Finally after weeks of preparation and saving I'm going home. Vontez and I have been planning this carefully. I don't know how I will pull it off but if I can get away from this situation unharmed it would be bliss. Daddy Mac hasn't been acknowledging my presence ever since our incident. I still cringe at every single thought of him.

"You got your ticket?" Vontez asks me.

"Yeah..." I check inside my bag along with my cash and clothes.

"I'm really sorry about everything that happened to you down here. I really hope once you go back you can make things right with your family."

I sigh out in agreement. "Yeah. I hope."

The cab driver finally pulls up. Vontez and I grab my bags and stuff them inside the back of the vehicle. After that's situated I shut the trunk and walk around to Vontez. I give him one last hug. We finally pull away and I sniffle.

"I'm sorry again. I wish we could've met under better circumstances. I'll write to you."

"No more apologies. Live your life. You were a good friend to me. I love you Darrien." He hugs me again, and pulls away. "Now get going."

"See you soon." I wave and step inside the cab, closing the door behind me.

The cabbie begins to drive off, and I continue waving at Vontez until we pull out of the alley.

I'm finally going home !

The ride was silent for the most part. I was too conveyed in my thoughts about home to think about my troubles here. We finally get off of the highway. I spot the airport in the near distance and I start to smile. I can't believe I'm going back. The cab driver gets close to the airport and I start to gather up some of my possessions. We pull up near the airport and I get excited. Then, the cabbie drives right past it.

I look back at the airport then back at the cab driver. "Um, you missed the turn."

He just glanced at me in the mirror and I started to think. Something wasn't right.

"Can you pull over and let me out? I'll pay you for the drive." I ask, nervously.

He doesn't respond and I start to panic. I pull up the lock and try to open the door but it wouldn't budge. Soon after the car comes to complete stop. I look around as the cabbie gets out of the car and comes around to my door. I scoot away and he grabs me and drags me out of the var by my legs. I groan in pain as he grabs my hairs and stands me up. I start to struggle and he puts me in a headlock and turns me around.

Once he turned me around my heart crumbled. Daddy Mac was leaning on his Black Escalade smoking his cigar. His stare on me was unreadable. I didn't know what would come after.

"So you trying to leave I see..." He says, blowing out smoke.

I remain silent.

"You were trying to leave were you?" He asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I jus---"

He holds up one finger and I shut up. "Before you open your mouth think about telling the truth before you lie to me."

"I just wanted to see my family." I admit.

He walks over to me, and my heart starts racing. I mentally prepare myself for the hit that is about to come. I look up at him, and he smiles at me. All of sudden everything goes black.

Once I wake back up. I'm in a bunker with one small rectangular shaped window. I look around, and I see nothing but darkness. I groan in pain, and I sit up. The bunker is really hot and I'm still in full clothes. I take off my jacket and shoes. Once more I lean back onto the cold brick wall.

The door bursts open and I jump. All I see is silhouettes of people. Something falls and all I hear is a agonizing scream. I curl my legs up to my chest, and just sit in my position quietly. I don't want to be noticed or let it be know that I am awake. The door shuts, and I wait for a minute before speaking to the loud, groaning person in the bunker with me.

"Who's there?" I call out to the voice.

"Darrien..." The voice cries out.

I gasp. "Vontez."

"I can't see Darrien. They put pepper spray directly into my eyes. It hurt so bad." He cries.

"I'm so sorry Vontez. I don't know how they found out." I say, crawling over towards the sound of his voice.

"One of those whores at the house told on us. Daddy Mac was just waiting until the day. He knew all along."

"I told you nothing good ever comes my way." I start to look around.

I spot a nearby bucket. I crawl over to the bucket and pull it forward and it sloshes. I cautiously place my hand inside the bucket and I feel it. It's water! I pull the bucket with me and grab ahold of Vontez.

"Vontez. I found a bucket of water. I'm gonna splash some of it into your eyes. Maybe that'll stop the irritation."

"Are you sure it's water?" He skeptically, asks.

"Positive." I say and pull him forward. I slosh some of the water into his eyes and he rubs them. "How does it feel now."

"A little bit better." He says, backing up towards a wall.

I push the bucket back and lean back onto a wall as well. There is silence in the little cramped room for a short while. Suddenly Vontez speaks.

"You know..." He starts and clears his throat. "All I ever wanted to be was a firefighter. When I was younger my mother would buy me costumes and let me run around all day in them. Once I got older I was gonna be somebody."

I start to tear up. "Why couldn't you?"

He sniffles. "Because I got wrapped up in this. My plan was to make a little money just so I can get back on my feet. Then Daddy Mac took an interest in me and wouldn't let me leave. I tried so many times." He sighs. "I'm dying Darrien."

"What?" I yell out. "Don't say that!"

"It's the truth. This was my last strike with Daddy Mac. They injected some pancuronium bromide into me."

"I learned about that in school. It's used to cause muscle paralysis and stop your heart. Vontez I'm so so sorry."

"Yeah..." He words start to come out slowly. "That..."

"I can't believe this." I cry. "You don't deserve that."

"The only peace in this world is death Darrien. I'm ready to go. I live an okay life. I made a great friend. Now I can be with my grandma in heaven. Be safe Darrien. I'll always remember you." He says, and takes a long sigh.

"No...No... Vontez." I call out. "Vontez..." I call out again and he doesn't respond. I can't believe he's really gone. Every time single time I get my confidence back and I learn to deal with life something else happens. I've accept my life but God why does it always get worse. I only have a feeling it's about to get even more horrible.

•••••••••

After four hours of Vontez's dead body lying in the room with me the door finally opens. The big guys come in and take his body out of the room. I curl up near the wall, and suppress my cries. He's really gone. All of a sudden, one of the men grabs my arm, while the other man hold a hand over my mouth. I look down at the needle sticking up from the man's hand. He sticks it in my arm and injects it. They other man drops me to the floor, and lets me go.

I start to see double vision and sweat. I don't know what they injected into me. I back up towards the wall and continue wiping the heavy sweat from my forehead. The door opens again, and my head is spinning. A figure walks in and kneels in front of me.

"I see the heroin is kicking in." Daddy Mac says grabbing my face. "How you feel?"

My eyes start to roll to the back of my head but he slaps my face hard to wake me up.

"No No. I need you awake for your client." He says and whistles.

The men come in again and grab me up. They drag me out of the bunker and walk me towards a building. Once we get inside the building, I hear a door open. The men throw me onto a bed and I groan. Soon after I feel a pair of hands start to roam my thighs.

"Please..." I breathe out still loopy. "Stop..."

"Shh Shh Shh..." The person finally speaks up in my ear. "Did you miss me?"

My body tenses up at the sudden sound of the voice that I tried many times to forget.

"Lamont..."