Marcus tenses up with the mention of school. Either that or it’s because of the cotton ball that is dipped with the alcohol solution that I dab on his dark skin. I keep cleaning his wounds, letting Cedric be the one to take the lead on speaking with him.
“It’s not like that man. I swear it.” Marcus’s voice trembles as he speaks. He’s an image of a resilient, strong individual in everything he’s accomplished. Whatever has him scared or making him tremble has me worried or is bigger than I expected.
“We can only help you if you talk with us. It’s either this or we get the police involved, and I don't think we want that,” Cedric folds his arm across his chest. It feels like ages waiting for him to talk, the minutes go by faster, allowing darkness to finally sweep across the sky.
Marcus takes a moment, sitting up with struggle. He groans as he maneuvers his body, every movement is slow and hesitant. My office door swings wide again producing a strong armed tanned man staying at the door. “Hey man, you don’t need to be in here.” Cedric stands to see him out.
“I was asked to be here,” Keola says. His stern statute.
“By who?” I raise an eyebrow.
“Your director.” Keola stares me down to shut up any additional thoughts that might escape to the surface.Tessa
Reminding myself that I might need to have a talk with a certain director on Monday morning.
“Cedric, we don’t have time to argue, no matter how much we want to hit the gawking brute, we have a situation we need to handle here. We take care of our own,” I get Cedric to focus back on the right now. Cedric nods in response and gets back to Marcus. Marcus looks back at me. “Ms. Lottie. I didn’t do it.”
I take his hand in mine. The innocence in his eyes, heartbreaking.
Rarely do my older students call me Ms. Lottie, but the way he says it, it brings out the truth in him. “I believe you, but the evidence that everyone else is seeing is not giving into that belief. Then you were gone. Everyone got worried. Your mother is worried.” I place my hand on his shoulder, giving him the gentleness he is needing.
Cedric crouches down, leveling with him. “You came here, something led you to come back?” All eyes are on him, feeling the tension amongst the room. I can see Keola looming over, intently watching every movement we make. I wrapped up Marcus’s hands, cleaning them up, getting him back to feeling okay. This brave young man, knowing he could go anywhere else, but came here.
“Didn’t have anywhere else to go. I was running.” Marcus lets out, barely letting it out.
“We realized you were running. From what? Or from who? Marcus, if you were in trouble beforehand, why didn’t you let us know? Especially me, man, coming to me? We talked everyday.” Cedric looks at him, waiting for an answer. Searching in his facial expression for a glimmer of hope.
“I didn’t want to pull you into this. Or least back into it. I tried to say no, but look where that got me.” He says defeatedly.
“Pull back into what, Marcus.” I ask, I could feel Keola’s eyes beaming at Marcus.
Marcus goes quiet, refusing to say, but then something slips. “I got recruited.” He says sheepishly. I stood up and pinched the bridge of my nose.
I slowly close my eyes, taking in a few deep breaths. Damn criminals, infestation of crime. There had been a local group a few years ago that were recruiting younger teenagers into being smugglers or sales people for them.
Fortunately, there was a major drug bust that had them, what we thought, disbanded and left town, or even had been quiet. But we all know what it means when it’s been quiet for too long.
Chapter 6
Keola
Thisdamnkidgotrecruited.
Charlotte’s eyes followed me, as I walked away from her, she continues to comfort her student.
I reach into my pocket for my phone. We know all too well who this was.
The Falcons.
Motherfucking Birds. They were always behind the drugs, but how this time is the question. How are they getting these kids? We ended them last time, from my understanding.
After a ring or two, the deep gravel voice comes into my ear.
“Rawlings.”
“We have a problem.”
A growl of annoyance responds, “When isn’t there a problem. Where is it this time?”
