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  “Oh no,” I muttered under my breath as fear started to over take me. I rushed over to the guy who I had seen moving earlier. I tried not to look at the other bodies on the ground because most of them were very gross to look at. I knelt down beside the guy and nudged his shoulder. He started and whipped his head around to look at me. He was bloody and panting, his eyes wide with fear.

  “Come on, we’ve got to get out of here before they burn this place to the ground,” I commented and started to help the guy get to his feet. At first he panicked but then he started to give me a hand in helping him. He wasn’t a light guy to begin with so when he gave me a little bit of help made my job of carrying him a lot easier. I got the young man up so that I had one of his arms across my shoulders. It was easier than trying to carry him out, since I’m not really that strong I would’ve most likely dropped him.

  I looked around to see which direction would be the safest to go in. The smell of smoke was getting stronger. I could hear some crackling and crashing as stuff started to burn and collapse. The only way to go was out the back and around if there was a way. I motioned with my head in the direction that we were going to go. The young man nodded and we hobbled our way to the back of the warehouse. But the fire was catching up with us.

  We reached the back of the warehouse and started searching for some way out. I had thought that there would’ve been a back door but there was nothing, just a large wall of concrete. Smoke was filling the air and we started to cough as we tried to breathe. I felt a shift in the weight on my side where the young man was. I looked and saw him pointing in the direction of a broken window.

  I nodded and we hobbled over to the window. I put the guy down for a second and looked for something to help me get rid of the rest of the window. The area was pretty much bare but tucked away in between a crate and the wall was a crowbar. I quickly grabbed it and started smashing it into the window with all of my might. First I got rid of the glass and then I started to work on the wooden frame. It took a little longer then I had wanted to, to get rid of the frame. But eventually it cracked and then snapped off completely.

  But by then though the smoke had started to thicken, choking both me and the young man that was resting at my feet. There was a small ledge just outside of the window. I helped the guy to his feet and out the window. He clung to the side of the window and balanced carefully on the small ledge. I carefully climbed out the window and followed suit using what was left of the frame for balance.

  The young man looked at me and then looked toward the other side of the warehouse, and then back to me. I knew what he was asking and I nodded. The young man started down toward the other end of the warehouse taking very careful steps so as not to slip and fall into the deadly cold waters below us. It was slow going and we both nearly fell a couple of times but eventually we made it to the end of the warehouse.

  Now that we were mostly out of danger we both rested up against a neighbouring dumpster that was under a street lamp. We were going to have to leave before the fire department and police got there but for now we could rest. Under the light of the street lamp I could get a better look at his features and his wounds. He was actually a pretty handsome guy but the bruises and gashes kind of made his features distorted. We must’ve dozed off for a little because I awoke to the blaring sound of a fire truck.

  I jumped to my feet but I had to grab the edge of the dumpster for support because of a wave of dizziness that had passed through me. I shook my head and tried to refocus as I gently shook the young man, who was lying down beside me, awake. He jumped as he woke up and he looked around warily. I knelt down in front of him and held out my hand to help him up.

  It took a long while to get to the apartment that I lived in with my brothers, not including all the breaks we had to take. Once we had gotten to the apartment I didn’t even have to knock, my brothers whipped the door open as soon as I got within sight of it. At first the guys just stood there. Kevin came out his state of confusion first and he helped me bring the young man inside. Andrew and Anthony had disappeared into the house, hopefully to get the first aid kit.

  We laid the young man down on the couch, which weirdly enough already had towels on it. Kevin gave him a once over without actually touching him, and I could’ve sworn I saw his expression twitch. I shook off my oncoming train of thoughts and did a more thorough once over. He wasn’t as bad as I had thought that he was. I smiled to myself. He was good at playing up how weak he was.

  I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I turned around to see Anthony and Andrew carrying the very big and heavy first aid kit together. They were both using both of their hands to hold the thing up. I gently took it from them and set to work on the young man. It was kind of an old-fashioned way to do it but that’s the way my grandparents taught me, and it has never failed.

  Once I was finished the young man was panting and sweating a bit, probably from exertion. And I have to say he looked the way I felt…exhausted. I sat back and looked around the room probably for the last time since we couldn’t keep up with the rent. Anthony and Andrew were asleep on the chair and Kevin was leaning against a wall staring at nothing in particular.

  Eventually we got to know the young man’s name. His name was Kenneth, but Kevin thought that name was too long so he took to calling him Ken. And before long we were all calling him that. After a couple of weeks I found out something that kind of freaked me out just a bit. I came home from working a late shift and walked in to the living room to fall asleep on the couch, only to find Kevin and Ken sleeping together on the couch. I would love to say I kept my cool but that would be a complete lie. However I didn’t scream or anything I just kind of stared with my mouth agape as my mind processed what it was seeing.

  I slowly nodded and closed my mouth. I left the room and went to the one and only actual bedroom in the whole house. The twins were lying together on the one side of the bed with the blankets at their feet. I smiled just a twitch of the lips but it was still something. I got into the other side of the bed and pulled the blankets up around me and the twins.

