Trying to forget

Chapter 1: I am a witness

I missed the bus... again. But I can't afford to walk home on my usual route because of the shitload of work I need to get through. I have to take a short cut. Sounds easy enough right? Well to go through there takes a lot of guts, because I'd have to go through the dangerous part of town. The place where all the drug addicts and nutcases hang out. Hopefully I won't be in there too long. It always makes me nervous walking down there.

The walls around me are covered in brightly coloured graffiti and street art. There are rubbish bins tipped over and garbage everywhere. I can hear cop cars and sirens speeding through streets in the distance. This area is disgusting and dirty, why would anyone want to live or hang around here is a complete mystery to me.

While I am walking, getting lost in thought, I suddenly hear shouting and screaming from a few blocks away. I heard this story about a girl who had been kidnapped for 6 years and just been rescued and returned to her family on the news. She had said that she had screamed because she knew that there were people nearby but no one had tried to help her. I don't want that to happen to someone else. So I start running as fast as I can towards the screaming. I can do it. I can make it. I can help this person.

I turn the corner and stare down the ally-way. I am frozen, staring down the ally at a gang beating up a man. There is white powder all over the floor. The man's shrieks and cries are worse than anything I have ever heard before. They are the sound of true pain. Blood is spurting out of his nose onto the sides of dumpsters and all over the floor. His elbow is pointing in a very wrong angle. His shirt and pants have huge rips where i can see gashes. I can't move. I can only watch in pure horror and try not to throw up. The gang members all have bald heads or are wearing beanies and wear long black pants with a black singlet. They keep kicking and punching the man as hard as they can, even grunting when they do so. I need to go. I can't be here. What was I thinking? I'm no hero. The man collapsed onto the floor, his eyes started to close. He was going to pass out any second. But the man suddenly looks up and noticed me staring.

"HELP!" the man yelled at the top of his lungs to me. "PLEASE, HELP ME!"

All the gang members stop look up at me. There are about 7 or 8 of them in all. They just stare for a moment, the only sound coming from the heavy breathing and panting from the beat up man and the distant sound of police sirens getting softer and softer.

"Jesus Christ, SHUT UP," a tall Hispanic gang man who looked to be in his late 20s yelled at the man on the floor. He gave him a kick for good measure. The beat up man winced and passed out seconds later. None of the gang members ever lost eye contact with me.

"Well hey there little girl, whats your name," the Hispanic man asked me. His voice was low and deep, but he spoke to me in the voice carers speak to 6 year-olds with. I couldn't move. My lips were frozen. I was silent.

"I said, WHAT IS YOUR NAME," he screamed at me. I couldn't help but flinch.

"Ha-Harley," I stutter in reply.

"Your full name, shithead," a woman with an American accent growled at me.

"Harley Williams-ss," I whimper. I have never been so terrified in my life.

"And how old are you," the Hispanic man says again.

"15," I reply, my voice cracking.

The gang members start having a conversation in low voices while two of the gang members walk up and grab me and push me towards the group. The Hispanic man suddenly pulls out a gun and points it to my head.

"Ha, don't do anything stupid now, you wouldn't want my finger to just slip and accidentally pull the trigger now would you? Now, do you know what is happening here?" the Hispanic man says.

"I-I don't know, I just saw yo-you all beat u-up that ma-man there," I stutter, my voice dripping with fear.

"Well kiddo, this man right here, tried to take cocaine without paying us what he owed. So we were only making it fair, don't you agree?" he asked, but it sounded more like a threat. I couldn't move. I couldn't respond.

"DON'T YOU AGREE? ARE YOU DEAF?!" The man screamed at me.

"Agreed," I choke out.

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

The beat up man laying on the floor woke up and gasped. Another gang member, a short sturdy man, started to slowly bend his fingers backwards. But just before his fingers snapped, the Hispanic man swiftly brought the gun down and shot the beat up man in the head.

I screamed. There was blood everywhere.

"SHUT UP! Or your next Ha-Harley Williams-ss," the Hispanic man screamed at me, mocking my voice. He brought the gun back to my head. I closed my eyes in fear and acceptance. So this is how it ends. I had always hoped that I would grow old with someone and have a family of my own.

"Son, she's just a kid, don't kill 'er," an older gang member with a graying goatee says to the Hispanic man. I open my eyes again. He says it like it's a warning.

"But dad, she could endanger the DLG."

"We can use 'er," he responds. The way he says it sends shivers down my spine.

Use me? For what? And what is the DLG? Is it the name of their gang? Was the Hispanic man their leader? He sure acts like it. Than why was he taking orders from his dad? I can't believe I witnessed a horrific murder, will I be next?

Before my mind can continue the questions racing through my mind. I am punched in the stomach by the Hispanic man, not particularly hard, but enough to make me get winded and double over. While I am clutching my stomach and leaning over, a large, dry hand covers my mouth and a moist cloth is shoved under my nose. I start hyper-ventilating and I can feel myself losing my conscience. What is happening, I feel so sleepy. I stumble a little bit before tripping over something large and falling to my knees. Oh my god, that is the body of the murdered man. I can barely keep my eyes open. I collapse onto the floor. I don't think I can stay awake much longer. I can see the gang members all looking at me and muttering things to each other.

Then I passed out.

Okay guys that was Chapter 1 of Trying to forget.

This is the first book I have ever written so let me know any suggestions or ideas in the comments. Also if you comment I might dedicate a chapter to you.

Sorry if their are heaps of grammatical errors.

I know it's short but I don't know if I will be having chapters much longer than this.

Let me know if I should keep writing.

(Words: 1221)

-TKH1403