16 Days: Chapter 1

"Hey g-get back here you runt!" called a very confused sounding guard.

I ignored his call and quickly ducked around the side of the asylum. After I knew I was out of sight I bolted. My feet carried me to the nearest alleyway they could find. Once there I pressed my back to the cool stone wall and held my breath in the darkness. For a few moments I stood there silently and waited. I waited to hear if my next move would be to run or not. Finally a few words reached my straining ears.

"Ahh let it slide Tim. He's just a boy so he'll be back," one slightly familiar voice was saying. After a moment I recognized this to be another one of the asylum's many guards.

"I guess your right, but I just don't like the thought of that kid running lose. You know why he was locked up here as well as I do. Still there's no way he can survive on his own," came a rougher voice. This one I immediately knew to be the confused man who had seen me running away.

"Don't worry about it. Its not like anyone is gonna miss him anyway. We have enough crazies in there to let one wonder around for awhile."

There was a rough laugh. "Yeah besides who could he mess with, a homeless bum?" Two voices took up the laughter then.

With a big grin on my face, I turned and made my way down the alley. My breathing was as calm as ever and there was nothing for me to worry about. Once I reached the end of the alley I turned and began to head down some road that I didn't even know the name to. In fact I had no idea where it lead either, but I didn't care. I hadn't seen much outside the asylum for years now. If it had clean open air and not many people then I would be happy.

After walking for a little while I couldn't help but think about how easy leaving the asylum had been.

"So easy!" a voice echoed my thoughts.

"Oh yes really easy," another chimed it.

"We have nothing to worry about now do we?"

"Not if leaving was that easy we don't!"

I laughed aloud. "You guys finally got something right didn't you? That was terrifically easy!"

"If we ever go back we must thank those lovely little bricks of ours," one of the voices said.

"Yes," another began. "They were most kind as to let us move them."

"And then leave through their hole in the wall!"

I let out a heavy sigh. I knew it had been a bad idea to answer them. Once provoked they never seemed to shut up. All I wanted was peace and quiet, yet I couldn't manage to shake off a few tag-a-longs. "Guys keep it down will you? Yes you managed to bring me some good but now let's shut up about it, okay?"

"Someones angry."

"Yes so let's not push it!"

"Aww we can push his buttons later then huh?" There was no answer to this last remark.

My feet had managed to make their way to a seemingly deserted street, and they carried me along with them. It hadn't taken very long to find a place with no signs people. Welfare Island was hardly a popular place. Most of it's inhabitants were locked up in the mental hospital or in sick houses. Those who weren't in these places were usually people who worked in these facilities or were very poor. This new found deserted street of mine had many abandoned buildings on it. One of which had a faded sign that was slowly falling off on it's door that read 'Open'. The old store's windows were fogged with dirt and dust, and the walls looked as if they had a few leafy inhabitants among the bricks. I shrugged my shoulders slightly and began to head for the door. Some things lasted a long time so it might be a good idea to check it out. By the looks of it one good kick should get me inside.

Crack!

I stopped short. Quickly I spun around and scanned the street again. It had seemed empty but now I wasn't so sure. I still didn't see anyone, but I swore that I heard someone. Perhaps it was just another building falling apart, or maybe an animal of some sort.

Crack! "Ahhhhh!"

Hearing the sound again let me pinpoint where the noise was coming from. I was now positive it was a person seeing as whatever that noise was was making them scream.  An old house a few buildings down from the old store was surely where the racket was coming from. My suspicions were made true when I saw shadows on the street. The shadows seemed to mix together so I couldn't really tell what kind of person was inside or how many.

Crack! Crack! Whack!

This time there was shrill laughter following the noises. I could also tell that the noise was coming from a piece of some kind of wood hitting something hard. The last noise was similar, but the wood seemed to find a new target. By the laughter I guessed it to be a person.

I turned back and grabbed onto the store door. I stopped and listened to see if whoever it was was paying attention. After their laughter continued and I knew they weren't I quickly pushed in on the door with all of my weight. It gave way and only made a little noise compared to the now cackling people nearby. Once inside I looked around for something, anything, I could use. To my luck I saw an old broom filled with cobwebs close to the counter. I snatched it up and hurried back outside. Slowly I crept to where I could see in one of the small broken windows to the building where the noise had started.

Just inside this building stood two boys with their backs turned to me. Both were tall and skinny with what seemed rags for clothes and mud for hair. They also seemed no older than I, probably thirteen at most. One of them held a broken end of what appeared to be a paddle in one hand. I assumed he must live close to the shore of the island to have this sort of thing with him. In front of them I could see another boy. This one was a tiny little speck of a thing with a mop of red hair and a few freckles on what I could see of his face. He was crumpled on the floor and one of his arms was bleeding a little from what I could tell. I drew back from the door as the Paddle Boy went in for another blow. The small boy's terrified shriek made me shiver.

