God Help the Outcasts (Open)

[Shadow]

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Who knew a name could haunt, and hurt? Hurt...that's what Shadow felt. No one really loved him, he was an outcast. To make matters worse, his brother had everything he wanted. Why...why did his brother have to flaunt everything in front of him, when he wanted it all. He wanted the charm, the charisma, he wanted to be outgoing, he wanted friends, he wanted someone to love him, but..he didn't have any of that. He didn't even have Chance anymore, he only had himself..

I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even there.
I don't know if you will listen to a humble prayer.
They tell me I am just an outcast, I shouldn't speak to you...
Still I see your face, and wonder, were you once an outcast too?

He looked up to the sky, a cold drizzle was falling. Shadow sighed, no one cared about him. Why should God? Shouldn't he care about those who were outcasts, and not just those who had everything. He huffed, it was no use. No one would care about the outcasts...that was one thing that would always stay the same.

God help the outcasts, hungry from birth.
Show them the mercy they don't find on Earth.
The lost and forgotten, they look to you still.
God help the outcasts, or nobody will.

Shadow picked up a rock and threw it. Somehow throwing something as simple as a rock helped. He thought that all of his troubles were in that rock, and if he threw it away everything would be better. It didn't help as much as it used to, though.

Even when Shadow was younger, he was compared to Chance of course. That was another thing that would never change, twins would always be compared to each other. He hated it. It put too much pressure on him to be as "perfect" as Chance was. He wasn't Chance, why should he act like him?! Why couldn't Chance be the one compared to Shadow, and have him be asked to be just like Shadow. Why couldn't Chance be as understanding as Shadow? Why couldn't Chance be as quiet as Shadow? He hated that in order for him to be respected as a newsie, he had to be disrespectful, and loud. Why was he even a newsie? He hated his job.

I ask for nothing, I can get by.
But I know so many less lucky than I.
God help the outcasts, the poor and down trod.
I thought we all were the children of God.

Shadow didn't want any riches, or a title or anything...he wanted respect, and love. At least he had a home...no, not a home. A building to live in that had four walls and a roof. There. That fit the description of the lodging house. Four ratty walls, and a roof with shingles that were falling off. Their caretaker didn't care as much as the Manhattan newsies' one did. Chance often bragged about how nice it was there. He didn't know when to shut up, and Shadow didn't want to tell him to.

I don't know if there's a reason;
why some are blessed, some not.
Why the few you seem to favor --
they fear us, flee us, try not to see us.

He walked down a street in Harlem, and a group of children stopped playing jacks. He stared at them; they stared back. A middle-aged lady ran out from a store, and dragged the children in with her. She muttered things such as "Worthless street rat", "Good for nothing", and "See that children, if you don't obey me, you'll end up like him" Shadow kept his stern expression, and tried not to let her words bother him. They did. Was he really worthless, and good for nothing? He exhaled, if it was Chance she would've loved him. Of course...

God help the outcasts, the tattered, the torn.
Seeking an answer to why they were born.
Winds of misfortune have blown them about.
You made the outcasts, don't cast them out.

Shadow picked up another rock and threw it, pretending it was that lady. Why? Why him? He thought angrily, he picked up another rock and threw it. If he was worthless, why was he here? Was he really important, or was he just there for people to pick on? People had to talk about, and pick on someone. Lucky Shadow, it just had to of been him.

The poor and unlucky, the weak and the odd.
I thought we all were the children of God.

Just his luck, he tripped over a stick. He picked it up and threw it. So many questions ran through his mind. All types of emotions ran through his veins. Hurt, embarrassment, anger, confusion, sadness, loneliness. Almost every negative emotion that there was was in him at that moment. Shadow stopped walking, and sat down on the curb. He crossed his arms over his knees, and placed his chin on them. He wanted to talk to someone so badly, it hurt. Someone who could understand him, or help him in some way. But there was no one who could, no one could understand Shadow. His adopted parents tried, and they gave up.

Besides, who would want to talk to an outcast?

