Post by Lovely on Feb 7, 2013 22:17:35 GMT -5
August 8, 2006
10:20pm
Bus station and vicinity of
The bus that had brought her here had departed hours ago, heading to it's next stop which was to the east, since she was heading west, she had gotten off in Denver. The girl didn't have much money, just what she'd been able to scrape together here and there. But the next bus to come through that she had enough for a ticket on was due to depart at 10pm.. the last bus out.. This had left the cute, peppy blonde girl with a couple hours to wait, maybe in a way it was a good thing.. everything would be alright, she told herself, she had made it this far and she would find a way to keep moving on.
It wasn't easy being fourteen.. no scratch that, fifteen and on your own in a 'big bad' world that mostly hated and or feared what you were. sometimes she forgot that her birthday had passed while she'd been on the road. She'd spent that day under a bridge, watching the rain pour down from dark clouds. Lucky for her, she was kinda petite and could curl herself up in small places, a knack that had saved her hide a few times. At first sleeping or hiding out under bridges and underpasses had been terrifying for her, but eventually she had gotten used to it.. Larger drain pipes, abandoned buildings, the occasional homeless shelter, alleys, even a dumpster once, and varried bus and train stations had been what she called 'home' since early spring of this year.
She'd been on her own since then, five months now, she had run away from home after finding out that she was a mutant. She'd seen the way her family and friends reacted and the how those who stuck by her were treated. She had experienced hate like she'd never seen before in her life. It was all so foriegn to the once sheltered girl, it had been so unreal watching how people changed around her. Sometimes she would think it had all been a nightmare, especially when she was in that semi asleep state just before waking up, when you don't know if you're dreaming anymore. Now and then she'd open her eyes expecting to be in her room at home, in her soft warm bed with it's light purple comforter. That was the part that was never real, she would always be in some different and often harsh place. It was always time to keep moving, it seemed, never more than a day or two in the same place. Wake up.. beg, hustle or if you were lucky enough find a kind person who was willing to offer a little help -either without expecting anything in return or in exchange for a little honest work. The days melted into the nights and it all seemed just a blur, or maybe that was the tears that threatened to spill over..
With a sigh Cherry leaned over the counter of the sink, a bus station bathroom.. another one.. where she'd washed her face, hands and as much of herself as she could manage. She brushed her teeth certain the next time would be the last she could squeeze from the small tube, her hair was dampened and brushed, she couldn't wash it tonight, but it had been washed a couple days ago so it wasn't too bad. What was bad is that she'd fallen asleep hidden down in a corner of a bench where no one would see her.. she'd missed her bus out and now she was stuck..
The lights went down and she knew they were closing up for the night, she had to hurry and get out of here before she got the cops called on her. Hurriedly she tossed her things back into her pack and booked it for the closest exit.. thankfully it hadn't been locked yet and the young girl spilled out onto the pavement, tripping herself and landing hard on her knees. "Shoot.." She cursed softly, brushing herself off and turning left down the dark street.. darn it a strange town and she had no idea where she was going.. nothing looked open...
"Hey, you alright?" The voice was coming toward her from a nearby doorway, rather she was heading closer to it. "Your knee looks pretty messed up. You lose your car or somethin'?" He didn't know how old she was, but she looked lost and not really old enough to have a car, but it was conversation. "I wouldn't go up that way if I was you... they don't like strangers any more than they like kids, especially this time of night." The form was smaller than the voice, belonging to a boy a little shorter than she was who stepped out to the sidewalk as she got closer. His hands stayed in his pockets while he leaned at the doorway and flipped a peppermint candy casually around between his teeth, seeming not too worried whether she kept right on walking, but concerned that she might not believe him. "Seriously... um.. you're not from around here are you? Cops out here don't like us walking around alone after dark... doesn't matter why, they think you're sellin'. You're not sellin' are you? Cuz... you know the only thing worse than the cops thinkin' that.. is bein' found by the ones who are sellin' and you're walking right into 'em if you go that way. C'mon. Where were you trying to get to?"
