Strength

24.

I see Sealed was well taken. Here's an update to your favorite book. Excuse any mistakes. Messiah in the mm.

LA
Same day

"He who opens a school door, closes a prison."

Victor Hugo

—

After being in prison, it's the small things a person appreciates. Like being able to choose to talk or remain silent. Walking wherever you want to walk. The simple of act of controlling yourself and your own actions.

Messiah could breathe. While he let everyone know that he didn't regret what he did, he also knew that prison wasn't for him.

He was never going back.

Many people probably questioned how could he sleep at night knowing he took someone's life. The answer would be simple for him: like a baby.

No one said anything when the officer took Nia's innocence, watching Naomi get beat like she was a man. No one asked if she was okay. Messiah figured she would be traumatized.

Although his release from prison was quiet, he knew it was only a matter of time before the media got a hold of it.

Which meant that he needed to go see Naomi as soon as possible.

     Tying his shirt around his head, Messiah finished his run, earning a few stares. Messiah didn't hesitate to return the looks he was given and didn't care about what anyone really had to say.

He knew some recognized him.

    Ever since Nia joked about his prison gut, he figured that he was start back working out. He paused when he saw someone familiar standing near a store on the corner.

It was one of his childhood friends, Jamal. Jamal had done time himself Messiah learned. He got hit with armed robbery and possession of a firearm as a felon.

     Messiah instantly knew that their situations were entirely different. Messiah killed a man for hurting his sister. It was a choice, not necessarily a good one.

Jamal chose to rob that store, sure. But no one will never understand the thought process behind it unless they've been through it. Desperate times call for desperate measures especially in the hood with limited resources.

    Messiah wasn't a child anymore nor did he have the opportunity to be one. Although his father was one of the richest men in the world, Messiah grew up in severe poverty conditions. He grew up many years ago.

In some ways, his life improved. There were good people who cared, enough food and clothes. But every time he saw a cut flower he knew how it felt. It had no roots at all, nothing to anchor it to this world; yet was still expected to give its beauty, to flourish and warm the hearts of others.

     Jamal looked up, meeting the eyes of Messiah. He wore detached expression on his face, and simply nodded in Messiah's direction.

It kind of hurt. Maybe Jamal didn't see Messiah as someone who could understand him. Messiah was in an entirely new tax bracket. While he wasn't making the money and still is a felon, he had millionaires and a near billionaire in his corner.