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When I get back to my cell, the only one here is the new kid He's twelve and still cries all the tiht twice before he buried a knife into the back of the girl who refused to go to the school dance with him

"You ever gonna stop crying?" I ask the kid

He's got his face in his pillow; I don't think he hears o home "

I change intoto clean the dumpsters today "Yeah, ht as well suck it up and get with the program "

The kid sits up, sniffles, and wipes his nose with the back of his hand "How long have you been here?"

"Almost a year "

That sets the kid plunging back into his pillow for"I don't want to be locked up for a year," he cries

Julio, another cell mate, walks into the rooonna kill hihts because of that crybaby "

The wails stop, but then the sniffles start Which are actually worse than the wailing

"Julio, give the kid a break," I say

"You're too soft, Caleb Gotta toughen these kids up "

"So they can be like you? No offense, man, but you'd scare a serial killer," I say

One look at Julio and you know he's a tough guy Tattoos all over his neck

, back, and arms Shaved head When ious

"So?" Julio says "They gonna let you outta here?" I sit on my bed "Yeah Tomorrow "

"Lucky sonofabitch You goin' back to that sain?"

"Paradise "

"So I'll be stuck here alone with crybaby while you're in Paradise? Ain't that a bitch " He gives the kid a wide-eyed stare If I didn't know Julio better, I'd be afraid, too

This sets the kid off again

Julio chuckles, then says "Well, I'll give you the nuhtail it out of Paradise, Rio will hook you up "

"Thanks, man," I say

Julio shakes his head at the crying kid, says "Later, ao" and leaves the open cell

I tap the kid on his shoulder He jerks away, scared

"I'onna hurt you," I tell him

He turns to oes on in jails " He scoots his butt towards the wall

"Don't flatter yourself, kid You're not my type I like chicks "

"What about the guy with the tattoos?" I fight the urge to laugh "He's hetero, too Dude, you're in a juvenile facility "

"He said he'll kill me "

"He says that because he likes you," I assure hiet off the bed, stop the crying, and go to group "

Group is group therapy Where all the inmates sit around and discuss personal shit about their lives

Toroup Nodumpsters

To home

TWO

Maggie

I think physical therapists like their job a little too much I mean, why do they always look so happy and smiley as they make you sweat and wince from pain?

Sure enough, Robert,white-toothed smile in the lobby of the outpatient area of the hospital

"Hi, Maggie You ready to work that leg of yours?" Not really "I guess so," I say, looking down at the floor I know it's Robert's job to try andis all ery I had to fix my tibial plateau fracture lasted over seven hours My orthopedic surgeon jokes with

All I know is that I have e tool box

When I go to Spain next se to have a field day with me They'll probably ask me to cli a weapon inside my knee

Robert escorts me into the physical therapy room I have to come here twice a week Twice a week for almost a year and still people stare at me when I walk

"Maggie, lie down and put your foot ondown to business-as-usual

Sighing, I lay down on the mat and put my foot on Robert's shoulder He holds my foot in place and leans forward "Put pressure on it "

After the accident, all I can do is a little baby push

"Coie You can do better than that I hardly feel it "

I put et better than this "

"Sure it will Look, you never believed you'd be able to walk again and here you are "

I put more pressure on my foot

"Thatta girl Rate your pain level right now fro "