There was blood tainting the swirling green glass red. He is five and he breaks a bowl.

He doesn't even notice that 'Just say no' is written across his D.A.R.E. cap when Johnny passes him the joint. He is seven and he breaks a rule.

He isn't the only one with a broken bone and Sammy Devino still walks with a limp even if the cast has been long forgotten. He is ten and he breaks bones.

He tries to convince himself he needs the money as his gun hand trembles. He is fourteen and he breaks a law.

Mama sighes and she will cry later too. Father is never around to shake his head, a distant smudge like a s***** eraser and cheap pencil lead, like his last English Essay.

His hand trembles once again as he counts the caplets - one, two - and thinks that no one will miss him - three, four - and that he'll finally be in the paper for once without a crime attached - five, six - and wonders how many pills he's going to need to count before he can just swallow them - seven, eight - and finally math comes in handy - nine, ten.

He is seventeen and he is the one that is broken.