Damon.

The black boy with dreads. More like twists. People care more about is skin color than his soul. He is a good person in a bad environment. He is trying his best, it’s not working.

Damon.

He tries to provide for his two brothers and three sisters. His mom works three jobs, at the McDonalds down the street, babysitting, and a side business he does not like to talk about. Sometimes his friends ask him to go to parties, he doesn’t want to yet he goes anyway. He cares more for what people think of him than his well-being. He’s prideful.

Damon.

He is an all-state athlete. Many people view him as someone that could get out of this town and achieve greatness. The moves he makes, how he makes defenders look, audiences rave and cannot help but cheer. Nevertheless, he does not do it for the cheers. He doesn’t do it for the accolades. He plays for the love of the game. It is the only thing that has made sense in his life. When he had nothing, the game was there. The game is always there.

Damon.

Sports aren’t the only thing that Damon is excelling at presently. He secretly writes rhymes. He is a rapper with a higher mind than most. He is highly complex and well-thought out. No one knows and he wishes to keep it that way.

Damon.

A boy who became a man before he needed to. A man who is struggling with influences.

Damon.

Many times, he has been looked at strange. Whether it be at a new church his family tries to attend. Any grocery store or public space. Even people in the crowd at games reference his race rather than his skill. It is a problem and it upsets him.

Damon.

After he puts his siblings to bed and when the parties are going on, the darkness in his life comes out. The so-called friends are a part of a gang called the Royalty. Kings and Queens of the night. Rulers who steal and Monarchs who are very violent. They are not role models especially for his brothers and sisters. He usually doesn’t like contributing and certainly doesn’t instigate. When push comes to shove he is only there because it’s how he was raised. He never knew anything else.

Damon.

It is mostly his father’s fault. He left before he turned 6. The boy was never taught how to be a man so he taught himself. Misguided. It is ironic isn’t that he is going down the same path as the man that left him all those years ago and never taught him a thing. His mom was broken hearted for a while. She coped with a certain profession that entails shame and casted their family out of most things. She wrecked relationships and totally demolished her self-esteem.He didn’t trust his mother and didn’t respect his father. A boy who turned into a man. A misguided man.

Damon.

He is getting by though. Even though his hometown is very VERY small, college recruiters are starting to come around. He is the obvious top athlete around and his grades are looking better than ever. He might make it out. Or perhaps he won’t. If he allows things to get in his way. His gang. His mother. His father. His friends. His pride. It’s funny is it, that if he achieves great things people will glorify him but if he stays he will be a “King”. But the king that he will be won’t be of honor and greatness yet one of treachery and lawlessness.

Damon.

The black boy with dreads. More like twists. People care more about is skin color than his soul. He will make it out, not only for his family but for himself.