She looked around, startling at the voice and then the figure she caught sight of, shrouded in the darkened door way. "I.. wow.. didn't see you there.." She nervously licked her slightly pale lips and sized the boy up as he came into better view. He didn't look much older than herself and something about his face spoke of kindness and sincerity. Of course she was wary, she'd be a fool not to be cautious. For all Cherry knew he could be one of those he was warning her about and might be trying to trick her. Not that he'd get much by mugging her unless of course he wanted the fruity flavored lip gloss, or deodorant, and dental floss she'd shop-lifted from a drug store.. or if he was into girl's clothes -what little she had of it. And really if he wanted it that badly she'd just give it to him, she'd been very lucky in her time on her own.. she'd only been roughed up a few times.. and never so badly she'd been near death, which she'd seen happen. Her left arm was still in a brace -recovering from a fracture she'd suffered, but that had been the worst, bruises and minor cuts and scrapes.. Though she acted 'together' she was a little scared already, who was this guy and why would he just help her?
He came toward her and Cherry took a limping step back, feeling now the warmth of her pants sticking to her knee where it was bleeding. "Great.." She muttered looking down for a moment, then quickly swinging her eyes back up to the boy. "Um.. yeah.. lost my car.. it's a porche.. I'm sure I left it around here somewhere." She kidded a little sarcastically, her eyes darting back and forth between the boy and the surrounding area. "You know any safe places to go? Like where the cops aren't likely to find you and the.. sellers aren't going to bother you?"
"A porsche? You lie worse than I do," he said giving her a look that said he didn't believe her even if it was true. "Consider that one gone if you left it around here anyway. I wouldn't joke about sh*t like that around here, either... not unless you want your other arm broken or worse. It's pretty safe to stay on this side of the block here, though. If you go too much past that brick building up there or down that way... tough luck sister. No offense, but even the cops won't help you if you get yourself in it down there, you know? If you're looking for a place for the night... dunno... got a prime room right here if you want... kinda already taken, but there's room," he kindly offered, nodding to the doorway he'd been crouched in. It was out of the light enough and didn't stink like some doorways. "You got a name?"
"Most people have names.." She replied offhand, looking up the street where he'd pointed out the brick building not to go past. Cherry sighed, the options were few.. she didn't want to get her other arm broken or anything else. She'd almost gotten pulled in when she'd gone to the E.R. for her arm, kid her age and as cute as her.. all beat up and alone in the middle of the night.. yeah she'd been darn lucky to have slipped away after being patched up. "Kinda obvious, huh?" She lifted the fractured arm in gesture and sighed, eyeing the doorway he offered. "Won't the cops bust us for hanging out there late at night?"
He smiled a little more warmly. "Yeah, probably, but they'd just tell us to go home," he shrugged. He'd apparently been through this routine a few times. "So we just move a few blocks down for another hour or two, or until morning if we're lucky. Wait for the milk runs down the alley, have breakfast, then find an empty corner and a few kind hearts to weasel out of a buck or two, no sweat. You... um... don't look like you're used to doing this. Are you really lost?"
She looked at him like she didn't believe him for a minute, folding her 'braced' arm ofer her middle, her other hand coming up and a thumb hooking in the strap of her back pack. "I've been doing just fine by myself since March.. and I made it from Maine all over the place and now out here.. So.. don't go thinking I'm not used to anything.. just a different here, I guess. The cops will pick you up and haul you in.. they catch you out in some other places is all.." She shrugged, but straightened up a little as she spoke as if to show him she was 'tough enough' to have handled herself all this time.
"Okay, so you're right, they will," Sodapop nodded. "So you stay one step out of their way, stay outta other trouble and just do what you have to do. So, how'd you break your arm? You won't tell me your name, at least you can tell me a story, right? Have a seat anyway. If you have no place to go, you're not in a hurry to 'get there'," he shrugged, moving back to the shielding shadow in the doorway. Up to her if she joined him or not. He pulled a wrapped piece of candy out of his pocket and offered it to her. "I know, I know... candy from strangers, but look... if you haven't eaten today and you may not eat tomorrow, it's better than nothing."
