From Rags To Riches

Chapter 1

"And we're all under the upper hand
Go mad for a couple grams
And we don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe we fly to the Motherland
Or sell love to another man
It's to cold outside
For angels to fly
Angels to fly
To fly, fly
For angels to fly, to fly, to fly
Or angels to die" , I finished singing, feeling the cool spring breeze hit my face. I watched my little sister Lucy walking around carrying a hat asking for tips, her smile never faltering even when rejected. Looking around I noticed a small crowd had gathered around our spot next to a bakery. Turning to Jake, who was strumming away mindlessly I asked him what song we should play next.

"Well I say something a bit more upbeat, these poor folks look bored to tears, " he said finally looking up.

"Oh! I know a song!" Lucy exclaimed, coming out from behind the crowd of people. She ran into the bakery and came out carrying two empty cups. Whispering into Jake's ear they both smiled and sat down next to me and looked at me expectantly. Reluctantly I nodded and they began. Clap clap, tap tap tap, clap, move it over. As they continued I realized it was my cue to start.

"I got my ticket for the long way round
Two bottles of whisky for the way
And I sure would like some sweet company
And I'm leaving tomorrow what do you say?
When I'm gone, when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone," as I sang some people stopped to listen or place money into the hat.

Nearing the end of the song I watched as a mass of blonde hair barreled towards me. Stopping short of the crowd I saw my twin brother Sal panting and covered in what looked like paint and a purple slushie. Once the song was over Jake and I walked up to Sal. Straightening up with as much dignity he had left Sal took the last few steps that separated the three of us.

"So are we going to stand here or are you going to explain why you look like you rolled around in the garbage can?" Jake asked, taking a swipe of slushie from Sal's shoulder and inspecting it.

"So this girl comes up with a Crayola looking face and asks for a drawing. I being the amazing artist I am agreed and drew her. After I was finished she gave me my money and I showed her the picture. She got mad saying it made her "look like a clown" and I told her, 'I draw what I see'. She got pissed and dumped a slushie and the paint on me," Sal said trying to scrap some pink off of his nose.

"Well on that wonderful note I say we head home and check up on mom and count how much money we have for today. Besides Sal, your starting to stink a little," I said getting my hat from Lucy. 

Once we started walking Sal was going on another how itchy the paint was and started shaking like a dog trying to get the slushie out of it. We all ended up looking like rainbow vomit. Lucy was being carried by Jake and going on about school while Sal and I were talking about how much money we think we made. As the sunset left the sky a light pink mixed with orange we near the house.

Our house wasn't made for eleven children and their mother to live in that's for sure. The years had taken its toll. The brown paint on the outside was chipped and faded, the porch had boards fallen in, the door was rotted,  and the inside wasn't much better. The air conditioning and heater were never there, and since there were only three bedrooms we were all cramped together. The reason our house was so small and broken is because we've never had the money to make repairs or move into a better house.

Walking in through our front door we saw everyone running around doing their own thing. I watched as the older ones were counting all of their earnings hoping that we'd have enough to survive the month. The younger kids were running around while others like Jared and Jamie practiced their dance routines. Lucy quickly joined the others in playing tag, Sal ran to the bathroom screaming about something in his eyes while Jake and I walked towards our mom’s room. Stopping at the door Jake knocked tentatively.

"Come in," a weak voice said from inside the room. Peaking through the door we saw our mother laying in bed. Tissues were scattered around her, a bucket next to her bed, and she just looked plain sick. As we inched cautiously towards my mother she sat up, forcing a smile onto her pained face.

"Hey guys didn't catch you before you let for school," she said, hugging us briefly .  Her brown hair was in a sloppy bun and her once bright emerald green eyes were now dull and full of sadness.

"It's alright I had to get a report done and Jake went to finish some homework at the library. But more importantly are you getting better? " I asked.

"I don't think I'm getting better. If anything I'm getting worse. But we don't have to focus on the negative. How'd you do today during your street performing? " my mom asked, looking at us.

"Well in a total of six hours we made, about $25.42. Everyone else made about $15 to $28 depending on the time and talent they used. So in all we'll have about $100. So if Mrs. Gertrude doesn't -"

Jake was cut off by a house shaking stampede that was caused by all of our siblings running into our mother's room.

"What's going on," mom asked, holding Lucy's crying form in her weak arms.

"She's here," Jamie and Jared said, looking up at us with fear shinning in their green eyes.

Suddenly a loud Boom! was heard as the door slammed shut. A crash could be heard coming from the kitchen and the whole neighborhood could probably hear what came next.

"Hey slut! Where's the money you and your circus freak children owe me?!"

This monstrosity could only be known as our landlord, the power hungry and greedy Mrs. Gertrude.