  That was our last day in that room. The next day we were all out on the streets.

  Chapter 4

  Antonio Caine

  Boston 7:30 am Tuesday February 13th 2029

  “Antonio, what’s the matter?” my father asked. I looked up from my breakfast then back down at it; the food suddenly didn’t seem very appetizing. I pushed it away and looked at my father.

  “Nothing father,” I replied crossing my arms.

  “I know this is a little sudden but well I think its best that we stay at one school until you finish,” my father said clasping his hands together.

  “It’s not that I don’t like this idea but whose idea was that?” I asked

  “It was Darcy’s idea but I agree with it,” he said before I could protest.

  “Can you stop agreeing with her all the time?” I asked glaring at him. My father sighed and shook his head.

  “When you fall in love as deeply as I have then you can talk to me about this,” he replied. I got up and left without another word. I couldn’t believe him, out of the whole wide world he wanted to keep her. I went to my room and shut the door behind me. Today was the weekend, a Saturday to be exact. I will be a new student to this school, and it should be the same as every other school…I hope. I shook my head I mean it will be the same…but I have this feeling that something different might happen.

  “Antonio I have something for you,” my father called.

  “Coming,” I yelled. When I got there my father had a leash in his hand.

  “You don’t make any friends at school and I think you need a friend,” he said and handed me the leash. “Go to the pound and pick a dog.” I looked at the leash in my hand then at my father with a quizzing expression on my face.

  “I mean it,” he told me sternly. “It’s either that or you have to make a friend, it’s your choice. Now if you’ll excuse me I have some business to attend to.”

>   I left the room with a scowl on my face. Why didn’t he just leave me alone? I had a feeling that this wasn’t his idea, either. Damn you Darcy, damn you. I went out the front door and got on my motorcycle. I drove up to the gate and pressed in the numbers to open the gate.

  I might go get a coffee first, the cold was starting to get to me. I drove around looking for a nice coffee shop to stop at. I spotted a nice little shop around the corner. A quaint little place called Coffee Corners. I didn’t see that place when we came in. It seemed kind of nice and…quiet. I went into the back and parked my bike in between a sliver Ford Escape and a black Hummer. Didn’t they stop making that model?

  I walked along the sidewalk from the back of the store to the front. The shop was like an old fashioned country-style coffee parlour, at least that’s what it looked like on the outside. When I walked in it had a very modern and very comfortable environment to it. Comfy chairs sat around glass tables and people sat with their coffee either reading the news paper, searching the web on one of the laptops or chatting with some friends.

  This was definitely one of those places were people like to get together at, or were you take your girlfriend to on a casual date. I walked towards the counter. I saw people glance then turn away when I looked at them. They whispered but I didn’t care I was used to people being afraid of me. I looked towards the counter and saw the workers whisper to each other.

  The girl at the cash register didn’t seem to even notice my approach. But a friend of hers’ pointed me out. She looked up at me and then talked to the person beside her. By then I was in earshot.

  “…kind of cute…” the girl at the cash register said, she had brown hair that had a certain wave to it. She looked kind of cute. I mentally shook myself. Don’t think stuff like that.

  “Crazy is more like it,” the other girl said, she had brown hair also but her hair was straight and had blond streaks in it. The brown haired girl waved her friend’s comment off. The brown and blond haired girl looked up at me, and then went in the back with the others to pretend to work on something. Brown haired girl rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath.

  I reached the counter in time to hear a little bit of what she muttered. How can a pretty girl such as her have such a trucker mouth? I cleared my throat and she looked up to meet my eyes. She had to crane her neck a little because I’m fairly tall.

  “Well aren’t you a tall one,” she said and smiled, “and handsome, too.” That smile and comment caught me off guard and her dazzling green eyes made me go into a stunned silence.

  “Great another one,” she muttered and looked at the counter. I didn’t know what to say, but she saved me by sighing and looked up at me again.

  “I know your type,” she said then sighed again. “Anyway what can I get you?” I narrowed my eyes what did she mean by that?

  “I’ll have regular café mocha,” I replied through clenched teeth. She didn’t seem to be bothered at all by me. She probably thought I was just some snooty rich kid. She turned and walked toward the machines to start making my café mocha. Or should I say limped toward the machines? She had my café mocha ready in a much shorter amount of time then I expected anyone to have one done in. She brought it over and tried to hide her limp as she walked.

  “Okay, that’ll be $2.75,” she said to me. I glanced at the menu and it said that café mocha was $3.75. I raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged and smiled.

  “I’ll just say you made my day, and you can be off,” she told me. A corner of my mouth turned up, and her smile finally reached her eyes. I hid my emotions again, deeper this time.

  “Well it was nice while it lasted,” she sighed. I handed her the money and a little extra.

  “What’s your name?” I asked her and for a second she looked like a deer caught in head lights. Then she quickly recovered and relaxed.

  “Only if you tell me yours,” she replied playfully.

  “My name is Antonio,” I said and gestured for her to say her name.

  “My name is Stephanie,” she told me.

