Your name is Jackson? I said to him.
Yah.
Jello Jackson?
He side.
Yah Bunny.
O.
A pleece woman was trying to drag Dinty out of the way and Dinty was fiting her—stomping down on her boot and throwing her arms round. I wonderd ware the bully with the red cap was. Mayb she was inside the theeter. Mayb she was shot along with the Angel. Dinty was calling the pleece woman a not see and peepl were staring.
The pleece man said I was under arrest.
I was thinking back. In Snocones basment wen the guys shoutd Jackson. In the pleece car that time wen the guy in the front ast if my name was Jackson. Jackson is a frend of ours he said and the other cop told him to shut up.
He was talking about Jello.
All this time Jello was like a statu. Black and smooth and no xpreshun. His hands were at his sides. His mouth was strate across like a bar in his fat face.
My pleece man told me to get down on the floor now. Dinty nockd the pleece woman in the chin with the back of her head. The cop trippd and fell forward and Dinty broke free. And now here was Jaden running rite at Jello and pulling out a gun. I movd without thinking without stopping without any thing. Jello and I grabbd Jadens hand at the same time so 3 of us were holding the gun at wunce. I dont no who pulld the trigger. The first bullet went into the air and hit sum kind of lite thing witch xploded into sparks. Jello got free for a second and I trippd him and we all went down rolling over and over and nocking into Dinty and the pleece woman and they fell 2. So all of us were tangld on the floor by the ticket booth. Jaden was yelling at Jello calling him a rat and saying he sold us out. Dinty was in between me and Jello but I wasnt worryd about her or the pleece woman who ended up under evry 1. I was fiting for the gun. I was scared that Jaden wud shoot Jello and I was scared that Jello wud shoot Jaden. I was more scared of that than any thing.
I wantd to ast Jello—did you reely sell us out? Were you on the phone to the cops in the parking lot? Is that why they got there so fast? And I wantd to ast—why?
But the hole fite only lastd a few more seconds and there wasnt time to ast him any thing. What happend was I pushd Jellos hand away from him and Dinty got hold of him under the arm and he got ticklish and let go of Jaden. And Jaden brot the gun down so it was aming at Jellos belly. I grabbd it just befor it went off.
The shot was softer than the others. Sort of a plop sound.
We were messd together on the floor—me and Jaden and Jello and the old lady and the pleece woman. Jadens face was next to mine.
Jello dint no you wen you walkd past I said.
No.
No 1 nose who you r I said. They no me but not you. You can get away.
The gun Jaden said.
I have the gun I said.
I shot Jello.
Did you? I said.
I dont no what happend. Its all a blur.
I WAS DUN. I DINT WANT TO RITE ANYTHING EVER AGANE
AND IT WAS LATE like mid nite. Sarjent Nikki took my yello sheets of blobby riting to her desk to reed. I went to the bathroom with a pleece man wating outside. Wen I got back to the room Mom was there with a loyer for me. Not Jadens uncle who dint want me to tell him any thing. This was Grampas loyer from way back wen we all went to his offis. I new him rite away—his soot and smooth hair. He said hello Bernard and we had a talk him and me and Mom.
Things were seeryus he said. The pleece new I was in a gang and we were deeling guns and drugs with other gangs and there was shooting at the mall and that I was part of that. He xplaned about Jello being a rat only he calld him a pleece inform ant. Now Jello was in hospital and mayb dying from being shot and they cudnt use him as a witness. And it was my falt. If he did dy the pleece were going to charj me with killing him. Not murder but sum loyer thing—sum thing about an axident and a killing.
I thot about Snocone in the bathroom at the mall wondering who gave us away. Jello. Huh. It was still hard to beleev. Mom said they cudnt put me in jale—that I was 2 much of a dummy. She dint say that but its what she ment.
You no him John! she said to the loyer. He dint no what he was doing!
The loyer shook his head and said the pleece were talking differnt. I wud go to jale unless I cud ID sum 1 who new about the guns. And I had to see the gun deel myself—I cudnt just here about it.
He said they wantd me to look at a line up. Wud I do that? I said sure. So a pleece woman took me and the loyer to a dark room with 1 wall that was all windos looking into the next room. 5 guys walkd into that room and stood on the wall.
