Chpt. 7

 

me from my sleep the next morning, the beams shining strong through the broken glass. I leapt up with a start, the blanket falling into a heap on the floor. Every body that had been here the night before was gone. Ragged blankets lay in small heaps; the fire had died down to ashes. I straightened my clothes and slipped out of this room and began to descend the stairs.

The realization that my baby was gone, hit me about half way down the first flight of stairs. I sunk against the wall, one hand covering my mouth to cover my quiet sob of despair. I closed my eyes and used all of my willpower to quell its companion; calling on it again I forced myself away from the wall and stood up tall as I felt a small part of inside of me turn to stone. I was strong, I could do this. I was somehow going to get into the Treasure Chest and get my little girl back.

Damn Jet. Damn her for all she’d done. And damn me too. Damn me for cursing my lot in life when I’d been blessed with so much. I’d had a home, my beautiful healthy baby girl, a steady job; I had my eyesight and all my limbs and fingers.

Taking a deep breath I straightened my spine and descended the rest of the stairs, passing empty rooms with piles of ragged blankets. I passed through the dark hallway easier in the light; my steps were strong and determined as I approached the front door. But when I reached the door and looked around, my steps faltered, my knees nearly buckled. Jesse was standing with a small group of other boys, Belle’s hand tucked neatly in his own. "Bellie?" my voice was as weak as my limbs. I wasn’t sure, it couldn’t be her, she was still with Satin. But sure enough she turned that radiant little face on me, tore her hand from Jesse’s and threw herself into my arms. I fell over backwards as I clutched her to me; her voice was sweetly shrill in my ear,

"Mama! Mama, Mama, Mama!" she just kept crying my name, over and over; I stroked her hair, my tears making parts of it damp. Jesse stood there, that damned roguish smile on his face, Spit and Print flanked him on either side, matching pride-filled grins on their lips.

"See, princess? I told ya yer mama’d be here." Spit laughed,

"Velvet?" I looked up at Jesse, finally let go of Belle and threw my arms around his neck and kissed him soundly on the lips. Spit and Print started whooping teasingly; Jesse looked very surprised, though pleased. The older of the two extra boys cleared his throat, we all looked at him.

"Ah…Whips? I don’t mean ta," he coughed, "interrupt yer…How would ya put this Blink? Cause fer once in my life ‘m atta loss fer words." Jesse laughed right in my ear, and it suddenly made me aware that our arms were still wrapped around each other. Quickly I dropped my arms and stepped away from him, then heaved Belle up in my arms so that they looked busy. Jesse just shoved his hands in his pockets and wiped a hurt look off his face before I could see it.

"Neva thought I’d see the day when Fiction can’t come up wit somethin’." Jesse’s heart wasn’t in his joke anymore, but it got a few scattered laughs anyway. While I stood there, feeling like an a*s, the youngest boy who had yet to say a word, spoke up.

"Dees da ones ya needed Fic? Cause I’d like ta continue our conversation." I looked closely at the small boy; he was maybe seven years old with sandy brown hair. One of his eyes was blue; the other was the white that came only with blindness. Once again my heart broke when I looked at him.

"What’s he talkin’ bout Whips?" Print asked.

"Li’l Blink here’s got somethin’ ta tell us." Jesse answered, Fiction continued talking to Kid Blink,

"Yeah, des is dem. Print’s our inside man, Spit got da bootblack’s support, ‘nd everybody listens ta Jesse." Fiction laughed and clapped Jesse on the back. The smaller boy glared at me with his good eye,

"Wha’ ‘bout dis one? Don’t seem…right."

"Dat’s cause Vel here’s a broad." Spit laughed, I glared at him.

"I dunno…" Blink said, Fiction shrugged.

"Dare are some goils out dare who won’t talk ta none of us." Fiction offered. Blink stood there, thinking hard; again his age struck me, such a look of concentration on the face of a seven-year-old.

"Ya gots ‘ny ties wid da odda goils on dere Vel?" I tried not to bristle at his sudden familiarity, but I shook my head honestly. He turned to Fiction, "nuttin doin’ Fic, we might use ‘er later, but not now. Can’t risk it." Fiction nodded at Jesse, who started to herd Belle and me out the door. He paused just long enough to tell me to wait for him in the alley behind the distribution center before the bell rang again. I nodded, trying to hide the fact that it really hurt when he shut the door in my face without another word. I sighed deeply as I took Belle by the hand and lead her, the long way, around to the center.

 

Twenty minutes later Jesse was still not here and the bell would be ringing in about five minutes. Belle was playing with some pigeons around on the ground, looking for food. I was slumped against a wall; my hat pulled most of the way down over my eyes so that I could see her, and the legs of anyone else that happened by, yet they couldn’t tell if I was asleep or dead.

Just when I was about to get up and leave, Jesse came running down the alley, chest heaving, sweat pouring down his face. His butt hit the pavement and his back the wall at the same time as he came to a halt beside me. I glared at his bright red face, as he took deep, gasping breaths.

"We..we’s gu-gunna-a do-o it! Vel we-e’s gonna do it." he wheezed at me. I looked at him curiously, he sounded crazed,

"What are you talking about Jesse?"

"We’s gonna strike!" he cried in a whisper as if strike was the most important word in the world. I said nothing; I didn’t know what the hell a strike was or why it was so important. Yet while Jesse got up, scooped up Belle and started walking in to get his papers, he didn’t expand on what he meant. I figured it wasn’t going to really be as important as he made it out to be.

Bright sunlight awoke

Reviews

[Brette Medb]

I can see something really big happening here that Vel knows nothing about. If she thought her life had changed with Jet throwing her out it's sure as hell going to change with a strike. I have more respect for Jesse now, great chapter.

Brette

[Corey Lunare-]

"Damn me for cursing my lot in life when I'd been blessed with so much. I'd had a home, my beautiful healthy baby girl, a steady job; I had my eyesight and all my limbs and fingers."- This line struck me square in the chest. For someone with so little to be so thankful for what i take for granted is painful to think about...as fo the strike it is a great next mvement of your lot and i can onl imagine how this will end! I wanna see Vel beat Jet within an inch of her lifeto be quite honest. She's pissed me off past the point of forgiveness and i hope she dies and her corpse is eate by rats. Ahem...now that my fit of rage is over...lol. Great job as usual Dream!

Also thoughti ould add that i like this little 7 year old blink kid. sees he migh be organizing this entire thing and t such an age...he could be a gnious or a savant for all i know! Great job!