Chpt. 6

 

 

her out the door and her hand came and hit me full in the face, not expecting it, I fell backwards. I caught myself with one hand as my sack fell to the floor; immediately I stood back up again, picked up my bag and walked back out the door, Jesse followed close behind me. I started down the hall and started for the stairs, Jet snatched at my shoulder, long, thick nails biting into my skin through my shirt.

"That way." Her voice was low and clipped, dangerous as she pointed behind her in the opposite direction.

"I’m going to get my daughter." Her black eyes seemed to be set ablaze,

"You are not. I refuse to allow you into my home again." My rage was gone now, replaced by fear. Jet’s fingers bore into the flesh of my shoulder as she hauled me up and all but carried me to the bulk head door at the other end off the hall, past the washrooms, it lead to the outside. Jesse followed close behind, unsure of what to do because of the beating I’d received after the last time he’d helped me. Holding my limp body with only one arm she unlatched the double doors and flung them open using my body and I sailed out and landed on the hard cobblestones. Jesse bolted out of the darkness and started to help me up as best he could. Jet rose then, like a terrible vision, Death in the form of the greatest w***e in the city, in my whole world.

"I NEVER want to see you here again. EVER." With that she banged the doors shut and disappeared. My mind was in a complete haze, this couldn’t be happening. I wasn’t being forced from my home in the middle of the night without my baby. All my rage completely gone I turned to beg Jet to bring me my Belle, but she was gone, I could hear the lock being forced into place. All of the strength left my body, I sank to my knees once more, still staring at the locked building from which I’d just been forced. Sympathetically Jesse took my arms again and for a second time, hauled me to my feet,

"Com’on Velvet. You can’t stay on the ground like that. Don’t worry, I know where we can go fer the night. ‘n’ we ain’t gonna be gratin’ it tanight." Grating it was when several news-kids with no other place to go, slept over the large grates in the sidewalk to keep warm, often using each other as a pillow or even blanket. Against the screaming in my head, I rose to my feet and, leaning on Jesse for support, plodded after him like a milk cow, into the dark street. I wasn’t sure how long we walked, it seemed to take forever, yet I’d lost all real grasp on time.

Finally I looked around and noticed the buildings had gotten older, less spaced out, more falling apart.

"Where are we?" I whispered to him, he started as if I’d actually scared him.

"Somewhere where we’ll be safe." Was his answer. Jesse rapped on the door with his dirty, bandaged knuckles, a tiny window slid open in the door and a single gray eye glared at us from the inside,

"Name." a voice croaked, it seemed too close to the voice of a small child for comfort for me, I jumped. My eyes fixed themselves on that one little gray eye, where is the other one?

"Whips." Jesse said.

"Neva heard of ya." I heard Jesse growl beside me,

"Listen ya li’l Rat-fink, I don’t know who ya is, but ya betta move ya a*s before I knock dis door down and beat it."

"Nutin doin’ scab!" the voice sounded gleeful. Jesse pounded on the wood of the door with the flat of his hand,

"Ya damn little b*****d! Is Fiction in there? Get me Fiction."

"Ain’t nobody by that name here."

"Rat!" the voice that cried out from inside seemed younger then our assailant, yet the gray eye disappeared, the window closed and the door was opened by a boy barely older looking then my Belle, but he must have been; a makeshift crutch supporting him on one side. He gave Jesse a bright grin, "Sorry ‘bout him Whips, he wandered in here from onna da odder boroughs ‘e ain’t supposed ta be on door duty…" the kid stated, glaring at the older boy who was now huddled against the far wall, glaring at us all with his one good eye. I was starting to feel a little fair, one eyed kids? Babies with one leg living on the streets? Even though I’d grown up surrounded by drugs and sex, I’d never really wanted for anything more then food or companionship; I’d had Satin ta care for me when I was ill, Silk taught me ta read and write a little, scary though she was, Jet supplied me with a warm home and food. I felt more tears welling up in my eyes while Jesse started to pull me away down the hall.

"How long have you been doing this?" I asked him, my soft voice a shout in the quiet entryway. The waist-high little boy was settling himself on a rickety wooden stool beside the door; he looked up at me with a smile,

"I started workin’ here at three." He answered; Jesse continued pulling me down the hall. I tried ta push down the image of my little girl standing alone at the mouth of an alley, a stack of papers taller then she was, trying to be heard over the din of the street. Tears started to roll down my cheeks; I blessed the deep darkness that surrounded us. I could smell the rotting wood of the inner walls and the frames of the filthy, broken windows that let no light shine through.

When I made the mistake of touching the outer wall and I found it slick with slime and water in some places, in others my hand came away covered with powdered stone. As the darkness continued on, my heard started to beat in fear, what was hiding in the darkness to snatch me up in it’s jaws? I clung tighter to Jesse’s arms as he walked in front of me, leading me. Suddenly I felt his arm buckle under my hands, my strangled scream drowned out his surprised curse.

"Jesse?" my fingers stretched helplessly in the dark, searching for his arm.