Its 1 way glass the pleece woman told me. You can see them but they cant see you. Dont be scared.
Why wud I be scared? I said.
There were numbers sprayd on the wall. 1 2 3 4 5. They stood under the numbers. The pleece woman pushd a button and talkd to them. Number 1 step forward she said. Turn left. Turn rite. Walk back. Then Number 2 and Number 3 and Number 4 and Number 5. And they went back to standing.
The pleece woman ast if I new the guys.
Yes I said. Xept for Number 4.
You ID them.
You meen who they r?
Yes. There in the 15 Street Possy?
Yes I said. Xept for Number 4.
So Number 1 2 3 and 5 belong to the possy?
Yes.
And what r there names?
I told her. Snocone was there and Cobra and Xray and Bonesaw. She rote down the names. It was weerd but nice to see the guys. Cobra was as tall as ever. The next tallest guy was Bonesaw and he only came up to Cobras sholder.
The pleece woman told Number 4 he cud go. Now it was only the guys I new. She ast if I new there reel names and I shook my head and she told me to say no so the tape recorder cud here me.
No I said. And then I said—O wate.
Snocones reel name is Arthur I said.
We went back to the room and wated and Sarjent Nikki came in looking tired. Her boss was mad. Sure Way Mall was all over the news. They were calling it a war zone and blaming the pleece for letting it happen. That was bad enuff but what was worse was the pleece cudnt put any 1 in jale for what happend. Not for long any way. They found sum guns and sum bags of white powder but no proof of a deel.
We dint even find any money she said.
Mom was shaking her head. A war zone she wisperd. O Bunny!
We need sum 1 to say that Jeffers and Mcray were deeling guns said Nikki. We dont want them to get away with a littl charj like having fire arms. We want to put them in jale for years and for that to happen we need a witness—sum 1 who saw them. Do you no what I meen?
I shook my head.
Who r Jeffers and Mcray? I ast.
You no them as Cobra and uh Bonesaw.
O I said.
You no sum 1 named Cobra? said Mom.
Sure. Hes OK.
Mom put her hand to her mouth.
Your new in the possy said Sarjent Nikki. And your not like the rest of them. We dont want you in jale—we want the others. You pickd them out of the line up Bunny. Now we need you tell us what you saw them do. And it has to be better than your report here.
She wavd the yello papers around. Turnd out that what I rote was no good. Funny after the ours of riting and my sore hand and evrything. The pleece cudnt use what I rote cuz I dint see any 1 by guns or sell guns. Or drugs. Jaden told me there were guns in the boxes but I dint see them myself.
Its 2 bad Bunny said the sarjent. We had hopes for you.
The loyer jumpd in here and said sum thing about me trying. Sum thing sum thing good faith. Nikki came back with sum thing els. Sum thing missing. Or mayb my report was missing. Mom watchd back and forth.
Want to no sum thing? I wasnt upset about the report. I was even kind of glad. I dint want the possy to go to jale cuz of me. Guns were bad and all but was the possy bad? I dint think so. I liked them. They were on my side. Witch made them the good guys. Mayb not Jello. He was a rat. Mayb he was bad.
Her boss wantd to
put me in jale said Nikki. But there mite be a way to save myself if I cud tell the pleece more about Jaden.
Whos Jaden? Mom ast me.
My frend I said. I told you about Jaden.
Hes a gang member said Sarjent Nikki. Mom got up and walkd away shaking her head. The sarjent sat on the table next to me with her feet hanging. Frendly you no? She pattd the yello papers.
You rote about this storaj locker down by the Lake Shore she said. You got the guns and loded them into the car. Jaden new the way there and had a key and you went with him. So you cud be a witness about that. The only problem is that we dont no much about Jaden. We dont no ware he lives or what he looks like. We dont no ware he mite be hiding out. Hes disappeared.
Uh I said.
Wud you sit down with a pleece artist and help us make a pick sure of Jaden?
Im pretty stupid I said.
Do you now ware Jaden is now?
No.
If you told us ware Jaden was now—thatd be helping. My boss wud like that. Do you understand Bunny?
