Chapter Text
The sun was shining down on the mostly empty streets. The sun rarely shined in these parts. And even when it did, you wouldn’t be able to tell with all of the overgrown greens on the 5 feet fences surrounding the neighborhood. If you could even call it that. It was mostly just a few houses that definitely wouldn’t pass inspection. Not that we mind, it keeps us warm in the winter and keeps us from getting our asses thrown in jail. If you looked at a map, this place wouldn’t have been on there. Barely anybody goes through these parts, they keep their distance and we keep ours. This is our home, though we don’t have the papers to prove it. I always thought that the petty rivalry between me and the rich prissy kids on the other side of the Tree wouldn’t be anything more than that. Petty Rivalry. I changed my mind.
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It’s the 16th of March and I know that because of the calendar at Benny’s, the small little corner store on our street, and also because Benny gave me a free lollipop and a pat on the head. I nearly forgot the month for a second, not that it made much of a difference. It was the same thing everyday, all day. Wake up, go out and scavenge for goods to sell later, pass by Benny’s, go back home and wake up the others for work, go back out just in time to “borrow” leftovers from the restaurant a few streets over and finally get back home to hopefully sleep enough to not pass out the next day. As I walk out of Benny's, lollipop in my mouth, I see the weekly newspaper. My face was on it, under the big black title: Juvenile Delinquent Caught in Physical Dispute with the Neighborhood Watch.
This wasn’t the first time I was on the local paper, I was more worried about the picture. Honestly, I thought it was pretty cool looking but I also knew that I was gonna get in big trouble back home. Speed walking on the sidewalk, newspaper in hand, I made my way to my house. I made sure to quietly open the door to not wake the folks inside. Upon entering my humble abode, I notice Ashton on the couch who's still in a deep slumber. Ashton, the oldest in our group. Since none of us have any parents, Ashton fills that role. At just 20, he managed to raise all four of us. Ashton works as a car repairman, sometimes he even sells parts if we manage to steal a good piece. He gets good money from it so it’s not like we’re poor but we don't use the money for essentials…or at all. We have a big ol’ jar that we are trying to fill to hopefully buy us a one-way ticket to a train out of the city.
Anyway, Ashton was sprawled on the couch, his work jacket draped over his legs as a sort of blanket. Uh oh. He’s supposed to be awake by now, sure I had to wake the others for their part-time jobs but Ashton started his day a while before that! Hurriedly I rush to shake Ashton awake, “Ash….Ash!....Ashton!” I exclaimed, letting go as soon as a dark grey eye looked right into my own. Groggily, Ashton stretched like a housecat, letting out a groan as his back cracked nicely. I waited until Ashton sat up and looked at me. “What’s with the racket? I’m tryna sleep here…” the older boy yawned. I blinked. “What about work?...” I reply, incredulous. Ashton’s usually nonchalant face turned a bit conflicted. “I got laid off….” Ashton mumbled, not meeting my eyes anymore. I feel my heart drop. If Ashton didn’t have a job, we wouldn't get any money! Sure, the others have a job but those don’t pay half of what Ash got….“What about the jar?” I asked nervously, I really didn’t want to stay here for more than necessary…who knows when Ashton’ll find a new job, the jar would take actual months to be filled! Ashton just shrugged and laid back down and if it weren’t for the front door slamming open I’m sure he would’ve fallen back asleep.