I put on my school uniform and got ready, wincing as I slipped my shirt on over the bruise. After breakfast I headed into school.Lisa met me at the ga...e with a kiss and we walked up to our classroom together. My worries gone for the time being, she seemed to be trying to be gentler with me today. The gang were keen to hear how our date had gone. Lisa gushed about how good it had been and how much of a gentleman I was, which made me blush."He was so good, took me to all the places I wanted to go. You weren't a nice person. I had to stopyou." Well it hasn't worked has it?" He screwed up his face into a mask ofhatred and practically spat the next word over me. "Mark!"Five years since I'd been called that. Five years since I'd been a man.I closed my eyes. I'd never see Chris again after this. I wasn't sure if Icould bear that."Why didn't you just come between us?" he asked. Softly. His weightsettled on the bed beside me. "You could have told him about the drugs,the men."I shook my head.. I had to do something."Jeff, I want you to remember me telling you to remember this request that you remember it."He didn't have to say, "What?" It was implicit in his dazed look."That's all. Just remember."I needed to prepare before I could discuss our situation with him.That evening, when I had finished the amount of work I decided earlier I had to get done I wandered into the kitchen where Jeff was working at the table. I sat down on his lap. I put my arm around his neck. I didn't say a. The driver left the truck in order to relieve himself, right?" Yes. He handcuffed me to the bunk beforehand." The two youths rendered him unconscious before freeing you?" Yes." Then why did you shoot them?" They were going to rape me!"The Deputy Sheriff moved around behind Katrina."What lovely soft hair you have. Do you mind if I comb and braid it?"Katrina was surprised but answered, "N... No, I don't mind. But why?" It would help me think. You see," he said starting to comb Katrina's hair into.