She leend close. Her eyes near mine. Her frown. Her belt holding up her uniform pants.
Can you tell us anything about Jaden that wud help us locate him?
I new sum thing all rite. But I cudnt tell.
Uh I said.
Thats 2 bad Bunny she said. That reely is 2 bad.
The loyer went off to talk with Sarjent Nikki. Mom ast how I was feeling. I told her my ears were better but my hand was killing me. Your arm? she ast and I said no my hand from riting. My arm is fine.
I blame that tatoo said Mom. Your grampa and that stupid will of his! You were a norml happy boy last week. And now look at you! This is a nite mare. Your a criminal. Your dad and I r very unhappy.
She stood there and side for a bit.
I ast her how you new sum thing. I was thinking about Jaden.
What do you meen Bunny?
Isnt that what you teech at skool Mom? You teech about noing things. Spencer said so. Im stupid but can you xplane it to me? About noing? Cuz I no sum thing and I dont no how I no it. I just do.
Mom stared at me like she had never seen me befor. Like I was a stranger.
The loyer came back with a long face. He talkd to Mom for a bit and she startd crying. I cud go home and get sum things but I had to come back to the pleece stashun and stay over nite. Like a sleep over I said. Mom cryd sum more.
The loyer took me home. He was in charj of me. We walkd down the hall of the pleece stashun side by side. I had my yello sheets of riting since the pleece cudnt use them. I folded them up and put them in my pocket. The loyer ast me how I thot Grampa wud feel rite now. Your grampa was so proud of you boys he said. He wantd so much for you. He wantd you all to have xiting ventures and lern things about your selves. Wud your grampa be happy with you now Bernard? he ast.
I think so.
How can you say that? Your in pleece hands. A boy mite dy.
Bad things happen I said. Grampa new that. He droppd boms.
The loyer shut his mouth.
We went out the back door to the parking lot ware the loyer had his car. It was nite time and the street lites were on. The air smelld good after all those ours inside. Gess who was getting out of a pleece car as I walkd past.
Can you gess?
We stared at each other. Her lips movd but there was no sound. Help me she said. I cud count the seconds ticking 1 2 3 4 5.
1. I thot about Sarjent Nikki wondering ware Jaden was. The pleece dint no about Jaden. They dint no who this was getting out of the car.
2. I thot about Grampas letter. The tatoo was so I wud no I had a crew behind me. He wantd me to no I had frends.
3. I thot about the first time Jaden smiled at me. And all the other times.
4. I thot about kissing her and finding out she was a girl like Mary Lee was a girl. I new it the way I new water was wet. I just new it.
5. I thot about her saying help me.
That was all the thinking I had time for. Next thing I new Jaden was running past me out of the parking lot and onto the street and the pleece man was running after her. He dint get far cuz I put my foot out and he trippd over it. He grabbd me and we went down. Forget falling like a ball—the pleece man was on top of me. I fell like a brick and hit my head. I saw stars.
THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO
LIKE MONTHS AND MONTHS. My head got better. Jello dint dy from the gun shot but he got sick and dyed in hospital and I went to jale. Im still here. Its not so bad. Theres a jim and a TV room and a caff. The foods OK. The wire fence is hi but I can see thru it to the street and the houses and peepl walking by. The 3 guys in my room were OK after the first nite. They saw the tatoo and Benj said holy crap. Next day he brot me xtra brekfast. And the next day. I had to tell him OK enuff. Moms stoppd crying wen she comes to visit. Summer went by and fall. Im in skool—Grade 9. Im fixing up my pleece report to hand in as a riting project. My teecher saw sum of it all reddy. He said O.
Jaden came to visit the first Sunday after I got here. She wore a green dress with buttons and had her hair pulld back and lookd pretty. She was a girl all the time now in case the pleece were looking for the boy Jaden. She said I cud call her Jade. The visitors room was mostly moms and mostly sad. But I wasnt sad and nether was Jade.
She told me what happend to her that day. How she foold the pleece pretending to be so freakd out by the shooting that she wudnt talk not even to say her name. She dint want them taking her home and finding she was Cobras sister. They took her to a crazy hospital and were nice to her for ours. And wen she still wudnt say anything they took her back to the pleece stashun to be a missing person—witch is wen she saw me and took a chance on running.