Cherry limped to follow the guy into the door way and hunched down next to him, she winced and gave a small gasp at the pain in her busted open knee. She shook her head at the offer of the piece of candy and set her back pack between her feet, rummaging in it for a minute, looking for her little first aide kit, wasn't much but she'd shop lifted it too and her jeans were ripped enough to clean out her knee. She had a few pieces of food left and pulled a granola bar from her pack. "Here.. this will fill you up better." She offered with a soft smile. "I have an orange left too.. if you want to split it."
"You're kidding right?" He smiled brighter and his stomach growled at the thought of something more solid than sugar. He didn't argue about the offering and took it. "Although this just may kill me. You can keep the orange, really. You need it worse than me. Besides... orange... peppermint.. um, no, but thanks." The candy in his mouth suddenly cracked loudly, much louder than a normal crunch before he swallowed the pieces away and started on the granola bar. "Whoops, sorry. Hope that didn't startle you. I forget sometimes. Just a trick I picked up somewhere. Kinda echoes in here, though. Sodapop, by the way, or just Pop... like the candy just now," he shrugged. "So you gonna tell me yours, Maine?"
"Eh.. it's okay.. kinda get used to loud noises and surprises out on the road awhile.. that didn't hurt did it?" She asked him in a voice that was sounding less edgey and hard and begining to soften, relax and the natural sweetness of the girl starting to shine through. "yeah.. orange and peppermint.. kinda like toothpaste and.. maybe I'll wait on the orange myself. Don't worry about the granola bar, I have a couple left and I can get more tomorrow or something." She shrugged, easy going and not seeming too concerned about getting more. "So.. my arm.. yeah long story short.. it got broken... fractured.. isn't that pretty much the same thing?"
"Nah, it didn't hurt," he shook his head, eagerly mawing a large chunk of the granola bar. "Sometimes, though, if I don't pay attention like that, I can choke, kinda. Feels like somebody punched me in the gut, you know? Outta breath? It's weird. Thanks for this. It helps." He paused a moment to tuck the last bite in his mouth like a fat cigar while he twisted up the wrapper and tucked it in his pocket, having some manners at least not to litter. It was gone quickly enough and he looked out of their shaded doorway, turning her attention to a pair of men in dark clothes headed up the walkway toward them. "Aw, man. Hope that knee's good, We may hafta move afterall. Yeah... fracture, break, same thing. Tell me about in the morning." His own attention went back to his pockets for another candy that was quickly unwrapped and set in his teeth as he spoke around it. "Hope I don't have to use this. It's my last one."
"Great.." She muttered glancing to the men who were walking, she didn't look long, but took a quick inventory of them and scooted a little closer to the boy next to her. She hoped tht he was sincere and these men were not some part of a set up with him, three of them could easily take her. Two on tow might be a little more fair and better chances of getting away if something started.
The men didn't waste any time coming up closer to the pair in the doorway. They looked as though they wanted lunch money and then some, coming closer to the girl than him. "Hey, Maine, if you can run, now is a really good time. I'll catch up."
"Catch up to me where? She spoke softly, just behind his shoulder and close to his ear. "I don't know left from right here.. who knows where I'll end up." Her fingers gripped into the sleeve of his shirt as she watched the men coming closer.
He shivered from her voice being so close that it tickled. "Just go... around the block behind us, you know where I told you not to go? Just run... like now." He tried to insist and get her moving out of the doorway, hoping that the guys wouldn't split up and follow her too. Right - change in plan, run with her. "Just go!"
She nearly tripped as he urged her to run and was suddenly coming with her. "Woah.." She gasped, turning and running with him, her fingers slid to find his to lace into as she started to really run. She ignored the pain in her knee and just concentrated on keeping her legs pumping and not tripping over anything.
