Chapter 5 - betrayal of the highest kind

"What happened to him, ma?"

"There was a big shoot out between the two gangs in town." There was another pause. Allison was getting tired of her mother slowing down the conversation. "He got shot twice."

"Oh, Ma how are you dealing?" Allison slumped down in a chair at that. She couldn't believe that her baby brother had gotten shot.

"I'm okay baby I promise."

"He's not..." She couldn't even bring her self to ask the question. Their family had lost so many people that she didn't know if she could handle another family member dead.

"No sweetie he isn't dead thank the good Lord." With that Allison let out a sigh. "But he is going to have a limp and have to have a lot of physical therapy done on his shoulder."

"Mom why was he hurt? They don't fight down where we live."

"Well he has become quite good friends with Marcus."

"Marcus?" She couldn't believe what her mother had just said.

"Yeah Marcus. Do you have a hearing problem child?" Marcus she thought, how can my baby brother be friends with Him. Its his fault that she is dead.

"How could you allow him to hang out with him?"

"What is it that Marcus was good enough to date your sister? And to look out for you? He was kind enough to help us out after your sister died. But he isn't good enough to hang out with your brother." she snapped at her daughter over the phone.

"No, ma it isn't like that!"

"What are you jealous of your brother because he has more friends than you did?"

"No! Marcus... He..."

"He.. He.. He what child! Please enlighten me why he was good enough for you and your sister but not your brother."

"He was never good enough for LaToya! He isn't fit to be alive. All he is going to do is get Jr. In trouble!"

"That mountain must've messed with your brain girl! That boy has been nothing but good to our family!"

"Whatever ma." With that she throw the phone across the room and than stormed out of the room without a word to Sophie. Her mother was so ignorant she couldn't see how her own mother could think so well of that boy. Walking down to the dock she sat on the edge. Taking off her shoes she let her feet hang into the lake. Looking around she didn't see anyone watching. Jumping into the lake she began to swim around. She swam around as hard as she could trying to get her mind off of what her mother had told her. I'll kill him I swear. When I get home I will kill him for messing with my family. He'll get everything that he has had coming to him for months. Finally she pulled herself out of the lake sitting back on the dock, she pulled her knees to her chest and rest her head on them. Her thoughts went to her brother. She promised her self that when she got home that she would have nothing to do with him. My own brother... how could he betray me like this? I always watched out for him and this is how her repays me! By this time tears were running down her face and she was shivering in the cold. It was to hard for her to get her head around what her mother had told her.

Looking down by the dock Scott saw Allison sitting there shivering. As he approached he heard her crying softly. She as soaking wet. Quietly he walked up and sat down next to her.

"Hey are you okay?" He asked. Looking up she just stared at him for a moment before answering.

"Would you be okay if you were betrayed by your own brother?" She asked as the tears continued to fall down her face. His face contorted into one of confusion.

"What are you talking about Ally?"

" He betrayed my sisters memory, and her sacrifice!" Screaming she stood up. No matter what she did she couldn't get control of her emotions. Scott stood up and pulled her in to a tight hug. As she stood there with his arms around her, she just leaned her head against his chest and cried. " how can I look at my brother, when he is friends with the person who made my life hell?"

"I don't know what happened. But maybe you will be able to look beyond that. He is your family. Perhaps he doesn't know everything."

"Thank-you" she muttered as she pulled her self out of the hug. By now the chill had sent in fairly well. Her whole body was like an ice cub. Walking back to the cabin she just laid down on top of all of her bedding and drifted off in to a tormented sleep. All of her dreams were filled with pictures of the past that she wanted to forget. During the night she end up with a fever that caused her to be unable to wake her self from her dreams.