James Hackett

Keston was waiting for his friend Kayla on the promenade, deciding that the girl was late, he left to take a walk and cool his head from exam stress. Doing this he met some of the Bad Johns from school and realised that they were more than just bad seeds. Kayla caught up with him just in time to help him escape their clutches. They dashed away from the Bad John crew, and the story continues as they  attempt to make their escape…

“Run Kes!”

Kayla was in front and Keston kept trying to keep pace. Apparently she had more boy days than he did. They dashed across the street, cars screeching and horns blaring in their wake. An irate driver threw curses out his window.

“Them blasted children them!” he shouted as he avoided one of the Duwane twins. The chase continued up St Vincent Street. Keston behind threw a cautious glance backwards. There was no one behind him. Slowing, he turned to look for Kayla who had already cut down a side street. He followed quickly, relieved that they had evaded their pursuers. As he ran past the corner, Redman stood there waiting for him.  “Dread man, what you have to run for? Is not talk we was going an talk?” Redman smirked, not even breathing hard. They had somehow cut them off. Kayla was already caught in Redman’s arm. The Duwane brothers silently stood guard. Keston glanced back down the empty street. A woman scurried past. She didn’t want to get involved. They were alone -screaming for help was pointless.

“Look allyuh cyah just leave we alone? We go pretend we eh see nothing. Just let we go nuh.” Keston was afraid and was trying his best to keep his head straight. Anton’s little incident with the girls a few weeks ago came to mind and he shuddered as he wondered at what he and Kayla were about to face.

Tania took a long pipe out her pocket, lit it and took a long drag. It was obvious from the practised motions that she had done this before. She stepped up to Keston and blew. He squinted in disgust as the cloud of putrid smoke hung about his face. He started to feel different.

“Come on Keston, yuh know yuh like us. You want to be part of the gang!” Tania patted his back playfully. Keston floated light-headed in the smoky haze. He watched Redman and the twins…smiling…happy. He wanted to be happy too.

“Maybe they not so bad,” he thought to himself, “Why I not happy like them?”

It seemed that all he had to live for was his father’s ambitions. Whilst he was out studying, the gang were living.

“Why should I do what my father wants?” Keston pondered as the hazy feeling enveloped him more. “They did not do half the things I did yet they were favourites at school. No one called them names like they sometimes did to him and Kayla…Maybe I should join them.”

He wanted to join them. He looked at Kayla. The twins were making her uncomfortable with their cold stares. “So what we doing to he girlfriend?” Tania said, motioning to Kayla, who threw her the nastiest cut-eye. “Leave she alone nah boy!” he shouted at Redman. He had forgotten everything else. Redman smiled, his mouth the only thing visible under the hat. “What is that you say dey man?” Redman teased, “Yuh like she, eh? Yuh could tell we eh no…”

Keston shifted uncomfortably as the rest of the gang laughed at their leader’s comment. “So what if I like her?” Keston admitted for the first time aloud. Kayla looked at Keston (who tried not to look at her) and smiled. Keston was blushing uncontrollably. She never knew he liked her. “Why didn’t he ever tell me?” Kayla always secretly thought Keston was kind of cute, and her feelings had grown over the years. Redman roughly took hold of Kayla’s arm and broke the moment of reverie. She was not too keen to him touching her. “Look, let me go nah. Let me… AAAWWWWW!” her arm hurt, but Redman cut her screams with a hard stare from his freaky green eyes.

The gesture awoke Keston from his drugged daze. “Let she go nah!” he shouted, surprised by the power in his voice.

“And what you going an do for that, eh?” shouted back Redman, equally loud, amused by his prey’s veracity. He knew that Keston could do nothing.

Seized by the mixture of anger, fear and shame, Keston got the courage to rush at his bigger adversary. Redman spun swiftly and the back of his hand connected against Keston’s chin. The blow sent the skinny teen flying back same speed. Keston folded to a heap against the wall behind him. Grabbing the opportunity, Kayla, let loose her elbow against Redman’s gut. The youth howled and buckled over. Kayla bolted out of the alley, grabbing Keston on her way. They scampered out into the main street. Kayla glanced back and froze. Completely shaken, the blood left her face. Wondering what had stupefied his friend like that, Keston almost ran right into her. “What…? Gyul run nah!” he said, hoping that Kayla would snap out her trance.

“Look….” was all she could muster as her finger pointed behind him. Looking back he saw the most bizarre thing he had ever seen. Redman, Tania, and the Duwane twins were for the most part running forward, but it seemed as though somethihng was pulling the ground underneath them in the opposite direction. It looked as though they were doing some weird moonwalk.

“What the f—?”

Redman’s hollow laughter reverberated in Keston’s chest as the gang rounded the corner and disappeared down the darkening street.

Creator’s note: When later stories were done I tried to get away from
the excessive swearing and cursing and decided to explore these
children as conscious and serious... among other things.