much on our minds.

            Footsteps echoed from behind us, footsteps and a car. I turned around to see, a kid ran as if he were being chased ran up the side walk, from around the corner a car sped towards the kid. He disregarded the fact that we were blocking his way and ran right into me almost knocking me off my feet. He fell to his knees, got up and kept running he was followed by the car.

“Hey kid!” I shouted to him. He was long gone, turned the corner followed by the car.

“What was that about?” Carmen asked annoyed as she leaned on her left leg and folded her arms.

“I don’t know, probably a couple of socs chasin’ after a grease.”

“Want to get in on the action?” she asked excitedly.

“Sure.” We bolted after the car and turned the corner, the cold wind rushed into my face, the icy feeling giving me a confidence boost. My feet moved quicker and I panted less, Carmen came up in front of me as we dashed down the street.

            We stopped at the last street lamp, its dim light flickering on and off, “Where’d they go?” Carmen asked. She leaned on her hip as she looked down the street.

             A distant voice called out for help from down the alley, “Help.” It said weakly. Carmen and I walked down the alley and stopped. A person lay on the dirty floor shaking.

“What’s up kid?” Carmen said as she kneeled down next to him, “What’s your name?”

“Don.” He squeaked out, “C-can you help me?”

            I bent over him and picked him up by the collar of his shirt. I couldn’t see his face, but the blood that had covered him gleamed in the moonlight. I was about to let him go to see if he could walk on his own but he slumped against me.

“Whoa he’s tired.” I took his arm around my neck and half dragged him out of the alley. His wet blood seeped through my t-shirt.

“We missed it.” Carmen said dully.

“Really?” I said.

“His name’s Don Allent, 17 years of age, and from California.” Carmen said. I looked over my shoulder at her, she had slipped his wallet from his pocket and found hi i.d.

“How much moneys’ he got?” I asked.

“6 cents.”

“How unfortunate, we find him beaten to a bloody pulp and he ain’t got any money for an emergency room or somthin’, now we got to take him home.”

“I can never tell if your being sarcastic or not.” Carmen said putting his wallet into her pocket.

“Just come and help me, he’s heavy.”

            She came up beside me and grabbed his other arm easing some of his weight to hers letting his legs drag behind us.

            We finally came to our house dragging him up the porch steps opening the never locked door to our house and let him fall to our couch.

“Turn the lights on will ya?” I asked Carmen. Seconds later the bright lights came on revealing the boy. He wore a jacket and blue plaid shirt that were covered in thick red blood that was spattered down his faded out blue jeans.

“You look like you’re ready for Halloween.” Carmen said.

            I looked down and my red stained shirt then at Carmen, who looked worse, “Speak for yourself, go take a shower before it dries.” I told her.

“Same to you, good night.” She left leaving me Don alone. His blood dripped from his forehead neck and parts of his arms. I had spent a while trying to get it to stop and when it did, I sat down and fell asleep wiped out from the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

Please tell me what you think!