Warning: chapter three: explanations

Me: read. Review. That's all I have to say...yeah...

Salem's point of view

I climbed onto one of the beds, pulling my legs to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. John sat down next to me. He sighed, then looked me in the eye.

"You ready to open up?" he asked. I took a deep breath and nodded.

"As long as you're here with me." I said.

Then the lights went out.

"Shit. Lights out." I heard Magnet say. "Guess you'll have to tell us tomorrow, Chicas and new guy." I exhaled very quickly.

Thank god. I thought. I got up from the bed where I was sitting and headed over toward mine. I grabbed my pajamas from my duffel and flung my hat on the floor. I walked towards the curtain thing to join Noelia, Amanda and Julia. I pushed through the curtain and walked towards the back. I pulled off my jumpsuit and pulled on my pajama bottoms. I bunched up the jumpsuit in my hands and felt tears come to my eyes. I fell to the floor, my body wracked by sobs. My mind was back in the empty lot where Richard and Teacher had died.

FLASHBACK

I was standing next to Richard and Noelia, Teacher in front of me. The gang in front of us was from another school from across town, and they HATED us. We had done nothing to them except come onto their "turf" to go to the arcade one night. And apparently their leader had gotten shot that same night, and they blamed us for it. They had challenged us to this "brawl" tonight, and we had shown on time, unarmed, but they were a half hour late, and had knives. I wasn't really in charge then, just second in command, higher in rank than John and Julia, who were Teacher's kids.

"I told you, Franki, we had nothing to do with Kevin's death. We were just at the arcade. We thought you wouldn't care-"

"Wouldn't care? Wouldn't care if you came onto our turf? And then killed Kevin? I don't think so, dumb ass. Now, you pay." And then he and the others in the gang rushed him, stabbing, slashing, jets of blood bursting form Teacher as he let them cut his flesh away.

"NO!" I heard someone scream. I tried to rush into the blood bath, but I stopped as Richard jumped at one of them with a yell, falling onto his back. The man grunted and swung Richard onto the ground. I heard a crunch as Richard cried out. The man then kneeled on Richard's arms, just above the elbows and drove his knife into his stomach and chest over and over again. I snarled and reached into my boot for the pocketknife I always had in there. I flipped open a blade and ran over to the man on top of Richard. I jumped as I got to them and drove my heels into his neck. He grunted and fell off of Richard, who lay there, bleeding and breathing shallowly. I sobbed and threw the blade at the man who had stabbed Richard. It hit him in the throat and he fell back with a gurgle. I grabbed my knife and stood. John was locked in hand to hand with one of the slime balls from the rival gang, as were Noelia and Amanda. Julia had just kicked the knife out of one of their hands and had punched him in the mouth. Teacher was on the ground in a puddle of blood. I had a choice. Save Richard, or save Teacher. I yelled and ran towards Teacher. He reached out towards me with a hand that was newly missing fingers. I knelt next to him, smiling slightly and fighting the tears back. He grabbed my hand.

"Salem Way, I have taught you everything I know. I am going to die tonight, and I leave everything I have to you. The house, that car, and this." He reached into his jacket with a groan and handed me his prized possession, his wife's wedding ring. His wife died soon after Julia was born. I had heard stories about her dozens of times when Teacher had a little too much to drink. She sounded wonderful. The ring was real gold and had an emerald in the middle and rubies all around it. On the inside was and inscription, "Wherever I am, I will always think of you".

"I give you this because I will always think of you Salem. You were my first runaway to be taken in. Keep," he shuddered "Keep John and Julia out of trouble." He closed his eyes. He exhaled and then his grip on my hand released. I looked up, tears of anger, sadness and disbelief in my eyes. I saw the on who had led the attack. His knife was on the ground.

I could kill him.

I leapt to my feet, flicking open my blade. I ran towards him, snarling low in my throat, I leapt into the air, yelling, and brought the blade down into his back. Blood gushed forth, warm and red under my hand. I pulled the knife free and plunged it in again and again. I could feel the life flowing out of him with each time I stabbed. Then strong arms circled me from the back and suddenly I was crying, the anger gone. I don't remember much after that. The next clear memory was at the trial.

"So, Salem, is it?" the judge asked.

"Yes, your honor." I answered.

"Alright. You almost killed that man. Because you are only 16, you wont be charged as an adult. I could either separate you and your friends in different detention facilities all over California," I looked up, horrified. The judge held up his hand. " OR, I could send all of you to a detention camp in Texas. There is one catch though. The camp is usually for boys only." I looked up again.

Boys only, hunh? Gonna be some rapists and abusers…

"When can we leave?"

END FLASHBACK

"Salem?" I heard from far away. I opened my eyes.

Blinding light fried my retinas.

"AGH! Turn the fucking light off!"

"She's fine." I heard John say.

"What happened?" I asked, cracking open my eyes.

"You went to change, and then we heard Amanda screaming for help. We found you on the floor, twitching and sobbing. You've been out cold for an hour." I heard Caveman say. "John carried you in here. Mom thinks you just were dehydrated and kinda traumatized."

"Mom?" I said.

"The boys like to call me mom. Its part of their little nicknames ritual. I prefer to call them the names that society will recognize them by when they rejoin the real world. You may call me mom if you wish, Salem." I opened my eyes all the way, blinking repeatedly. I sat up and saw that I was in another small shack, but this one had a bed and a cabinet with a red cross on it. I think it was the nurse's shack. Amanda and Noelia were sitting on the ground next to Magnet; Caveman, Zigzag, Squid and Julia were all sitting on a table near the front of the room, X and Twitch were standing next to Armpit, Pendanski and Mr. Sir. And John was sitting in a chair next to the bed I was sitting on. He looked really worried. He smiled at me.

"You ready to go back to the tent?" he asked. I nodded. I stood, and the room spun. I fell into John, and he steadied me. I shook my head and started to head for the door.

"come on you guys, I'm tired."

END CHAPPIE