Pops was as fast a runner as he was a talker. The guys that were coming up on them came after them a block or two, but gave up. They 'd chased them off their turf at least, but now he and 'Maine' were headed toward the old railyards and construction fences that would be even less friendly. At least in Central Downtown, they could hope for a doorway, but down there they'd better keep moving or get another ride.
The bang of a dumpster lid was purposely loud to get the kid's attention. Randy was putting out the last of the 'night before', rattling another bag of broken bottles and wrangling them up to dump when he saw the kids running down his alley. It wasn't the first time Pops had been jogging for his health and probably wouldn't be the last. If the kid looked up, he'd see the man thumbing to the doorway he'd left propped open.
"Awesome. This way, c'mon!" Sodapop didn't explain. She probably saw the guy anyway. "Just a little bit more then we're golden. C'mon!"
Cherry was about to ask where they were going when Pops pulled her down an alley and the next thing she knew he was leading her through some door. "Hey.. where.. what.. " She was breathing hard from running so getting the questions out wasn't going to be easy anyway so she just let it drop for now. She really hoped Soda knew where he was going.
Introductions were short and sweet... Maine, Randy, Randy, Maine.... and Soda was giving the man the puppy-eyes treatment, hoping he wasn't going to give them mop duty tonight. He'd be happy to do it though if those guys didn't come back tonight.
Randy wasn't buying the girl's nickname , but let it slide. "Don't come between a woman and her secrets..." he warned with a strange smile before he ruffled the boy's dark hair and left the kids with a couple cokes and some pretzels at the bar. He pointed to the loft upstairs, free for the taking as long as they respected the space and Randy's hospitality. No signs left behind meant another "night at the inn" when he needed it.
Soda explained the rules of the house for Maine - simple enough, just make it look like you were never there and you could come be 'not there' any time you needed. Randy was cool that way and had covered him a couple times when he'd lifted a tee-shirt off a sports vendor and hotdogs from the corner guy with the cart. It was funny sometimes, the way Randy had with the police. He agreed they should probably stay the night, maybe another full day, but they'd need to leave and there was someplace she was trying to get to. A woman and her secrets, huh? Yeah, whatever... she'd have to tell him at least or she might not ever get there.
Cherry was doing her best to follow what was going on but was totally confused by the time Soda finished telling her whatever it was he'd been trying to explain. "Umm.. yeah.. I'm lost, but thanks for filling me in.. when I figure out what it is you're talking about, I'm sure I'll be grateful for the wisdom." She sipped at the cola and nibbled on a pretzel, glancing around nervously.
"Wisdom? Yeah, okay, I was just saying, he's a good guy. You can stop looking around now. He's closed up for the night and nobody else is coming in. Trust me, okay?" Soda flicked a piece of pretzel at her and chuckled. He took a sip of his coke and let it fizz and bubble around the pretzel in his mouth while he thought a moment. Once it dissolved away, he set his glass down. "So... we know you weren't looking for a Porsche, so what were you looking for? Or should I ask where you were headed when you got stranded by the last bus out? I kinda know the town and might know the place, or the person, or something."
She laughed and shook her head. "I was just looking for a place to sleep for the night. I missed the last bus out." She shrugged one slender shoulder and played with her straw, looking around again. She couldn't help it, it was habit -watch your own back cause no one else was going to. "I fell asleep waiting to catch the last bus.. woke up too late.. and so I'm stuck.." She shrugged again, reaching to pluck a pretzel out of the bowl.
"Yeah...okay," he nodded, his hand trying to pull on the invisible line attached to the rest of the story she wasn't telling. "Go on... So you have a place," he pointed to the back stairs and fished another pretzel, almost fishing her hand out of the bowl instead. He shrunk back a little. "Sorry. So where was the bus headed that you missed? I mean, chances are good that they won't take the 'I slept and missed it' at the transfer window without a heap of cash for a new ticket to get out of here, so yeah, maybe you are stuck. What are you going to do if you are?" He shrugged and broke the pretzel in half, nibbling on a corner of one of the pieces like a tough strip of jerky.
