One Chance Charlie

1 Photography

"Put the equipment there Marshall" my mother said waving her manicured hand with a ciggerete in it over to a corner, not bothering to look at me. I sighed heaving the gear across the luxury apartment trying to avoid the kids running round screaming with party hats on. I got on my knees and started screwing the shoot gear together looking over at me mother, a blonde woman, dyed, frizzes and a berrie. She only wore the berrie on photography jobs to look more "in character" as she put it. She lied on her job qualifications. She hadn't got past the majority of high school and dropped out to move in with some high school sweet heart who conceived me before rushing off to start another family. That's what she said anyway. I couldn't belive a word she said. She'd lied and cheated to where she'd gotten today, and that wasn't very far. She bought all the equipment cheap because it was stolen before setting up a "buisness" taking portraits of rich people's events and then, preferably for her, sleeping with them. I sighed as she flirted with the man who's kids party it was. She was clinging onto the blokes rolex.  Her "buisness" ended up with me doing the work and her directing as she called it.

All the kids were screaming and messing stuff up running around and their parents were gushing over them. I wish I had a childhood like that. Any childhood would have been nice. My dad walking out at 7 really started it off. Mom just went down hill and boom childhood gone just like that. Weird how life works out like that. "Mummy look at me" one kid shouted as I started walking round taking amature pictures they paid top price for. My mother had disappeared with that bloke which really wasn't surprising and once again I was left all alone to pick up her mess.

I didnt like photography that much, but my mother had a habit for dragging me into her criminal activities. Not soon enough was the party over and I could go home. I flopped into bed. It must have been 2am before everything was packed up and away and I could finally sleep. It was Tuesday tommorow and definitely too soon. Mom made me bunk school to go to her events as she doesn't even see the point of me going to school because im so stupid.

"Marshall get down here" my mom called down at eleven. I shot up from my bed and jumped out. I pulled on any clothes I could find and shot down the stairs. She pulled me to the couch she was laying on. The waft of the smoke went into my face as she slurred "go see Tommy" she let me go. I rolled my eyes grabbing my bike and peddling hard down the street. Tommy was the local dealer. Mom wanted weed from him and unfortunately, because she was hooked he knew my face well. "Alright Tommy" I said breaking in front of him. "Alright Marshall, how's your mom" he asked as we shook hands exchanging goods. "Good thanks, I'll see you later" I said stuffing it into my backpack and cycling to school. School was a dump to be honest. We lived on the run down side of town with no rich people, they were on the other side, far away from us. The town hadn't been too safe recently. Alot more shootings, crime rates were higher than ever and none of us thought that was possible. Rumours had been going round about a take over. By who? We don't know. And that's odd. Usually everyone knows but no one says anything. I threw my bike down outside of school and ran down the hallways. As usual quite a few people were loitering, smoking and whatever. I opened the classroom door and a paper ball came flying my way. "Sorry Marshall" a voice called from the back. I nodded walking in. "Where were we, ah yes, Benny was about to shut up talking about Matthews mother" the teacher groaned rubbing his eyes. I sat down and put my head on the desk gently falling asleep. Suddenly a foot slammed into my leg and I shot up. "Psst if you got anything they're coming" someone whispered. "What?" I asked and the kid looked at me worried. "Cops" was all he needed to say before I stood up with my bag heading over to the door in record time. Other students had already ditched their stuff out the window and wherever else but I knew I couldn't afford to ditch mine. Mom would kill me. She'd rather me risk jail then her weed. But as soon as I stepped out of the door I saw them. Dressed in blue and with batons primed. I ran in the opposite direction away from them. I wasn't the only one but I was one of the slowest. I was tackled to the ground by a cop with a dog who circled me before sitting down next to my bag. I was pressed hard into the ground. My cheeks smearing into the grime. "What you got kid?" The officer demanded pushing down more then nescecery. "Please" I groaned trying to breathe. "Where is it?" He lifted me up, my wrists cuffed. He slammed me into the lockers and put his hands in my pockets. Another officer searched my bag pulling out the small baggie. Oh no. "Gotcha you little-" he said fingers digging into my wrists.

"What have we got" a man in a suit said walking down the hall with a woman in a formal dress suit. I recognised her from the papers, she was the mayor. The man I recognised too. But in a different way. It was his familiar hair and the look in his eye, that when it mine, it froze. "You've got to be kidding me" he said dumbfounded.

Then sheer anger took over his charming features. The FBI badge he wore on his waist spoke then "let go of my son".