"It’s alright, Velvet, I tripped." I let out a little breathy laugh as his hands found my wrists and I helped haul him up to his feet again. I hadn’t remembered how callused and strong his hands seemed. "We’re almost though." He assured my unasked question. I nodded, then realized he couldn’t see me,

"Alright." A few minutes, and turns, later I realized Jesse was right; there was a faint glow up ahead, the kind of glow that came from a weak fire. Jesse’s hand still firmly grasped in mine, I started to run towards the light. As I got closer I could see the water slick stones, the surprisingly strong floor boards under my feet.

The second I crossed the light barrier, I froze. Huddled just barely inside the line of light coming from the trashcan fire, were dozens of the little faces. Their faces were different colors with all different features, yet it seemed to me the face over and over. Their gaunt cheeks and sunken eyes showed the same hardships and despair. Almost every body was mutilated in some way, missing eyes or limbs or covered in scars. I felt my stomach churn dangerously, felt bile rising in my throat, tears once again clouding my vision. Jesse’s hand suddenly settled on my opposite shoulder, so he was almost giving me half a hug, "It’s ok, soma um ‘re givin’ umsleves ta da Trains tamarra…" the tears started to spill over, how was that better? Being taken away from everything they know to go be slaves for the farmers out West?

Jesse just led me away, my body numb, the smell pressing in on me from all sides, strangely, was comforting. The combination of wood smoke and sweat were two parts of the mixture that I’d grown up smelling as a child; the only thing missing was many different flavors of strong perfumes, yet i didn't miss them much, the air felt cleaner here. Jesse ended up all but carrying me up nearly three flights of stairs. I finally stepped completely on my own and actually tripped, my face landing right above the top step of that third flight of stairs, looking straight into a hole that seemed to lead all the way down to the basement. I gave a sharp cry and pushed my way back from the floor and nearly toppled back down the stairs. Jesse caught my arm with a laugh,

"Easy girly, ya’ll kill yerself doin’ dat."

"That’s dangerous!" Jesse laughed,

"Hunnie, welcome ta da slums." I glared at him as he lead me down the hall to another open room like the ones below it, a single metal can of fire in the middle and more of the hollow faced kids, some laying down, attempting at sleep, the rest sitting up, all of them huddled into small groups to keep each other warmer, some pairs or trios covered with tattered rag blankets, blankets made of stolen scraps of fabric sewn together with whatever could be found.

Jesse lead me over into one corner, picking up a blanket from a small pile on the way, our space just a small ways away from the other kids and just outside the light of the fire. He settled down on the creaky floor and started to remove his shoes and shirt, I turned my head away, pulling the brim of my cap down over my eyes. I heard him chuckle a little, though it sounded bitter,

"I know I ain’t much ta look’it girly, but I ain’t gonna sleep in my shirt ‘nd boots ta make ya feel betta." I froze realizing that he was taking my solid modesty for disgust; I didn’t even remember what he’d looked like, shirtless in the candle light. Inwardly I sighed; I tipped the brim of my cap back up and looked at him in the eyes boldly. His amber colored eyes bore into my marble blue ones, I didn’t know that such a warm color could look so cold; it hurt me somewhere deep in my chest. I finally tore my eyes from his gaze and looked down; it was all I could do to keep from gasping.

His skin was pale everywhere but from his elbows to hands; his nearly white skin was marred with deep red and purple raised scars, they criss-crossed and nearly covered the entirety of him. The shadows from the fire made them look deeper, more grotesque. I reached my fingers out tentatively, my hands shaking until they came into contact with warm flesh. I traced the intersecting lines slowly, as if afraid that if I pressed too hard, or moved too fast the scars would re-open, spilling Jesse’s blood across the floor.

"Do they still hurt?" I whispered. He was silent for so long I began to worry that I hadn’t really spoken aloud.

"Only on the inside." He whispered back. Without another word he lay down on his side, pulled the rag-blanket across his bare skin and settled in to sleep. Hours later I was still huddled against the wall near Jesse’s head. I was exhausted, and freezing, but something in me couldn’t bring myself to cuddle against that ridged, scarred back. I’d barely known him two whole days, why should I take that liberty?

"Come’er kid." Jesse’s voice caused me to jump, and he words made me freeze. "Well?" he’d raised one arm to make a little cave with the blanket for me. I still hadn’t moved, "please?" suppressing a sigh I crawled around next to him and slipped into the hole he’d made for me. I lay rigidly, but he rested his arm over my stomach and I involuntarily started to relax, even snuggle my back against his chest. Finally my busy stomach and mind allowed me to sleep.

 

I started past

Reviews

[Brette Medb]

Damn, I really hope she gets Belle back! Jesse really seems to be a good kid, but I feel bad for Vel. Great write so far!

Brette

[Corey Lunare-]

poor Vel! Her kid is taken from her basically! how horrible! her mind must be in a thousand different places at once right about now! im sure Satin wll gte he daghter back o her soehow but u ot me entanced now. I wonder what will hapen next in the tale? thiskinda thing is exactly what a book needs to keep the reader compelled. Thats why u make such a wonderful writer! unfortunantly i am very tird tonight so i wont sty up til 11:30 to read younext edition and i apologize for that. I will be sure to return tomorrow night to reviewthe next chapter! Until then Dream!