Undergrounders Read online

  “Hurry up,” Fitzy said, banging on the door.

  “Don’t rush me. It’s a masterpiece,” Happy D replied.

  He was a bizarre guy, always talking about gross stuff like poo and vomit, like a four-year-old. Lewis thought Fitzy hung with Happy D because he was a good fighter.

  “We need to do our own masterpieces!” Fitzy yelled back.

  I knew he was only pretending to be mad.

  “I’m telling Rigger you’re hogging the can,” Creeper said. “If I end up having to stay past nine and pay extra I’m gonna go ballistic.”

  “I’d like to see you try,” Happy D called out in a cheerful voice.

  “You’re such a puke,” Creeper said.

  Puke was our favourite dissing word.

  J.J. joined the line behind me. “Where’re you going today?” I asked. We usually went hawking together, and I wanted to know the plan for this afternoon, after I went skating at the rink.

  “I’m gonna try the Theatre,” he replied glumly.

  “I wasted a day there not too long ago,” I offered.

  “So what.”

  That wasn’t too friendly. I changed the subject. “You hear about Will?”

  J.J. scrunched his eyes and crinkled his nose. “I heard he got in a fight or something,” he said, as if he wasn’t interested.

  I knew he was. Will was his hero. “He got pounded by W5. You know him? Wears an army jacket. Will got a big black eye and is in serious pain. Didn’t he tell you?” I figured it would bug J.J. to know I knew something about Will that he didn’t.

  J.J. stared at me. “He wasn’t the only one.”

  “W5 pounded you too?”

  “No, spaz. These puke streeters stole my money when I was coming here last night, which is why I was late. I took two of them out, only there were five and they got me down on the ground.”

  He didn’t look too beat up to me. J.J. exaggerated — a lot. He’d freak if you called him on it, and besides, I didn’t care. “Are you okay?” I assumed that was the right thing to ask.

  “I toughed it out. I’m gonna get mine back. You wait and see. Those pukes are toast.”

  The door opened, and Creeper went in. I bet J.J. just threw the money on the ground and wet his pants. He’d never fight.

  Creeper took a long time, and I figured out why when it was my turn. He always stunk the place up. I did my business as fast as I could and got out.

  Normally, I’d go out with J.J., or Rose and Will, or one of the other junior Undergrounders, and we’d hit the streets together. It felt awesome to be on my own today. I had twelve dollars in my pocket, and I could play hockey all day if I wanted. I even knew a place where I could sharpen my skates. It would cost four bucks, but I had the money; and besides, I had to.

  I went to Lewis’s store first. He’d said last night he needed me to help him with a package, so I sat back on the couch and waited. I must have drifted off to sleep for a minute because I woke up and heard voices from outside the store.

  “Don’t be such a turd. I’ve been planning this for a week.”

  That sounded like Fitzy.

  “I don’t feel like it.”

  That was definitely Happy D.

  “I’m gonna hang by the television station,” Happy D said.

  “You’re going to throw away a chance to make two hundred bucks this morning!” Fitzy hissed.

  Happy D yawned and looked at Fitzy with a big grin. Fitzy stepped forward. “I need your help, dude. I can’t do this myself. We planned it out. It’s now or never. Come on.”

  “Do it yourself.”

  “Let’s get going, you lazy puke.”

  That’s when Fitzy turned and saw me, and his face went all white as if all the blood was drained out, and his eyes were wide open. I didn’t bother waiting. I tried to bolt out down the hall to the ladder, only Fitzy was too fast and caught me.

  “A little mouse is stickin’ his noise into my business,” Fitzy raged.

  My heart was beating so bad I swear I could hear it.

  “You say a word to anyone and I’ll smash that mouse head of yours, I swear,” Fitzy said into my ear.

  “I didn’t hear nothin’,” I stammered. “I just heard voices and Happy D said he was tired.”

  “You’re lying,” Fitzy said, “and I’m gonna pound you until the truth comes out.”

  “Why so hostile, Fitzy, my friend and bosom pal?”

