I stood up and walked over to the group of teenagers. They were the same age as myself, yet they were hanging around with my thirteen year old brother; How pathetic.

I knew they were only allowing him to hang with them because they didn't believe that an officer would check a thirteen year olds bag. They were wrong.

As I approached Avery, I could see the fear in his eyes that he tried desperately to hide. He knew that I knew.

I had always kept the unconscious fear to myself, that Avery could end up like our mother. I didn't believe my little brother could be capable of taking...