The Boy On The Run

CHAPTER ONE

Song: I'll Find You By Lecrae

CHAPTER ONE.

2:22 a.m.

I quietly open the door as it creaks beside me and close it as quietly as I can. I walk towards my brothers bed and wiggle his legs to wake him up. "Yo Abel, wake up."

"Huh? What the s**t!' he screams out.

I cover his mouth with my hand. "Shut up, its just me. And, language." I tell him as I pull my backpack off and set it by his bed.

"Sully?"

I nod as if he can see me, "Yeah, who else would it be?" I inquire and turn his lamp on.

He rubs his tired eyes and sits up, pulling his blanket off of him. "So I can't cuss but you can?"

"Your twelve, I'm nineteen, theres a difference." I inform him and sit down on his old crappy desk chair, I wouldn't be surprised if it breaks on me.

"How did you get in? Aren't the nuns still up?"

I chuckle, "The ones that are, are outside taking a smoking break. I know my way around a lock." I inform him and pull a cigarette and my lighter out of my pocket. I sit closer to his window and pull it open. "Why did you close the window when I told you to leave it open? I couldn't get in and it took me over an hour to figure a way inside."

He shrugs, "Because its cold outside, have you not noticed that its snowing? Besides, I didn't actually believe you would come to see me. You say that a lot and then bail on me."

I quickly light my cigarette and walk towards Abel, placing my hand on his shoulder. "Look, Abel. I'm not bailing on you. Sometimes I get held up, and I try my best every night to come see you."

He shoves my hand off of him. "When are you going to get me out of this crappy place? I've been here for almost a year."

I sigh, "Abel. Its not that easy-"

"Bull!" he yells.

I cover his mouth once again, "Would you keep your voice down?" I pull my hand away and sit next to him. "Abel, honest to God I'm trying my best to get you out of this hell hole! You at least have a roof over your head and food to eat, not a lot but you still have it. I have to steal for food, I hate to, but that's what I have to do. And you know I can't exactly get a job when I'm the most Wanted Guy in three states."

He turns to look out the window and sighs softly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice. Bud, I'm the only person you have and you have to believe me, even if you don't want to at times." I run my fingers through my hair and walk towards the window to breathe out the smoke. "I know it's hard. But you have to stay strong. I'm proud of you." I look around his room and find a small piece of metal to put out the ending of my cigarette and throw it into the small trash bin by the door.

He runs up to me and wraps his small arms around me, slightly knocking me against the wall. "It's just, I miss you, I miss Mom and dad and Emilia. I wish this never happened. I wish we could play basketball together again. I just miss everything. I hate being here because I don't get to see you. I just hate it! I hate it so much! I wish the guys that caused all this to happen were dead."

I wrap my arms tightly around him. " I miss them too. I wish none of this happened too. I wish everything you do." I kneel down in front of him and he buries his face into my shoulder. "I'm sorry all this happened."

He pulls his head away from mine and looks at me. " This isn't your fault Sully."

I give him a small smile and push his head into my chest. "I know."

He lets go of me and walks towards his puny closet and pulls a box out. "Here's a change of clothes."

He hands me a pair of dads old clothes and smiles slightly. "I'm assuming that's probably your change of clothes for the week."

I nod. "Most likely so." I say as I shove the clothes in the backpack.

"So, are you going to tell me how you shower?"

I chuckle. "That's for me to know and you to never find out."

He snickers. "Do you even shower?"

I walk towards the window, "No comment."

He falls on his bed and chortles. "Bro! That's disgusting!"

"s**t!"

"What what what!?" Abel asks rushing towards me.

"The nuns aren't outside anymore." I tell him as I look for the nuns with my head out of the window. I grab my bag and throw it over my shoulders. " I gotta go. I'll be back tomorrow. This time keep your window open." I articulate and point my finger at him as I step out the window and onto the roof.

He pokes his head out the window and starts to shiver. "Where are you going?"

I shrug. "I don't know. Put your head back inside before you get sick."

He ignores me and sighs. "Love you."

I stop in my tracks and look back at him. "Love you too, Buddy."

He closes his window along with his curtain and the light flashes off. I take a deep breath and continue on the roof. I jump off the roof and onto a building a couple of feet down.

"Where to now?" I mumble to myself. I pull my hood over my head and climb down the bars attached to the side of the concrete building. I hop off once I'm a couple of feet closer to the ground. I pull a photo out of my pocket of me and Bryce. Boy do I miss her. Life would be bittersweet if she were still here.

~*~