Hey, hey, hey! It's time for another chapter of JOTN. This will be another casual chapter for the boys, with the exception of a new journal entry from Bucky. Plus, the cops may have a lead as to where the kidnappers may be hiding. I hope you enjoy!

Warning: Contains flashback of, you guessed it, more child abuse.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC's.

Chapter 13: Things STARTED to Get Better

After the interviews with Desiree', the boys continued with their routine. Soon, it wouldn't be long before they didn't have to be in the children room anymore. Harold had a few more days of physical therapy before he could eventually get out of the wheelchair (though he would still need it to an extent, and later use crutches).

Rudy was doing much better mental wise, so he didn't need much monitoring. He was set to be discharged from the hospital today.

Bill was hopefully set to be discharged from the hospital by the next day, as his head was doing better. Russell was happy, for his brother would finally be coming home soon.

The whole gang would eventually go back to playing in the Junkyard again. Things would finally go back to normal soon.

As the boys talked with one another, Bucky was looking at the journal, looking for the right words to put down. He was thinking of how the mean couple burned his legs one of the days. He was having a hard time, due to not remembering every single detail of that memory. Things were starting to become a blur to him.

"Dear Journal... um... this is gonna be a hard one. Because I can't remember much of it... it's been a while now, but I guess I can write what I do remember..."

"Time to play another little game, boys..." Gabe smirked at the captives.

The boys all cowered in the corner of the basement. At the mention of the word 'game', Rudy became a sobbing and blubbering mess, as it not only reminded him of what happened the last time they played a 'game' but because he was terrified that he would get picked for the game again.

The man looked over the shaking kids before he reached over and grabbed Bucky, startling the preteen, "And you get to be the lucky one to play today, son!"

With that, he was thrown on the table, and strapped in. Bucky was already scared, and he didn't know what was about to happen to him. He tried to look over, and gasped when he saw Bella walk over with a lighter, "This game is to see how much fire you can take Bucky!" She said cheerfully.

The boy whimpered. This was not going to be fun.

And not long after, he started to feel hotness. He looked down to see his pants on fire. Immediately, he started to scream once the heat reached his legs, burning him. As he screamed, he could hear the mean couple laughing with amusement, and his friends making noises of horror and dismay. Bucky felt tears falling.

Soon after, he passed out from the pain...

"Bucky... you okay..."

The preteen moaned and opened his eyes to see his friends staring at him with concern. He tried to sit up but winced when pain shot through his legs. He looked down and frowned. His green pants, from the ankles to the bottom of the thighs, were completely burned to black, with small holes in which he could see spots of blood.

"It... it hurts..." He whimpered.

"We know. We're gonna fix you up..." Bill assured him, "That man and woman just left. That'll give us time..."

"T-Thanks.."

"And that's all I remember. I know I was, my legs were really starting to hurt after all of that. I'll never go near fire like that again, that's for sure. Until next time, Bucky..."

To be honest, he felt bad he didn't have a lot to say this time. But at least he got to write about that certain memory and not keep it to himself. Albert was right. Writing really did help out.

That's when there was a knock on the door, "Come in." Albert said.

The door opened, and Officer Jackson walked in, "How're you doing, boys?" He asked.

The boys were delighted to see a familiar face. They all nodded in approval as the officer smiled, "That's good. I'm glad you're all safe and sound. We're still looking for the kidnappers. We seem to have a lead so far."

"What lead?"

"You've met with Desiree, right? Well, from whatever you told her, she was able to decipher that you were all knocked out by some chloroform. We did some digging and saw that it was purchased at a store right here in North Philly. Also, someone saw a black van and caught the license plate on it. We believe the kidnappers are still in Pennsylvania, and we're on the lookout. Once they're caught, you boys will have nothing to worry about."

The kids smiled. Hopefully, things would start to become safe around here...

Later on, Albert was at home. He already had dinner, and was now in his room, reading over Bucky's entry from earlier.

'Dear Journal... um... this is gonna be a hard one. Because I can't remember much of it... it's been a while now, but I guess I can write what I do remember... so this is gonna be a short entry.

The man said that we were gonna play another game. Rudy became hysterical. After what happened to him before, I couldn't blame him for being scared. But soon, I became scared when the man picked up for the game. That's when the woman came with a lighter and set my pants on FIRE! And it hurt! It really did hurt! I was in so much pain, I passed out.

When I woke up, the man and woman were gone, and my friends were gonna help clean me up. My pants were ruined, and my legs were completely burned. I thought I couldn't walk again, but I guess I thought wrong. And that's all I remember. I know I was, my legs were really starting to hurt after all of that. I'll never go near fire like that again, that's for sure. Until next time, Bucky...'

Albert winced. So that explained the bandages on Bucky's legs a few days prior. This couple sure seemed ruthless and didn't seem to care how much they hurt his friends. If anything, they relished in it. The large boy could only help things would get better for his friends... and not worse...

A few days later, all of the boys found themselves in a familiar place. A place that they haven't seen in a long while. A place that... felt like a second home to them. Sure, it wasn't the cleanest place, but hey, it was the Junkyard...

The kids were just sitting in the clubhouse, wondering what to do. Harold still had a wheelchair, but he had gotten used to it. Bill was instructed to not move so fast as to not irritate his head, as it still had some trauma. Rudy was to be watched over at ALL times, no matter where he went or what he did. He was to be watched to keep his mental health in check.

Actually, all the kids were to be looked after. They always had to have someone with them when walking as instructed by the police. No one was to be alone. It was for their own safety...

"So... you dudes heard anything about the kidnappers...?" Harold asked after a few minutes of silence, "Did the police catch them yet?"

Albert shook his head, "Not that I know of... but there's still working on it..."

The mention of said kidnappers brought chills to the boys, but they decided not to show it, as to not sour up the mood, "I dunno what's taking them so long..." Russell groaned, "They keep saying they're still in Pennsylvania, but they haven't found them yet?"

"Pennsylvania's a pretty big place, Rus..." Bill told him, "It could take a while to find them, especially if they're hiding really good..."

"Well, the police better hurry up..."

The other guys couldn't blame Russell. They all wanted the criminals caught and charged for what they did to them. If only so no other kid would go through the same thing they did.

To change the subject, Albert spoke again, "Hey, hey, hey. How about we play? Perhaps some badminton outside."

The gang wasn't opposing to that. Something to take their minds off of their current worries. So with that, they started to set up, find the rackets, and... find the bird. Russell offered to look for it as he searched through the clubhouse... alone. Bill tried to keep a close eye on his brother, to make sure nothing happened as he helped the others set up the net.

No matter how hard he looked, the little boy couldn't find the bird anywhere. He walked back outside and was about to tell the gang he had no luck... but then he spotted something that looked familiar in a pile of junk...

Was that the bird...?

Curious, Russell walked over to the pile, which was a bit far and out of view of the other boys. But he made sure to grab it and hurry back. Once he reached the pile, he began to pick up the bird... until suddenly, he was pulled in.

Before the poor child could scream, a cloth was shoved in his mouth. He started to struggle until he looked up at who grabbed him and paled.

"Hello, Russell. Good to see you again..." Gabe greeted with an evil smirk, Bella beside him with a cheerful smile.

Dun dun DUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNN!

The kidnappers are back, and they got a hold of Russell again. Things are gonna start happening again, and this time, Albert will be involved in a way. Next chapter will continue after this one, and we'll see what happens to poor Rus. Until then, I'll see you guys later. And as always, don't forget to review, please. Thank you.