Joey [Part Two]

I was steppin over the trash that littered the sidewalk while I was thinkin about what I was goin to do. My mind kept playin over an over the scene like it was on one of Dad's old, broken record players. Course, there was no way I knew exactly how it was gonna happen. I know I could wind up in jail, or worse. Or I could succeed. Then I would leave, and those bastards would be off my back forever. That's what I really want.

Phil's came into view, and I stopped and stared. This was where it happened, almost a year ago. Phil was in front, sweepin some dirt off the entrance to the store. He was smokin' a cigar, and I could see an advertisement for Camel cigarettes. He looked up, spotted me, and waved. He an my Dad were real close when he was alive. A pain went through me.

Jay had been walkin out of the store when it happened. I was waitin in the truck, an Dad had been fillin up the Ford with gas. Three guys that coulda been my age, maybe older, came up to my dad and they spoke. Then the one in the middle started yellin and drew out a gun. Before I could do anything, they fired at him. I screamed and got out of the truck. Dad fell to the ground. I yelled an ran after them. They got scared an dropped the gun. Guess they weren't as tough as they thought they were. Jay was screamin in the doorway, but she was alright. I picked up the revolver and chased them into an alleyway.

Two of em were crawlin over the chainlink fence, but the one who shot Dad got real panicked and he couldn't climb up. I caught up to him and he was breathin hard. The other two were watchin behind a dumpster, ready to duck. I didn't care about those cowards, I cared about the man I was starin at right now. His eyes were shinin with fear. My forefinger squeezed the trigger, and there was a loud bang. The man gazed down at the wound near his heart, shocked. He looked up, and died. His cold eyes seemed be starin straight into my soul. I kicked him to the side so I couldn't see them anymore. His blood poured onto the pavement. I could taste bile in my mouth, but I didn't throw up. The gun was shakin in my hand, and I dropped it.

I expected that the other two ran away, but they didn't. They came up to the chainlink fence, and smiled down at their friend. "Thanks man." one of them said, "We've been plannin to get him killed for a couple months now."

I didn't say anything. I didn't even look up at him.

"You see, he was our leader, and we didn't like way he was runnin' things."

I finally looked up and said bitterly. "Well I'm glad I did ya such a favor."

Sirens were heard in the distance. Probably an ambulance. And cops. Damn, I forgot about them. They'd follow the trail these guys left. And then they'd find me with this guy. Dead. With me as the killer. I drummed my fingers against my thighs.

They noticed my nervousness. "Look," said the other one, "Since ya did the dirty work for us, we'll hide his body for ya, okay?"

"Come on, Ben! If we're gonna do this, we hafta do it quick."

Before they got to work, Ben turned to me. "If you ever wanna join us, come back to this alley and knock seven times on that door." He pointed to a dark green door with flakes peelin off of it.

The sounds of sirens got closer, and I ran away from that place. I thought I would never go back again. But it turned out that did.

Hints of tears started wellin up in my eyes. I swore at myself and wiped them away. A Ripper doesn't cry. I had to focus on my task. They wanted me to get all these cigarrettes. One pack each. A thought came to me as I got closer to Phil's Gas Station. There were probably 30 of them. How was I supposed to walk outta there without being noticed?

SMASH!

Someone behind me knocked a trashcan over. I whirled around behind me and my hand flew to Dad's gun, which I had kept in my jacket's pocket. Standin there was my little sister Jay, in the middle of garbage, lookin ashamed.

I relaxed and took my hand away from the gun. I knew I was supposed to be angry with her, but I couldn't be. Actually, I was kinda happy to see her. But I couldn't let her know that. "What are you doin here." I growled.

"I'm sorry Joey!" she cried. "I knew where you was goin and I had to follow you. I just had to!"

Of course. She followed me around two weeks ago to the Rippers' hideout. She knew what they dared me to do and she had been waitin all this time for me to do it. I didn't want her to tag along and get caught up in this. Not when she's still fourteen years old.

