Prologue

People ask me what it was like growing up with a disability, having extra challenges. Well, I really don't know any different so, thats always a hard question to answer.

I grew up in Shoreside, Maine, it was my home, my world...

I met Brent when I was 5, it was cool 'cause he has Cerebral Palsy ,like me. Brent's the best friend in the world! Always there for you,

Steve also was in our "group" early on, he doesn't have CP, but he'll kill you if you try picking on us, and that's not an exaggeration, well, ok he'll hurt you………….badly…...

Part one:

"The Game of Risk"

I

The sun peeked over the hills, making the 5:00 grass seem more like hay. 3 boys walked (well, 2 were driving in wheelchairs actually) along a gravel road. The boy who was walking was Steven Mitchell, a 17 year old who came from a rough past, he had 8 brothers and 2 sisters, all older. He was the kid everyone in high school looked at as another Mitchell kid, another punk, just because one of his brothers was a drug addict, now locked up till 2000.

To Steve's left was Brent Campbell, also 17, Brent had never been to an actual school, officials thought he had no right, they thought he was not …."mentally capable"… Steve had had to try teaching him ever since Kindergarten. Showing him textbooks, recapping lessons, it was tough, but it kept him busy.

To Steve's right was Bryan Miller, almost 17, his parents had made the officials accept him in the schools.

It was summer now, June 5th 1990 to be exact. The boys were talking about everything and nothing, superheroes and sex, games and girls, and anything else guys talk about. It was about 70 degrees, pleasant, very pleasant…..too pleasant

II

The walk had led the boys into that part of town you don't want to go in, where the houses were now becoming more and more run down. -Yeah, so what? These boys had been out here a million times. However, it was now dusking, that was not so common. They thought they were "men enough" The bushes shuffled "No, no get back, dude!" Steve could be heard yelling through whispers. " Bryan get back here!" he began cussing,

"You're on a dudes lawn get off!" He swore until a door was opened, a man slowly walked up, pistol in hand

BANG!

A piece of wood shattered, the boys froze, "NOT ON MY LAWN!!!!" "Sorry sir" Steve whispered "Oh no your fine! Him! The cripple!"

Steve charged at the man in a blind rage grabbing the gun, and pointing it at the man "Never……say that" Steve said in a hush, a growl. "C'mon guys." They left, Steve still holding the man at gunpoint.

III

Steve sat in his room at 2am, Outside thunder boomed and lightning flashed. He began to watch "Halloween" on his TV, but found that he was, for the first time in his life, becoming queezy and very upset. It wasn't because of the film, he'd seen it a million times. He just was thinking about the man, that man, what he said. How?…… Why?

He turned his TV to channel 3 and began to search for his favorite Nintendo game. The news was on, that's when he saw it, to his horror, that same man, he was wanted in 10 states ………... he was the head of a group of 30 men who killed anyone with a disability, and any associated

Steve's throat was dry, his hands clammy, his body shaking, he felt vomit in his throat. He lit up a cigarette, his bad habit, he smoked rapidly, almost violently.

If they stayed in Maine, They would be sitting ducks, they'd be shot no question. He ran down the hall and grabbed a large suitcase, packed everything he could, He ran to his Chevy pick-up and drove to Brent & Bryan's houses.

Bryan was sleeping when he heard Steve's voice, not sharp like earlier, but frantic, quiet, "get up man, we have to go pack a bag, hurry man." "Steve what the-"Do it man," he explained what he saw and they left for Brent's.

Brent was watching "Halloween" also, "Brent lets go, we gotta get outta here now!" The boys stormed in the house and Brent jumped, "What the HECK is your problem man!?"

Steve walked up and changed the TV to the news and Brent stared, just stared……………

"Pack up man, we're going!"

IV

By 5am they were on the open highway. Everyone was still in a state of shock. They hadn't really said much the first 5 hours or so. They just, sat there, until at about 10 Steve broke the silence. "Y-you guys OK?" They were a little shocked at Steve saying something. "F-fine man, just-just fine." Bryan responded in a daze.

It wasn't until about 3 that the boys began to loosen up when they drove by 3 schoolgirls, . "NIIIIIICE!!!!" Steve exclaimed, they laughed. For the first time since they left, they laughed.

Things were much more comfortable after that. They talked, had pop, made dirty jokes, and before they knew it, it was midnight.

"Skid Marks and Free Color TV!"

The Chevy pulled into a parking lot of a dilapidated building, a sign that read "SLE P EZ M O T E L" with half the letters burnt out. Across the way was a strip mall with signs reading "XXX theater" "LIQUOR" "Dirty Monica's Naughty Night Club," and "LAUNDRY."

Bryan looked at Steve, "You gotta be kidding me!"

"We're on a budget of $50, now, we'll make more later, but, for now this will have to do."

They entered the motel, a man greeted them, he had a cigar in his mouth, a flask in one hand, and a gun in the other. Steve slammed the $3 down, grabbed the key, and they ran down the hall, fast.

The room was worse then they imagined, Paint was falling off the wall, The 1952 TV had a hole in it, beds were brick hard, it was what you might find in "Psycho," a real Bates Motel.

After a night of overhearing a crack deal, a fist fight, and a gunshot, the boys kept on trucking.