Wow I said. And how did you no I wud help?
I dint she said. But I new you were on my side. I was hoping.
Wen I told her ware the money was she opend her mouth wide and said r you sure? And I said no. But that wen I was hiding in the COMING SOON store I herd the Angels talking about Butch and the money—and that wen I threw Butch down the scalater he dint have a nap sack but that the headless mom in the camp fire seen did.
So you think Butch hid the money in the sport store so the cops wudnt find it on him?
Mayb I said.
And he cant get it now. I wonder if he told any 1 about it befor he got shot? Ha! You reely r a jeenyus Bunny.
No. But Ive always bin good at finding things I said.
Jade gave me a hug on her way out and Greg went woo-hoo. Greg is OK for a gard. Next time she came she told me about wating in the sports store til no 1 was looking and grabbing the nap sack off the headless mom. Jade comes here a lot—most Sundays even tho its a trane ride for her. We walk round outside if its sunny.
We talkd about Jello 1 time. She dint no why he turnd into a rat. He was in jale befor she said. Mayb the cops had sum thing on him. Said she dint care. A rats a rat she said.
Last time she came was weerd cuz Mom and Dad and Spencer came 2. They walkd in the visiting room wen Jade was all reddy there and we were kind of holding hands. Mom stoppd in the doorway and the other 2 bumpd into her.
Wen Jade left Mom was super polite like how very nice to meet you. Dad pointd his finger at her and said see ya later. I thot Spencer wud never be able to close his mouth it was open so wide.
Bun man he said.
Yah I no.
Scratch came to visit last Sunday. I dint no him til he told me his name. Hes a tuff littl guy with pointy shoos and a jacket. He wantd to see my tatoo. Then he nodded and said—I thot so.
What?
Thats mine he said. You got my tatoo.
My grampa—
It was a mistake he said.
He took off his jacket and opend his shirt. On the back of his sholder he had a tatoo of a bug smoking a cigar. Under the bug pick sure was sum riting—Together we fly. Grampas motto from back in the war.
I was next after you at the place on Lakeshore said Scratch. I dint see the ink til it was dun. Then I almos
t killd that dorf. She blamed Billy—said it was him bying the place in a rush and getting the orders rong. And she said you dint no any better—that you thot you were getting the rite ink.
So Scratch had my tatoo and I had his.
Im used to it now he said. I dont check back there very much and wen I do its pretty good.
He pointd at my arm. That says you belong to the 15 Street Possy and you killd sum 1 he said.
I no I said. Im a fake.
But r you? he ast. Dint you kill 1 of 15s enemys? Jackson was a rat and you helpd the possy by getting rid of him.
I said I dint reely do it.
You were there wen it happend. Your in jale for it. Cobra and Xray and Morgan r out now but your still behind a fence. I think you ernd the tatoo Bunny.
Funny the way he put it. It almost made sens.
Greg the gard came over and ast Scratch to do up his shirt. Do you mind? he said and Scratch said not at all. I ate a cooky. The caff puts them out on Sundays. I thot of the things that had happend cuz of my tatoo. The guys I new. The things I did. The things I was doing and wud do. I thot about Grampa agane. With his hat and his jokes and his arms on my sholders saying Dont be sorry for yourself.
Well I wasnt. For all that went rong I wasnt sorry for me.
Scratch ast wen I was getting out. Sum time in June I said. The sentens was a year less a day. My mom has it ritten down I said.
He said they missd me down at the jim. Morgan and them. The money in the nap sack was paying the rent for a year with enuff left over for Cobra's new place. Jade dint come round very much he said.
You new about her I said.
About—?
About Jaden being a girl.
He shook his head.
Cobra and the gramma were the only 1s who new he said. And then you.
Wen Scratch left I got my coat and walkd around the fence. I thot of Grampa holding the sord and saying I wud no who the good guys were wen the time came. Trust yourself he said. Benj came out and walkd with me. He had a cupl cookys and gave me 1. We talkd about hocky. He liked the Leefs. They were his teem. There going to win tonite he said.
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