"Why do I get this feeling you don't believe me?" She laughed somewhat nervously and eyed Soda more closely as she nibbled on her own pretzels. "I actually don't know where the bus was heading.. west." She laughed again. "It's on my ticket and I know and I don't have money for another ticket.. so I'm totally screwed. I'm on the street and on foot until I can come up with some cash." She looked down and then up at him. "And NO I don't.. do anything that involves sex for money.. in any way.. I'm saying it now so there won't be any suggestions or ideas.. I've heard them before and no way.. uh uh.. " She held up her arm. "No way, even if it means getting my arm broken for not wanting to.." She was half explaining, half defending herself, still scared since there were now two guys and her and she'd heard about stuff like this happening to other girls. "I'm sorry.. you don't seem like you would.. but you can't be too sure.. learned that the hard way.." She apologized, reaching up to wipe her eyes and blink away the threat of tears. She took a deep breath and gave him a small smile.
"Jesus would you relax? Do I look like the kind of kid that should be a dad? I don't do that kinda sh*t." He knew what she meant, but he was insulted. He was just trying to help her out, not get anything out of it - not like that anyway. "You get the bed, I've got the floor, it's cool, okay? Go on up and check it out. Besides Randy's got kids I think, or did once or something.. he looks out for them. I told you, he's a good guy."
She flinched back from him as he got upset, dropping the pretzels she'd started to pick from the bowl. Cherry looked away from him, feeling the tears wetting her cheeks, she was such a baby! Hadn't she just said he didn't seem the type but she just had to say it.. you could never be sure, no matter how nice someone seemed. "I'm sorry." She mumbled, grabbing her bag off the stool next to her and heading back toward the door they'd come in through.
Randy had already locked up for the night and the back door they'd come through needed the key even from the inside or the alarm would ring. If she wanted out that bad... "Maine, hey... I'm sorry. Would you come back here? Please? I'm sorry, okay?" Get chased from doorways enough you forget how to be polite sometimes, don'tcha? He felt bad for getting mad at her, but he was still a kid himself and just didn't think that way. He had enough problems taking care of just himself. He went after her to keep her from breaking her arm all over again trying to bust her way out. "What's your real name, huh? Mine's really Soda... Sodapop... no joke. You ever read the Outsiders?"
Cherry ended up laughing even though she'd been crying and her cheeks were still wet when she turned around to face him. "Really?" She wiped one cheek with her hand. "That's funny.. mine's Cherry.. Cherry Winston.. it was a popular book."
"Randle.. that is weird," he winced, chuckling. "Real popular for giving kids dumb names, but I guess my mom loved it... more than she loved my dad. No idea what his name was. You gonna be okay Ma-... um.. it's really Cherry? That's just too weird." He pointed out the 'alarm' sign and started to walk back to the main room, waving her on to follow him back. On the way, he reached behind the bar, liberating a handful of wrapped candies from a bowl that was usually next to the register. He tucked most in his pocket, but unwrapped one. "Let me show you something cool."
"Yeah, it's really Cherry.. Cherry Fizz.. actually.. yeah my mom had finny ideas about names.. I have a sister named Pixy and a brother named Hershey..eh.." She cleared her throat softly, glanced at the alarm sign, sighed and followed him back into the main room. Her head tipped to the side a little and she watched him with the candy. "What are you going to do?"
10:20pm
Bus station and vicinity of
The bus that had brought her here had departed hours ago, heading to it's next stop which was to the east, since she was heading west, she had gotten off in Denver. The girl didn't have much money, just what she'd been able to scrape together here and there. But the next bus to come through that she had enough for a ticket on was due to depart at 10pm.. the last bus out.. This had left the cute, peppy blonde girl with a couple hours to wait, maybe in a way it was a good thing.. everything would be alright, she told herself, she had made it this far and she would find a way to keep moving on.