  Fitzy let my collar go and stepped away. Lewis laughed at me and flopped down on the couch. I backed up into the store to get closer to Lewis. No way Fitzy would take Lewis on.

  “This snooping little puke was listening to me and Happy D having a private conversation,” Fitzy accused.

  Before Lewis could ask me I said, “I didn’t hear a word. I was waiting for you on the couch, like you told me to. Fitzy said he wanted Happy D to come with him, and Happy D didn’t wanna. That’s it. I swear.”

  Fitzy glared at me, but I could tell he wouldn’t dare do anything with Lewis there.

  “You promise not to say anything about this — and I mean to anyone — not even Rigger?” Lewis said to me.

  I nodded like a million times.

  Lewis laughed, then pulled a package out of his knapsack and handed it to me. “I need you to take this to the subway station. Scrunchy Face will be there soon, so you’d better get going.”

  We called W5’s friend Scrunchy Face because that’s what his face looked like — all scrunched together. I didn’t like him. He was always mean to me, and usually roughed me up for no reason.

  “No problem, Lewis. I’ll go right now.”

  He slapped me on the shoulder. I didn’t even look at Fitzy or Happy D. The subway station was a bit out of the way from the rink, but not too bad. Rigger was on his chair as usual, his legs hanging over the armrest.

  Rigger glanced at his watch. “Cutting it close, Mouse. Ten minutes to clear out.”

  Creeper ran past, followed by J.J., Will and Rose. Will’s eye was swollen almost shut, and there was a big black smudge under it.

  “You coming?” J.J. yelled to me.

  “You go ahead, and I’ll meet up with you.”

  As I started up the ladder, I looked down the hall and saw Fitzy and Lewis talking together. Fitzy was obviously up to something. Why would Lewis be interested? He was way too legit to hang with Fitzy.

  The cold air hit my nose and I felt my snot begin to run. The cold always did that to me. It was so irritating and everyone bugged me about it. It wasn’t my fault I didn’t have a tissue. I climbed up the hill to the street and headed toward the subway to drop off the package. On the way I could cut over to Franklin and get some Chinese buns for breakfast. I was starving, as usual.

  After my errands were done, I made myself forget all about Fitzy, Rigger, and the whole Underground. I had skates and was going to spend the morning at the rink. The gloves I stole fit perfectly and the hockey sweater made me warmer too. My feet were cold, but I could take it. Snow began to fall lightly. It was actually kind of pretty with the snowflakes drifting in slow motion to the ground.

  This was going to be another great day. How couldn’t it be? A great sleep, money in my pocket — and hockey!

  Chapter 6

  I loved the rasping sound of my blades digging into the ice. I could have done without the cold wind blowing in my face or the pain in my feet from the blisters that had broken even with the Band-Aids. But I ignored all that as I headed up ice, imagining it was game seven, overtime, Stanley Cup Final, with the puck deep in our end.

  I imagined a forechecker coming hard and I swerved at the hash marks into the slot to avoid him, cutting up the middle into the neutral zone. Time to end this, I said to myself. At centre I did a little shoulder fake to throw off the D, dangled the puck, and then about five feet from the blue line slowed a bit, bobbed my head left and right, and then flicked the puck forward and leapt high in the air. The clueless defencemen were left behind by my move. For fun I dropped my stick low an
d flipped the puck onto the blade, spun around and shoved it under the crossbar.

  Arms held high, I closed my eyes as I curved outside toward centre. What would the Undergrounders say about me scoring the overtime goal to win the Cup? That would shut Fitzy up. Another gust of wind reminded me how cold it was, though. I must have been out there for two hours. I’d promised J.J. that I’d meet him at the Theatre, and it wouldn’t hurt to get some hawking in. I could ditch my stuff in my hiding spot too. I grabbed the puck and headed in.

  I’d barely got my skates off when that scraggly janitor walked up the hall, pushing a bucket by the mop handle. He stopped in the middle of the room and stared at me so long I started to think I’d done something wrong.

  “I didn’t play too long … did I?”

