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Walking the streets, all I see I see are black figures outlined in a red smoke. I see their sin evaporating off of their bodies in red smoke.
Its night out and the streets are littered with the poor and dirty. I look around and everyone wanders about like zombies, no set destination, they are eternally lost. All these people have stolen and I doubt there isn’t one that hasn’t killed.
They enjoyed killing, especially each other. Killing a homeless is like killing a rat around here, “at least there’s one less residing in the walls.” I don’t care to know their names or their stories because they are all bad regardless, and I’m terrified of the tales held within.
I see the looks these men give me and all it does is churn my stomach. I am old enough to realize their intentions. Their rageful lust stares intensify and crawl like hungry fingers up and down my arms. I refuse to be used for something so disgusting.
Worst part is, we have no doors to lock or blinds to shut, all of this dirtiness is just what we are subjected to 24/7. Safety is a feeling long lost. We are constantly watching our backs.
Noah and I do not trust anyone, not even the law enforcement. They don’t care either. Corruption outlines their badges and spines, they only care for the people that “matter.” The ones that are always clean and have purified water to wash their cars at the snap of their fingers.
Damn them all.
Whether poor or rich, damn them all.
Well, all accept one. His name is Jax and he’s the only other homeless man we give our complete trust in. I wouldn’t necessarily call him a father figure since he is only three years older than me, making him nineteen. Noah and I met him when we first started living on concrete.
Speak of the devil.
“Scarlett!”
I hear my name I turn to the sound of it. I see the infamous Jax jogging my way. I turn and continue walking, allowing him to catch up and walk by my side. His jet black hair fell just above his eyes and he has a slender face with a porcelain complexion. He was good looking.
For a teen vagabond, It was easy for him to make it around here, he held a charm you cannot help but like. “Jax!” Noah yelled a high pitched giggle at the tower behind us. Jax caught up and bent over, allowing Noah to climb onto his back and onto his shoulders.
Noah loved to get on Jax’s shoulders, it made him feel tall. Noah is very short for his age since he never grew with the right posture or correct diet. He is a growing boy that is just too frail to hold his own weight sometimes. His light weight always bothered me.
His bones are made of paper mache and his skin is a used sheet that is being eaten away at slowly by moths, its stitching can no longer hold his bones in place. It worries me about his development in this situation. I feel he is going to have complications later on due to it.
Noah, on Jax’s shoulders, reached about eleven feet tall. I look up, squinty eyed, at the gap toothed boy laughing and reaching above his head to try to get as close to the clouds as he can. I loved when Jax was around even though I’d never admit it to him.
He made me feel safe, and I could let my guard down. I trusted him with my Noah and that meant something. I loved us on our good days; our good days were when there were no worries. The only thing that mattered at the moment was now and how long we’d draw in these breaths after every giggle fit.
“Hot sauce, you say?”
Jax looks to me, smiling. “I did what I had to.” I kept my gaze to the ground, looking at his features through the corner of my eyes. “I taught you well.”
He nudged my shoulder and I nearly fell over. He caught me and steadied my balance with one arm as he held Noah with the other. This kid is strong.
“You taught me nothing.” I joked, looking to him and cocking an eyebrow.
“Oh, really? Noah, buddy, hold up a minute.” He reached above his head and brought my brother down from his shoulders with ease. “I need to handle some business.” He smiled a half smile and I knew what was coming.
I started running and he chased me, laughing with every step. I set some distance between us easily since I was faster than him. I am a runner, it’s the one thing that makes sense to me.
My speed allows me to distract and to get away from everything, including myself. I haven’t gained this much speed in a while. I felt the sore tightness forming in my legs and I enjoyed the sensation.
When I felt that I lost him, I started to walk. I was heavy breathing, trying to force oxygen back into my lungs. I rounded the corner and saw Noah sitting on the curb, laughing. I stopped dead in my tracks. “Where is he?” Noah just started laughing uncontrollably and I figured out quickly why.
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»b.r.l.«
