Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā braxton Ā tried Ā to Ā avoid Ā home Ā Ā ā¦ Ā Ā he Ā would Ā walk Ā around Ā town, Ā stay Ā at Ā the Ā library Ā pretending Ā to Ā read Ā until Ā it Ā closed, Ā mostly Ā though he Ā was Ā in Ā the Ā park. Ā sometimes Ā he Ā wanted Ā to Ā desperately Ā to Ā avoid Ā home, Ā and Ā the Ā darkness Ā the Ā surrounded Ā it, Ā so Ā badly Ā that Ā he Ā would Ā sleep Ā there. Ā he Ā had Ā his Ā camping Ā area, Ā what Ā he Ā called Ā his Ā secret Ā base. Ā he Ā decided Ā he Ā would Ā remain Ā there Ā today, Ā walking Ā through Ā the Ā brush Ā without Ā looking Ā up. Ā his Ā face Ā was Ā already Ā brushing Ā from Ā his Ā latest Ā bowers Ā beating Ā and Ā he Ā wanted Ā to Ā stay Ā away Ā from Ā his Ā home. Ā not Ā because Ā his Ā parents Ā would Ā freak, Ā but Ā because Ā the Ā lack Ā of Ā noticing Ā would Ā only Ā hurt Ā his Ā feelings.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā his Ā mother Ā would Ā stand Ā outside Ā the Ā school Ā looking Ā for Ā betty, Ā her Ā eyes Ā catching Ā his Ā and Ā looking Ā away Ā like Ā he Ā was Ā the Ā plague. Ā like Ā she Ā wanted Ā to Ā ignore Ā one Ā child Ā if Ā it Ā meant Ā finding Ā the Ā other. Ā it Ā was Ā fucked Ā up, Ā he Ā knew Ā that. Ā but Ā he Ā was Ā to Ā sad Ā and Ā to Ā angry Ā to Ā care. Ā his Ā mother Ā would Ā never Ā accept Ā who Ā he Ā was Ā anyway. Ā ( Ā she Ā cared Ā more Ā about Ā religion Ā then Ā her Ā own Ā child. Ā ) Ā he Ā looked Ā up Ā when Ā a Ā rock Ā was Ā thrown Ā at Ā his Ā feet, Ā bruised Ā face Ā looking Ā at Ā the Ā other. Ā ā Ā something Ā like Ā that. Ā ā Ā braxton Ā responded, Ā ā Ā i Ā wouldnāt Ā talk Ā though, Ā you Ā kinda Ā look Ā like Ā shit Ā too. Ā ā Ā but Ā he Ā knew Ā his Ā wounds Ā looked Ā fresher Ā and Ā worse.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā eddieĀ knewĀ theĀ parkĀ wasnātĀ theĀ idealĀ option,Ā withĀ whateverĀ dodgyĀ folkĀ heādĀ beenĀ warnedĀ aboutĀ hangingĀ about,Ā butĀ heādĀ grownĀ toĀ becomeĀ aĀ masterĀ ofĀ camouflageĀ sinceĀ dorseyāsĀ suddenĀ death,Ā hiddenĀ inĀ plainĀ sight,Ā neverĀ tooĀ noticeable,Ā evenĀ whenĀ hisĀ featuresĀ wereĀ goredĀ beyondĀ belief.Ā Ā heĀ chewsĀ onĀ hisĀ lip,Ā carefulĀ notĀ toĀ breakĀ theĀ scabbingĀ asĀ heĀ doesĀ so,Ā shiftingĀ hisĀ rocksĀ betweenĀ hisĀ fingers,Ā beforeĀ throwingĀ anotherĀ oneĀ inĀ theĀ directionĀ ofĀ theĀ water.Ā Ā heĀ examinesĀ braxtonāsĀ faceĀ againĀ whenĀ heĀ turns,Ā darkĀ headĀ tiltedĀ inĀ curiosity.Ā Ā thoseĀ bruisesĀ matchĀ theĀ bruisesĀ thatĀ everyoneĀ inĀ townĀ gets,Ā atĀ leastĀ thoseĀ kidsĀ thatĀ ainātĀ gettingĀ beatĀ byĀ theirĀ mummyĀ andĀ daddy.Ā Ā soĀ itāsĀ gottaĀ beĀ theĀ bowersĀ gang,Ā orĀ someĀ gangĀ ofĀ stoneĀ fistedĀ kidsĀ whoĀ thoughtĀ themselvesĀ theĀ nextĀ bowersĀ gang.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā corcoranĀ sniffs,Ā spitsĀ outĀ aĀ redĀ tintedĀ globĀ downĀ towardĀ theĀ canal,Ā beforeĀ heĀ glancesĀ atĀ theĀ other,Ā tongueĀ betweenĀ hisĀ teeth,Ā beforeĀ heĀ laughs.Ā Ā āĀ hell,Ā iĀ knowĀ iĀ lookĀ likeĀ shit,Ā ripsom.Ā Ā ainātĀ wokenĀ upĀ withĀ clearĀ skinĀ theĀ lastĀ damnĀ month.Ā āĀ Ā heĀ grinsĀ briefly,Ā hisĀ cheeksĀ hurting,Ā theĀ scabĀ pulling,Ā beforeĀ shakingĀ hisĀ head.Ā Ā āĀ jusāĀ sayināĀ iĀ donātĀ normāllyĀ meetĀ noneĀ whoĀ lookĀ worserĀ thanĀ iĀ do,Ā thatāsĀ impressive,Ā forĀ me.Ā āĀ Ā heĀ tiltsĀ hisĀ head,Ā Ā āĀ whatĀ wentĀ nāĀ gotĀ yaĀ allĀ beatĀ up,Ā huh ?Ā ā