  He shook his head and began to mop the floor. “You skate good,” he said.

  A bit random, but I said thanks all the same. Then he reached into his pocket and dropped a toonie into my lap.

  “Why are you … giving me this?”

  His head jerked sideways at me. “I know what it means for boy to skate alone in morning. No school — no home. I see you around. I like to help.”

  Before I could say anything he spun around and pushed the bucket back down the hall. I couldn’t believe my luck. I was on a total roll, as Lewis would say.

  I went to the Theatre to hide my skates and stuff, and headed around to the front.

  I spotted J.J.’s red coat straight away. He was at the front entrance. Will and Rose were farther down the street. I walked toward them real slow, and then jerked my head up as if I was surprised to see them.

  “Yo, J.J. What’s up?”

  He made a sour face. “Nothin’. Too cold. Nobody’s even looking at me. I’ve made fifty cents all morning.”

  I nodded at Will and Rose down at the far doors.

  “They got zip too,” J.J. said. “Brutal day. I could eat my left arm — my right one too.”

  I don’t know what possessed me. I must have lost my mind or something. “Let’s go to Winston’s and get some Chinese buns.” I held up the toonie the janitor had given me.

  J.J.’s grin was too big for his face. “You da man, Mouse. You da man.”

  Then I got a surprise. “You doing good today, eh, Mouse?” Will said in a real friendly way. He and Rose had joined us.

  Decision time. Will barely tolerated me, and Rose wasn’t much better.

  “Give it a rest, Will,” Rose said. “It’s his money.”

  Her arms were wrapped around her chest, her thin bluish lips pressed tightly together. Will was puffing on a cigarette butt.

  I surprised myself a second time. “We can all go. I found this on the sidewalk. Total lucky day. Let’s go eat.”

  I turned and headed toward Winston’s and didn’t bother looking to see if they were behind me. If food was involved, they’d come. I knew it was the money, but all the same it felt good to have them following me for a change. Anyway, all the Undergrounders worshipped Winston’s buns. They had different types. My favourite was coconut with lemon filling, and they cost fifty cents each. We went there because Winston usually let us in. Lots of places didn’t.

  Winston was at the counter, a short Chinese man with stubbly black hair. I’d never seen him smile.

  “Can we have four coconut buns, please,” I said loudly, happy that they’d let me do the ordering. They could eat what I liked.

  He put four in a bag. “No eating inside,” he said. “Out.”

  “But we paid for them,” Will said.

  Winston held the bag to his chest.

  “We’ll eat them outside,” I said. “The fresh air is nice.”

  It was hard to tell, but I could swear Winston actually smiled. We Undergrounders had a bet that whoever made Winston laugh would get a dollar from everyone. I guess I was making progress! He put the bag on the counter and turned away. I snatched it double quick and hightailed it out of there, then we all huddled together to eat. They were still warm — totally awesome. For a second it wasn’t that cold — but only for a second.

  “Let’s go see if the vent is free,” Will said when we were done.

  I followed this time. It was nice to be included in the group. Since my mom died I spent most of my time alone, even when I was in the Underground. The others barely talked to me, except Lewis, of course. The vents weren’t too far away, about five minutes. We all turned the corner together.

  The vents were prime spots when it was cold. Hot air from the subway pumped up through the steel grates, and you could lie on them in the coldest night of the year and still be warm. I’d only been on them twice. Three men and a woman were lying across them. None were moving so I figured they were sleeping.

  “Nice plan,” Rose said.

  “Shut up,” Will snapped. “Not my fault. Dumb drunks.”

  “Maybe we should go back to the Underground,” J.J. said.

  “It’s not five o’clock yet, stupid,” Will said.

  “Yeah. Well, so what?” J.J. muttered.

  Will slapped his thigh real hard. “I’m spaced. Must be this cold. Let’s do the mall.”

  Rose looked unhappy. “We got kicked out last time, and I don’t feel like having everyone staring at me like I’m a piece of garbage. The security guards will be on us the minute we walk through the door.”

  “We won’t have to deal with security. It’ll be fine.”