[Daphne Manos]

Things were so different during the day. Daphne had been through here plenty of times before, but all at night. Now, as Daphne walked through Harlem midday, she was amazed at how things had changed. Or, she guessed, things were exactly the way they were when she went through here during the night. She was just seeing them in a new light. Daphne had always thought of Harlem as a dirty place, much like Brooklyn or Midtown (well, not as bad as Midtown). But now, it seemed cleaner, brighter. Kids and families walked around, smiles on their faces. There was the occasional newsie that ran past, and the occasional fight or tussle that came about, but it was mostly quiet.

The last time Daphne came through Harlem, she had been scared to death. Some kid screamed at her and then wouldn't leave her alone. She actually enjoyed the company, but it still had left her shaken. So, when Mike asked her to come to Midtown again, Daphne refused to come at night. She told him that the next week she was busy all night. He knew she was lying. Why could he always tell if she was lying or not? But thankfully, Mike didn't chide her about lying to him and didn't push her for the real reason. Instead, he told her to find a way to get here within the next two days. The only way Daphne knew was to come during the day.

So, here she was, walking through Harlem, on her way to Midtown unsure if this was even the right way. Should she ask for directions? Glancing around, Daphne realized that there was really no one she could ask. The nice people wouldn't know about Midtown and the mean people wouldn't tell her. Daphne sighed and sat down on the curb of the street. She had been to Midtown many times, and she should know the way. But most of the time, Daphne was guessing. And now, Daphne had no clue. She could end up anywhere. She really needed to memorize the way to Midtown. But it wasn't like she went to Midtown everyday, just every once and awhile. Daphne didn't have time for that.

But it sure would have helped now. Daphne growled deep in her throat, looked up, and scanned the area. She could do this. Suddenly, Daphne felt something hit the back of her head. She spun around, eye blazing, and scanned the area for the idiot who threw something at her. Daphne saw a boy who was looking down. She decided he looked very conspicuous. Clenching her fist, Daphne stormed over to him. "Watch where you throw your stick, kid! Or I am gonna throw it down your throat!" Okay, that was a little much, Daphne thought to herself. But she was lost, late, and grouchy. This kid had crossed the line.

[Shadow]

"Watch where you throw your stick, kid! Or I am gonna throw it down your throat!"

Shadow's head popped up as he looked around for who just told him that. His eyes rested on a girl, oh great...just his luck. He stood up and walked over to her, he couldn't think of something to say. And he couldn't yell at a girl, because well...she was a girl. If this was Chance he would've made a joke, apologized or something. But how could he apologize for something he wasn't sorry for?

Might as well, Shadow swallowed his pride. "Sorry, miss." He mumbled. Oh, how he hated his life. Women hated him, men hated him, children hated him. Shadow was worthless, he was an outcast. Nobody liked outcasts, he tried to make friends but that didn't exactly work out too well. They all had each other and wouldn't welcome anyone else into their little group.

But Chance made friends right away, of course, everyone loved Chance. What made him so special? He looked exactly the same as Shadow, so looks didn't play into it. In Shadow's eyes he saw Chance as annoying. He talked too much, did people like others who talked more than a parrot? Guess so...

Maybe Shadow could find acceptance in Midtown, that's where the other outcasts went, right? But, it was his job to be a spy for Harlem for Mike. Mike probably didn't give a care if Shadow dropped dead that second, he would replace him. Probably with Chance, and then praise him at how great he was doing his job. Too bad Chance thought friendship was more important than a chance to save their lives.

Shadow looked back up at the girl who was standing in front of him, the one who yelled at him. Already, he hated this girl. Why? She was a jerk. If Chance...no, he had to stop comparing himself to Chance. It just made everything worse, but it was true. He tried to rid himself of thoughts of his brother, but he was like a disease. Chance was a mind controlling disease in Shadow's mind. He struggled with his thoughts and looked at the girl again. She looked familiar...who was she? Her name was on the tip of his tongue but he wasn't going to talk to her first.