The Last of Them
r way to the park, their sanctuary. The swings creaked sof
sunny sky as the first hints of dusk settled over the town. "Do
ned. "Af
nd them. "This town. Our l
. We'll go to college, live in some crappy apartme
d. "Sounds l
happen." Dev nudged his shoulder. "
d to him.
. "Like leaving. For r
ight?, I thought we were
y place, my dad doesn't w
a deep sigh. "So what do you suppose we
from my house. Money, clothes, whateve
ed. "Dev, ar
ng dirt off his jeans. "We can't keep wa
nce between them. Devan could s
e are in this togethe
p, then slowly
patted Cole's shoulder. "Stay her
***
rt pounded, not just from running but from the i
closer, he h
t door. Inside, his father's voice boome
n this house!" one of his
her shot back. "You thin
t Helen cried. "An
stering the fight happening around her. Dev's mother was diagnosed with cancer. It kept his Father working very hard s
said, her voice shaking wit
ched his fists
garet, do you think I li
s, and that's it" Ma
Dev slip into h
Bills were stacked carelessly inside, emergency money, probably. Dev
backpack from his room, an
at the park, exactly
?" Cole asked as De
We're
well,
t a shiver do
a
is gang, Dan, Eli, Ian and Chou, stepping
nsed be
dripping from every step. "Where
damn busines
business. See, you embarrassed me back at
Cole said, his v
d's looking for you. Bet he'll be real happy
face we
should let him know wher
ack, leave us alone" Dev sai
? You two gonna run away toget
and Eli grinned. Only Ch
k away,"
ffed. "O
was
lu
erupted i
swinging. Jack fought back, shoving
, slamming him into a sho
tting whoever was
He tackled Ian, knock
were too m
hed in the stomach so har
away, but Dan grabbed h
of this!"
oing to stay out of it. He swung at
, turned his
hove
a
foot
flailed f
th
ening
le
d, his head against a rusted met
dy m
y bre
Dan wh
forward, eyes w
s knees, his brea
espo
p," Dev pleaded, shaking hi
e didn'
siren snapping the b
ror creeping into his expr
"Yeah, man. We need
oice cracked. "W
d his arm.
like that
g Dev
h C
of sirens gr
he boys they saw running away invited them there. Two office
ling. "It wasn't me!" he choked out. "It wa
e. He exchanged a glance with his partner, then
orld sh
not too long." Dev crawled forward, grabbing Cole's
icer said gent
ldn't b
stepped forward. "
im!, He pushed him. They came, they attacked us and then th
one of them reached for his radio.
widened.
g pulled to his feet, his hands yanked behind!" Dev struggled. "Yo
***
arrested. But Jack's
y, everythi
at Sealed
of the long metal table, playing the role of the shaken witness. Dan and Eli sat beside him, their hands folded, express
hands clenched into fists beneath the
out to destr
s about t
sions neutral but firm. One of them, a tall
"We need to know exactly w
gling to find the words. "It...it was Dev," he started, his voice
ed an eyebrow. "
st passing by when we saw him and Cole fighting. It was bad. Dev was
ut in, shaking his head. "It
de was always a little unstable, righ
d. "So you're sayi
hard, and Cole... Cole just fell." He swallowed hard, playing up the fak
"We tried to help, b
there. Like he didn't even
lance, their pens scratchi
do next?" the se
said, "We panicked.
rrested us, like we were the bad guys. You shoul
cocky remark, turning to
said. "You've been quiet.
ould feel Jack's gaze burnin
s lying, that Dev had never laid a hand on Cole, that it was J
s hand
uth, Jack would m
throat and shook his head. "No," he mu
barely noticeable
few more notes. "Alright. We'll need
sadness. "We just wa
Ian echoed t
leaned back in his chair, stretching
ed. "Dev'
t's what he gets f
way Chou almost cracked? Man,
ion darkening. "But he didn't,"
idn't
ched Dev's life
ad staye
evidence to p
. Dev was painted as a
t fight for him. Didn't argue. Didn't be
t to juveni
turned
th
al punishmen