  I’d never seen Rose so sad. I thought she might actually cry. “I’m really cold, Will. What should we do?” She sounded desperate.

  “Trust me, Rose,” Will said gently. “Let’s go to the mall. I have a spot where they won’t find us. I got it all figured out. Me and Creeper found it.” He flicked his head at me and J.J. “You guys in?”

  I certainly didn’t have anywhere else to go. J.J. and I nodded. The mall was a good fifteen-minute walk. It was the only big one downtown. The security guards didn’t like street kids too much, and most of the time you got chased out real quick, and I didn’t go often because of that. But even though I didn’t think much of Will’s plan, I liked marching across town in a group — our own crew. It made me feel safer.

  Chapter 7

  We walked right past the mall entrance. I didn’t dare question Will, though — didn’t want to push my luck.

  Rose wasn’t so shy. “We gonna get into the mall by climbing the walls like Spiderman?”

  Will didn’t answer, but kept going until we got to a blue metal door. “I’ll open this a crack and you jump in one at a time. Wait for me in there. Don’t go up the stairs.” Before we had a chance to say anything, he stuck a thin piece of metal into the side of the door and pried it open. I’d passed that door a million times and never thought that it could be opened from the outside. I had to hand it to Will and Creeper for figuring this out.

  Rose went first, me second, and then J.J. came next and smashed right into us.

  “Smooth move, doofus,” Rose barked.

  “Where are we?” he gasped.

  “Maybe a stairwell,” Rose replied.

  “No kidding, doofus.”

  “Then why’d you ask?”

  “Why are you so dumb?”

  Will came in. “Shut up,” he hissed. “You guys are so lame. I’m gonna check things out. Stay down here and be quiet and try not to be unbelievably stupid like you usually are.”

  We waited for at least two minutes. Naturally, Rose and J.J. started in on each other, and finally I couldn’t take it and went up the stairs a bit just to get away. One flight up I found a door with a handle. I pushed on it and stuck my head out. I could hear the buzz of the mall crowd.

  “Mouse,” a voice hissed.

  I shut the door. Will grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me back against the wall. “I told you to wait for me. Do you understand English?”

  I guess he’d already forgotten who’d paid for his Chinese bun. It didn’t seem like a good time to remind him. “Rose and J.J. were losing it and I was coming to get you.�
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  Will let me go. I knew he’d buy that. “Tell those losers to come up here,” he ordered.

  I didn’t have to because they must have heard us and were climbing up.

  “What are we doing here?” Rose said to Will.

  Will smiled, which he did when he was bragging about something. “Creeper and I found this stairway. We jammed the door so we could get in from the outside. It’s brilliant. Now follow me real quiet. This leads to an office tower that’s attached to the mall. It’s warmer up there.”

  He led us to the fifth floor and slumped to the floor. I didn’t need to be asked. It felt great to get off my feet. The blisters were burning me big time. J.J. fell asleep in like two seconds; Rose was next; so there was me and Will being the only ones awake. I had to give him props for finding this place, but I wasn’t going to start talking to him like he was some great guy. I took off my coat and scrunched it into a pillow and lay down. Unfortunately, the blisters on my feet were really stinging and keeping me up. I took off my shoes and socks and pulled out a couple of Band-Aids from my pocket.

  “Do I really have to look at your stupid feet?” Will said. “I don’t wanna throw up my bun.”

  “My shoes are killing me,” I said, pointing to my blisters.

  He peered closer. “How’d your shoes do that?”

  I shrugged, got to work on my Band-Aids, and then lay down myself. Undergrounders don’t get many chances to sleep in a warm place during the day, and I didn’t want to waste a second.

  • • •

  A lady’s scream woke me up and sent my heart beating like a maniac. I jumped to my feet. Standing by the door, obviously terrified, was a woman, hands balled at her chest. She had a big plastic label with her picture on it hanging on a chain around her neck.

  We all stared at each other for a few seconds. In a real shaky voice she said, “This is not a bedroom. You all have to leave right away.”