Hoodlum

I felt my heart pounding in my chest, hard. My feet was slapping the pavement, I could hear the echoes of the footsteps behind me. I kept a steal tight grip on the box in my hand, they wanted it back but there was no way in hell I was going to give up so easily. It was almost three in the morning; the only sign of light were the streetlights in the far distance.

I made a sharp turn into the next alleyway; I sprinted down the path then made a turn to the left, the direction I was running from. Only this time I wall separated me from the socs, I ran harder turning again. I stopped hugging the wall peering around the corner; I could just make out the flap of their jackets as they ran in the opposite direction of me. I felt a slow grin spreading across my face, those idiots I thought.

I started making my way down the street; the wind was howling pushing my reddish hair away from my face. I didn't feel the cool on my skin though, my heart was still pounding under my t-shirt, and the adrenaline was still pumping through my blood. I wanted to run again, but I knew I had to save my energy, besides if I tried robbing another store I wouldn't be home before Darry or Soda woke up. They didn't know about this new side of me. God why would I let them in? It would just end in an argument.

It started about six months ago; I was heading to the DX Station to see Soda and Steve. Maybe help out with a few cars you know? Just something to do, I cut through the park deciding to take a bit of a longer route. The moon was lighting up the park, the air was cool and crisp easy to breath, the grass crunched under my shoes. I was caught up in my thoughts, I knew my way to the DX station, and I'd be there so many times I just walked there under auto pilot. Then my foot connected with something hard and I felt my body fall over. I rolled over onto the balls of my feet and looked over my shoulder, expecting to see a log or something. But when I looked over, I didn't see a log, I felt my stomach clench and turn to ice. I tripped over a body,

He was just lying there, he could have been sleeping, but I knew right away he was dead. His face was a pale blue colour. His eyes were wide open, they were brown, but had no form of life in them; he seemed shocked about his death. His clothes labeled him as a soc; he wore a white jacket that was splattered in his own blood. His t-shirt had been torn and was soaked as well. His jeans were torn his knee caps torn open. Even his face looked scrapped and messed up, it was horrible, slowly I stood up my knees were shaking so bad.

"He had it coming" a rough voice came from behind me; I jumped, slowly turning around. A boy about my age stood there. His green eyes glittered, his hands stuffed into his pockets. He was wearing all black; even his hair disappeared into the night's shadow.

I rose an eyebrow at him, trying to not to look as scared as I was. He smiled shaking his head, he walked over, and I started shaking he walked past me over to the body. He squatted down closing the boys' eyes.

"His name was Thomas. Young Thomas over here tried crossing me. You see he's a part of my gang. Didn't matter that he was soc and I was grease. We're all an equal." He looked up at me.

"Why are you telling me any of this?" I was surprised that my voice wasn't shaking like the rest of my body.

He stood up and leaned against one of the nearby trees. His face wasn't very playful anymore he looked serious and ready for anything.

"Cause I've seen you around school, your quick and a fast thinker. I can see a dark strip in a person a mile away. I want you in my gang,"

I laughed shaking my head

"Not a chance in hell man. I see how you treat your members. You aint walking over me like dirt."

He grinned again, shaking his head. He closed his eyes collecting his thoughts. After a minute or so he pushed himself off the tree.

"Tell you what Pony. I get it, when you have your brother's as your parents you always follow the rules. Think about it, with me you won't get pushed around. You have a voice, might as well use it; you will follow to my command in the end though. So think about it, meet me back here tomorrow, same time. Give me your decision then"

He turned to walk away; I turned in the other direction, carefully stepping over the body.

"By the way! Name's Alex, see you tomorrow"

I didn't turn I kept walking, his offer swirling around in my head. I got home before Soda; I forgot I was going to meet up with him. I went to bed early, but I didn't sleep I was thinking about what Alex had to say. I mean it didn't seem too bad, I was always playing it safe and Darry always controlled my actions. Even though he didn't realize it Soda did to.

As they day went on I kept thinking about it, the more I thought about it the more I liked it. Which surprised me at 10:00 I found Alex in the park, the body was gone. Yet the blood stains still showed on the grass. I walked straight up to Alex; he was smiling like he already knew my answer

"I'm in"