Failure - Redemption
#1 of Failure
_12/24/11 - Estimated 12 AM Christmas Eve... Most people would be wrapping presents by now. Not me. I'm starting this journal tonight, as I just found it on the ground last night, and spent today looking for a pen. I've been away from my house for five months. I haven't showered since I left, so I imagine I smell awful. My water has come from assorted drinking fountains at schools or in public parks. My food has come from dumpsters, or from anyone nice enough to give me money. God bless those people. My name is Dante Blackwell, heir to Blackwell Industries. Or, I would've been, until my parents kicked me out. They said I wasn't good enough. I wasn't classy enough. I was too... Rough, they said. They got my older brothers to take me to some city a good five miles away from Blackwell's headquarters. Like it matters. I didn't wanna go back there. I could fight, but my brothers' were stronger. Way stronger. They'd beat me up for fun, some days. Mom and Dad wouldn't care. I had a little sister, Alice. She wanted to stop them, but she's too small. She begged Dad, but he pretended not to notice. It hurt, it still hurts, and the nightmares are awful, but it's made me stronger. If I could spend 14 years of my life in that hellhole, I can live on the streets. Yeah, I'm 14. Five miles away from anyone I remotely know. Starving. Homeless. Welcome to my life.
Things might be looking up, though. I ran into some gang down in an alley. All of them were wolves. Multiple fur colors. All of them big. They were gonna kill me, but I said I could help them out. I'm heading over there now. I'll update the journal when the job's over. Hopefully, I get paid decently._
I leaned against the brick wall, waiting. I was supposed to watch for cops. Easy enough. The job was the boys were supposed to collect money from some people who owed their boss. Whatever. I didn't know anyone here. I'm sure it'll go well. As an elderly cat couple, the male being black furred, the female being orange, walked by, the members grabbed them, pulling them into the alley. They couldn't be serious... They're gonna mug seniors? That's just low. It doesn't matter. I need the money. As long as they cooperated, they'd be fine. Right? They weren't cooperating. I looked into the alley, seeing a member holding a gun to the lady's forehead.
"Give us the damn money, or I'm blowing her head off." He ordered, glaring at the male. This was bad... Would he really fire? The male looked confused, like he had no idea what was going on.
I made up my mind. I'm not letting this happen. I sprinted into the alley, grabbing the barrel of the gun, and jerking it up. I shouted at the couple, "Run! Get out of here! Leave the city, they're gonna be after you if you stay here!" They ran. Pretty fast for their age. That's cats for you. However, I just made myself a target. I was still weak from my lack of decent food. The member kicked me down. "You idiot! I'll make you pay for that!" The gang member proceeded to beat me. Thoroughly. Kicking, punching, even hitting me with the gun. The other members joined in. Christ, it hurt... Christ? Does he even matter anymore? I've been christian my entire life, look where it got me... That's not important now. I just need to focus on dying. Maybe I can just get it over with. The member shouted for them to stop, and they did. He aimed the gun. I take that back... I don't wanna die yet. Not yet. I still have a father to kick. A dark flash, and the barrel was moved. He still fired. I was in so much pain, a bullet didn't seem to matter. Was I hit? I couldn't tell. My entire body was hurting. I blacked out.