"What will we do?" asked a voice in my head.

"Can't we just go back to the store?" another began.

"Yes I'm hungry," one whined.

I ignored all of them. I stood as tall as I could and took a deep breath. Then I stepped in front of the door for a moment. The little boy looked up and seemed surprised for a moment, but quickly ducked down in terror again after he saw my weapon. The other two took no notice and made a motion to move closer to him. I quickly stepped inside the doorway and smacked my broom against the wall. They both jumped and turned to look at me.

The first was Paddle boy and he seemed to be sizing me up. After a second he raised his weapon to point at me and yelled, "Ey! What are you doing here?"

I smiled at him. "Now now did no one ever teach you what an inside voice was? Generally when your inside you talk quieter, no need to yell." My words were calm and collected. No reason to get angry with such an uncivilized piece of worthlessness as this.

The other boy raised a thick eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Well no one likes a smartass."

I raised my eyebrow back at him in a mock expression. "Oh yes, and I'm pretty sure people don't like being hit with sticks," I replied leaning forward towards him slightly.

He seemed to shut up after that and took one step back. Apparently he didn't like me very much after that. Paddle Boy never took his beady eyes off of me. "Where are you from?" he asked lowering his stick a little.

"Can't you tell?" the other began taking another small step back as he spoke. "Just look at his clothes. Hes in all white so he must be from that mental hospital not far from here." He pointed at me. "That's a nutcase for sure."

My smile faded slowly and I could feel a glare replace it. I straightened up before taking a small jump at the boy. I swung my broom in one fluid motion at his hand and it met his fingers with a familiar 'whack'. The boy let out a yelp and drew his hand to his chest while stumbling backwards clumsily. I could hear him cursing under his breath the whole time.

I looked over at the little boy on the floor. He was still curled up but his head was raised just enough to see what was going on. He met my gaze for a moment with watery brown eyes. I could see in them a sense of pain that I knew I had seen before. A type of pain and helplessness that I had never wanted to see again. I decided then and there that these two pieces of filth in front of me deserved to be punished for what they had done. "If you can please move outside now, and try to not look back for a few minutes." I turned my head back to the other two who seemed a little confused by my words. I saw the little red head nod in understanding and begin to make his move just as the other two realized what I was thinking. My smile returned almost instantly.

