been hearing for the past seven hours. It was
gentle and affectionate like the Jade he had
known from the beginning.
“My mother always told me that no one’s strong
enough to confront some temptations head on. It’s not
cowardly to run, Nick. Sometimes it’s the bravest thing
you can do.”
He had never understood that advice. How could
running away be anything but the stereotypical
reaction of a coward? It hadn’t made sense then and
it didn’t now.
Night began to fall, throwing its thick, dark folds
over the city. The temperature was dropping steadily
and if Nick had had the presence of mind to think of
anything but Jade, he would have been grateful for
his jacket.
He was beginning to wander closer to the bar where
the gang gathered each night. It wasn’t deliberate;
it was almost as if he were subconsciously drawn in
that direction by the force of habit and addiction.
They would be waiting for him with some sort of
task to do, whether it be a petty robbery down at the
nearest convenience store or delivering a threat to
the endless list of victims who supplied the gang’s
income. He never knew beforehand what the job
would be, but there was always something. And he
always did it.
He saw them at a distance and quickened his
step. They were congregating outside the door,
loud and rough and vulgar, and he thought
that once he was in their company everything
would go back the way it had been previously.
Then Jade’s voice echoed through his mind with
intensity:
It’s not cowardly to run, Nick. Sometimes
it’s the bravest thing you can do…the bravest thing
you can do…the bravest thing…
Noisy, indistinguishable voices were shouting
greetings as he came closer. They all held glass
bottles and cigarettes.
Not cowardly to run, Nick…
He panicked for a moment.
I can’t run
, he thought
wildly.
Does she even know what she’s asking? Does
she know what they do to rogue members?
But the voice continued without hesitation.
Run,
Nick!
Everything in front of him swam into one
big pool of darkness and he felt himself
crash into something or someone
and fall to his knees.
It’s Not Cowardly to Run | Katelyn Daniels | Grade 12
8
BAYLEY BULLETIN, MAR-MAY 2016
