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Chris tries to get by us again, and I shove hi aatup under his punch With my hands in fists, I slarabso, but my focus has narrowed to just Chris and his uy, but I’m small and quick I just have toChris swings at e it, only to be punched in the face a second later Everything goes black and then I’m on my knees somehow, my vision blurry My face throbs with heat and pain, but I see Chris standing over , and open the pouch on the side of un is in my hand, pointed at Chris “Stay back!” I yell
“What the…” Chris freezes “Where the hell did you get that?”
“It was in rip, but I don’t lower it “Get back!”
“Why would they give you a gun?” Adaun than he did of Chris a o
“I don’t know!”
Chris stares at ain My finger twitches on the trigger We lock eyes for aus, the threat of violence heavy in the air Finally the
“I was gonna propose to Shawnda as soon as we got paid She told nant That’s why I took this job” He stares at the ground “I just wanted to be a good father”
I lower the gun, hands shaking I can’t hate hi all this for his fa to stop this” I have to believe it, or I ht now
Chris nods “Sorry about…” He gestures at his face “All that”
I struggle to my feet and he holds out a hand to helpnose with the back of my jacket Red blood mixes with the rain, which has slowed to a trickle now
I put the gun away in my backpack “I wouldn’t have shot you, you know”
“No shit,” he says with a faint grin
I can’t help but let out a sh This whole situation is just so messed up
The other three watch us like we’re crazy, but I know soed between me and Chris We understand each other now, in a way only people who have fought each other can My face still throbs, but he didn’t actually hit hts Chris turns to Trent and apologizes, and the two slap each other on the back
“Let’s get out of here,” I say Even with the rain, we’re too visible, too exposed standing out in the open like this The policefor us
“Guys” Adaone”
“Oh yeah,” Trent says “It asked for more money while you were in there It probably ran out and drove off”
Back at the apart at us And then I hear the sirens in the distance
06:34
I whip e how close they are We take off running, down rain-slicked sidewalks, past beat-up apartments and stores, in the opposite direction of the sirens For a few , ainst er hear the sirens The five of us duck under the awning of a store that’s been closed down, that once sold candles or bath lotions or so It provides shelter froainst the front , trying to catch ive just about anything for dry clothes right now But worst of all, everything Jasmine and Shawnda said replays inon the strings of her hood “Dead, dead, dead”