Rebels at Heart Series: Book 2 - Courage to Change

Chapter 1 Part 2: Katani's POV

"Get off of me, don't touch me!!" I yell, fire in my eyes as the fearful panic raises within. For almost a year the cops have been after me, and I've always escaped. But escaping the cops because of fear was actually bringing myself back into the trap I was trying to get out of. The cops, if they were any good, could help me because they had dominance and control over criminals like my uncle. And secretly within, I hoped they'd understand my call for help and act on it.

I had run away from home, abused and deeply distressed. I sprayed a mural on the wall with my graffiti hoping to get someone's attention. Someone who could help me. But so far it's been nothing but a dead end. Maybe Jesse was right all along. Maybe his threats were the truth. Maybe I was just better off dead...

Somehow, the cops had outsmarted me. And I guess you can thank their canine for that, but the way the cops went about it, both of us could've been hurt.

I have always been able to escape the cops but not tonight. Fear pushed me away from them, but they were my last hope and I just wanted them to at least get my message without me telling them because I've been threatened into silence. What if they don't get my message? How will I go home? What will Jesse do to me if he finds out where I've been and what kind of trouble I've gotten myself into?

As the sirens sound in the distance I hastily grab my bag and bolt for the woods, my safe-place.

However, I have to scale a brick wall to escape a canine, and if there's a canine the cops are most certainly near. Where could I go?

I quietly and quickly make my way over the rooftops and somehow manage to lose the dog. I breathe a deep sigh as I rush to the woods. But then I hear a low growl and a canine jumps at me from the woods. I fight the dog off and back away distracted by the dog. Someone grabs me from behind, and I elbow him in the mid-section. I can feel him falter temporarily. I fight him off and scream in terror as I try to run.

Suddenly an agonizing pain paralyzes my back and I fall to the floor, groaning in pain. I was tased. How was I supposed to know the man that grabbed me was a cop? You don't just hide behind a bush and then surprise attack me. I grew up in the wild, fighting for my life and for the lives of my family and tribe around me. There were so many enemies pulling off tactics similar to these that it's no wonder I'd think these cops were bad guys waiting to hurt me!

"Stay where you are, kid! Don't move or we'll shoot!"

I struggle to breathe and hide my anger and fear as I struggle to stay still.

A cop comes behind me and takes my hands and pulls them behind my back. "You're under arrest, kid. We've been looking for you for a while. What were you thinking, fighting the cops?"

"How was I supposed to know you were cops? I thought you were some bad guy trying to kidnap me! What were you expecting?!" I explode, struggling to calm myself down.

"You saw the canine, didn't you?"

"Yea, but they could be miles away from the cops! You could have at least stepped out of the woods. I never would've fought you if I knew you were cops." I struggle to explain, the fear is deeply present on my face and I guess the cops can finally see it.

I'm already upset, and they can see that something else has fueled this up prior to my arrest.

"Sorry kid, we're just doing our job. Come on, we'll take you down to the station and notify your parents that you're safe. They're probably wondering where you are."

"I doubt it, they don't know anything."

"Look, you're really upset right now kid, and we'll talk more by the station okay?" He pushes me toward the car and the canine is secured. He did bite me after I was tased, introducing a new fear of the dog to me. The dog growls at me when I pass it by, and I give it an anxious side-eye glance.