"Benjy! Come play!" 5 year old Laura Martin called to her cousin of the same age, Benjamin Martin. It was a fine Saturday afternoon in May 1887. Benjy ran over as fast as he could, dragging his right leg a little.
"Ma said we could play till dinner but I can't play afta. Ma says I gotta play da violin for her tonight. I'm going to Maura's house to run races."
"Can I come listen? I likes hearing you play."
"Sure. I likes when you come over. Can you stay for dinner too?"
"Lemme ask my ma and pa," said Benjy, running up to his flat as fast as his legs would let him.
"There's my Benjy boy! Come here and give your old pa a hug," called out David Martin, opening his arms for his youngest son to jump into.
"Hi Pa! Guess wat? Laura said I could go to her house for dinner and listen to her play violin afta we run races at Maura's house. Can I go?"
"Run races with girls? Listen to music? Is that really what you want to do on a Saturday?"
"Oh yes! Please say I can!" begged Benjy, his face shining with excitement. "Please Pa? Please Ma?"
Mrs. Martin laughed at her son's face. "Oh all right, I suppose you can. But stay there after you eat. I'll send your pa to fetch you later, okay?"
"Thanks Ma! Bye!" The two cousins ran out the door, laughing all the way.
"I think we're lost. Are you sure dis is the way Benjy?" asked Laura in a whisper.
"Yeah, I think so. Dere's da Brooklyn Bridge," replied Benjy, although he wasn't sure at all. He was lost and his bum leg hurt badly from so much walking. He was also hungry and wished he hadn't insisted on doing just one more race. Now because of it, he had gotten his favorite cousin and best friend in the world lost.
"Well now, was has we got here?" a low voice asked from the shadows.
"It looks like two kids has gotten demselves good and lost," growled a second voice. Just then, two men stepped into the light of the lamppost the cousins had just walked under.
" If youse ask me, dey de perfect age ta do some work fer us," said the first man, who had an eye-patch over his left eye. He threw part of a lighted cigar in a nearby trash can. "De girl should get us some good money."
"P-p-please don't hurt us. We j-j-j-just want t-ta g-get home," whimpered Laura, by now very afraid.
"Oh we ain't gonna hurt ya, giorl. We just want youse to follow us real quiet-like." Eye-patch reached out for Laura.
"Leave my cousin alone ya bum!" piped up Benjy, kicking the man in the shin. "Run Laura! Go get help!"
Laura froze in place, watching her cousin fighting as hard as he could against Eye-patch man's friend. Eye-patch grabbed her and pulled her into the shadows. Immediately Laura began to squirm. "No, please! Stop! Benjy, help! Please no!" The man didn't listen, holding the 5 year old tighter. He pulled Laura's tights down, and then began to pull her dress off. Just then, Mr. Martin came around the corner.
"Hey, let them go! Help! Police!" He punched the man holding his son in the mouth before going after Eye-patch.
The man released Benjy, who fell into the way of an oncoming horse.
"Benjy!" screamed Laura, finally managing to break free. She ran out to her cousin, now unconscious from hitting his head. The night suddenly grew brighter as the trashcan caught fire and quickly spread to the buildings nearby.
"Laura, quick. Bring Benjy with you and run back to Maura's. Don't stop along the way, just run!" ordered Mr. Martin, running into the nearest building.
"Daddy!" cried Benjy, just waking up. He sat up, looking around. "Daddy, where are you? Come back!" He jumped to his feet and tried to run after his pa, falling down after a few steps.
"Benjy, no! Wait for me. Benjy!" called out Laura, running after him. She soon lost him in the crowd that had gathered to help. "Benjy! Benjy!"
Benjy looked back only once to see if his cousin was following him. The last memory Benjy had of his cousin, she was standing in the path of a horse. The last word he heard was his cousin calling his name.
Note from the author-So Crutchy is one of my favorite characters and I decided to write a story about him. I got this idea a few days ago and thought I'd see how it goes. Let me know if you like it or not and if I should keep going or not.