• Getting accepted into a gang is terrifying. Gang members hit their initiates till they break, so they can’t be broken again. When I got accepted, the group of 20 or so took me to a dark alley and started throwing rocks and punching me. They called it “beating you so you don’t brake”. When I got in, I did not know what I was getting myself into. I knew that we had to stick together and we’re against everyone else but I had not even begun to understand the casualties. I did not know hatred could lead to so much destruction and even death.
    I got accepted when I was 8 and since then I have seen 2 people get killed, killed one myself and witnessed one of my friends get murdered.
    I remember the night that I had to kill because it was the last thing I did. The boy was between 12 and 13 with short scruffy hair. If he would not have been against me I would have thought he was cute. I was coming back from my boyfriend’s house when I heard a voice.
    “She is yours. She has a red scarf and she is alone. No one will see. You need to do this to be accepted.” He said with an angry tone. I began to walk faster. I felt for the knife that was in my jacket pocket. Then he hit me. It hurt. He hit me right between the shoulder blades. Without hesitation I turned around and drew the knife. He was glaring at me. I knew if I did not stab hem now I never would. I threw back my arm and slit his throat. He immediately grabbed his throat and fell to the ground.
    I started running as fast as my feet could carry me. I could hear the commotion behind me. People were screaming and I knew it would not be long before they would come after me. I ran back to my boyfriend’s house and told him what happened. I was betrayed. He took me back to the scene of the crime and gave me back to them. He was undercover to try to get closer to his rival to see what our plans of attack were. They told me this before they killed me.
    When I died I was tossed into fire and brimstone. This was my life story for years. I never thought that I would die at 16. I never knew hatred and violence only lead to death and destruction. I wish that I could have changed my life so I would not have died at 16, but my life is done and over. I can’t change it. I died understanding the tragedy of death due to violence and destruction.