The Blue Feather {COMPLETED}

Chapter 12

ABASI

"Dinner's ready!" Mom calls us down.

"Coming!" I yell back. I quickly stop counting my money that I earned today, stash it in my lock box, then slide it and the key under my bed. I'll finish that later.

As I walk into the kitchen, I get a big whiff of something nasty, like something died. "Oh man! What is that?" I ask, holding my nose.

Gran answers me. "It's your mother's chicken split pea soup. Doesn't it smell marvellous?"

"Uh, ya Gran, it sure does."

As we sit down at the table (and couch for some) I look at my plate. Stale, rock hard bread slices and a bowl of brown sludge that I can only assume is the soup stare back at me. I gulp. This is going to be a hard dinner to eat. Not that I'm used to 5 star meals. Mom isn't the best cook in town.

"So, how is my young man doing at work?" She asks.

"Pretty good." I reply, not going into any detail.

"Abasi, what is your work?" Adla speaks up from the couch.

"Oh! Well it's uh," I scramble for a good explanation. "A job where I help make goods to sell in the market. You know, tea leaves and such." Whew. I think they bought it. Although my grandma is giving me a strange look. I'll have to be careful around her.

..........

"Ugh! Why is this suddenly so hard?" I growl to myself. I'm usually a math wiz. Apparently not today. I throw my workbook onto my cot, and turn instead to my comic book. I know I'm a bit old to be reading a Superman story, but there's nothing better right now.

The phone rings beside me. "Hello?" I answer.

"How's life been for you Abasi?"

"How's life been for you Bishara?"

"How are you?" She asks.

"I'm pretty good. What do you need?"

"Well, I may as well be frank. I'm worried about your job with Gethij. I don't trust him, and I don't think you should be working for him." Bishara says it quickly.

"Okay. I understand your concern, but I really don't think he'll hurt me as long as I do as he says. Besides, it's helping my family pay for the bills."

"That's just it. You do as he says, but what if one day he asks something more of you? What if he demands you assault someone, or steal from someone? What then?"

"Calm down." I tell her. "He wouldn't ask that. Even if he did, I would refuse."

"Would you?"

"Of course." I assure her.

"Okay, if you say so." She doesn't sound convinced.

"Well, if that's all you need...I have to go to bed. Early morning tomorrow."

"Yes, that's all. See you later."

"Bye."

As I hang up, I find myself worried. Would I refuse? I hope I would. Of course, I reassure myself. I would refuse.

I fall into a troubled sleep with awful nightmares. I'm stealing people's wallets, fighting with other boys. Then comes the worst one. I'm standing over a dead little boy, bloodied knife in my hand. I don't know how I got here, only that I killed this poor innocent child.

I'm back! Thanks so much to those who still read this book! I hope you liked this chapter.

If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know!

Thanks!