Chapter 1:

~A flashback of Crutchy and his family at age 7~

The day hadn't started out too bad for Randy, but unfortunately, it would finish that way. Like usual, the little brown-haired, skinny boy had plenty of frustrating chores to do while his parents were gone.

He hadn't known where they always went till 3 years later.

"Git up, lazy baby. Yeh gawt woik ta do!"

The boy got up groaning. He quickly pulled on his little jacket to protect him as well it could from the cold. He tucked his crutch underneath his right arm and limped downstairs. Most kids his age didn't live lives like his. 'Course, most of them had parents who loved them.

"Randy! Me and your daddy gotta be goin'. Here's ya list of things ta do. Dont you be lazy, and you betta get dis done 'fore we get back! There's probly some food somewhere. You'll survive."

Randy's mother laughed, almost insanely.

As soon as they were gone, Randy sighed. How he wished he could have the things in his wonderful dreams! But that wasn't to be. Randy kept himself busy slaving away, then resting until his parents came back, well past midnight, and they found him sleeping.

Perhaps if his father hadn't been quite so drunk, he wouldn't have lashed out the way he did.

He had instigated many sad things in the future of his son which he would never live to know.

"Whatcha doin' boy? Ya sleepin on da job huh? Huh?" Randy's father yelled.

Randy jumped. He was terrified.

"No daddy, I finushed me woik. I swear I was just restin real quick!"

But by now his father had pulled his belt out and moved towards Randy. His mother was laughing again, in the creepy insane way she did.

Randy was crying. He backed away from his drunk father. He probably would've made it to the small closet that was his room; been able to hide until his parents calmed down, but his little crutch connected with the leg of a plain chair, and he fell backwards. By now, knowing he had no chance of escaping his father's merciless beating, he curled up and begged for his father to stop.

"No please, daddy! I'm sorry! I just thought-"

"Thought what, kid? That you could lie around here being lazy? Youse wasn't even meant to be! You're a mistake! You shouldn't be alive! Youse better woik ya keep or else..."

He went back to beating Randy. He took many blows before his father lurched to his bed and passed out from drunkenness. Randy sobbed, but inside, he had become angry. Bitter, even. He wouldn't stay here any longer with his so-called family who didn't want him. That night, he gathered up his few belongings: an extra shirt and pair of socks, his journal, and some money stolen from his father's dresser. He threw it all in a pillowcase and squeezed through the small window in the kitchen. He was done with his hateful life. The little boy, forgetting to be afraid, limped away into new York, never looking back.

~flashback ends~

"CRUTCHY!" Racetrack waved his hand in from of my face.

"Oh hey Race. Whassup?" I smiled at him slightly.

"You're late, Dats wassup! Youse were starin off into space and sometimes makin funny faces. Hoirtin faces too. Kloppman woke us up, but you didnt hear 'im. Y'okay?"

"Oh y-yeah Race don' worry bout me, I'se fine. Jus' thinking."

"Hey Jack, ya hear dat? Its a miracle! Crutchy was jus thinkin'..." Kid Blink laughed and smirked at me.

No one else laughed. Jack glared, and Race just shook his head and walked off, muttering in Italian. Hang that Blink, he's always getting at me for something. I really didn't think I was that annoying.

I quickly finished getting dressed and went over to Jack, pulling him aside.

"Hey Jack, I'se kinda worried about Race. He's been actin' real strange lately. Wonder if e's ok."

Jack looked worried.

"Glad I'm not da only one, Crutchy. He's been dat way fer a few days. E's been real quiet an' sad lookin'." He said.

"Hmmm..." I muttered. "Maybe E's sick."

"Or having bad luck at Sheepshead."

"Or real tired."

"Or despratly in love."

"Or.." I started. "Wait... what? We knows Racetrack, and he ain't pinin' ova some goil. Anyways, we should keep an eye on 'im though."

Jack nodded, and Mush hurried by.

"Betta hurry up, boys, or ya gonna miss all da papes!"

He shouted.

"Nah," Jack said slowly. "it's too cold to sell much anyway. Probly bad headlines too, at the rate we're goin'."

"True, but we betta get to woik anyhow. I'll watch Race, you too. Tell me if E's actin' weirder." I replied.

Jack nodded, and we headed to the distribution center to buy our papers.

"Anudder dee-lite-ful day in the bisnuss. Not so much of a good day, though, huh?"

Remarked Skittery, or "glum and dumb" as Racetrack liked to call him. He sure could find the bad side of things pretty fast.

Most of the boys looked over at Race for one of his wisecracks to cheer us all up.

He just scowled at the few coins in his hand, and muttered "glum an' dumb". Wow. He sure wasn't acting like usual.

Enjoy! :D

This chapter has been recently spell-checked and edited (March 22).