Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Lets Introduce The Star Of Our Show
run, run run. Well this is not how it was meant to go. Dodge off to the right get through the door and get the hell out of here. Shit... Ive just ran straight into some random woman and dropped a bag. Shit, shit, shit. Em… okay grab what I can and do. I look around and see if there is any time. Nope. The clerk is on me like flies on shit so I don’t bother. I just run like life my life depends on it. Which wouldn’t necessarily be far from the truth but I know I get caught and its straight into the system for me and I have heard enough stories about that to make me deffinatly not want to get caught. One system check and it off to the young offenders for me. With the rep that I have, they will throw the book at me, possibly literally. Don’t want to find out so lets just keep running shall we.
I'm zig zagging through the thrum of people in the hopes that I can get into a big enough crowd that I can loose this ass wipe. I take a turn to the left and cut through a side street. No. shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. Its a dead end and I have nowhere to go. Okay lets see if I can do this again. I concentrate with all my might. I'm picturing the roof of a building three streets away. All my efforts and I feel it again. Being squeezed through a tube just barely able to fit me through. With a pop I’m on the roof. Breathing heavy and starting to laugh a little, I lean against the wall beside the door leading down to the flats below me.
“Fuck me” I gasp then smile as I cant quite believe I managed to get away again. Whenever I try to do that when I'm all relaxed is pretty much impossible but there is nothing like the threat of ‘the Man’ to give you the motivation. The feeling was getting more familiar the more I did it and I was getting braver when it came to shop lifting. It was that, that gave me the idea to just grab everything that wasn't nailed down. I was quite surprised. I filled up three bags full of clothes before anyone even looked my way. Just put them straight in then started walking for the door. I got clocked though. Obviously.
I think a nice slow walk back to the meet up. They are going to be pissed if I don’t get anything so I quickly pop into Woolworths and fill a bad of pick and mix. I also grabbed myself a new Walkman while I was there. It was just a cheap imitation that Woolworth themselves brand but it'll beat the old one hands down. This one might actually work. Since Tash ‘borrowed’ it its never been the same. So this will do.
God I love Woolworth's. Is my only thought as I leave the store. Crammed packed with people I just slip out and follow a couple of other kids that are following what I assume is their Mum and Dad. I head towards the meeting spot and hope that the others have had a better time than me.
We meet at the monument. A big tall column with a huge bronze statue on the top. Something for Charles earl grey or someone like that. I think he was the guy who made that god awful tea.
On my was past HMV I see Mikey. He's holding a sorta-large leather shoulder bag that Ive not seen before. Well looks like he's had a decent day. Mikey is a awesome pick pocket and a major bag thief. He's a couple of years older than me and has magic fingers. NO, I don’t mean it that way, besides he's like my brother from another mother. Also he’s very much into girls and seems to be good with the them. He gets his fair amount of attention from them anyway. Mind you that could be his ability to pull a fair bit of money out of his pocket when the time comes to show off.
“so… your looking a little light.” he's smiling at me. What a dick. No concern over the fact that I nearly ended up in the nick.
“Yeah… maybe you should feed me better.” I give him a smirk. He just shakes his head with a snorting laugh. “I got myself a new Walkman on the way back. I did have us all a new wardrobe but some stupid woman got in the way. I had no time to pick the bags up.”
“Bags? How many did you have?”
“3. a bag of hoodies, one of T’s and one with jeans.”
“Christ kid!” he gives a low chuckle “you should have just got the one bag, maybe then you might have come back with something.” he looks down to me and smiles “something to remember, huh.”
“Yeah sure, hindsight and all that.” Tash and Sam are walking towards us. We meet up at the war monument on Northumberland street. Its a place loads of kids use a a hang out spot so its easy to just blend in and have no one think anything of it.
Tash had a new purse hanging off of he shoulder. He long black hair danced behind her as she walked. The girl was a natural and graceful mover. She had a control over her body that was almost mesmerising and the girl could dance with the best of them and the lord knows I of all people can appreciate that.
They both step up to us smiling, Tash’ big blue eyes darting to the knew Walkman in my hand, still in its box. She looks a bit sheepish as her eyes swiftly moves anywhere else. That bitch! So she knew she broke it and pleaded with me that she honestly hadn't known. Yeah right. Ignoring that fact and turning to Sam, I say “nearly had three bags of goodies for us all. God knows you need a new pair on trousers.” he just shrugs his shoulders and smiles. He knows I always try to go above and beyond and he isn't really one for talking. He lets Tash do that, bloody girl doesn’t shut up.
