When Terry and Kel Coleman run from their abusive father, they end up in Denver. The day they arrive, they meet three street kids named Rudy, Snap, and Josie. The brothers move into the trio's squat where Rudy and the others teach Terry and Kel the ins-and-outs of survival on the streets. While that happens, Terry and Rudy are drawn to each other and begin a tentative relationship.<br><br>Then Kel is almost kidnapped by a man sent by his father to bring him home. Forced to leave their squat to keep Kel safe, they turn to a local pastor for help. Thanks to the pastor, the five young people may find hope for their future -- if they can survive the present. In the process, can the budding relationship between Terry and Rudy survive, or will it be torn apart by the life they're forced to live?

Surviving

“We should have done this first,” Snap grumbled at one point. “Now we’re going to have to clean the damned unit again because of all the dust and whatever this is making.”


Rudy chuckled. “By the time we’re finished we’ll be able to pass for dust bunnies.”


“No shit,” Terry agreed, looking at his clothes that were now almost gray as a result of what they were doing. “I hope to hell this is justdust and not powder from drugs Big-D and his people dealt.”


“Hey,” Josie replied with a grin, “maybe we should take off the masks and see if we get high.”


They eventually got all the downstairs carpeting up and lugged out to the dumpster behind the rowhouses. Rudy called to ask Mr. Wilson if he wanted the upstairs carpet removed as well. After a brief discussion it was decided that a good shampooing would probably be sufficient as the last tenants had kept their vandalism to the walls only up there.


Chapter 46