Free Childhood of the Dead by Jose Louzeiro, translated by Ladyce Pompeo de Barros

but he even thought of buying mattresses to put over some dry hay. Then, he could sleep as he hadn’t in years!
    After removing the stones, they needed to find some driftwood planks along the beach to help level the sandy floor. Dito couldn’t remember anymore how it felt to live in a home. He could remember the long time he spent sleeping underneath the broken bus on a dead end street; the public square benches; the bus station; the staircase in the building whose windows were falling out. He also remembered his anger that night he searched for shelter, in a fine drizzle when, a woman with a big ass offered him a toy, telling him it was Christmas. She asked him to choose from among the little plastic cars the one he liked the most. He knocked her basket over hard, the toys all fell on to the wet pavement. The woman began to call him an insolent punk, even ran a bit to try to get him but failed. Passersby were filled with compassion for the woman, and a strong young man leaped after Dito, shoving him hard. In the meantime, the woman gathered up her toys and shouted.
    â€œYou can see how despicable they are. A person bothers to come here to do some good and look at what happens! My husband was right. He thinks I’m very stupid!”
    When the policemen arrived and the woman began to gesticulate, pointing in his direction, Dito fled.
    That cave would become his home. With time, who knows, he could have a table, cans to keep food in, an alcohol stove. If they didn’t like the idea, they could get lost. He could hardly count on Mother’s Scourge or even Encravado’s help. But Brown Sugar and Figurinha would stay by him. He had no doubt.
    He spent the entire morning cleaning out the cave. Covered in sweat, he asked Smokey if he didn’t want to swim some, while Manguito checked out the market. After the swim he counted the money. There was enough. There was no need to rush.
    Hiking up over the stones, in front of a flower garden, Smokey saw Encravado. He was on the other side of the high speed traffic lanes, waving his arms. He was cupping his hands around his mouth shouting, but Dito couldn’t hear. He hurried over. They didn’t even wait for the traffic to slow down.
    â€œThey caught Manguito. I didn’t see how it happened. Some plain clothes cops. One of those who got in the car looked like Crystal. I ran after the car to get a better look and I really do think it was him.”
    â€œWhere’d they go?”
    â€œTo juvenile court, I think.”
    â€œIn what direction?”
    â€œThrough Mem de Sa’.”
    At a loss for a moment, Dito didn’t know what to say. He knew what they would do to Manguito until he spilled his guts.
    â€œWe have to take care. We can’t stay in the cave anymore. Manguito won’t be able to take it without breaking.”
    â€œWhy don’t we look for Crystal?”
    â€œI’ll go also. Seeing him up close, I’ll know if he was the one with the pigs.”
    Dito was sure it was Crystal. He’d been naive to think that he could escape. They don’t give up. He had to keep himself on the lookout. One slip would be enough for what happened to Manguito to be repeated. It was always like that. Crystal had, in fact, ordered Dito’s death. Saying nothing to his friends, Dito realized that, before a hammer and a chisel, what he would have to buy was a knife. It’d been stupid to think of a place to live without first doing away with Crystal.
    He hadn’t been able to guess the motives behind Crystal’s plans. He had met Crystal sometime ago in Sao Paulo, at the Arouche Square. While drinking beer, he had watched Dito sell little porno magazines. Later, he had asked Dito to sit down at his table and when the waiter showed up to complain, Crystal told him not to bother. Dito had never received so much attention. At first he thought the guy was gay. Then he noticed that he was no sissy and that he was quite