Among Stars by Nevi Bernard (free ebook reader for pc TXT) 📕

I stood looking at Darson for what may have been minutes; hours even, not saying a word.

“Fox what’s wrong?” I could here the concern in his voice and at the mention of the old familiar nickname I just broke down.

Tears fell like the Niagara Falls. Darson wrapped his arms rocking me like mom would as the tears sooth my broken soul.

            “Hey Fox, wake up.” I heard the voice say but I really just wanted t sleep. I rolled away pulling the pillow over my head.

“Go away. It’s not time to wake up.” I moaned

“C’mon, get from under that pillow.” The voice demanded.

I finally obeyed and opened my eyes. I looked around, not knowing where I was. Then I saw Darnell’s smiling face.

“Hey sleepyhead.” He offered his hand to pull me up from where I laid.

“What are you doing here? Or I guess I should be asking where am I?” I look at him confused.

There was a sound behind me and I turned to look, what caused the sound, and saw Darson taking tray of food.

“Hey kiddo, you’re awake, finally.” He smiled and placed the tray on the small coffee table in front of us.

I took in the environment as memories came flooding back. I sighed and look at the two young men that stared back at me waiting for me to say something.

            Darson and Darnell Lexington were two of my closest friends, more like brothers. Their older brother Gabriel Lexington got arrest after being framed that he’d killed his best friend.  After he’d been release he disappeared and no one every heard from him. Their mom got killed in a drive-by shooting not long after. Things had been hard and I was their only person left for them to love. Kevin had made sure they were well taken care of since he knew they didn’t want to be separated, and allowed them to stay at their house just so they still had something to hold dear.

I smiled and threw my arms around their necks and hugged tight. They were the only ones who would understand all that I had been through. And though I hadn’t had a clue how I got there I was glad that I had made it. At least I could feel the love that I need. They were among the only family I needed.

            I emerged from the bathroom and took up the pair of baggy jeans and put them on. A tank top followed and a cap, turning the front to the side. Today would be my first day going back to dance practice with the Alphas.

Alpha is the name of the dance squad that I had danced with in childhood years. It had been fun then until Zackary Longman aka Zeek, was found dead in our layer. It was hard for us to handle but it worst for Zade Longman, his brother and me, for I had been the one that was to be killed that night.

Gabe and Zeek were working for a guy who named Duce, who was a well know drug lord who used teenagers and little kids to traffic his stuff around. So with this being rough at home Gabe and Zeek got involved. One night, after not having a clue where Gabe went when he left and certain hours of the night and came in the morning, I was curious to know where he went and what he did. Somehow things hadn’t looked good that morning when I saw the bruises on his face and limped each time he walked.

So without him knowing I used my ability that gave me one of my nicknames, Ghost, to follow him. I watched as the two entered the old warehouse looking a bit timid, and followed eagerly without hesitation. I found somewhere to hide, where I could not be seen, and where I could here everything. I found a spot in a corner close to Duce who was sitting ever too calm. He scared me so much that I huddle tighter into the corner. Something just told me by the look on his face he was not some to mess with.

I watched as the young men fell on to the floor begging for forgiveness, that they were robbed and don’t have the desired money. I hated to see that they were affected by the man who sat staring at them for what seemed like eternity. His goons that were close by were summoned to handle them and I watched in horror as more damage added to what was already inflicted by the robber.

In the corner of my eyes I noticed movements and looked up to find that I too was spotted. I made a dash from where I sat but was unsuccessful, as I felt strong arms grabbing hold. I was brought before Duce like a prisoner before a judge just waiting for judgment. Tears began to fall as I looked at the two guys that were like family. They too looked at me with horror in their eyes, and I smiled weakly. Duce smiles his first smile, since I’d been hiding, but it look menacing and it caused a cold shiver to run down my spine, by now the goon that held me and put me to stand on my own.

             Duce asked both Zeek and Gabe if they knew who I was, and nodded weakly but when he turned his eyes back to me, he had an expression on his face that he was about to do something that I was not about to like. I watched as his hands went for his gun on the table, and my heart stopped at the thought that I would see them again if they died. Before the goon could catch me, I got to the gun, which was lying on the table, first and scrapped in in to pieces. I had learnt to scrap a gun for cleaning by just watching Kevin and when he found that I could do it, he taught me how to scrap it in a short period of time. It was a game for me.