"Now let's see if you can learn some manners, shall we?" I asked while moving toward Paddle Boy slowly, and keeping the other boy in sight the whole time.

~~~

I'm not really sure how long it took for me to teach those two idiots, but let's just say that they don't learn very easily. Either that or I just wanted to give them a long lesson. I had to quickly tear up my shirt to wipe off my arms and face so I wouldn't scare the little red head. It had been a very long time since I had gotten so dirty so quickly, but I hadn't forgotten how to clean up. When I left the building I didn't have to look far to find the kid.

He had stayed close by and was sitting just across the street. His arms were crossed and his dirty little head rested in them. I sauntered over to him and knelt down beside him. "Hey there," I said softly.

He looked up slowly with tears still in his eyes. Now that I could see him better I could tell a little more about him. He was dirty and very pale, and I could see a few bones better then anyone should be able to. His red hair was matted and hung in all different places. Even his clothes weren't much better then the other two boys I had just dealt with. Out of the corner of my eye I saw his arm was still bloody. I reached down and ripped one of the bottoms of my pants legs so that I had a nice strip of cloth in my hand. I held it out in one hand and pointed at his arm with the other. "May I?"

He studied me for a moment before nodding silently and held his injured arm up slightly. Carefully I began to bandage it up. He didn't even flinch the whole time. When I was done I couldn't help but ask him, "You've been through a lot haven't you?"

He looked at me again for a moment as if deciding whether or not to answer before speaking. "I-I guess so." His voice was soft, yet I could hear a slight shake in it.

"Come on now your not afraid of me are you?" I patted his head playfully and stood up. "I'm not gonna hurt you, so don't worry okay?"

He nodded but stayed silent. I just stood there and waited to see if he'd say something. Just as I had hoped he finally did. "Why did you help me?" he asked quietly with his eyes firmly pointed at the ground.

I was momentarily speechless. I had no answer for him, or at least not one that I was willing to give.

"Why did you help him?"

"Yes why did you Allen?"

"He seems so weak why bother to help him?"

"He'll probably become a nuisance and just slow us down."

"Slow us down? We don't even know what we are doing so how could we be slowed down?"

I quickly reached up and scratched my head as a signal for the voices to stop their rambling. I looked back down at the boy and said the first thing that came to mind. "I saw something in you that reminded me of someone."

This answer caused him to look up at me. "D-did you care about this person?"

Again I was surprised by this young ones question. I had only just met this boy yet he was already asking questions that I didn't like even trying to find the answers too for myself. Yet I couldn't help but answer him honestly. "Yes very much."

He looked back down and nodded. I put my hand out for him. "Come on why don't you get up? No use sitting in the dirt. So do you have a name?" I decided it was best to change the subject before it got any worse.

Hesitantly he took my hand and got up. "My name's Robert. What's yours?"

"My names Allen. Say, how old are you Robert?" This I had actually been wondering considering he was very small, but then again it could just be because of his apparent lack of nutrition.

"I'm e-eight. What about you?" His head was pointed down again and he was avoiding my gaze. Slowly his voice was getting softer again. He seemed to be distracted and thinking of something else.

"I'm only four years older than you," I told him. I waited to see if he'd speak up about what he thought but decided to just ask. "Say there seems to be something on your mind."

"Why are you talking to me?" he blurted out.

I was taken aback for a minute at this. "Well that was pretty blunt. I have to say I'm not too sure. This is making my day a little more interesting so why stop it?" I knew he had reminded me of someone but I had forced myself to forget almost immediately so I wouldn't dwell on it. Despite that I couldn't shake the feeling that this little boy would be a good friend and I couldn't bring myself to just leave him.

"May I ask you a question?" he asked quietly.

"Well of course," I replied quickly.

"They said you were locked up in the mental hospital. S-so what's wrong with you?" he asked quietly. His voice was soft yet I could hear every emotion within it. The voice I heard was concerned, lonely, and afraid. I could also detect the slightest shake in it again. I realized that he must be afraid to talk to me, and that caused my chest to tighten up. I never meant to scare anyone.

Almost instantly the voices in my head began to talk.

"Yeah what is wrong with you?"

"Come on tell him a story!"

"He looks so gullible I'm sure he'd believe anything you told him."

I brushed the hair away from my face to remind myself that I was still talking to someone. Then I put on one of my best smiles before saying, "Oh nothing important. It was all just a big misunderstanding really. So I got put in the asylum with no where else to go. That's actually why I got out. I wasn't meant to be there so I decided to leave."

The other boy seemed a little surprised at first but quickly nodded his head. "I suppose that's a little nicer than what most people around here could say about themselves."

My head cocked to one side.
"Oh?" I asked almost teasingly, "And what might be worse?"

The boys eyes flitted away and back as if they didn't know quite where to look. His little head dipped down and suddenly he seemed so much smaller. If he hadn't been standing he probably would have curled up into a tiny and embarrassed ball. "W-well," he began, "what I could say would be much worse and very p-pathetic."

"Oh?" I repeated. A few moments went by without him talking so I bent my head down and looked at him. "Weren't you going to finish telling me what's so bad about you? Don't leave me hanging."

He flinched at me being so close. I laughed a little and gave him a small playful shove to try and get him to speak up. Finally he looked up at me and his eyes were all watery again. "I've got s-smallpox!" he exclaimed suddenly able to find his voice. "I u-understand if you don't wanna be around me, because n-no one else does. And I won't think no less of you if you r-run from me or anything. I'll probably just be de-!"

I could tell where this was headed, so I put one hand up to stop him. "Woah now calm down! Jeez you sure can talk when upset can't ya?" I reached over and gave him a pat on the shoulder. It was all clear to me now. No wonder this poor boy was so pitiful and shy. Everyone he'd ever met had probably left him so they wouldn't catch smallpox. "I'm not gonna leave you or run or anything else that other people have obviously done," I told him simply.

A look of shock came over him and his mouth hung open for a second or two. "Y-your not? But why?" he asked after a tiny sniff.

I reached out and grabbed one of his sleeves, turning the edge inside out. Gently I used it to wipe his eyes. "I've got no reason to. Besides, I can't just leave someone who seems so poor and in need of a friend."  There was a moment of silence then where both of us seemed at a loss for what to say next. The poor thing seemed too dazed to know what to do next. "Now don't go on talking about death anymore either okay?" I added. "Everyone dies eventually so there's no use worrying about it now." I laughed again and pulled him close. "Right?"

The smallest smile I'd ever seen came across his face, yet I could tell it was a genuine one. "Right!" he exclaimed quietly before wrapping his arms around me and burying his head in my chest.

I couldn't help myself and laughed aloud at this new found friend of mine. After a few moments he raised his head to join in with my laughter. Even though it was about the fourth time I'd seen him cry, it was the first time the tears seemed joyous.