It was never any fun going at it alone. The streets were tough. The cold was tougher. Anyone could take a good beating and tough it out, but the cold didn't have any mercy. It didn't have any sick days. You could always duck around the corner to avoid the usual hard cases, but cold wasn't something you could hide away from.
But him? He didn't want anyone's pity. Shivering cold and scared shitless, he could have cared less if some crispy dressed lawman passed him by and looked at him like he was some lost pup. At least they knew better than to stand by for too long. His fingers were quick. It was his way of getting by, you see. Everyone had to have some sort of way of getting the green. That was his. It was better than what the other kids got into. He was just lucky he was quick enough.
"Watch it, kid!" scoffed the man the boy stumbled into.
"Yo, you watch it. Think you own the place?" He mocked the anger. Nah, he wasn't some punk. Well, maybe he was, but he wasn't one for picking fights. It was just an image he threw up to have them continue on their way before he grinned and produced their wallet out of the palm of his hand. It wasn't a bad catch. The guy didn't even know what hit him. He was probably just as blinded as everyone else.
"You look like an angel. That's why," teased Mariette. "That's a lot of cash for a kid. I think I'll take some for myself, if you don't mind."
"Hey! C'mon! That's not fair! What gives!" the boy protested.
"Look here, sweet pea.. You're just another face. You want someone around here to give a damn? Do some work… You know.."
The woman's suggested smile immediately sent the boy about face. His hands shoved into his pockets far too harshly. "Shit," he hissed as he felt a finger plunge through the failed seem of his right pocket. The digit wiggled after him before simply rolled his eyes.
It would have been easier. She was right. He could have just gave up everything. He could have become like every other messed up kid. He was on that path. But he didn't want that. Maybe he wasn't really the angel that fooled everyone into misplacing their wallets and keys among other things into his hands, but he was not complete utter street trash. He had pride still. And the day that was gone? Well, then he'd consider Mariette's offer.
It was getting pretty late. The cold wasn't getting any friendlier. The best home someone without a home could have hoped for was down in the subways. The lawmen wouldn't come snooping around down there.
Problem with the subways? It got dark as all hell at night. Creeps came out in the dark. It was pretty scary for a while, but when it was all you ever knew… well.. It wasn't scary anymore.
Some wiseass once said. Learn to sleep with one eye open. He had to meet that guy and crack him in the jaw. It just wasn't possible. If it was, he sure wished that guy left a memo behind on how to do it.
More than once did the boy catch himself where he sat leaned against the wall. The benches were all taken. He huddled himself beneath his jacket, though with it now sporting one more hole in its insulation than it had previously, it really didn't do anything to keep the cold out. "Fucking winter," he grunted. It was the one season that seemed to never end.
Just when he swore he'd at last find some sleep, a light shined. The angle was just right to flash right through one of his jacket's growing holes. "The hell..?" the boy breathed out irritably.
At least, having given up his fight for rest, he threw the jacket to his lap in defeat when the light multiplied. It looked like some group of kids showed up with flashlights. Great. Another prank? Were they coming down in the dark, cold, scary tunnels to say ghost stories? Did they think it was cool being away from their comfortable warm food-filled homes? Well he wasn't buying it. "Turn that shit off, damn it!" he shouted aloud.
"Chill out, little man. We can't have a party without some lights, can we?"
"You're sure here early tho."
Early? The boy grimaced. Did they think he was.. one of them? Well, he was particularly clean today, he supposed. But that wasn't it! He wasn't going to join in on some "party"... Besides, things that happened in the tunnels weren't typically what he would have called safe. "Naw, man. I gotta go," he mumbled out.
"But the party isn't even started yet. C'mon...Where are you going..?"
The boy stared awkwardly after the guy that pulled him to his feet. He stood together with an even stranger girl. They wore wide smiles on their faces. They were pretty friendly, but there was something beneath it all that screamed fraud.
Regardless of what he planned on doing, he found himself nearly jumping out of his shoes when the floor gave a thump beneath his feet. They laughed at his reaction. It was only their damned speakers cutting on. So that was their big reason for hiding out in the tunnels? They were literally having a party? His relief had never so clearly shown upon his face as it did then. A heavy sigh left him. "Geez..."
"What's with your jacket...?" one nameless face asked as he retrieved the jacket from the floor. They were crowding around, inspecting him over.
The blond guy picked at the fabric of the jacket absently. "Looks like you've been sleeping with rats...," he spoke with a laugh.
"Bodie...," the girl, his accomplice spoke in a chastising tone.
"I uh.. I gotta go." It was then that the kid had enough. He took off into the darkness of the tunnels. It was a bit stupid. No, it was absurdly dumb. He ran until it hurt. Then, he ran just a bit more. As if running changed anything. He panted, but it didn't mask away the tears that fell. Stupid. Why the hell did he run off like that? His hands patted at his body. He even left him with his jacket. As messed up of a jacket as it was, it was his only protection against the cold. A small fist struck the wall. Then, he kicked it for good measure. That didn't change anything either.
"Yo...," a voice called out.
That was great. Someone saw him running and crying like some kid? That was all he needed. "Bug off..." But whoever it was didn't listen. The footsteps were coming closer. Fear replaced his embarrassment pretty quickly. "Hey, look, I said get the-," he began, trying to muster the toughest voice he could. Still, it was a quivering mess.
"You forgot somethin'..," the voice spoke right before the kid.
