To Lead a Union

Battle I

Spades' POV

The terms and agreements is set. No kids or physically disabled people is ta come ta harm. No hostages or ambushes, all battles are ta be planned and leadas and seconds is ta stay on the battle field until one of the sides surrenders. No weapons. Wars ain't exactly about be cautious, but we figured if we set these guidelines we wouldn't be as wasteful. Any of these rules broken means a broken truce, and dat leads ta recklessness. Wes is here waitin in the park. It's night so dat no nosy passerby's get mixed up in any of dis. Ise've had any excess exits sealed off, Davey (of course) is at the lodgin house takin care of the couple of kids who had stayed home. Jack'll be mainly directin the ova all way wes move.

I'm sorry but Ise is real scared. I know I needs ta be a 'role model' or 'leada' and whatnot. Ise is tryin ta stay outwardly calm, but I'm losin my mind. Wes is talkin heart poundin, compromised breathin, thoughts swimmin, and all dem odda tropes. I see Race and we exchange terrified glances. I now am feelin his hand awkwardly yet comfortingly grasp mine.

Why didn't I just take a chance and ask him out before? Why did I let us all get mixed up in dis stupid war? What if- if...

"If, if youse don't make it out alright-" I whisper ta him, my voice catching in my throat. He cuts me off,

"Ain't no teenaga's gonna die from a few blows." He jokes in attempts ta reassure me. I take a hard look inta his bright blue eyes, the cigar, the goofy grin.

"Just, just make it out alright." I finish, and he lets go of my hand, and instead drapes his arm around my shoulders in response. It's very temptin ta just lean inta it foreva, but I have ta tell him dat wes gotta stay ready for action.

Footsteps.

Dey's is here. Once deys is about ta reach us, I start realizin dat wes is outnumbered 6-1.

Can't turn back now.

Sos we charge in.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Race's POV

Left, right, kick, and so on.

Ise is fightin dis Bronx kid at the moment, and he's easy pickins. He don't know how ta use his noodle arms. Wes is outnumbered about 6-1, so if ise can beat up at least six of 'em we should be in the clear. One last hit-

Thud

And dis Bronx kid is outta commission. Don't worry he's fine, just on the ground and unable ta fight. Anudda Bronx kid grabs him and goes somewhere dats - ya know - not the battle field.

Sos I gets starts takin anudda guy. He's a betta dan the last kid but dats not exactly a high bar. Puts a couple bruises on me, I do the same and pin him down ya leave a couple marks until he squirms away.

Maybe I ain't half bad at dis

I feel blood roarin in my ears and my adrenaline sparks as I keep goin on anudda. Afta him, I starts takin dis odda guy and I feel myself go numb. Boy have I made a mistake wit him. He's real tall muscular and he's got brass knuckles and everythin. I mean seriously it looks a chihuahua tryin ta put a scratch on a bulldog in comparison. Da big kinda bulldog.

Left, right, kick, and so on.

He's is just kinda rollin his eyes, as though he thinks me an amateur. Wit one hit ta my side, he knocks me ta the ground. Stunned, I looks up at him and I hear him ask,

"Is dat all? I was expectin more of a challenge." Suddenly I feel dis odda guy come up from behind me and lift me up off my feet.

"Nah. I'm sure our little friend wouldn't wanna leave ol' knuckles disappointed." He replies ta who was apparently knuckles.

Figures.

Knuckles says somethin along the lines of "make dis real hard it takes work ta keep these abs" but ise ain't listenin. My blood's gone completely cold.

What I'm I gonna tell Spades?

I'm jolted outta my thoughts by a fist hurtlin towards me, and hurl myself away from it in the nick of time. The next blow misses me too. All of a sudden I feel his sharp (and when I says sharp I mean one blow gives blood sharp) shoe kick me real hard in the knees, and I feel my legs give in as I slam on ta the cement. He proceeds ta grabs me by the collar and the cold medal collides above my eye, and I can't help but shout out in pain as blood starts ta blur my vision, and I feel wetness start ta cova my face. He smiles wickedly and says,

"See now ise is havin fun. Ain't youse havin fun?" He drops me, kicks a few more times ta where I'm in so much pain I can't move. He finally walks away, leavin me alone wit one fact etched in my mind.

I've failed.

_______________________________

ANGST. I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter. I'm starting to build up my prewritten chapters again but I probably won't have the patience still lol. I will try to start updating more regularly, but I still need more time to adjust to back to school and for the next few chapters. Thank you all again for reading this, ily guys sm ❤️❤️❤️