Street Rats

Ush

     "Now... Guys...you'll thank me later!" I barged into the tiny secret living space where seven or eight boys and young men looked at me in wonder.

    I tossed the bag filled of deep red shinies on top of the old metal table in the middle of the room. Bennie, the oldest of twenty year (we think), made his signature eyebrow raise, as he heard the clanging of the jewels hit the rusted steel table. The men and boys gathered around table. The order of the men and boys hovered under the rubies looking at it and curiosity reeked their minds. Joey (the five year that stole the diamonds in his teddy bear) took the bag as fast as he could before anyone else could and opened it a little. He frowned and tossed the bag in the middle.

    The others got so agitated they scrambled to grab and see what was inside. In doing that, Parker (one of the eleven years) punches Scot (a seven year) in the eye, and doesn't even notice it. But Scot apparently noticed after a few seconds. Meaning to push Parker down on to the ground, Michael (either eighteen or nineteen) is the victim, shoving him out of the tangle of males trying to get to the sack.

   This make an entirely violent chain reaction turned into not even trying to attempt to get the bag of rubies to see but an abundance of beating each other sense less. Now it was getting crazy.
   
    I grabbed the sack of rubies, stuck both my pinkies in the corners of my mouth, rolled my tounge, and blew. They all stopped to look at me. Eyes black and blue swollen, some mouths' same way but bleeding, and much more. Mich (a sixteen year), had Bennie and Nickle(a fourteen year) in a both in a choking head lock.

   "Release!" I commanded.

   Mich unlocked his arms, Bennie and Nickle both dropped to the floor at the same time, the blue lifted from their faces. Gotta love Newton's Law.

I jumped off the table,picked up the small sack, and poured out  four good medium-sized rubies. The rubies made a weird CLINK-DINK- TANK sound when they hit the steel table. The boys came running to the rubies except for Joey.

   "Where you steal these from? Who did you mess with?" Scot asked in awe.

   "Some Royals, I encountered at The Market. I don't know why were they at The Market, now that I think about it..." I responded.

   "What trick did you use this time Alex?" Mich asked.

   "The Apples!" I said very mysteriously.

They all went..."Oooooohhhh!"

"So you guys ready to sell these for food?" Bennie asked eagerly.

   "NO!" We all screamed at the same time.

    "Well I tried..." Bennie Shrugged.

   "Hey have you seen Allen anywhere on the streets lately?" I said out of the blue.

  "No why?" Parker answers for all of us. As usual.

  "I'm just worried... We haven't seen him for three weeks.... and..." I said shaky.

    "He'll turn up, don't worry bro." Michael slapped me hard on the back three times.

   I flinched.

  "Ush is for dinner tonight you guys..." Joey sets the bowls of soup in our faces and sits down next to Mich.

  "Let's hope this doesn't kill us tonight..." I look at the violet bones and grey meat that sits on top of the murky yellow- green liquid. I close my eyes and take a sip.