Don't let it get to you! Volume 2. You don't have to worry about them.

Cover

Ben's story continues. The most important people are shown again on the cover of the second volume. Of course Ben in the middle, with the inscription “Supernova Tommy Boy” on his T-shirt, which suggests that he might have formed a new band after all. His support team, without whom Ben definitely wouldn't have survived "Entertain Us": Troy and the two Charlys. New on the cover are Mrs Williams (top right), a nurse in a psychiatric hospital, and Savannah Hanson, a social worker in the youth welfare office. Both play an important role not only in this volume, but also in the subsequent volumes of the youth book series.

Reading sample

Reading sample from Chapter 9 – Stray mutts have better social behavior than some people!

….
When I arrived at the youth center, I first greeted Sam at the skating rink. Charly was supposed to pick her up again in the afternoon. I wanted to come along and help, and we agreed that if Charly was there, she would pick me up from the music room, by force if necessary.
In the music room I found Mike alone, playing the new song “Neverland” on his guitar. He said that Tom had a meeting with Miss Hanson and other people at Nick's mom's house. He couldn't report anything specific, only that Nick couldn't be reached the evening before.
Of course, this news wasn't particularly reassuring, but at least something happened in Nick's case. But Mike was sure that Nick would show up to this meeting because Tom had texted him and asked him to come. Nick always listened to Tom. He was generally reliable and besides, Nick would feel safe with Tom around. Mike was adamant that things would work out with Nick, which surprised me because Mike had had a completely different opinion the day before. Maybe he was just clinging to the wish that everything would go well.
Because of my sore muscles, I slowly sat down on a couch and Mike made fun of me. He immediately started talking about Charly's new apartment and wanted to know what kind of hard work I had done. Carrying heavy boxes? Hauling furniture? I could have just said "yes," but I chose the embarrassing truth to out myself as a weakling early on. At first Mike squinted at me. Then he tried in vain to suppress a laugh and then it took him quite a while until he calmed down again.
I had just taken a suitable sitting position when Jane entered the room through the secret door. A radiance emanated from her and the darkened room suddenly seemed to become brighter. She said she didn't want to bother me for long, but because of me she could have stayed forever.
»I just wanted to let you know that unfortunately I can't come with you this afternoon. I'm meeting up with a few friends, I have to leave soon and I just wanted to say goodbye to you."
My hamster cheeks collapsed abruptly. "What? You are leaving me? Why is that?" I asked wistfully and saw Mike frowning in the corner of my eye. Jane blushed and giggled.
»No, Ben, I'm not leaving you. We just won't see each other again until December because I won't be here until Sam moves out on Saturday. That's all."
"That's all?"
I pouted and tried to get up, wanting to hug her goodbye. I groaned like an old man with a thousand ailments. Jane giggled again and we hugged. I held her tight. No, actually I was holding on to her because I could barely stand on my own.
“Are you letting go of me again, Ben?”
"Yes / Yes. “At least lie to me that you have sore muscles too,” I asked her with a pained smile.
»Everything really hurts. My muscles are sore all the way down to my pinky toes and my shoulders hurt the most.” She grinned.
»But we still have to practice lying. See you in December,” I said.
"Yes, bye."
As quickly as she entered the room, she left it. I struggled back onto the couch and saw my folder lying open on the table.
"I hope you don't mind me taking a look," Mike said.
"No of course not. I'm just surprised that this particular song came on.«
"Why?"
»Because I gave this exact text to Charly. He still has to present his own song for the finale tomorrow, and because he didn't have any lyrics yet, I gave them to him.
Mike looked at me in surprise. »You just forgive your texts? We could have done something with that.”
»Charly wants to rap. I hardly believe that he takes this text one-to-one, if he takes anything from it at all. Two weeks ago he just didn't have anything, although he said he also had his own lyrics. But I didn't believe him and so I gave it to him. That just occurred to me. "I don't know why," I tried to explain.
»Well, I think you know why that text came to mind. We have all experienced this story. Wait a minute. I'll read it aloud and then you can agree with me."

»Come with me«

Hey, you, I can see you
Surrounded by darkness
In your hands and in your soul
Hands, you should use for climbing
Out of the darkness, to me

Hey, you, see me
Surrounded by the light
In my hands and in my soul
It shows you the way
Out of the darkness, to me

So, come to me
Me, who welcomes you
A journey so far from here to there
There, where life is beautiful and free

Come with me
Don't let it get to you
Come with me
Join yourself in life
Come with me

Hey, you, I can see you
Standing here at the cross
Hey, you, I can see you
Deciding for death or for life
It's up to you

Hey, you, can't you see me
Standing here, surrounded by the light
Hey, you, can't you see it
The light is shining so bright
It's up to you

So, come to me
Me, who welcomes you
A journey so far from here to there
There, where life is beautiful and free

Come with me
Don't let it get to you
Come with me
Join yourself in life
Come with me

Hey, you, I can see you
With me and together
We're sailing
Hey, you, you see me
We're sailing together
A helmsman, we don't need
Hey, you, you and me
No navigation, no planning
Not for life, not for future
Hey, man, you have it in your own hand
Your future isn't planned

So, come with me
Me, who welcomes you

Come with me
Don't let it get to you
Come with me
Join yourself in life
Come with me

“There’s no need to know you personally, Ben. Your appearances on 'Entertain Us' clearly showed how you fought your way from the darkness into the light. It may be that many viewers didn't realize this, but just ask Tom. Many of those we watched your performances with had the impression that they were seeing someone on stage who was going through the same things they were going through," Mike explained. His eyes shone.
I then replied, "I certainly haven't been through what you've been through."
“Ben, the result is the same. Namely, that you let the shit get you down. Don't let it get to you! You've done it and you can take credit for it, because most people don't do it. And by that I don't just mean the kids on the street or here in the home, but also the ones out there who think they're doing well. Ben, can't you imagine the hope this gave the kids? Finally one of us. Nobody is lost! Don't let it get to you! You should have this saying tattooed in reverse on your chest so that you can read it every morning when you stand in front of the mirror. That would really help you get through the day.«
It became quiet around us. Mike put the text back in the folder, leaned back in the chair and, like me, thought about what had been said.
“This message can be found in every one of your texts,” Mike broke the silence and continued: “Unconsciously known, that’s all I can say.”
I fumbled with my fingers on the back of the couch and found a hole in the cover, which I hastily enlarged. Then my fingers moved to my temple, into my hair and back to my cheek.
"You can't believe it, right?" Mike asked casually from the armchair.
»I give kids hope? “Do you really mean that?” I asked him in disbelief
"Sure, that's what I mean. Why are you so surprised?"
"I do not know. Maybe because I was a loner in school. Even the younger students could tell that they thought I was stupid. I'm not a different person just because I did a soul striptease on stage. Sometimes …"
Mike nodded understandingly.
“Neither are you. But many do not manage to differentiate themselves. That's why they join the crowd and act like they don't like you and do things they normally would never do. This is completely normal."
…

Not for sale reading sample from Doreen Gehrke Verlag. The use of this reading sample, whether in part or in full, is in breach of copyright without the written consent of Doreen Gehrke Verlag. Translating the reading sample and using it in electronic systems is also punishable.

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