string.substr(start[, length]);

var str = "Apples are round, and apples are juicy."; 
console.log("(1,2): "    + str.substr(1,2)); 
console.log("(-2,2): "   + str.substr(-2,2)); 
console.log("(1): "      + str.substr(1)); 
console.log("(-20, 2): " + str.substr(-20,2)); 
console.log("(20, 2): "  + str.substr(20,2));

(1,2): pp 
(-2,2): y. 
(1): pples are round, and apples are juicy. 
(-20, 2): nd 
(20, 2): d