Refuge

1

Dear Jack,

Greetings from the refuge!

How are you? I'm okay. I guess I wasn't much help yesterday. Snyder soaked me real good with my crutch. Oh yeah, Jack, this is Crutchie by the way. These here guards, they is rude. They say "jump",boy, you jump or you're screwed. But the food ain't so badly so far...cause so far they ain't brung us no food. Ha-ha.

I miss the rooftop. Sleeping right out in the open, in your penthouse in the sky. There was always a cool breeze, even in July.

Anyway. So guess what! There's this secret escape plan I got. Tie a sheet to the bed, throw the end out the window, climb down then take off like a shot. Maybe though, not tonight. I ain't slept, and my leg still ain't right. Hey, but Pulitzer? He's going down, then, Jack, I was thinking we could go, like you were saying. Where it's clean and green and pretty, and there's no buildings in your way, and you're riding palominos everyday. "Just hold on kid, till that train makes Santa Fe", eh? Well I'm holding on. I don't know how much longer I can hold on. Damn this place.

We sure got busted up good yesterday, but I saw that Les hurt his arm. I hope he's alright, and that his folks didn't freak out too much on you? I got a couple scratches, but it's mainly my leg that's bothering me. I'll be fine! Good as new! But there's just one thing I need you to do. You remember how on the rooftop, you said that family looks out for each other? Can you tell all the fellas for me to protect each other? Especially Race and Albert around Les. You know they get a little overexcited sometimes. Ha-ha. Cover each other if Snyder or the bulls come back around, you hear me?

The end,

Your friend.
Your best friend
Your brother.

Crutchie.