It wasn't easy being fourteen.. no scratch that, fifteen and on your own in a 'big bad' world that mostly hated and or feared what you were. sometimes she forgot that her birthday had passed while she'd been on the road. She'd spent that day under a bridge, watching the rain pour down from dark clouds. Lucky for her, she was kinda petite and could curl herself up in small places, a knack that had saved her hide a few times. At first sleeping or hiding out under bridges and underpasses had been terrifying for her, but eventually she had gotten used to it.. Larger drain pipes, abandoned buildings, the occasional homeless shelter, alleys, even a dumpster once, and varried bus and train stations had been what she called 'home' since early spring of this year.
She'd been on her own since then, five months now, she had run away from home after finding out that she was a mutant. She'd seen the way her family and friends reacted and the how those who stuck by her were treated. She had experienced hate like she'd never seen before in her life. It was all so foriegn to the once sheltered girl, it had been so unreal watching how people changed around her. Sometimes she would think it had all been a nightmare, especially when she was in that semi asleep state just before waking up, when you don't know if you're dreaming anymore. Now and then she'd open her eyes expecting to be in her room at home, in her soft warm bed with it's light purple comforter. That was the part that was never real, she would always be in some different and often harsh place. It was always time to keep moving, it seemed, never more than a day or two in the same place. Wake up.. beg, hustle or if you were lucky enough find a kind person who was willing to offer a little help -either without expecting anything in return or in exchange for a little honest work. The days melted into the nights and it all seemed just a blur, or maybe that was the tears that threatened to spill over..
With a sigh Cherry leaned over the counter of the sink, a bus station bathroom.. another one.. where she'd washed her face, hands and as much of herself as she could manage. She brushed her teeth certain the next time would be the last she could squeeze from the small tube, her hair was dampened and brushed, she couldn't wash it tonight, but it had been washed a couple days ago so it wasn't too bad. What was bad is that she'd fallen asleep hidden down in a corner of a bench where no one would see her.. she'd missed her bus out and now she was stuck..
The lights went down and she knew they were closing up for the night, she had to hurry and get out of here before she got the cops called on her. Hurriedly she tossed her things back into her pack and booked it for the closest exit.. thankfully it hadn't been locked yet and the young girl spilled out onto the pavement, tripping herself and landing hard on her knees. "Shoot.." She cursed softly, brushing herself off and turning left down the dark street.. darn it a strange town and she had no idea where she was going.. nothing looked open...
"Hey, you alright?" The voice was coming toward her from a nearby doorway, rather she was heading closer to it. "Your knee looks pretty messed up. You lose your car or somethin'?" He didn't know how old she was, but she looked lost and not really old enough to have a car, but it was conversation. "I wouldn't go up that way if I was you... they don't like strangers any more than they like kids, especially this time of night." The form was smaller than the voice, belonging to a boy a little shorter than she was who stepped out to the sidewalk as she got closer. His hands stayed in his pockets while he leaned at the doorway and flipped a peppermint candy casually around between his teeth, seeming not too worried whether she kept right on walking, but concerned that she might not believe him. "Seriously... um.. you're not from around here are you? Cops out here don't like us walking around alone after dark... doesn't matter why, they think you're sellin'. You're not sellin' are you? Cuz... you know the only thing worse than the cops thinkin' that.. is bein' found by the ones who are sellin' and you're walking right into 'em if you go that way. C'mon. Where were you trying to get to?"