The boy turned to scrutinized the tall, dark figure, but it was sudden that his vision was blanketed over by something that fell atop his head. He took a breath to scream bloody murder. This was it. He was done for. He was being kidnapped. Murdered. Raped... likely before the murdering. Mutilated. Strung up.-Wait.. it was just his jacket. After the initial fearful flailing of his limbs, he felt the harsh heat at his face when the guy chuckled. "Shut up..."
"Sorry about those guys back there. They didn't mean anything by it. They didn't know."
"Yea well...," the boy began, trying to appear as though he didn't give a damn. Who was he kidding? He was crying. The guy saw it all. The coat was fixed back around him and he merely shrugged.
"You hungry?"
The nameless boy scrutinized the guy. He was tall and dark.. His face was a real mystery, hidden beneath a jacket hoodie as well as a cap. He was definitely one of the guys he would have steered clear off. Odd.. when it was his smiling friendly looking buddies that were the real creeps. "Uh... but your friends."
"I'm not askin anyone else," the guy said with a grin. Then, his hand moved forward. "Call me Mo."
"Uh...," the boy answered dumbly.
"You got a name, don't you?"
"Uh... yah.. sure..," Like hell I do. Kid. Rat. Angel. Everyone threw a different at him everyday. He never had a real name and he never was one to argue against the ones he was given.
Mo tilted his head. Well, they did just meet. He'd get the name later. The kid looked starved. First things first. "C'mon. Food first, right?"
It became a regular thing. Mo never asked the kid his name. They'd meet in the tunnel every night. They'd ignore Bodie's calls after them and head up for a bite to eat, paid for by Mo of course.
"I hear you're in service now, Angel," Mariette teased the boy as she ruffled his black hair about.
"Service!" the boy nearly shouted. "Hell no! Me and Mo aren't doin' anything like that, Mari!"
"What are you two doing exactly..?"
"He buys me food. We talk and stuff. That's all."
"He's buying you, Angel."
"Naw.. Its not like that Mari.. He's not buyin' me."
It was a statement that repeated itself in his head throughout the day. When Bodie showed up first with his crew and grinned. Naw. Bodie didn't grin at him like that for ithat/i reason. When the other guys taunted him to come over and dance. No way. Not ithat/i reason. No way. Then, before he knew it...
"You lookin' downright serious today."
"Shit, Mo!" the boy gasped. The guy only laughed it off, as always even when he shoved him nearly off his feet in retaliation. "You snuck up on me."
"All set?"
"Yah...," he answered uncertainly. But.. What was Mo's deal..? What was his angle..? Was it like Mari said? Was he just being...bought? Mo wasn't some dirty guy like that... He was just a really nice guy. That's all. The boy sat himself across from the other. It felt like he spent the entire time scrutinizing the face beneath the cap and hood like it was some mystery puzzle. Right now, it was.
"Ok. What is goin' on in that head of yours...?"
"Mo.. do you..uh.. I mean.. Are you-"
It was pretty sudden that the rain from outside burst in on them.
"Whoa!" the boy yelped out. He was pretty much at a loss until he realized all the water was coming in from the diner's sprinkler system. Then, that sight was blocked out by the taller figure and his coat. "Mo..?"
"I got your back. Lets bail before we drown."
As they stood outside with the rest, one of the disgruntled patrons grumbled, "What's going on..?"
"I'm... I don't know, sir. I guess it was just a glitch in the system," the waitress answered.
"That's it!" someone shouted, startling everyone into staring blankly.
To his horror, the boy realized it was his buddy. "Chill out, Mo... Whats the big-"
Mo hugged the boy tight around his waist and suddenly lifted him right off the ground. "I figured out a name for you!"
"Oh ya? What's that..? How about YOU'RE-BATSHIT-CRAZY-PUT-ME-DOWN-BRO!"
Mo laughed when he at last settled the other on his feet. Everyone else was finally looking away by then. "Glitch. It fits."
"Glitch...? What? Like I'm some broken water sprinkler...? Well thanks for nothin' man.. I'll stick with hey you and kid..."
"No. Like... the Glitch that wasn't supposed to be around that night. You know? The glitch that shouldn't be out in the dumps. Glitch. You." Mo turned rather bashful then. "Uhh.. You don't like it...do ya?"
The boy stared for a while. "Mo..," he breathed out. What was that big question he wanted to ask again..? Hey, Mo, you buying me, bro? Ya.. Slowly, he grinned. "Man... who do you think I am..?"
"Uh...," Mo answered dumbly.
"I'm your best buddy, Glitch, right! Why wouldn't I like it?"
Mo grinned wildly. "Yah, but with a cool name like that, you need to do somethin'."
"Like what..?" asked Glitch.
"Dancing is a good place to start."
"I don't dance, Mo."
"Not even with me?" spoke the suave guy.
Glitch felt the brush of the hand that just barely swiped his waist. Was it an accident? "Uhh.. I guess.. if it's with you, it's OK."
"Then that's that. We're partners!"
"Partners?" Glitch echoed doubtfully. Even then, he grinned after the guy.
Mo was already brainstorming ideas. They'd need a place. Maybe they could chase Bodie and his buddies off when they got good enough. The subway was their place. It was where they met.
Really, it didn't matter where it was to Glitch. It didn't have to be the subway. If Mo was there, that was good enough. But partners.. saying it like that..? Ugh.. Maybe he'd just ask him about it later. For now.. he didn't want to ruin the moment. Things were fine just like this.
