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Prologue:

Anthony groaned as he got up from the ground, his body aching. The beating he got from his uncle wasn't as bad as usual, but it hurt a lot because of the older wounds from the day before. It was currently dark outside and would have been completely silent if not for the bear-like snoring heard from the bedroom on the floor above and the chirping of crickets, as well as other insects from the outside of the house.

The house itself was a two-story house with thin walls that were previously white, but had been stained yellow from age and brown from the beer that had been spilled or thrown at the wall. Each room in the house was the same, if not similar. And when it rained and stormed the roof would leak, and when it snowed the roof would almost cave in. All in all it was a pretty crappy house in a really crappy neighborhood.

The house sat in a rough neighborhood that existed in the south side of town and was known to have ruthless gangs and heartless criminals looking to do anything for cash. Most of the people that lived here were either too poor to afford better housing, or criminals and ex-convicts that had just gotten out of prison or juvenile hall. Anthony was one of the only teenagers in the neighborhood without a criminal record and jail time. Of course, if it wasn't for his uncle he never would've been brought into a bad neighborhood such as this one in the first place.

When he was a young boy, Anthony's parents were killed. His uncle had stolen from loan sharks and had signed off all of the tabs in Logan's, Anthony's father, name. Trying to find a peaceful solution, his father took Jane ,his wife and Anthony's mother, to talk it over with the loaners. Unfortunately, they killed Anthony's parents, leaving him in the hands of his abusive uncle, Mark.

Anthony sighed, running his hands through his hair. Thinking about his parents always made him sad, and he was already depressed because of his uncle. Anthony was just getting up when he heard the pounding of footsteps stomping down the stairs. He stood up and moved towards the window, trying to be quiet, but it was all for naught as the floorboard creaked and everything went silent. Gulping, Anthony looked at the door, waiting. After a minute he thought he was safe. He was making his way back to his bed when the door suddenly slammed open and a drunken figure stumbled through doorway. It was his uncle, Mark.

Mark didn't say a word as he stumbled in, only throwing his now empty beer bottle at Anthony. Anthony flinched and the area above his eyebrow where a shard of glass cut him after the bottle shattered on the wall. Mark growled, shoving Anthony against the wall and punching him in the face.
"Boy!" Hey yelled at Anthony.
"S-sir?" Anthony stuttered, afraid.
"You call that sorry piece of crap downstairs food?!" Mark yelled at him again, growling. "I'll teach ya not ta mess with ma food boy!" At those words Anthony flinched, taking a small step back, otherwise he stayed still and silent, knowing there was no way to get out of a beating.

Mark shoved him to the floor, and Anthony covered his head as his uncle began to kick him, grunting with every impact. Anthony groaned as he was beaten, unable to breathe and beginning to cough up blood. About five minutes later, Mark finally stopped kicking him.
'Finally,' Anthony thought in relief. 'It's over.' Or so he thought.
Mark grinned at Anthony sadistically before taking out a pocket knife and leaning down over Anthony. Cutting off his shirt, Mark knelt down as Anthony shivered in the cold air. His uncle sat on his legs before bringing the knife down onto Anthony's bare back and carving words into it.

'Stupid' 'Freak' 'Dumb' 'Worthless'

By the time his uncle finished and had left the room, Anthony was groaning in pain and bleeding on the floor while shivering from the blood loss. He laid on the floor for a few minutes before crawling into the corner of the room where kept his first aid kit. Grabbing it and his only other pair of clothes, he slowly crawls into the hallway, being careful not to get blood all over the floor, and crawling into the bathroom. Shutting the door he turned on the shower, keeping the water on cold because he wasn't allowed to use the warm water. He hissed as the coldness of the water gets into his wounds and practically freezes him.

Cleaning his wounds quickly, he gets out of the shower. With unsteady hands he cleaned his wounds, hissing and biting his lips as they are disinfected. When he finished, his bandages cover his waist and arms. Anthony got dressed, pulling on his long sleeve Salvation Army Shirt and Basketball shorts. Sighing, Anthony repacks his first aid kit. He looked at the cabinet, thinking of the small box that had his pocket knife in it, thinking of how easy it would be to end it all.

'One time... I could be free...' He thinks to himself, looking down. With little hesitation he opens the cabinet and grabs the small box inside. He opens the box, peering inside the box at the knife and a few razors, the shiny silver calling out to him. Closing it, he brings it to his room along with his clothes and first aid kit.

Taking out the knife, he looks it over before putting it back slowly.
'No, i'm stronger than that...' He decides biting his lip and putting the box on his blanket bed. Instead, he takes out an ipod shuffle and sticks the headphones in his ears.
Turning it on and clicking play, he lays on his blankets as a song comes on.

Do you know what's worth fighting for
When it's not worth dying for?
Does it take your breath away
And you feel yourself suffocating
Does the pain weigh out the pride?

Anthony sang along quietly as he looked through the window, sighing.

And you look for a place to hide
Did someone break your heart inside
You're in ruins

One, 21 Guns
Lay down your arms
Give up the fight
One, 21 Guns
Throw up your arms into the sky
You and I...

When you're at the end of the road
And you lost all sense of control
And your thoughts have taken their toll
When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul
Your faith walks on broken glass
And the hangover doesn't pass
Nothing's ever built to last
You're in ruins

Anthony sighed again, staring at the stars. His eyes widen when a shooting star passes by in his line of sight. He quickly closes his eyes and makes a wish while clasping his hands in front of him as if saying a prayer.
'Please. If there's someone out there watching over me from above, then please, please take me away from here. I want to be free...'
When nothing happens, he lets out a heart-breaking sob, crying as , his ipod and the little black box clutched to the chest as if it was a life preserver that kept him from drowning, and in a way it was.

One, 21 Guns
Lay down your arms
Give up the fight
One, 21 Guns
Throw up your arms into the sky
You and I...

Did you try to live on your own
When you burned down the house and home
Did you stand too close to the fire?
Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone

When it's time to live and let die
And you can't get another try
Something inside this heart has died
You're in ruins

One, 21 Guns
Lay down your arms
Give up the fight
One, 21 Guns
Throw up your arms into the sky
One, 21 Guns
Lay down your arms
Give up the fight

He drifted off to a nightmare-filled sleep as the song faded off into the air.

One, 21 Guns
Throw up your arms into the sky
You and I...