"You can't come with me. It's too dangerous."

Jay was quick to come up with an excuse. "I know how many there are. You can't do this by yaself. There's too many."

I thought about this. She and I could carry half n half, and it wouldn't be so obvious. I didn't really want her to....but...

"Alright." I said slowly. "You can come, but if you so much as let out a stupid little nervous giggle, we're both screwed."

"Okay okay alright! I won't mess up!" She smiled at me, and we walked the rest of the block into Phil's. We pushed the door open and a tiny bell jingled. Phil was smokin a cigar. His head was bald now, and it was shinin in the flourescent lights.

"Hey!" he said merrily. "I haven't seen you two kids in forever! How've you been doing?"

I was surprised, cuz I found out that I couldn't speak. Maybe I'm more nervous than I thought. Plus, the packs of cigarettes were behind the register, where Phil was standin. How are we gonna do this?

"We're doin alright, Phil." exclaimed Jay as if nothing was wrong. "We were just walkin around and we decided to stop in."

"Well you kids don't walk around long. You know how these parts can be nowadays."

"Thanks." said Jay, and we walked to the back of the store where the pop was.

We browsed through Coca Cola and Mountain Dew. "What are we gonna do?" I hissed. "There's no way we're gonna get through this!"

Jay bit her lip nervously and started to think. Then her face lit up. "I got it! But I won't be able to help you get the cigarettes outta here....but that might not matter."

I was gonna ask her more questions but she left the store. I watched her from the window, and she was walking down the block to the corner. What the hell? Phil was lookin at me funny. Or maybe I'm just bein paranoid. I fiddled with a Snickers bar, and then I saw her reach a pay phone.

I watched her stick in some change and then dial a number. Suddenly, Phil's phone rang back somewhere on another side of the store. That's it! She was callin Phil to get him away from the counter! As soon as Phil went toward the phone, he wasn't able to see me or the counter anymore.

I went as quietly as I could over to the glass where the cigarettes were behind. Luckily, they weren't locked. I had to be quick, cuz I'm not sure how long Jay can keep him on the phone. My hand reaches for the rows of Camels. I stuff as much as I can into my jacket.

Phil hangs up the phone. Dammit! He's comming back! I still needed around ten more.

"Joey?" I turn around, and Phil's there, looking shocked. I quick grab some more packs, not carin what brand they were. "What do you think you're-"

I don't give him time to finish. I slammed the old man against the counter. He cried out and slumped to the floor. It would only be a matter of time before another customer came through here. I dragged him into the men's bathroom. I took off my shirt and tore it up into three pieces. I gagged Phil's mouth, and bound his hands and feet. I left the bathroom and tried as quickly as I could to make everything look like it was before. Before I walked out the door, I switched the Open sign to Closed.

Jay walked up to meet me. "Joey, what did you do? Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

I zipped up my jacket to hide myself. "Phil caught me. I knocked him out and tied him up with my shirt in the bathroom."

Jay wailed. "Oh no! Not to Phil! Why are you a part of the Rippers? What's so great about them anyway?"

I put my two hands on her shoulders. "Jay, I had to do what I had to do. He's not hurt bad. Just a bump on the head. Now let's get out of here."

I avoided her other question about being a Ripper. Why did I wanna be one? I dunno. I guess I needed somewhere to go and get away from home. About a month after Dad was killed, Momma started sinkin and got real depressed. After a while she stopped takin care of us and just stayed in her room all day. After awhile me n Jay found out about the cocaine. I didn't know what to do with myself. So one night, I decided to go check it out.

I had knocked on the old door seven times just like Ben told me to do. The door creaked open, someone stared at me and then he had grabbed the collar of my shirt and dragged me inside. The guy was huge...he looked like he could be a quarterback for the Bears or somethin. He shoved me to the wall. I was really scared at the time, I thought that maybe this was a mistake.

"I oughta slit ya throat right now, ya scum." he yelled at me. I couldn't say anythin.

