Daingerfield
Everybody was breathing they last breath. All of us was bent over gasping for air. We never expected for somebody to get hurt. We was only having fun. Maybe my mama was right when she told me that boys can't be allowed to have fun unless there's supervision around. Mama was right but it was too late. Plus the guys I hungout with would only tease me if I tried to tell them what my mama say.
After a while we was all able to stand up straight. All that running we did was so that we wouldn't get caught. Nobody seen what we done but there's no telling. I dont know. We in the country so there aint no way for somebody to see. Vernice did most of the talking and warned all of us not to say anything.
"Y'all gotta keep quiet about what just happened, you here!" Vernice said.
Aint nobody answered him at first. Everybody just kind of look at each other. I was shaking like a leaf and looking around. Seem like everybody was a little bit scared especially Brian who was standing next to me. Seem like we always ended up next to each other because we both was the youngest. Vernice had to repeat himself but this time he said it louder.
"Y'all hear me! Keep what you seen quiet or we all gonna get in trouble!"
Earl spoke up. He was the tallest and skinny as a toothpick. Sometimes when Vernice get mad at him, he call him stick. This was one of those times.
Earl said "I didn't do nothing."
"You was there, stick! All of us was there! We take this to the grave or else you going to the grave."
Vernice looked around to make sure everyone heard what he said. I think he noticed how hard I was swallowing between each breath and he probably seen my eyes shifting from left to right. I was trying my best to keep from crying.
"Jimmy, you hear what I say?"
I nodded my head yes because I couldn't get the word out after Vernice asked me. He asked everyone else, one by one until we all agreed.
"Good then the best thing to do is stay away from that spot where we was just now. You know how people is. They gonna ask questions if they see you over there so y'all need to keep away for like the next month. You hear anything, act like you dont know nothin!"
Vernice was cool and calm. That's why he was kind of like the leader but at the same time, he didn't have anything to worry about himself. He didn't do it. We was all protecting Boston who was Vernice best friend. Vernice like him because Boston lives in a nice house and his parents got money. They moved to the country thinking life would be nicer out this way. Vernice nicknamed him Boston because he from some big city in the east. I dont know if it's Boston, though. I just know it's some place where they talk funny like him. Now he trying to learn how to talk like we do. It sounds funny, though. Boston; he a fat kid. I never trust him but since Vernice make the rules we all gotta accept what he say.
Vernice looked over at Chuckie. He the last one of us that aint said nothing. He just kind of looking at his feet and got his hands in his pockets. Vernice say his name and Chuckie act like he wasn't really paying attention to what was said before.
"Chuckie, you okay?" Vernice asked.
"Huh? Yeah, I'm okay."
"So, you aint gonna say nothing, right?"
"Nope..."
Vernice was smiling like he was proud of everybody but mostly I think he just enjoyed telling all of us what to do. I always wished I could be as tough as him but I was too little. But then again, after what we all seen Boston do, I never wanted to grow any bigger for fear that I might be strong enough to end a life just like he did.
Daingerfield copr.2005
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