I used the opportunity to get the other goons and their guns before they even knew what hit them. This gave Zeeks and Gabe the opportunity to make a run for it. Gabe grabbed me on the way out as we tired to escape. I had started getting some military training from Kevin and the other guys to help me in certain situation of a kidnap but the knowledge his in this one too.

             We made it home without being followed but after lying to our crew about what had happened, we all stayed on the low. We became scarce at the many places that we would normally be, to prevent anyone getting hurt. But that fateful night as Zeek prepared to take my home, Duce and his Goons came. They were prepared to shoot me at all cost, not caring that I was just a child.

“RUN!” Zeek had screamed as he pushed me away.

I didn’t wait for him to tell me twice I went as quickly as my small feet could take me, but I didn’t run very far. I at in a little corner wasn’t visible to them and watched as they shot Zeek four more times. I had to cover my mouth to keep from screaming as the tears came rushing down.

I wiped the tears I hadn’t realized that had started to fall at the horrible memory. We all suffered and it was the reason that Gabe got arrested. Duce had set out to get us but both had kept me safe as well as Kevin who took me from the community. It was also the reason that Mrs. Lexington had died too. But Duce and his goons didn’t live very long. They’d died fighting. Pe had made sure that they were investigated and to be arrested but another gang had had some serious beef with them, and they’d all died.

Zeus had still been very upset and had tried on numerous occasions to pick a fight. And now it was time to face this. Though I felt scared I knew this was something I had to do, and they needed that help from what I heard.

I sighed as I got to the door of the old warehouse that was our layer. I pushed the door open and had to stop myself from running out at the sight of the pairs of eyes that seemed to drill holes into me. There was one pair of eyes that stared daggers at me if eyes could kill I would have died a thousand times or more.

“Hi.” I said as I smiled weakly

“Hey.” Came the dull responses of people who really didn’t care to see me.

I walked slowly inside, my heart pounding in my ears. I hide my hands behind my back to keep anyone from realizing that they shook from nervousness.

“DJ is that you?” said a familiar female voice that I remember all to well. Cassie

Cassie was Zeus’s little sister, and the only one who knew what their brother had been in. I smiled as she hugged me tight.

“I needed air.” I said in a somewhat strangled breath, though it made me feel better knowing that someone was on my side.

She giggles a little uncontrollably, “Sorry.”

            “So are you ready? We’re just about to start.” I heard Darson’s voice from the other side of the room.

 The warehouse was a little how I remembered it, with Graffiti decorating the walls. I finally looked at them and nod an answer. At first I thought that everyone got up to practice, instead they made their way to me. Cassie had already made it across the room and hadn’t seen the other’s advances towards me.

“So you came back to the scene of the crime. Don’t you think it’s time to fess up DJ? Huh? Huh?” Zeus started

“I – I – I didn’t come to make trouble ok. I just came to help.” I stuttered

Zeus clapped as if I made the speech of the century, and I wince when he grabbed my shoulders. I left on situation only to step into another I thought glumly. But I knew this might have happened. And before I could what was happening I felt the first punch to my stomach that I really didn’t expect. I toppled over to the floor as the others joined in. I curled myself into a ball protecting myself from the blows.

Tears began to fall as I willed myself not to cry out. I knew if I were to start fighting back I probably couldn’t stop.

“You killed my brother. It’s because of you that my brother died.” Zeus screamed as he dealt another blow. That’s it! I thought. I had been living through the pain, and it would have been easier if I didn’t that way. But I knew that all I did was to save him and he returned the favor, losing his life in the process. I uncurled myself and pounced on him before the next blow connected, and pushed him to the floor. By now no one could stop the anger that I felt as I sat atop him and his face with punches.

I didn’t notice the sudden quietness that had come over the room; all I felt were the strong arms that determinedly pulled me away as I clung to Zeus’s shirt to finish what I started.

“Saved your brother, you fool. He would have died weeks before, if I hadn’t been stubborn and followed Gabe and him to Duce’s place.” I roared crossly

“You’re a liar.” He said and I made another attempt to grab him.

“She’s telling the truth.” Said a familiar voice.

I turned to see who was saving my butt from another beating. Gabe stood in the doorway looking at us, before moving towards