I could hear other people shoutin, and then poof. Ben is suddenly there. He smacked the man against the head. "Let him down, Pig! He's the one that killed our ex-leader a couple months ago! Don't ya remember me tellin ya about that?"

"Oh." Pig let go of me. I was breathin hard. "Well I dunno. He didn't look familiar so I thought maybe he was from another gang or somethin."

By this time, Ben wasn't payin attention to him anymore. He was smilin his cold smile at me. "Welcome to the home of the Rippers, brotha."

He led me down many hallways, until finally we came to a big room with many other people in there. It was hazy with cigarette smoke. I wasn't a smoker back then, and it hurt my lungs real bad.

"Fellas!" said Ben. Everyone turned to look at him. "Meet our new member..." he leaned in towards me and whispered. "What's ya name?"

"Joey." I said. I remember bein really confused. They made me a member, just like that.

"...Joey!" cried Ben.

A couple of "Whas Sup's" was heard round the room. I nodded back to them. After that we went on with our criminal ways. We hotwired cars. We mugged the rich. We fought with other gangs. Sometimes we got killed. But Ben never got hurt...not once. It was thrillin at first, but then after awhile I didn't really wanna be a part of it anymore. After the first couple months of bein with them, I wanted to leave. But if you leave, you get killed cuz they think that you're leavin to tell the cops where they are.

But, by proving I ain't chicken and showing that they can trust me, maybe they will let me leave. I was so into my thoughts that I didn't notice we'd already passed the Rippers' alleyway.

"Joey!" Jay inturrupted me. "Their door's that way!"

I was startled, then smiled sheepishly. "Oh yea." We turned and came to the door. I knocked seven times. "You better leave now...this could get ugly."

"Im stayin with you." Jay said firmly. And I knew there was nothin I could say to convince her otherwise. Besides, Pig had already opened the door.

"Come in." he growled. "Welcome back Joey. We was wonderin if you ever would."

Jay bit her lip and followed behind me. Pig was lookin at her in a strange way. I didn't like it, and she didn't like it neither. The door slammed shut, and we were led once again down the familiar halls of the Rippers' terrirtory.

Ben was in a room that probably was an old office. He was sittin in a chair, his feet up on a table. Two bodyguards were on each side of him, with their arms crossed, their faces scrunched up. When we came in, he put his feet down.

"I got it, Ben. I got the cigarettes."

"Give 'em here, then."

I dumped out all the cartons of cigarettes. Turns out it was more than enough for all of them. Ben looked pleased, and I was relieved.

"Good job, Joey."

"Uh, Ben? I need to talk about somethin with ya. Ya see, I wanna leave the Rippers cuz my sister was involved in this an I don't want her to be. I promise ya I won't tell a soul, and-"

"SHUT UP!" Shouted Ben. He wasn't smilin anymore. "You know the rules. You know you can't leave without consequences." He snapped and pointed at Jay. The man stepped forward and grabbed her, holding her back. She struggled, her eyes wild and scared.

"Let her go!" I shouted.

Ben was out of his chair now, his hands behind his back. Jay looked more frightened than ever, and she was struggling to get free. He was walking towards me. "No, I ain't gonna let her go. Ya know why? Of course ya do. Rippers need new women every once in a while. Your sister will make a fine addition."

I stepped forward, anger runnin through my veins. They can't do that. Not to Jay. She was struggling now, and she broke free of the man's hand that covered her mouth. "JOEY RUN!" She screamed, "He has a gun!"

Ben whipped out the gun from behind his back and pointed it at me. I scrambled away, and he fired, missin me by a couple inches. Ben was runnin after me now, but he wasn't able to aim from tryin to keep up with me. Other guys were followin behind him. I threw open the door, but I didn't know where to turn.

Then it hit me. I had to go to Phil's. I sprang in that direction. They were yelling my name. I came to the store and threw it open. I could hear Phil's loud groanin. I opened the bathroom door and he was still lyin on the bathroom floor.

