Chapter Five

Author's Note: So here I am, yet again. And so I say that, yet again. Chapter Five. Oh boy, this is gonna get interesting, so buckle your seatbelt, and hold onto your chair, because this is brutal. Brutal with a capitol "B". I just finished my dance camp, so I am all ... the computers, and yours to type. So here is a brutal, and bloody, literally, there are mentions of blood, and sweeping chapter for this story. (I just like beating up characters, and *hint* like bringing them back, but there is always sadness in between, so, sue me, I just like to do that. I have in my few books that I've written.) Onto the chapter!

"Hey, look, it's that gimp we saw at the street corner!" said the little boy as they passed. They all turned and came up to me.

"Well, well. We never thought we'd see you again." said the oldest girl.

"Neider did I, an' I didn't wanna. But what's youse name anyways?" I asked them, curious.

"I'm Isabella. This is Lisa, Tom, Jerry, and Mark stayed home." said the oldest girl.

"Well, I be Micky. Youse ain't got yours mudder wid ya?" I asked them. I knew I had them interested slightly now.

"No, she didn't come today. But we did so as to get back at that gimp for hitting Jerry." said Tom. I looked at him.

"Da ya wanna know where he is? 'Cause I can tell all youse." I said, angry. "He's beaten up, an' lyin' in a bed, so beaten up he can hardly talk. An' all 'cause of youse kinda folks."

They looked taken aback, but the oldest boy sniggered.

"We can deal with you then." he said. I looked at them, slightly, well, all together terrified.

"Nah, youse can't, don't..." I trailed off as Tom grabbed my crutch and hit my good leg with it, causing me to fall. Then he dragged me into Central Park past the trees to a lake.

"Can you swim?" he asked. The others had followed.

"Stop, nos, youse can't do dis, stop. Da ya wanna have a drowned man on youse conscience when ya grow up?" I asked.

"Alright, we'll just beat you up." he said. Isabella nodded.

And before I knew it, I was punching Tom, and he was punching me. We were in a full out fight; but on the ground. I screamed when he hit my bad leg, and I saw spots. They took the chance and dragged me toward the water. I was yelling and screaming the whole way, and then, I was in the water.

Using my only leg that worked and my arms, I tried to get out or at least swim. They laughed. I finally grasped the shore and dragged myself out. But Tom was waiting with my crutch. I felt the blows of it on my ribs and stomach. Then I suddenly grabbed his foot, and down he went. Tom cried out, but I saw no reason why he should be in pain, because all I felt was pain. I thought about Crutchy, and held back tears as I thought about how I wanted him to be okay, and for myself to be okay, and for none of this to have happened to either of us. I had meant to sell some papes for him. But now, Crutchy wouldn't have food.

Tom stood up. The others kids watched him intently. A group had begun to form. All were boys, weak and strong, young and old; all watching with interest. Tom laughed again.

"You can never beat me. These guys, I knew them. They will help me." Tom said. I said nothing. "You there, Frank, help me."

A boy, a young one, moved forward, and he grabbed my leg, my bad one, and I screamed. And I kicked the boy in the shins.

Frank backed away. Tom snarled. He came up, and kicked my stomach. I coughed, and out came, to my horror, blood. I looked up at all of them.

"Do ya like ta torture... people? Do dey soun' good ta ya, or is it jus' nature?" I asked them. Lisa stepped up next to Tom.

"Stop this, Tom. Stop. He's in pain, do you wanna see him dead?" she asked him, quietly. She was very young, and I could see fear in her eyes.

"No way, Lisa. Why should I?"

"Because he's innocent. It's not him who hurt Jerry." when she said this, I had a horrible gut-wrenching feeling.

"Nah, don't youse, don't goes aftah Crutchy. No way will Is let youse hurt him. Hurt me instead. Please, no, don't... don't do dis." I begged, horrified. Tom turned to me.

"Take us to the place where you stay. Get up, you gimp. Now!" yelled Tom. I grabbed my crutch, but could hardly stand. I hobbled even more.

I felt the eyes of the whole crowd who hadn't known I was a cripple. I felt Tom walking behind me. I couldn't do this.

"Nah, I won't." I said, turning to face him.

"Yes, you will. Now. Or I will find him." Tom said. The crowd followed us. There where only about 10 extra guys, but that was a lot compared to me and Crutchy alone.

I walked to the lodging house. I knew Kloppman wasn't in there, he had errands. Noone else had stayed. I walked in, followed by the group. Crutchy was in the bunk. I collapsed, but Tom grabbed me and made me walk over. Crutchy was awake. Tom stopped and looked at him, shocked to find him so beaten up. But he regained himself all of a sudden.

"Micky? Why are youse all...oh. Youse." said Crutchy, and his eyes widened.

"We have a score to settle." Tom said. He hit Crutchy's bum leg, and Crutchy cried out.

"No. Youse can't hurts him no more, you'll kill him, stop, stop!" I said, and moved my body in front of Crutchy's, who now Tom couldn't get at.

