Disclaimer: uhm … nothing special here. All peeps are mine. Read and enjoy.

Youths Prayer

“They need help” she exclaimed; yet they ignored her. It was hard to believe that they would ignore her, of all people to ignore her, why them? She walked out of the school, angered beyond comprehension.

“ I can’t believe this! They wont listen to me!” she said, kicking a rock out of her way as she made her way to the school’s track. She threw her jacket and bag down to the ground hard and started off into a quick jog, much faster than she normally would have done to start herself off. She continued her jogging around the track at that rather fast pace, thinking hard on the conversation she had just had with the school’s administration. When she finished, she grabbed her bags, and went back inside to change her clothes before walking home.

She sighed as she waited to cross the street. The cars rushed past her as if in a huge hurry to get someplace.

“ Today just isn’t my day, shoot. “ she looked up to see the light turn red to stop the traffic and allow her to cross, yet there was always someone there to run the red light. She jogged across the street and to the next corner where she had to cross yet again before turning to walk home.

“ I just can’t believe they would just brush me off like that! It’s a reasonable issue, and they didn’t even let me finish my argument!” She crossed the street one last time onto her property and onto her porch. She searched around her bag looking for her key while calming her bladder, begging pooch on the other side of the door. She sighed looking across the street to the ally that led to the thug-infested part of the city she lived in. She then turned to see her friend Malcolm (A.K.A Ace) walking through her backyard.

“ Yo, Marina, how are you? ” He waved to her just as a gunshot flared off behind her in the “Black Dragons’” territory.

“ Whoa! What was that? Another gang fight or something?” she glanced back to her friend Ace who shrugged.

“ I came from the other direction remember.”

“ Yeah sure. But you usually have a reason for coming over. Usually it’s to hide … or eat or use our bathroom or something of the sort.”

 “Hey, speaking of which, can I use your bathroom, get something to eat?”

She rolled her eyes and pulled out her key, opening the door as he laughed, her dog racing out to use nature’s bathroom. She let Ace in to use the bathroom in the house, dropping her bags into a small chair and grabbing two cups, one filled with PepsiPepsi, the other with water.

“ So…” He had come out of the bathroom, zipping his pants up. He was a bit too open with her.

“ How’d the meeting go? Will they let me come?” he took a sip of the soda as she shook her head no in a discouraged way.

“ They argued that they didn’t want any ‘ bad influences’ in their school. As if there weren’t any bad kids there as was!”

He sighed softly under his breath, jiggling the cup so the ice clanked against the walls of plastic.

“I told them you weren’t bad, just uneducated. It’s just because they know you’re in a gang. They’re judging you before they even meet you! I hate that!”

“ You told them I was dumb!” almost spitting up his soda. ”Gee, thanks!” He laughed

“ This is no laughing matter! I have to get you out of here!” She raised her voice seeming thoroughly annoyed by the school administration decisions on such an important dilemma.

“ Maybe you should tell them I’ve had all my shots.” He faked a sniff at his armpits. “ And I’m clean. Well … physically anyhow” he grinned being the wisecrack he was. He always made sarcastic jokes whether at the right or wrong time.

“ Yeah, lord knows your mind’s just filled with dirt.” She groaned slouching in the chair she was sitting in. “I just don’t know, I don’t want to leave you out here where it’s not safe.”

“ Aww.” He bent over, giving her a hug and a kiss on her forehead. “Look, nothing is going to happen to me. I’ve been around this place far longer than you have. Don’t forget. I was born into the Gang.”

“ I don’t care how long you’ve lived here. It’s not safe! Especially with the rival Gang around.”

His smile dissipated. “ How’d you hear about the rivals?”

“ You forget who my brother is.”

He took a glance out the window just behind her head. His attitude no longer the funny, sarcastic bum, Ace but now this serious, protective brother, Ace.

“Marina, I don’t want you getting involved with the rivals and us. Your brother picked a bad time to join you into the gang. Stay as far away from the other gang members as you can.”

“ See! It’s not safe! You shouldn’t be out here on the streets with people out there trying to kill you.”

“ It never was safe Marina, which is why I learned a long time ago to just enjoy everyday while I can.” He patted her on her head to lift her up, a small, soothing smile etched across his face.

“ I’ll try to talk to them tomorrow.” He nodded with approval before heading out.

“ That’s all I ask. I’ll talk to you later.”

“ You better!” she snapped at him as he waved and left. She thought for a moment before grabbing a different coat from before and rushing out the door after him. She caught up with him and they walked silently down the block to the highway. As they walked, Marina spotted a figure ahead lying on the ground. When they reached it they found a small girl lying there on the side of the road. Her body badly beaten and bruised and her clothe old, ripped and dirty. Marina knelt down o check the girl’s pulse to make sure she was alive while Ace kept watch.

