Read Online The Battle of Jericho by Sharon M. Draper - Free Book Online Page B

full acceptance, we will continue with what we call the ’Bonding of the Brotherhood.’”
    â€œThe Bonding of the Brotherhood,” Madison explained, “requires not only secrecy and obedience, but also responsibility, loyalty, and honor. Your first responsibility is to your pledge brothers. Look around you. The fifteen young men that you see here will depend on
you
for their success as well as their safety, and you will depend on each of them. You must provide
anything your
brother needs. Each pledge holds the responsibility for the other.”
    â€œAgreed?” Eddie Mahoney asked once more to the almost-trembling pledges.
    â€œAgreed,” they replied. Jericho shivered in the darkness with them, sitting together on the floor of that warehouse.
    â€œIn addition, you must agree to do
anything
you are asked to do,” Madison said, an odd smile on his face.
    â€œAgreed?” Eddie Mahoney demanded.
    â€œAgreed,” they replied quietly.
    â€œI will lie if I must!” Eddie barked.
    â€œI will lie if I must!”
    â€œI will steal if it is necessary to help my brother!” Eddie continued. He looked almost demonic, it seemed to Jericho, in the dim light of the candles. He seemed to be enjoying himself as he chanted.
    â€œI will steal if it is necessary to help my brother!” Jericho did not like the sound of this, but he wasn’t sure how to get out of it. He whispered the words. His stomach was starting to hurt.
    Madison turned the page of the book and continued to read. “As a pledge, you must also understand the concept of loyalty. Each of you must think of yourself as one link in a chain that has no beginning and no end. Therefore, all of you must succeed in every pledge activity, or none of you do. The group must work together to help the individual.”
    â€œRepeat after me,” Eddie demanded. “All of us or none of us!”
    â€œAll of us or none of us!” the group of pledges replied.
    Then Rick Sharp moved to the center of the circle. “These are the basic guidelines for the Bonding of theBrotherhood. Please repeat after me,” he asked the pledges.
    â€œNumber One. A Warrior of Distinction is not afraid to lower himself for his brother.”
    â€œA Warrior of Distinction is not afraid to lower himself for his brother,” they repeated. Jericho wondered what “lowering himself” actually meant.
    â€œNumber Two. A Warrior of Distinction does not show fear,” Rick intoned.
    â€œA Warrior of Distinction does not show fear.” Jericho said the words with the rest of them, but he was feeling pretty fearful right now. He figured maybe this whole process was designed to intimidate and scare them. It was working.
    â€œNumber Three. A Warrior of Distinction is bonded to his brothers.”
    â€œA Warrior of Distinction is bonded to his brothers,” the pledges repeated.
    Jericho glanced over at Josh, who looked intense and serious. He and Josh had been almost as close as brothers since they were born. Their birthdays were only a month apart, and when they were younger, his parents and Josh’s parents had apartments in the same building. Josh’s dad was working on his law degree while Jericho’s dad went through his training at the police academy. The two families shared everything back then—food, trips, baby-sitting. The two cousins had spent hours in the hallway of that apartment building, racing Hot Wheels cars down the long, polished corridor. Jericho wondered how he could ever be “bonded” as close to the boys in this room as he alreadywas to Josh. He turned his attention back to the ceremony.
    â€œNumber Four. A Warrior of Distinction
never
breaks the code of silence,” Rick continued.
    â€œA Warrior of Distinction never breaks the code of silence.” Jericho wanted to think about that one, but the rest of the group repeated it without hesitation, so he joined with the