Running For Answers (Book 2 Of Running Series)

Chapter 16 - Dangerous Consequences

"I don't know. I just don't want everyone to have their hopes up"

"I think that we should all be positive" Arii said,

"Amen to positivity baby" Tayte said.

We carried on inching slowly in the traffic until it began to clear up. We stopped at a red traffic light and to Arii's amazement more than anyone else's, men were walking along the cars trying to sell, coke, or sunglasses, or phone charms, things for cars, anything. They were tapping on windows and holding up their products,

"Is this serious?" Arii said, "This is their job?"

"Yes it's serious; this is what they do for a living. You have to remember that this is a different world to England"

We drove into Johannesburg and pulled into a private secure carpark that Talina had access to.

"I have an idea" Arii said,

"I'm listening" I told her,

"Why don't we just go on a sightseeing tour of Jo'berg and that other place...Soweto? Look" She said, pointing to a red bus, we all looked at each other, "At least it's going to be safe. It's a scheduled thing and there'll be other tourists on board so we'll be harder to target"

"Have you been thinking about this? Or did you just come up with that now?" Tayte asked,

"Just now, but it makes sense" She replied,

"Damn you clever girl" He said, kissing her,

"I guess it's decided then" Angelo said, everyone began to walk over, I was too busy staring out this guy, who'd been watching us since we'd left the private carpark,

"Keane, you coming?" Noah called, the man smiled and walked off, I turned around,

"Yeah, I'm coming" I said, Tayte looked at me, I just smiled. We paid for tickets for the Johannesburg and Soweto tour, we could get off wherever and explore and then hop onto another bus. We sat up top (Open Top Bus) and we'd been going for about 15 minutes I watched Arii, her smiling face and shinning eyes. There was no way I'd let anything happen to my family.

There was no way in hell.

I have to admit, it was a change, to be acting like tourists without a care, without a worry. Everyone seemed so happy, pointing at things, smiling, laughing. We fitted right in with every other tourist on the bus. The only thing was, they weren't hiding.

"Are we getting off here? Or going to Soweto?" Arii asked chirpily. We took a vote, Noah and Tayte wanted to get off here and Arii and Angelo wanted to go to Soweto. I had the deciding vote. I opted for Soweto, only because Arii really wanted to go there.

How I wished I chose to stay in Johannesburg.

"Whoa, this is so crazy different to back home" Noah said,

"Did you see that school?" Arii said,

"Look at that B and B; you wouldn't catch me staying there"

"This is the rich part" I said, they all looked at me, "I'm being serious"

"Then what are the poor parts going to be like?" Arii asked,

"Worse than this" I replied, she smiled.

"Funny" she retorted. I smiled and looked away. My heart was fluttering, my hands shaking, I know I didn't need the morphine, but I had to have to it. I clenched my hands into a fist and took a breath, I wasn't going to ruin this day for everyone. Someone sat down next to me,

"Do you want some?" Tayte said, I shook my head, not meeting his eyes, "You're stronger than this and I know you can beat it" he squeezed my shoulder,