Chapter 4: Tragedy

Light hit my eyes, forcing them to crack open. It was morning. I then realized I wasn't in my bed. I remembered everything that happened. Everything.

I didn't feel like getting up. I just wanted to lie there for the rest of my life. My mom had finally snapped. I hoped she would come to here senses.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here."

I turned over and looked upwards. There were four greasers standing over me. One of them was smiling.

"A soc seemed to have wandered onto our territory."

I started to get up and one of them commanded,

"Don't get up."

I did it anyway. I really didn't care. I wasn't in the mood for getting jumped. Even though this was the first time I had gotten jumped.

The one that told me not to get up punched in the jaw so hard that I fell onto the ground. Another one then put his foot on top of my chest making sure I didn't get up. I didn't even bother anymore. It was obvious that they weren't going to let me go. My jaw had a little pain in it also.

"What should we do with this one?" asked one of the greasers.

"Well, we have many options. We could shred him, dump him. He seems to like his hair short. Why don't we make it even shorter?"

"Hey!"

The greasers looked up and then took off running. I started to sit up. I saw them scrambling like roaches. I turned around to see what was making them run. There was a police officer right behind me. He lifted me onto my feet.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes."

I guess this cop did save my life. But I didn't feel like being thankful.

"Is your name, Dean Johnson?"

"Yes, sir."

"Could you come with me, please?"

I thought I was being arrested for something. But he let me sit in the front of the car. The people who were arrested usually sat in the back of the car. We went to the police station and he escorted me into his office. I sat down in the chair and he left the room.

I looked around the room. It didn't have much light. And the guy had pictures all around the room. He came back later with a cup full of water and a napkin. He gave me the damp napkin.

"Use this for your jaw," he said.

"It doesn't hurt."

"You have a mark on it, though."

I went ahead and put the napkin on my jaw. The guy started fiddling through file papers. Like he was trying to kill time. I didn't know what was wrong with him. I know he didn't drag me down here for nothing.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" I asked.

He looked at me and sighed.

"Dean. Your mother drove off last night."

"I know. I tried to catch her but I couldn't."

I looked at his face. I then felt that there was more to the story. He continued.

"Dean. We found her at 2:00 this morning. She drove off a bridge and committed suicide."

I froze. No. That didn't happen. This was a practical joke or something.

"You're lying," I said in a cold voice.

"I wish I was," he said quietly.

"No, no. It's not true!" I yelled jumping up knocking the chair over.

I ran for the door and tried to pull it open but it was locked. I began yanking at the door, hoping I could rip it off its hinges. The officer ran behind me and wrapped his arms around me trying to calm me.

"Calm down, son. I know it hurts."

I began to stop moving and I just cried. I had never shed so many tears in my life. First my dad, and then my mom. I felt like I had no one in the world now. The cop continued to try to calm me.

"It's going to be alright. We've found a guardian for you. And she has accepted you with open arms."

He led me over to the fallen chair. He lifted it back on its feet with one arm and let me sit in it. I fell into the seat.

"Who's my guardian?" I asked quietly.

"Your aunt, Leslie Thompson. She is going to live in Tulsa with you. She welcomed you with open arms after she heard about the situation."

I just sat there. While the cop continued to talk. I didn't want to say anything. I just nodded my head occasionally. When he finished, he left the room go get me some water. He brought back the water and said I should just sit tight for a while. My aunt would be here any time now.

I didn't even bother to touch the water. My mom had just killed herself. Then I realized it. My mom had lost her job also. We didn't have any money. And unless my aunt had money, I wouldn't be a soc anymore. I might even become a….greaser.