Chapter 1 - Strangers

Months had past since my brother, James had died. I still have the memories of him from that very night. I wonder why James had this book that I carry. Where did he find such a book and why would he wish for freedom? Regardless, he is dead now. With all these thoughts swirling inside my head, I torment myself with all questions. I can never seem to find any answers to what I believe matters. I will not give up though. I need to understand why he did this. I need to find out how and why he died. There are just so many unanswered questions and maybe I’ll find them with this book. Thinking to myself now I see how things have gotten worse. My father was killed in the line of duty serving for the police. My mother worked all the time and when she was home she would always seem to cry herself to sleep. With the recent lost of James, things just got worse for her. I am powerless and helpless but she can’t move on with her life because she is stuck supporting me. The streets haven’t changed either. Instead of fighting with everyone that attacked James and me, I have to now run away. I am no match to stay on these streets alone. Everyone treated us as different. They outcast and tormented us. Why would James leave me alone in this world? Why did you do it James? Well I’m on my way to school now. It is Friday with all the normal bullies along the way. The school really doesn’t offer any protection so this is going to be fun like always. I started to walk out of my house with just very little money and a small pastry. The food hasn’t been the best, but we have to eat what we can to survive. The winds were cold and strong pushing against me in this cold winter weather. There was a lot of snow on the ground as I treed through the snow one step at a time. Then I stopped for a little bit because something wasn’t right. I could feel something bad is going to happen. I just know it. Later I heard voices creep behind me. They were all mumbling and I stared back. They were part of a group that hated my brother and me. Looking my way they walked slowly towards me, staring with their cold eyes full of hatred. Some where as black as coal and the sinister grins on their lips grew with each passing second. The tension in my body was tightening. It looks like it is going to be another fight but this time I’m going to be all alone. The world hates outcasts and rejects like me. The world hates those who are different from them. Sometimes people just don’t understand what people have to go through. I hate them. I hate everyone and I hate myself most of all. “Well, well. Look what we have here boys. Just a stray dog that should be put out of his misery. Why don’t we teach Will here a lesson?” Angel snarled towards me with resentment when he said my name. Closer and closer Angel and his gang drew near me. I could feel the tension rising within while I tried my very best to keep calm. Angel then was right in front of me. “So Will, will you give us your money the easy way or the hard way?” Angel asked as he took his hands slowly and started to crack his knuckles. The tension was then building inside of me. I could feel it burning like an animal caged. “Shut the hell up. You’re not worth my time!” I protested as I dropped towards the ground and did a running tackle into his stomach. I could feel the impact on my shoulder as I rammed into him as hard as I could. Then I moved into a motion to punch Angel in chest with my right fist. As I was making my attack on Angel his goons started to join in the fight. I was really out numbered since I was alone fighting verse all 9 of them at once. I felt a knee impact against my stomach and then a fist connecting to my jaw. With the cold and bitter wind blowing in my face made the pain all the more worse. I’ll refuse to show them I’m in any pain and I refuse to give up this fight. I will never back down and let the world walk on me. I would rather die than run away. “Will you ever give this up?” Gerald asked. “You are weak. You are a poor excuse for a human ever.” While I lay on the floor his foot came in contact with my left leg and then he stepped on it. The pain kept getting harder and harder to bear. The world is a stupid place. So many people can get away with so many things. It really is the survival of the fittest where the strong will live and the weak will die. I don’t want to die. I’m not ready to die. I will continue on. This Gerald will pay for stepping on my leg like he did.