The Gazelle

By Aaron Fox, Jr and Mary W. Fox

Riley was a normal girl before the tragic loss of her brother. Grieving and looking for peace of mind, she began meditating at an early age. Little did she know that her loss would be empowering, as she discovered abilities she could have never dreamed of.

Her hometown has a long history of racial oppression and is still haunted by remnants of its past. As new threats present themselves, conditions around the city take a turn for the worse. Riley is just a middle school girl still finding herself, but when her city calls a heroine rises.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aaron Fox, Jr
• Release date: Nov 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310765582

Book preview

The Gazelle

By Aaron Fox Jr.

with Mary W. Fox

The Gazelle is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright 2014 Aaron Benjamin Fox Jr.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission from the authors.

Cover art by Tiffany-Marie Tarbox

Distributed by Smashwords

VII

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743 Publishing Group™

Table of Contents

Part I

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Part II

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Connect with Aaron Fox Jr.

For my daughter Bella, and my nieces Malia and Mary A

Part I

Chapter 1

It was a brisk November night in Green Hills. Main Street was already crowded as people continued to pile onto the narrow two lane road. The small downtown area wasn’t designed to host that many, but the celebration in honor of the town’s first black mayor attracted many of the local townsfolk and a lot of people from surrounding cities.

In 2012 it shouldn’t have been such a big deal, but Green Hills was a backwards town in many ways. The eastern North Carolina city of about thirty thousand had a long history of racial violence and tension. It was known as Klan country, and rightfully so, still infamous for a civil rights march that was attacked by gunmen affiliated with the organization. They were caught on video in broad daylight, but no one was ever convicted, or even charged with the murders. It was a tragedy that had taken place in the late sixties, right there on Main Street.

That was a little before Brian’s time, but he had heard the story on more occasions than he could count, along with other atrocities against blacks in his hometown. It seemed like a fitting place to host the celebration. Looking around at the crowd, Brian noticed that most of the people that had come to celebrate were black. There were some Hispanics, but only a few white faces scattered in the crowd. Most of the whites there were the stone faced police that lined the street. Brian continued to reflect on the march that took place there just a few decades prior, and imagined the scene being much the same.

His daughter Riley had also noticed the stark contrast of the crowd and police. She was young, just fourteen, but old enough to recognize the significance of the event. The media did too. She counted at least a dozen news crews, some all the way from the state capital, far from their coverage area. Riley looked up at her father. He seemed to be deep in thought, but that wasn’t unusual, she thought to herself. Brian looked down and caught her watching him.

I wish your brother could have seen this, he said, before looking back out at the crowd that continued to swell. Quietly Riley wished her whole family was there, but they lost her brother Kelvin a few years back in a car accident. Her mother Melody was an infantry officer in the Army. She was deployed overseas.

A crackling speaker broke through the chatter of the onlookers that had been waiting patiently for the mayor to show. His arrival was announced and met with loud cheers and whistles. He bounded energetically onto the small stage that had been set up in the run down plaza.

Mayor Jackson looked to be a few years older than Riley’s father. He acted as his own hype man, taking a minute to rouse his audience with a commanding stage presence.

He sounds like a preacher, Riley said.

Brian nodded in agreement, but it wasn’t something he was altogether comfortable with. In recent years he had lost most of his faith in corporate worship. In truth, he only continued to attend Sunday service because his wife would want them to.

The mayor gave a speech that promised new jobs, a crackdown on crime, and even a revival of the decrepit downtown district that was hosting his inaugural after party. It felt like the same old rhetoric to a lot of people including Brian, but the mayor was dynamic nonetheless. His supporters cheered as he danced onstage with his wife and a few members from his staff, the music of Syl Johnson and Marvin Gaye continuing well after his exit. But the event came to an awkward close with no announcement, just an abrupt halt to the music, with the chatter of the crowd seeming quiet after it was cut off.

There was some confusion as the people began to disperse. With the density of the crowd Brian and Riley couldn’t really tell what was happening. The mass of people seemed to be getting clogged.

They closed everything off but Main, Riley overheard someone say. He was reading a social media update on his phone.

How do they expect all these people to get out of here? another person asked in response to the man.

There were a lot of people from out of town, and most of the ones that hadn’t shuttled in or walked to the event were parked on nearby side streets.

Tension was building along with the noise of confusion. The crowd tightened up. People were shoulder to shoulder, the warmth of their bodies shutting out the cold night air. Brian got hot, unzipping his jacket as he grabbed hold of Riley’s hand. Things seemed on the brink of hysteria. They heard a woman scream, a shout that came from somewhere behind them.

Back off! the woman yelled. Give us some room! It seemed like an odd request with the people packed like sardines. The crowd was moving with a mind of its own, as Brian and Riley were being carried down the street like a river current, more so than walking on their own. Riley was too short to see what was happening behind them.

What’s going on Dad? she asked, seeing her father struggling to turn around.

Looks like her boy is fainting, he said.

Back off! Please! the woman screamed again.

It’s no use lady, a concerned stranger said. The crowd keeps pushing. He was a burly man, and did what he could to help the woman keep the boy on his feet. But he was staggering in his attempt to assist them.

Dad let me help, Riley said, tugging at Brian. He gripped her small hand tighter as she looked up at him defiantly. He was reluctant to let her go, but eventually gave in.

Cover your face, he said. She nodded as Brian