ABOVE THE INFLUENCE

2:48 P.M

"Gwen wake up." Feeling my left side being pushed in, I open my eyes slowly.

"The power go back on?" Rubbing my eyes, I glance out the window. "It's gotten dark. How long have I been asleep?"

"Four hours? Did you get enough sleep last night?" I look up into Stephanie's face then at everyone else lying around the room.

"Work stupid thing. Work." Rivers whines poking each key with a finger.

"Man this is bull. I'm going to have a smoke." Rodney slams the door on his way out.

"They should have fixed it by now." Lester shifts uneasy in his chair.

"It's a big city slick." Jackson gives out a cough. Silence, again fills the room. I search everybody's face, trying to think of an interesting conversation, when I see Ziggy.

"Excuse me Steph." Getting up, I make my way over to the corner where Ziggy is sketching.

"What are you drawing?"

"Nothin' much." He glances up at me, then back down.

"Oh." I slide down the wall next to him. My eye catches his ripped shirt. His scars put a hole in my heart. "There's a place I know of." This gets his attention. "During the summer I volunteer at a shelter for kids." I pull up my sleeves, revealing bruise marks that never healed. "Kids like us." I whisper quietly.

"Your… your adopted parent?" His eyes open wide.

"No she's too sweet to harm anyone." I stare at my bruises. "My dad. He used to drink a lot, y'know?" He nods his head. "I use to think I was safe. In my room anyway. That used to by my world. I could do anything I wanted." I tenderly follow the pattern of the bruises.

"What happened?" Ziggy closes his book, and sets it to the side. "I mean if you want to tell-"

"My dad didn't like that I talked to myself, or the ideas my mother gave me."

"My dad doesn't like that either. That's why my mom left." Ziggy starts playing with the rubber coming off his shoe.

"My dad killed my mom." I speak in a whisper. "And set fire to everything." Pulling off my hat, and unwrapping the wrap around my head I turn away from Ziggy. "He set fire to my hair."

"Will it grow back?" He asked touching the second degree burn on the right side of my head.

"No. That's why I wear wraps." I pull on my ski hat, and began turning the blue silk scarf in my hand. "My dad's in prison because of me. After I threw my head in the bathtub, I stole the cell phone from his room, and ran into the front closet. He said he'll come and kill me after he gets out of prison."

Ziggy gazes into my eyes. A sorry behind them. "I just wanted to answer your question." I get up, wiping the dirt off my pants. "Call me this summer, and I'll get you a job at the shelter. Their always looking for help."

2:52 A.M

"The powers back" Rivers shouts from the computer. "E-mail should arrive in 3-2-1! You got mail!" Stephanie runs over to the T.V., and turns it on. The lady with big glasses appears.

"We finally have power." She announces.

"No shit." Rodney walks into the room.

"Shh. Stephanie turn it up." Lester leans back in his chair.

"We have just received an e-mail from the students holding a hostage at Lincoln High. Here is what it reads: We are not gang members as we've been portrayed. The shooting of Officer Jackson was an accident due to miss communication. This situation began with the conditions of our school. Negotiators have asked us what are demands are, and here are what they are as followed:

1.Fix the broken windows

2.Fix the leaking pipes and electric wiring

3.Establish a career day

4.Get Mr. Knowles back

5.New Textbooks for every subject

RING! Lester picks up the phone. We watch him in silence. "Yeah Audrey we e-mailed that. Is that not part of the game?"

"You look like you need another wrap?" I walk over to Jackson, glancing down at the scarf already wrapped around his leg. "Here." Kneeling down, I thread my blue scarf over and under him.

"Tell me something?" He grips my arm. I shrug out of it, taken by surprise. "You still that scared seven year old?"

"What?" I back away from him.

"You heard me." Jackson stares at my face. "Are you?"

"HEY EVERYONE! LOOK OUTSIDE!" Lynn hollers, opening all the blinds to the windows.

"Bye Audrey." Lester hangs up, then rushes to the window. We follow him. Outside there are mobs of people holding up signs, and shouting, "THANKS FOR STANDING UP!" An' other things like that.

"Wow what the hell?" Rivers opens the window, sticks his head out and screams a yahoo! A search light lights him up. I stand in aww looking at everyone. I search the faces of everyone, until I see one I particular. On a blue poster with gold letters are the words: I'M LISTENING. Holding the poster is no one other then Trevor.

My gaze is broken, when Lynn and Rivers bump into me, trying to stick an American flag out the window. "It's backwards." I holler at them over the crowd below. Laughing they turn it around. It seemed like forever sticking our heads out the windows screeching like banshees, because our voices are finally being heard.

"Vocal cords hurt now." Stephanie chuckles as she brings her head back inside.

"Mine too." I run a hand over my throat.

RING- "What now?" Lester picks up the phone. Mumbling on the other line. "Stay on? Audrey look at the news. Our voices are being heard. No need for negotiations now." Hanging up, he comes over to Ziggy and they start to do a dance.

"You sure you want to end an alliance now slick?" Jackson coughs again. Lester only snickers at him. "Your move brother." He gulps down the rest of the water beside him.