The Outsiders: A Child Caught in it All

"... and don't let me ever catch you around here again!" I began to shake as Mom's voice cut through the air. Ten in the morning, this was earlier than usual. I closed my eyes and tried to become as hidden as possible in the corner.

Mom always beat Johnny, but that didn't make it any better. I looked up to see her stomping out the front door, saying some nasty-sounding words that I don't understand. I slowly crawled over to see what was going on. Oh I wished I could help him...

The old witch was beating him over with the handle of the broom, while I was a bystander to my brother's pain. I cringed as he cried out for her to stop. Thank God Two-Bit showed up.

Keith Mathews caught it in mid-swing, stopping Mrs. Cade from cracking it down on Johnny's back again.

"You good for nothing hoodlum, get your hands off my broom!"

"Not until you stop!" Two-Bit didn't let go, which allowed Johnny to clamber backwards out of harm's way. Mom gave up, and with a loud "fuck you" she turned and walked into our house, and the sound of a slamming door soon followed.

As soon as she was gone, I sprinted out the door. I ran up to the older boy, and gave him a hug. "Thank you," I said shakily. I then crouched down and began comforting my brother.

"Hey Charlie," he managed. "Did you see all of that?"

I nodded my head sadly and helped him off the ground gingerly. He sighed and gave me a one-arm embrace.

"I just... I wish you didn't have to see all this Char, you shouldn't be exposed to these kinds of things..."

We started out walk to the Curtis' house, and I looked back. But same as always, Mom didn't care enough to come and check on us. I was eight years old then.