REAPER

Chapter 1

The alarm sounded as the large creaking gates opened up. Finally, two steps away from freedom. I was walked to an office where I received my street clothes and turned in my prison garb. After I was fully dressed, I walked again through endless amounts of gates and doors.
Nina, the hard ass of a guard, stood idly by the last gate between the prison and the halfway house.
"Hey, Nina, don't I at least get a kiss goodbye?"
"No but I can put a bullet in your knee and call it even" Nina, she never laughed at my jokes. But I wasn't hurt, maybe ego was but all I could think about was how nice it'd be to finally be able to walk outside again.  I was handed a small envelope with a little amount of money, I had a only a small amount of time to get back to the halfway house or I would be locked right back up. No way in hell am I going back there.   Once to the halfway house, a car picked me up and dropped me off at the bus stop. Finally I was back on my own.
The morning frost began to accumulate on me, it felt like hours before the bus arrived. The bus doors finally creaked open. "Hey son where may I take you?" the kind old bus driver asked.
"One ticket to Long Island please" I said handing him a crisp 5 dollar bill.  "Take your seat"

I headed to the second row in. Right next to the window. I never thought I'd see the light of day again. The bus started moving and I knew I was on my way home. 
"Hey mommy, that guy looks scary" the small child practically yelled sitting across from me.
"Honey, it's not nice to point" her mother whispered. I couldn't help but chuckle at least a little. "I apologize, kids ya know?"
She let out a nervous chuckle, trying to ease herself.
" No worries, I didn't think I looked all too scary."
"I think you're very scary! Very big! Like a Dinosaur  RAWRRR" the kid made a face, reminded me of my baby sister.
"Paisley, stop honey please" This poor mother.
"Like this?"  I made the same face back at her, holding my hands up and making a quiet roar. Thankfully the little one laughed and the mom let out a sigh of relief. After, that I leaned my head against the window, drifting off to sleep.

"Hey kid, we are here." The bus driver yelled and snapping me back awake. The bus was now empty and the cute little girl and her mother were gone.
"Thank you." I said as I stepped off the bus.
" Hey kid, be careful out there, I promise you, you don't want to go back"
I don't know how this man knew, but he fucking knew. "Thank you sir, I don't ever want to be back in that hell hole"
"Alright" he closed the doors and was back off.
"Long island..." I said looking back at the place I never thought I step foot in again. I began walking to the old restaurant me and friends used to hang out at, Marley's. It's been about 5 years since I seen this place and I swear to god if they got rid of that pretzel bun hamburger, I am losing my actual shit.  Walking past these buildings started to bring back memories, some were good others made my blood boil.
*Ding* Finally, I can get some good  food. It was also warm and toasty in here. There was only a old couple sitting in the back.
"Holy Shit..." I looked up to see, Liam. My bestfriend of 10 years.  6'5, curly hair and smooth dark skin.   He was a jaw dropper in high school, still pretty much is now.
"Liam?" He hopped right over the counter and gave me a big hug. Not gonna lie he definitely spooked me, ya know people coming at me at a quick pace has not been something I've been accustomed to. Last time that happened I got stabbed, so that's cute.
"Owen fucking Casey,my man how have you been?!" The older couple looked over at us. "My apologies, please enjoy y'all's meal." he waved his hand, and they smiled.
"Liam can I order something ? Im starving man".
"Oh yeah I should probably be doing my job, aye Cortez, One pretzel and fries, on me"
"You got it"

" What are you doing here?" he paused " I forgot today was the day you came home. You should've asked I could've came and got you."  We began walking towards a booth. Liam was one of the very few people who came to visit me while I was in prison.
" Liam." I looked at him "How was I gonna call you if I don't have a phone?"
"I think you're on on to something" We both began laughing, it felt good to be out with him again.
"But more importantly what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at school?"
Cortez put the food right in front us, and I am beyond happy for this burger.
"We are on winter break right now, I'm here back for about 2 weeks."
"How's school, you liking it and where did you go again?"
" Dude, I love it. Its amazing, I'm doing great in track and I'm running about 5th in the nation right now. I went to Arizona. Totally different vibe down there, not to mention the honeys down there ain't bad either" He winked at me and then chuckled.
"Hey Owen..." He looked worried. "Ain't nobody gonna take your food, you can chill"
"Oh shit, sorry force of  habit." I never realized how accustomed to life in the cell, until now.
"You good. Speaking of which, what even happened in there?"
"A lot, I saw and heard way to many things I didn't want to see or hear. I also got stabbed" I lifted my shirt to show him my scar.
"How in the hell did that happen?"
"Prison Riot, my first day there. Fun fact You need a knife, I ain't have no knife."
"Did you at least make friends?"
" Only the ones I had to have. People knew who I was before I got there."
"I mean your story was one that stuck to people really well, I am not surprised."