Perilous

Chapter 2

   The second most daunting day of my life started outside Jamal and I's apartment in W. Chicago  Livernois Ave. A small but dangerous neighborhood located in Detroit.

  The neighborhood has always been dangerous, people would murder and steal on a daily bases. But Jamal being the president of the secret Livernois association, violence against one another hasn't been a problem for a long time. The only time violence is held is when a raid occurs.

  Jamal is such a courageous person, selfless too. He's 27, three years older than me. Jamal is 6'1 and really tan, he has short dark messy hair, and a stubble growing along his sharp jaw line. His eyes are dark brown, very hard to stare at. He pretty much has the normal look for an Arab.

  Jamal has took care of me for as long as I could remember. And we now look out for one another, he is the only family I have left, and I to him.

  Speaking of, I saw him running towards me in panic. He was yelling but I couldn't make out what he was saying, I couldn't hear him dude to all the noise.

  Noise. The neighborhood is always quite and this isn't the time of month to raid.. Something is wrong.

"Amira! Everyone get into hiding! Now!" Jamal yelled.

  Everything was happening so fast, bombs and gunshots were everywhere. This was not a raid, but something much worse.

"Jamal! What's happening!" I screamed.

  He took me by my forearm dragging me up the apartment steps to the second floor. He was sprinting to our door, and once we were in the apartment he shut the door quick and locked it with all 5 locks.

"Amira, it's not safe here any more. They're coming." Jamal runs into our room and comes back in a splint second.

He comes back saying things I didn't expect.

"Fold the paper and don't read it unless your somewhere else without me. And for the pocket knife, put it somewhere you can hide."

"O-ok, but w-what are you saying? Isn't this just a raid?"

Please let it just be a raid.

"No, Amira. It's Perilous, they are coming for us."

  My head was spinning, I stood there in shock. It's finally happening. I knew the leader of Perilous has some of his men coming to take people away for the army, but the boning and shooting wasn't mentioned.

  I always asked Jamal questions he hated, so he never answered. But I need this question answered.

"Jamal.. What's going to happen?"

He just looked at me with sorrow.

"We knew they were coming, just not when. We had enough weapons gathered from last weeks raid to fight again the perilous when they come,"

He continues,

"And that's what we are doing. We are fighting against the perilous. Resting, I guess. We're in a resistance. I'm well known to them, the perilous, and their target is us. Me and you. I need you to hide, lock everything and just try to run. All the guns are in the closet, take one and be smart with it." He said.

This was actually happening. He's leaving me to survive alone.

"Jamal, w-what if we never see each other again. That can't happen, your all I have!" I yelled tearing up.

"Amira, your smart you'll figure something out. And remember, all the members of Perilous have a 'slit me' tattoo located on their left wrist, a place where it is not very noticeable. That's how you know who to trust. Now I have to go, I'll see you in a few hours, goodbye Amira." He finished.