Sam though, he’s a great guy. He is a tall lanky lad and always wore one of those wool hats all the time. Personally I just always thought he just wanted to look like Stan off of south park. He was a lot older than me at 17 and he had been on the street his entire life by this point. He has gotten used to squatting and was the one that found the place we’re at now. He knows the best things to look for in a property to maximize what little luxury we can get to a place that isn't going to get found out. We have had issues with neighbours of places calling the police. Once has place has been found out then its a bust no point going back and getting nicked. We have lost quite a bit of stuff through mistakes like that. We have learned what not to do, which also helps.
How we know each other is really easy. I met Sam after I left my precious… family. I say that with the loosest understanding of the word possible. The Dursley's were toxic. Even my easiest memories of them I remember feeling, this isn’t what life should be like. I knew no one should live like that. People say TV is a bad influence yet it was that that made me realise that I shouldn’t have to work as a slave every minute of every day. I saw a movie of this cartoon mouse and how he had a loving family he got separated from and how he wet about trying to find them and meeting a load of different people on the way. He met all sorts of people, some trying to help. Others trying to use him and some just wanting him dead. I watched that movie with awe, in the darkness of my closet. The glow of the TV emanating form the corner of the room. Me knowing that I shouldn’t be watching it and that trouble could easily come my way. It didn’t. I got away with it and it was exhilarating.
I only saw it because my old horse faced aunt didn’t lock the door on my closet under the stairs before she got distracted by her lion seal sized son Dudley. He was desperate to watch this movie and decided to have a paddy and said “the freak is getting in the way.” oh yeah ad I thought my name was freak for the first few years of my life. It wasn't until I went to first school that I found out what my actual name was.
So yeah that was my home life before Sam. After running from the Dursley's after the… yeah we ain't going there. Maybe I will say in the future but for now lets not open wounds that have still yet to heal. After running away I met Sam in London. He was just walking around an old back ally around the corner from a huge ASDA superstore. Places like this were always good for a free meal. They would always throw away stuff that was considered out of date but they were always still good. One of the employees had just throw out a massive bag of ready made sandwiches into one of the big metal bins and I was waiting trying to get over the fence but I was too small. Sam walked by obviously hoping for a free meal himself and took pitty on me. He jumped the mesh metal fence and brought me a few over for me. I was his little pet protege from then on. He showed me everything he could.
We stayed in London for a bit before he wanted to go to Newcastle. He had a cousin living there and he wanted to see her. So we did enough thieving to give us plenty of things to fence before we headed up there. Then we just never left. So this became our home really and Sam still see his cousin all the time its just he cant exactly live with her. She lives in a one bed flat above a Chinese take away. Its tiny but she gets it with the job so she takes it and she has a kid and god only knows what its like to get a job you can fit in around kids and schools. Yeah I don’t have to worry about that. I'm a raging poof as Tash likes to say. Is it bad when others can see it before you. She's not mean or anything she doesn’t care just like to say the word poof. She always says it in a weird way. I long ago stopped trying to understand that girl she's like a bloody space cadet. Honestly I really do like her.
We met Tash and Mikey at the same time. Mikey and Sam go way back they went to school together, in the same year. They got to know each other a bit and got to know each others hidden talents. So when Mikey needed someone to help him rob this country house for the owners ex wife we jumped at the chance. Mikey trusted Sam enough to know he wasn't going to bring someone in that couldn't be counted on.
Sam was honest from the start with me. He told me once we do this it will be going up a level sort of speaking. I knew what he meant. Once we did this we wont just be picking pockets any more. I didn’t care Sam had never done me wrong before. So that was that. I suppose your curious as to what we actually did on that job. Well lets just say that the ex husband managed to get custody of the kids. Problem was he was a prick and a pervert. He didn’t care about the kids its all just a power play to him. That and he had free rein to diddle his kids some more.
That's the problem with rich twats like this, they have all this money and they use it to live out their most deviant fantasies. Well this Ex husband was one and while he was on his travels to Tai-land he decided to have one of these fully fulfillment fantasies. Word had it too, that he had filmed his little rondez vous. Well that's what we were sent to get. The client had a rough idea where it was but we still had to do a little bit of leg work ourselves. We got it and we got paid handsomely. And with Sam being 17 we family had the ability to put some money on our very own flat. Our very own HQ. It wasn't much and it was in one of the worst places in to city but fuck it, it'll do.
