The Refuge

Crutchie

Days had pasted, Jack came and went checking on me every hour or so. I can't sleep, every time a drift off Snyder is there. He grabs me and drags me back to the damned place. I scream and scream for him to let my go. Then I wake up and Jack is holdin' me. Telling me it'll be fine. That's it's just a nightmare. My eyes wander back to the sky, it's cold and dark the moon barely a sliver. I move a bit, trying to catch I glimpse of the city. I want to see the buildings pressed against the sky. The movement sends fire through my chest and causes me to scream. Within seconds I hear someone climbing up the ladder.
"Crutchie?!" Jack calls frantically. He's at my side in a moments. "What are you doing you knucklehead. You shouldn't be movin!"
"I wanted ta see the city..." I say simply. He sighs.
"I brought you's some dinner." He says crouching next to me. "It ain't much but it's somethin." Jack is holding in bowl of porridge. He hands it to me carefully and instantly I get hungry my stomach growling. It just occurs to me that the last time I ate something was over four days ago. I take it from Jack and start eating not caring how sloppy I am. "Hey, Crutchie slow down you ain't eatin anything. You's gonna make yourself sick." I ignore him and quickly eat the food only for my stomach to shove it back out. "What did I tell you's?" He says sounding a little irritated. "Now you've made a mess." I wipe my mouth on my sleeve and chuckle a bit.
"Sorry Jack guess I shoulda listened to you's." My face drops and I look back towards the city. "They's still out there...they are looking for you..." I feel my cheeks dampen and I realize that I'm crying. Hot tears flow down my pale cheeks. Jack stares at me in shock for a moment before pulling up up and into a hug.
"We's gonna kill them for hurting you's. The Delancey's are gonna get soaked." I can see the anger in his eyes and it scares me for a second.
"Jack don't...if somethin were to happen to you's...I might as well be back in the refuge..."
"Don't say that, don't you say that Crutch-" I cut him off.
"I might as well! I ain't nothing without you's! I can barely take care of myself!" Jack shakes his head.
"Crutchie, you can take care of yourself better than half the boys here. So what you got a gimp leg, that don't make ya' any weaker then half the boys here." I hold onto him tears flowing from my eyes.
"You mean that?" I ask.
"Of course, what happened to the boy who's personality alone could sell papes?" A smiles creeps on my face but feel my stomach drop a bit. Part of him died in the refuge. I think to myself. "We're gonna win this, for you. For every kid stuck in those horrid places. I swear to you's." We sit for a while. Those words filling my head and creating hope.
"Thank you Jack." I say finally.
"You don't have to thank me." He responds simply.
"I know." I utter my eyes becoming heavy. The silence surrounds us and for one fleeting moment I am able to sleep.