Bear's mother, a pregnant teen, died during childbirth. He never met his father, and he was raised by his grandmother. Like Kat, none of the squat knows Bear's name; neither does Bear. His grandmother always called him "son," or "boy."
He never got a chance to ask her why. Just after he turned six, he watched helplessly from a closet as she was robbed and killed by three teenagers. He stayed in the closet for four days, until a police officer found him. Bear didn't know what to say when asked his name, and the officer assumed he was mute. Bear never spoke to anyone after that.
Jumping from one foster home to the next, Bear never fit in anywhere he went. Gangly, rough, and silent, he didn't make any friends he could keep. He was a big boy, and by age twelve he easily cleared six feet. When one foster parent-a drug dealer with a heavy accent-ordered him to help rough up a "client" who couldn't pay up, Bear just stood there. His foster father sneered at him, "You nothing but a teddy bear, that it?" The name Bear just seemed to follow him after that.
He saw more in his childhood than most do in a lifetime, including the suicide of one of his foster brothers. Bear ran away nine times, getting caught the first eight. Unable to trust anyone, he found an unlikely friend in Kat, who had been on the street a little longer than he had and looked it. Together, they scrounged for food, made money, and shared a silent camaraderie. It took Kat two weeks to convince him that Ace was legit before he agreed to join their squat with her. He's been the most steady member ever since.
Favorite Song: (blank)
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Latest Blog Entry Bear has no blog. He doesn't speak—aloud or on paper.
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The Characters: Ghost | Roach | Brad | Bear | Ace | Kat | Jen | Mary | Mr. Hill | Mr. Lowe