It was in a place called Wallsend. Yeah sounds like a piece of shit too. But it was close enough to the city centre of Newcastle. But far enough away. We don’t want to really shit where we eat so we don’t steel near to where we live. In fact we always got on with Raj. He was the guy that own the corner shop. He was really expensive but he sold us backy and tabs so… yeah. Good with the bad and all that.
Once we all discussed our days we decided to just go back to HQ. Me I was still a bit bummed out about not getting my awesomely huge hall that I was planning but its fine, there is always tomorrow.
The bus ride, walk up the stairs to the 3 floor,flat 7 was completely uneventful and I settled on the sofa with a plonk. The flat didn’t have much in the way of furnishings but we made do. We found a half decent sofa someone through out and we dragged it back to the flat. It was fucking back braking work but we managed. At least we had somewhere to sit when we got tired. We also had a coffee table and a few bits here and there. We also managed to get a TV. Been the first time for most of us. I liked it, it was a nice thing to have but I found I lust enjoyed reading about things. I'm very much into finding out how things work.
Most people have that curiosity that leads them to find out things about themselves or the people round them. I am non different. What makes me different is I can do things, things that I shouldn’t be able to do. I mean, come on. How many 10 year old s can magically jump from a dead end street to the room of a building 3 streets away. That isn't the only thing I can do either. I learned very early on in life that if I wanted hard enough I could make things happen. Ive made things float, hover and fly. Ive changed things from one shape to the other. If I want a drink of water all I have to do I want. Its like this force I can almost see. Its like a sense but not something I can really put into words. The closest thing I describe it as a feeling but one that you can kinda see but not with your eyes. I'm not helping am I? You see why this is so difficult.
I haven't told anyone else about this. I don’t want to make them think I'm a complete nutter, then running away the moment I show them im not joking. I love them all and more than once I have trusted my life to them but something I think no one really feels comfortable talking about something sometimes and this is my one.
Anyway I was sitting on the couch opening up my new Walkman. Stupid thing is in one of those vacuum sealed packets. The one you need to open with scissors. Well this is just an excuse for me to try a bit of magic. Yeah I called it that. What else could it be? Some of the things if done cant be explained away. Remember that I can make things float to me from across the room.
I concentrate with all my might on slicing the top off the plastic packet and pull from where ever it comes from. I feel it deep inside my core. As if its my very soul calling up the unearthly power to do my bidding. I point my finger at the packet. A quick flick to the side and success! Ive done it. I'm sitting there with a big Cheshire grin on my face the packet top flopping to the side and I peel the rest open, finally able to get my fingers in. I play around with it a bit but I'm a bit annoyed I forgot batteries. Sighing I get up and put this in my cupboard.
The flat is only a two bedroom. So I share with Tash and she's a right clean freak. I'm not obviously. After years of cleaning after the fuckwit family I stopped caring about keeping things tidy. I'm not bad just cluttered. We didn’t bother with proper beds, we all got hammocks. I love them but I think Tash wants to get something a bit more comfortable. Mickey just said that if she wanted one then she would have to pay for it herself. That's the only way to get her to shut up.
Sam and Mickey were making food in the kitchen, they have been since the moment we got back. They are big eaters and I mean big. Sam might be skinny but if you saw how much he eats you would wonder how.
I had sat on my hammock and was reading a book. I was smoking a cigarette, a bad habit I know but its just something I seem to enjoy. It feels good. Its something I started as a bit of a stress release after Tash introduced them to me. So I'm sitting there just chilling reading about the planet mercury when Sam walks in without knocking. He doesn’t say anything, which is nothing unusual, he just stands there with a little smirk on his face. I look up meeting his gaze. I smile back and touch my face, “do I have dirt on my face or something?” he just shakes his head and throws me two shiny little balls. “Oh shit… you absolute legend.” He had just thrown me some weed wrapped in tin foul. Got I love this guy.
“Just go easy on it, and you owe me the money for it.”
“Don t worry Sam you know I pay my debts.” he smiles at me as he starts to walk back into the kitchen.
“I know. Food will be ready soon, Mickey made his world famous lesagna .”
“Ow” I put out the tab in the ash tray on my lap, grab it and my book and place them both on my cupboard. Its literally a kitchen cupboard we modified into a mini wardrobe like thing that Ive got some shelves in and a couple of shoe boxes at the bottom that have just general nick nacks. The shelves have all sorts of boxes and trinkets, tapes and space just for my Walkman and headphones.
