Even after two other times it still nearabout killed me for weeks. I rubbed my hand, wonderin' if I was ever gonna get outta this place. It was the hour for rest, and I lay alone under a curse of heat. The other boys thought goin' outside would relax them, so I just gaped at their silliness and stayed here. I knew they would come back soon, as I could hear their bleatin' laughter gettin' louder. My eyes were open when some kid burst through the door. He didn't even wipe off his sweat.
"Hey, Briar!"
I shut my eyes and didn't answer.
"You stealing again?"
Frustration and anger forced them back open. "No."
"Oh, really? I saw you taking Tom's pin the other night."
I hated liars, especially tell-tales. "Now why would I care for a blooming pin?"
His hackles went up. "I know you took it."
"I have self-respect." In the Lightnings, we'd always had it, and told other snivelling gangs so.
"You took it." His mouth was folded down.
My chest was tight. "Either shut up, or own you're lying." I was burning to hit the stupidness out of him and I almost did. I'd already sat up.
"I won't."
That did it for me. I could still think, and I knew what I was doing. My head hurtin' with Lakik-touched heat and rage, I walked up to him and punched him across the face.
He ran away with a vengeance and for the thousandth time I wondered when I was gonna leave this place.