Be The Turning Point

Walk with them. Month by month. Life by life.

Hi, I’m Lukas, grade 10. I usually sit quietly in class, listening as my friends laugh about things I don’t understand: apps, videos, messages that light up their screens. Everyone seems to have a smartphone. To me, it feels like they belong to a different world.

At home, things are hard. My father drinks, and money is never enough. Some days, there isn’t any food, and I have to steal some so my younger siblings can have something to eat. Things most people don’t think twice about, such as soap and clean clothes, aren’t guaranteed in this part of town. Wanting a phone feels almost foolish. And yet, the desire doesn’t go away.

So I decided, if there’s no other way, maybe I can make one. I started to notice who walked alone, and I told myself it’s simple. Quick. People say if you stab someone once, they’ll be fine. And if I do this, the neighbourhood gang will let me join them. And by selling drugs, I’ll make some real money. So a few weeks later, I did it.

It happens fast. A moment of fear, a moment of force, and...