Walking into the kitchen I'm greeted by the smell of baked tomato and melted cheese. Smells like heaven. The flat, as I said before, is simple you walk into it and you can see the entire flat. The kitchen is directly to the left and the living room follows straight after the, what can only be described as a, breakfast bar. The living room has a big window right at the back of the flat. It makes the whole place feel quite open and big. The TV is off to the right and the sofa is off to the left. We have a huge been bag that I sometimes cuddle Tash on when we are watching movies with the guys. She’s a great ‘big spoon’.
We have dinner, enjoying each others company. Good food and even better friends. When all is said and done its all you really need. Getting tired after some time watching the TV with everyone I got to bed. Wishing them all a good night I step over Tash whose is lying in the middle of the floor cuddling a cushion while she watches TV. Out room was the first door on the right and the two doors opposite lead to the bathroom and the other bedroom, the one Mikey and Sam Share. Wrapping myself up in a lush blanket, its not long before I'm knocked out for the count.
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I wake up to a plethora of bangs and wails form outside the door. Shacking the dust and cobwebs from my eyes I slowly reach over to push the door open and walk out into the hall. The closet under the stairs doesn’t allow me to put my feet down onto the floor without the door being open.
“come on you worthless little freak.” The horse face is screaming at me to go make the breakfast. I comply, I have no other choice, I'm only seven, eight in a few weeks I think. I don’t really know as they never bothered to tell me when my birthday was. Apparently freaks don’t get birthdays. “today is a special day so don’t MESS UP” she glares at me coldly as I nod in agreement. Doesn’t matter what I do I'm sure you'll think of a way that Ive ‘messed up’ I thought as I start the sausages. Hopefully I can pocket one or two for later as I know they ain't going to allow me to make some for myself. “Today is my Duddikins’ birthday and he will have the one he deserves.” at this point I log out. I just go on auto pilot and do what I need to. Dudley’ Birthday was always hell for me. Just watching that loathsome little fat fuck get everything he ever wanted while I has to slave away. If my aunt did this to make me jealous and envious then she managed it in splendid form.
Dudley opened his presents before the horse and whale took him to MacDonalds where they had organised a party. It was his favourite restaurant after all. I was left in my closet. When they returned they had brought back a few of Dudley's friends. Great now I have to put up with the guys. Its bad enough just having one. I know these guys they are just like Dudley in the way they treat me which is less than stellar. Fortunately for me I was completely ignored for the entire night by everyone. They watched a movie while eating torrents of ice cream and crisps. Sometimes they were even mixing them. Honestly I just find that little pig gross.
My peace was not going to last it seemed. I don’t know if it was Vernon that gave them the idea or what but they now had it in their head that I was a little faggot boy. I mean I am but at the time I had no clue. I was just trying to get through the day let alone thinking about sex I mean I'm seven. What seven year old even knows what its for. So now with this new notion in their head, they came to the conclusion that I would like it if I was to let them ‘practice their ‘doing it’ skills’. So they went sneakilly down in the middle of the night. It was pitch black and the only things that could be heard was the occupational owl hoot, a cats meow or the slow mellow hum of a passing car. When the door to the closet was swiftly opened and I was grabbed by multiple hands and dragged to the floor of the hallway. Startled and starting to panic I'm looking all over the place trying to understand what is going on but not quite being able to comprehend it. I hear a few muffled words, not quite making out what they are saying. One of them goes to the kitchen and he comes back with a bottle. I don’t know what's in it its to dark to make out.
The figure give the bottle to the other boy standing and not holding me down on the floor. The ones that are holding me are looking up at what I assume to be Dudley and the one holding this random bottle. He orders them up ‘keg him’. I know what this means I have had this done and seen him do this to many people. My pants get pulled down to my ankles. Normal when they do this there is an audience to get the most amount of laughs possible. But this time there is no audience and I'm all on my own with no where to go. I have no idea what they are planning and that frightens me even more. Ive got one person each holding my arms and one sitting on my legs. Even if I wasn't malnourished I wouldn't have been able to move these boys, they were far bigger than I could ever be.
Dudley sits on my legs just above my knees. I feel the skin of his legs and that confuses me. Why is his pants down. Isn't he embarrassed? I feel him clumsily cover my lower back and upper legs in whatever was in the bottle. I'm assuming oil now with the smell and this just confuses me even more. This is just strange why would he do all this just to… I find myself in my hammock slowly rocking side to side from the violent spasm as I woke up. I hate the nightmares more than anything. I'm finally out of that hell hole yet they still effect my sleep.
Grabbing the tray from my cupboard top I make a joint and smoke it and hope that I can get back to sleep again. Hopefully this time I wont have another nightmare. I don’t need reminding of the reasons I left and the reasons I never want to feel so weak and feeble again.