"Get out of the way!" snarled Tom, but he didn't try to move me. I sat down on the edge of the bed.

Tom glared at me and moved in. I tripped him with my crutch, and he managed to make his body fall backwards, and several people caught him. I could hear Crutchy behind me, breathing heavily, and frightened, obviously. He looked at me.

"Let me deal wid dem. Don't get youself killed." he said.

"Nah, youse da one who can't get youself killed, Crutchy, don't. Kid will be back." I whispered back.

Tom moved in again. I didn't know what to do, he was coming fast. He moved me, pushed me, out of the way, throwing me into a chair. He came in on Crutchy, ready to strike. Then, he grabbed Crutchy's arms and pulled him out of the bed and out the door.

"No!" I yelled, and hobbled out as fast as I could, which was painful and not very fast. Tom had put Crutchy in an alley and was ready to start beating him.

I tried to get to them, but Tom hit Crutchy in the back and I could hear him yelling.

"You don't hurt my little brother, got that?" Tom yelled.

"Is... youse hit me. Stop!" cried Crutchy. I came up to them. "No, she hit me!"

With that statement from Crutchy, we all looked at Isabella, who shrank. I raised my crutch and was about to bring it down on Tom's head when I heard a shout. It was Kid Blink! I was very much relieved.

"Where's Crutchy?! Why are dere footprints? Get back heah, whoevah youse are!" he shouted from inside the lodging house.

"BLINK! OUT HEAH!" I yelled as loud as I could.

The guys all looked scared. Crutchy was happy at this and relieved, as relieved as I was, and probably more.

Blink cam running all of a sudden. With his eyepatch, I think he made everyone scared. Tom looked intimidated. Blink ran up. He was a reasonably tall boy with sandy blond hair, and his skin was quite tan, and he was strong looking. And when Kid Blink is angry, he is angry. He came storming through the crowd and Tom looked even more scared.

"What youse doin' heah? Whys everybody heah?" Blink growled, and suddenly punched Tom in the face.

Tom backed off. Blink dropped down to Crutchy, and suddenly was extermely worried looking. One of the guys started to try to back out, but Blink looked at the boy.

"Jus' cause one of me eyes blind don't mean I can't see nothin'. Stay where youse are." he said. The boy obeyed.

"Blink..." said Crutchy.

"Don't youse worry, youse ain't goin' nowhere." Blink said softly.

Tom came back into fighting mode and was about to hit Blink on the head when I intercepted, and hit him in the back. Tom backed off. I fell, unable to stand anymore.

Blink was trying to get Crutchy to let him pick him up, but Crutchy wouldn't allow it. Tom was watching. I could tell that he was slightly moved. Crutchy wasn't going to be picked up and carried when he was conscious. But he finally agreed to be at least helped out with his arm around Blink's shoulder. I had always known that Crutchy was tougher and braver than myself.

But Tom wasn't done yet. With two of his friends, they forced Blink to fight them. I wanted to help. Blink was throwing punches everywhere, and kicking. One boy went flying backwards with a bloody nose. Kid Blink was shouting and I saw that his nose was bleeding as well. This went on for a while. It was two against one. I didn't think Blink would last long. But I underestimated him.

Soon Tom backed out, or more or less, fell out, and lay on the ground. Isabella ran forward. The guy Blink was fighting was bigger and much stronger looking than Kid Blink himself. But as I said, Blink was angry. And that meant it would take a lot to beat him up. Even though his depth perception was horrible, Blink just punched anywhere, and he hit his target a lot. Of course, his nose was bleeding, so I didn't know how long he'd last.

"Get youse hand off of me!" he yelled. The boy was fighting back brutally.

Crutchy looked frightened for Blink. I found myself not wanting to watch. Blink was fighting with all he had. I didn't know if he was strong enough, but Blink was pretty strong anyway. Crutchy looked at me, and I could see that he was in a lot of pain but trying not to admit it.

Suddenly, to Crutchy's and my dismay, Blink fell on the ground. The other boy sniggered, but Blink kicked him very hard in the knees, and the boy fell down. Blink stood up, and glared at the others with his one eye. Most looked frightened. Tom had regained himself but was bleeding from his forehead slightly. And yet, he looked sad.

"Youse gotta feel guilty, or I be a chicken." Blink said to Tom.

"Yeah. You can fight." Tom replied.

"Well, 'course Is can. I had ta grow up on da streets. Dere are always people wantin' ta hurt ya. Dat's why cripples ain't got a good time." Kid Blink retorted. Tom looked slightly less proud and tall, but glared at Blink.

"When my mother finds out, you are going to be in trouble." said Tom.

"Go home ta her. Tell 'er. Let dem come. Is will fight 'em." answered Blink, spitting on the ground near Tom. "Till den, Is gonna take care of dese two."

"No you aren't."

Author's Note: So, there you are. Review, please. This is just me, but I think that the cliffhanger ending is very suspenseful. Now, I know that you know that I know what happens next, but still, I love the ending of this chapter. Review, Review, Review, please. Please REVIEW.