"Phil!" I shouted. "I'm so sorry. I can't explain now!" I began to undo the cloth that I tied him with. I could hear them shoutin. It sounded like they were just outside the door. Phil can wait. I have to call the cops.

I slinked real quite out of the door and went to the phone. But Ben was peerin through the glass window and he saw me. I tried to run, but they caught me between the isles of candy and chips. I was surrounded. Ben came up to me and punched me in the face. My mind exploded, and I was on the ground. Blood was pourin from my lip.

"Ya know?" he said, "I could shoot you...but this is much more fun."

Someone kicked their foot into my stomach and I doubled over. Followin that, they kicked me in the back. I yelped. I couldn't help it. At first it was slow. Then the beatin became more rapid. I was screaming now. It was endles. They stomped on my legs, they battered my arms. I think they broke my right leg. My lip wont stop bleeding. I can only see outta one eye. They're laughing at me. They're havin a good time. Laughing. Laughing.

Laughing.

Slowly relief came. I drowned in the blackness and my world became quiet.

*

It was hazy. The voices floated in my head like it was a dream. Finally, my view came into focus. Momma was there, with Jay by her side. Relief swept over me.

"Oh Joey!" Momma cried, and she ran to me. She dug her fingers into my hospital clothes, and she sobbed into my chest.

"I'm okay." I croaked. I looked down to see the damage. Damn. My leg was in a cast, and so was my wrist. I can only imagine what my face looks like. I tried to sit up, but I couldn't. Suddenly, I remembered.

"Where's Phil?" I asked frantically. "Is he okay?"

Momma sat up, sniffed, and wadded her eyes with a Kleenex. She nodded.

"I'm just fine, Joey." Said Phil, and I turned to face him. He was lookin at me the way a father would look at his son. I swallowed a lump in my throught. "I heard the commotion in the store, and I came and saw you gettin absolutely pummeled. Fortunately, they were so distracted, they didn't see me phone the police."

I closed my eyes. I can imagine the cops commin in, and the Rippers scramblin around. "What happened to the guys?"

Jay spoke up. "They got 'em all. Rippers kept commin out of their hideout to join the party at Phils's, and the cops just found 'em. They're all in jail now...except for Ben."

"What happened to him?" I whispered. Jay looked grim.

"He told the cops that he would never be caught, and then up and took the gun to his head. He's dead."

"Oh." I said, feeling a little sad for the guy.

"Even though something as tragic as that has happened, we're so thankful you made it out alive, Joey." said Momma.

I tried my best to smile to assure them that I was okay. My cheeks hurt way too much. The doctor came in, and I was surprised to see that it was the same one that took care of Momma when she was in for OD. He told me that I was going to be alright, but I needed to stay in the hospital for a couple weeks to heal.

"What about Jay? Who's gonna take care of her?"

Momma put her shoulder on Jay, and she looked down to the floor. "Jay's goin to live with my sister in Arizona until I'm out of rehab. I'm sorry, but you can't take care of her anymore."

This is exactly what Jay didn't want. Our whole family is separated now. But I guess it's better than her goin to a foster home. "When are ya leavin, Jay?"

She checked the clock on the wall. "Uh, fifteen minutes, actually." At the end she let out a little sob. Who knows how long it will take until Momma finishes rehab? We might not be together as a family again for a long time. I lifted up my heavy arms. "I'll see ya soon then." She ran over and hugged me goodbye. She left a few tears on my shirt.

They left the room. Only Phil was there.

"I'm sorry." I said. "For everything."

"It's alright Joey, I understand." Phil comforted. "But in order to bay back the packs you stole, you're going to have to work for me."

A job? I haven't had a job for two years! This is amazing! I'd be able to pay the rent off of our apartment. I can make a fresh start.

"When do I start?" I yawned and stretched as best I could.

"As soon as-"

But I didn't hear the rest. I had turned over on my side, and feel asleep. I knew that in the end, everything was going to be okay.