“She’s either in a deep sleep or knocked unconscious, we can take her to my house and…”

“ No,” Ace interrupted his voice stern again. He grasped Marina by her elbow and pulled her up away from the girl. “ She could be the daughter or sister of one of the rivals.”

“ But”

“ No buts. It’s my job to watch you and insure your well being. There’s no way you’re going to do something stupid like this on my time! Let’s go.” He started walking back, holding her by her shoulders and guiding her away from the girl.  When they reached the main street off of the highway he moved her to his side, keeping his left arm around her. They walked like this till they reached her house and he dropped her off then kept on to his own home about four blocks away.

The next day, she got to school to find out that a severe problem had arisen. Her brother drove to her school and picked her up after finding out that the school was filled with several rival gang members about three hours after she got to school. Ace popped up again in her yard walking to their door.

“ Hey, well? … Wait a minute. What are you doing home so early? Early-dismissal? I didn’t know you had a half-day. Well, anyhow. How’d it go?”

She looked up at him with a confused look from his questions and excitement.

“ They said they’d think about it.”

“ Well? Why do you look so glum?”

“ It isn’t a yes”

“ It isn’t a no” he spoke softly with reassurance in his voice.

She just stared at him for a moment before finally smiling, unable to keep a straight face.

“ Come on, lets go for a walk.” He led her outside and they walked to the highway again, coming across the girl again, this time she was awake. Some other members of his gang had distracted ace when Marina started walking to the girl. She knelt by her just as she had the other day.

“ Hey. You OK?” she spoke softly to the girl who looked at her with large, watery eyes and nodded. “ We saw you the other day…”

“ I know. I saw you also”

“ You did?”

“ Just before your friend pulled you away from me. I opened my eyes and saw you.”

“ Oh… well. What’s your name?”

“ Karol” she continued to stare at Marina

“ OK, Karol. Are you OK?”  The girl nodded.

“ Why where you out here?”  But the girl stayed silent, preferring not to answer, instead she just hugged Marina. Ace turned around and saw this and ran over, the guys he was talking to coming also.

“Marina!” He stopped when he got to her and saw the girl was crying. “Marina…” he looked to the others for a response, Yet got nothing.

“ Ace. We can’t leave her here.” He fell silent, not knowing what to do.

“ But what if…”

“ If it isn’t safe for you then it’s a death trap waiting to spring for her!” he sighed and mumbled something to one of the other guys who then pulled out a cell phone. Ace then dialed some numbers and held the phone to his ear, it ringing three times before a deep voice erupted onto the phone.

“ What” It was her brother.

“ Could you come out to the highway. We’ve got a bit of a dilemma.” There was silence then a click, Ace hung up the phone and looked back to Marina.

“ It’s up to your brother now.” She nodded to him and held the girl close. Five minutes later a car drove up. Her brother stepped out and walked over to her, looking the child over that clung so desperately to his precious sister.

“ She’s a Rival” those three words spewing from his mouth like a bullet from a gun, quick but painful.

“ Marina, we can’t take her with us.” Ace explained the child over hearing this and beginning to cry.

“ But she’s only a child! What could she do? Just look at her, she’s beaten and abused.” There was silence for awhile except for the child’s weeping. Her brother then walked back to the car and sticking one foot in.

“ Come on. Get in; let’s get you home. Ace you come on also. Marina, she can stay for awhile till I make up my mind.” The other members, who were against the child, gaped, gasped and argued against the girls “visiting”.

“ Till I make up my mind!” her brother yelled at the others, shutting them up instantly. He drove off, dropping members off at their homes, until he reached their house. The four of them got out and went inside the house. Marina sat the girl down at the table and started fixing dinner. Her brother sitting next to the child to ask her some questions, Ace just sat there watching Marina in an infatuated fashion.

Marina placed a plate of lettuce and chicken and rice in front of the girl and another in front of her brother. She went back and got some utensils and Ace’s plate. After passing all the food and etc. out, she too sat down. Her brother looked at her then to the girl who was eating the food as if she has never eaten before. He then turned to Ace.

“ Ace. I have some good news and some bad news for you. Marina, you may like this but the school called and said they thought it over and said that they would accept you into the school. I guess Marina finally got to them.” They both smiled tears of joy reaching Marina’s eyes. “ Uhm, also, your sister was persecuted and so the police have locked your house up. Guess you’re stuck here.”

“ Cool! So what was the bad news?”  All but Marina’s brother began laughing.

“ Marina, the girl can stay. But you’re to watch her. Don’t let her out of your sight. I’ll get my friend to watch her while you’re at school. One slip up and she’s gone. You hear.” She nodded and hugged the girl who was devouring a second plate of food.