When I got home I threw my books on the floor of my room and went outside. Before I left I was thinking about telling my parents Hi but bailed. Because I could hear them 3 doors down praying. The only thing I don’t get is how you pray to a person that doesn’t fight for you. He says he will make your life better if you love him. All I’m saying is that I expect  way more than love from him. How will he make your life better if you can’t even see him. After those thoughts I cleared my mind and was ready to go outside to my definition of home- the hood I call it.

     When I got outside I could see all my friends picking on the new kid who just moved in. There was something odd about him. Things like he believed what my parents believe. He talked nothing about smoking or dealing drugs like all the cool kids do but I guess he was just weird like my parents. When I asked what was going on my crew told me that he said that they needed to get a grip on life and love God.

   “No one likes you Charles” my home boy said to the new comer. “Yeah the rest of my crew said. In my neighborhood there was only 6 of us kids. Myself, Jojo, Christian, Lil jack, Tik Tok , and Jigga .  We were the best things you have ever seen. So as I sat and watched the new kid get beat I finally stopped the madness. “Now go home fool.” said Tik Tok. Tik Tok got his name because he was so fast. He could run up the steepest hill ever ran In Ohio I believe in 2 minutes. “Never come back.” he added.  

     “Dang did he really deserve that?” I asked. “Yeah he did, He was a fool talking all that smack about even though we treat him like a dog he still loves us” Christian said. “But I do love you” Charles said. We all turned our heads to look at the stupid new kid that made the stupid comment. “Get him” I yelled. I figured if Jigga had beat him up he would fall in his first five steps. But I was wrong he took off in a full stried down the hill. “Split up”I yelled. Now it was me, Tik Tok , Jigga, and Jojo. All after the same person. We cut through the woods, we saw him almost home but Tik Tok turned on the speed. He caught up to Charles held him down and beat the mess out of him.

   I swung, hit him in his jaw, kicked him in his stomach, and pulled out a paper clip that I unfolded and stabbed him. As scared as I was I ran told my crew he was good and took off running.  The only thing I was scared about was about was him having a cell phone. He could call the police and we would be taken to Juvi. That would be my third time in there.

     They say dicipline and things like that make a person a good person. Well, in the juvinile detention system there is no such thing as nice people. There is just weapons for the teachers and a whole lot of bullies. In Juvi all you wonder about is who is coming to see me on a weekend and when am I getting out of the rat hole.

     We ran home in a full speed dash. In the back round I could here Jigga screaming “Man down, Man down” he continued to scream. “Are you serious?” I asked myself. I told the rest of the crew to keep going and save themselves. I ran back to Lil Jack he told me he was trying to get himself a punch before he ran away. But he fell and Charles kicked him in the ankle and stomach.

   Time was running out we needed to get out of here and quick. Rumor has it that Charles has a pocketknife for protection and I know that I did not want that three- inch blade stuck in my body. Thoughts were running through my mind should I leave him and catch up with the rest of them and have minus one member, or should I be a real gang leader and risk jail for my crew. I decided on choice number two I picked him up. Lil Jack was my weight so I didn’t think it would be a big deal. My legs shook they wobbled but I caught my balance and ended up running with him in my hand.

     Charles came outside with his knife “Lord save you fool!!” he yelled. “I’m not scared anymore” he said. “You retards” he yelled.  “Come on Jack” I said. A little bit longer and we are home. Next thing I know Charles was running trying to catch up to us. But finally Lil Jack announced he was fine and he could fight if he needed to. I put him down. There was a three second difference from where I was standing and Charles running up to us. 1 second, thoughts were running through my mind trying to see where to aim on his face. 2 seconds, I looked at Jack to see if he was ready for this 2 on 1 battle. 3 seconds… BOOM. The third second never came. I had been hit on the head. I could hear Jack running after Charles. But that was the only thing I heard.

      I woke up in my living room. I had no idea who had hit me.  I wasn’t going to let a little boy hit me in the back of the head. But was it even him. I thought about those 2 seconds before I blacked out. It could have never been Charles he was at least a second away. My thoughts were all on Lil Jack. He was right near me. But whoever it was I was going to get them.

     I looked at the time. Five o’clock it said. I looked closer. Five o’clock a.m.. I was so angry I had been blacked out for at least seven hours. I got up, I knew I was going to be woken up for school. So I went on and took my morning shower. I put on my ripped skinny jeans, my flattop hat, my watch. Then I picked up my homework that I did the night before and walked out the door to the bus stop.

     The bus is a place where kids sleep and hide from the bullies. I was the one who stood up for everyone on the bus. But when we hit school grounds and I would see my crew from school I had an all new attitude. Being a bully has it’s perks. Like getting extra lunch, be scared of. I gave myself a laugh and walked off the bus.

   “What’s up James” I said. He gave me a who are you look and squinted. “Oh it’s you” he said. We walked over by the entrance of the school right by the gym. There I saw everyone that I usually saw at school. Well, that was in the crew. I turned around to say Hi. Then BOOM=http://!!!. I was hit in the face. “You got the stuff now fool=http://=http://!!!” James yelled.  I got up I wasn’t going down like this. I had been hit to many times and I would walk away. Now it was time to fight back.

     I got up and swung, I hit him square in the nose. Blood was rushing out like a gusher with to much liquid. I hit him again this time thinking about running but the rest of the crew would hold me down. James hit me not really hurting just unexpected. This was it, it was time to prove myself and takeover. I tackled him and hit him at least 7 times in the face. Then I made the biggest mistake of my life I punched him in the throat.

    I stopped. Then I looked around it was quiet. The whole crew was staring at me. Like I had a rat on the top of my head. I noticed the quietness I swear I could here the heart of Shiloh pounding his chest. I looked down, under me I could see the possibly dead body of James. I touched his throat checking his pulse. He was still breathing. I ran to the bathroom and got a wet napkin.

   When I came back the whole crew except for James was gone. I rung the water out of the napkin on to his face. He let out a little cough. I stared at him. Then I walked away. I was proud of myself. But I knew no one was going to hurt me again. …