Chapter 9: Chapter 9

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My meeting with Shane must have signaled a change in my luck, although I didn’t realize it at first.

I walked the streets of DC for hours, not knowing where to go, trying to think what to do, scared spitless and trying not to show it. I turned down what happened to be a blind alley and found myself on the fringe of something bad.

A kid about my age was facing off a gang of street trash. “We been watching you, pussy boy,” one of them yelled. “And we don’t want your kind in our neighborhood.”

“Grab the little queer.”

“Get his pants off.”

“We’re gonna fuck his faggot ass.”

They goaded each other, obviously trying to work themselves up to committing serious mayhem.

There was something about the dark-haired kid’s determination to stand strong against them, and I decided to try to help. “The cops are coming!” I shouted. “Somebody called the cops!”