Finding Hope

Chapter Six

Cassidy St. Claire

     I lead Winter down the alley and around to the parking lot, without a clue as to where I'm going.

     My eyes search the parking lot for Winter's truck, but it isn't there. I search again, and I see he is, too. No where.

He drops to his knees, looking around. His eyes get big and his lip trembles. He bites it, and I watch.

     He screams. He screams louder then I've ever seen. He puts his face in Hus hands and yells. I think I hear the word 'no' in between his screams, but I can't be sure.

I touch his shoulder but he shakes my hand off. He's running out of breath. His shoulders are heaving. He isn't breathing.

    The cop runs out of the building, clearly out of breath. "What's. Going. On?" He demands.

"I-I don't know," I say, helpless. "W-where's his truck?" My voice is surprisingly calm.

     "Truck? Kid, I thought that y'all walked here! There wasn't no truck anywhere." He searches the parking lot, just like I had.

Winter is still screaming.

     The man walks over to him and grabs his wrists, trying to pull Winter to his feet.

Winter swings his fist around and barely misses the cop. He pushes and screams until the man let's him go.

     "Jesus, boy! You'll lucky I don't arrest you!"

"Arrest him!?" I'm so mad I feel my ears turning red. "You can't arrest him! You don't know why he's doing this!"

     "To hell if I can't!" He yells back, then Winter stops screaming, which makes me and the cop look at him, and he starts silently sobbing.

"I'm sorry, mama, I'm so sorry." Winter sobs, then has eyes gloss over and he stands up, suddenly silent.

     He hunches over and pukes. He falls to his knees and throws up. I run to him and grab his hair, rubbing his back.

He pukes three more times and starts dry heaving. He rolls onto his side and hits his head on the ground, his eyes still glossed. He looks at me and his eyes roll into the back of his head, then they close.

He passed out.