  “Well it was nice meeting you, Stephanie,” I mumbled suddenly a little uncomfortable.

  “Like wise, Antonio,” she replied. I could see her co-workers in the back watching. Then I knew why I was so uncomfortable, they were very protective of her. I could see it in their eyes as they watched. She glanced back and saw them staring at her. When they saw her looking at them they went back to ‘work’. Stephanie shook her head.

  “I think you’d better go,” she whispered, I nodded and headed toward the door. I stopped at the door and turned around to look at Stephanie for the last time. She smiled and waved. I nodded to her and left. I walked to the back of the shop and went to find my motorcycle. I drank my café mocha as I looked, but I had this strange feeling that someone was watching me. I glanced out of the corner of eye and I thought I saw someone. I looked the other way and had the same result.

  Who was following me? I kept searching for my bike, and ignored the feeling of being followed. It was probably someone looking for their car. I found my bike where I had left it at the back of the shop in between the Hummer and the Ford Escape. But someone was leaning against my bike. I clenched my fists and tried not to lose my temper.

  “Why are you leaning on my bike?” I asked him through clenched teeth.

  “What no, ‘who are you’ or ‘what do you want?’” he replied and shook his head. “Such horrible manners, I wonder why Steph even bothered to talk to you.”

  I was about to teach that guy what happens when you touch my bike. I took one step forward and next thing I knew I was being held up by two other guys while the guy, who was on my motorcycle, was punching me in the gut. I think I was hit several other times because I felt light headed and my back was sore. He hit me again and I coughed up some blood. He was about to do a knock out blow when we heard a voice.

  “What are you guys doing?” the girl voice asked. They turned around and saw Stephanie leaning up against the wall of the building. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes when she saw me.

  “Do you guys ever read signs?” she asked and we all had weird expressions on our faces. She pointed to the sign that read: NO FIGHTING IN PARKING LOT OR YOU SHALL BE SENT TO JAIL OR FINED $500.

  “How long has that sign been there?” blond guy asked his speech wavered a little.

  “Seven years,” she replied looking at her finger nails.

  “Then how come we’ve never noticed it?” brown haired guy asked she shrugged her shoulders.

  “I have no idea,” she said to them. “But how about you let him go and I won’t let the boss know about this little incident, okay?”

  “What’s in it for you?” the other blond guy asked, Stephanie smiled.

  “I’m glad you asked,” she commented. “I have the satisfaction of you guys not bugging me every day because I have something hanging over your heads.”

  They glared at her and she just smiled. They dropped me and blond guy number one walked over to her and his face was just inches from her face.

  “What are you going to do if we don’t?” he asked, she coughed and waved a hand in front of her nose.

  “You smoke?” she asked and coughed again. “Anyway I don’t need to tell my boss, I could kick your ass myself.”

  All the guys burst into laughter, except me because I was kind of lost in the pain and worried about what would happen to her. I knew that she had a limp, which means that one of her legs wasn’t up to par with the rest of her. What could a little girl like her do to the tall and strong guys, like Blondie?

  I didn’t see it coming and I don’t think anyone else did either. But Blondie was out cold on the ground before anyone could register what happened.

  “I told you I would kick your ass,” Stephanie said her voice cold and full of venom. “Do I have to teach anybody else a lesson?” The guys shook their heads scared by Stephanie’s violence, I know I was. “Good, now take him and get out of here.”


  The guys grabbed Blondie and ran out the end of the alley. She snorted in their direction and turned her attention to me. When she looked at me it wasn’t with sympathy, it was as if she was saying I told you so. But what did she tell me and when? Oh yeah, when she said she wanted me to leave. I guess I missed the under lining meaning to it, oops.

  “Are you able to stand?” Stephanie asked me, I attempted to stand but I only got into a sitting position before I felt like my chest was on fire. Stephanie moved me so that I was leaning against the building. She undid my jacket and felt around my ribs, my back and my face. I winced at almost every place touched. She nodded and zipped up my jacket.

  “A couple of bruised ribs and some pretty bad bruising every where else,” she said half to herself. “You might have a headache tomorrow and probably some swelling, as well as the pain from the ribs. But other then that you should be fine.”

  “How do you know so much?” I asked.

  “I read a lot of books,” she replied, “that and my brothers get into a lot of fights. Is this your bike?” I nodded and she got up to look at it. She looked at the bike, then back to me, then at the bike again.

  “I’ll be back in a minute,” she told me and headed out of the alley. So I was left on the cold, wet ground in the dark alley. With me having very little mobility and with my ribs that might be broken, yeah not fun. But she came back and knelt down in front of me.

  “Alright my boss said I could take a break, but if something happens I have to come back in,” she told me.

  “Why did you take a break?” I asked her.

  “To make sure you don’t freeze to death,” she replied as if it was obvious. She helped me to stand and I groaned inwardly. I did take several fighting classes and I have been in fights before, but being hit from behind and then being held down and punched was a new low for me. I leaned against her as I breathed in and out through my clenched teeth. Although I towered over her, but she stood very strong and sturdy under my weight and she didn’t complain.