She looked around, startling at the voice and then the figure she caught sight of, shrouded in the darkened door way. "I.. wow.. didn't see you there.." She nervously licked her slightly pale lips and sized the boy up as he came into better view. He didn't look much older than herself and something about his face spoke of kindness and sincerity. Of course she was wary, she'd be a fool not to be cautious. For all Cherry knew he could be one of those he was warning her about and might be trying to trick her. Not that he'd get much by mugging her unless of course he wanted the fruity flavored lip gloss, or deodorant, and dental floss she'd shop-lifted from a drug store.. or if he was into girl's clothes -what little she had of it. And really if he wanted it that badly she'd just give it to him, she'd been very lucky in her time on her own.. she'd only been roughed up a few times.. and never so badly she'd been near death, which she'd seen happen. Her left arm was still in a brace -recovering from a fracture she'd suffered, but that had been the worst, bruises and minor cuts and scrapes.. Though she acted 'together' she was a little scared already, who was this guy and why would he just help her?
He came toward her and Cherry took a limping step back, feeling now the warmth of her pants sticking to her knee where it was bleeding. "Great.." She muttered looking down for a moment, then quickly swinging her eyes back up to the boy. "Um.. yeah.. lost my car.. it's a porche.. I'm sure I left it around here somewhere." She kidded a little sarcastically, her eyes darting back and forth between the boy and the surrounding area. "You know any safe places to go? Like where the cops aren't likely to find you and the.. sellers aren't going to bother you?"
"A porsche? You lie worse than I do," he said giving her a look that said he didn't believe her even if it was true. "Consider that one gone if you left it around here anyway. I wouldn't joke about sh*t like that around here, either... not unless you want your other arm broken or worse. It's pretty safe to stay on this side of the block here, though. If you go too much past that brick building up there or down that way... tough luck sister. No offense, but even the cops won't help you if you get yourself in it down there, you know? If you're looking for a place for the night... dunno... got a prime room right here if you want... kinda already taken, but there's room," he kindly offered, nodding to the doorway he'd been crouched in. It was out of the light enough and didn't stink like some doorways. "You got a name?"
"Most people have names.." She replied offhand, looking up the street where he'd pointed out the brick building not to go past. Cherry sighed, the options were few.. she didn't want to get her other arm broken or anything else. She'd almost gotten pulled in when she'd gone to the E.R. for her arm, kid her age and as cute as her.. all beat up and alone in the middle of the night.. yeah she'd been darn lucky to have slipped away after being patched up. "Kinda obvious, huh?" She lifted the fractured arm in gesture and sighed, eyeing the doorway he offered. "Won't the cops bust us for hanging out there late at night?"
He smiled a little more warmly. "Yeah, probably, but they'd just tell us to go home," he shrugged. He'd apparently been through this routine a few times. "So we just move a few blocks down for another hour or two, or until morning if we're lucky. Wait for the milk runs down the alley, have breakfast, then find an empty corner and a few kind hearts to weasel out of a buck or two, no sweat. You... um... don't look like you're used to doing this. Are you really lost?"
She looked at him like she didn't believe him for a minute, folding her 'braced' arm ofer her middle, her other hand coming up and a thumb hooking in the strap of her back pack. "I've been doing just fine by myself since March.. and I made it from Maine all over the place and now out here.. So.. don't go thinking I'm not used to anything.. just a different here, I guess. The cops will pick you up and haul you in.. they catch you out in some other places is all.." She shrugged, but straightened up a little as she spoke as if to show him she was 'tough enough' to have handled herself all this time.
"Okay, so you're right, they will," Sodapop nodded. "So you stay one step out of their way, stay outta other trouble and just do what you have to do. So, how'd you break your arm? You won't tell me your name, at least you can tell me a story, right? Have a seat anyway. If you have no place to go, you're not in a hurry to 'get there'," he shrugged, moving back to the shielding shadow in the doorway. Up to her if she joined him or not. He pulled a wrapped piece of candy out of his pocket and offered it to her. "I know, I know... candy from strangers, but look... if you haven't eaten today and you may not eat tomorrow, it's better than nothing."
Cherry limped to follow the guy into the door way and hunched down next to him, she winced and gave a small gasp at the pain in her busted open knee. She shook her head at the offer of the piece of candy and set her back pack between her feet, rummaging in it for a minute, looking for her little first aide kit, wasn't much but she'd shop lifted it too and her jeans were ripped enough to clean out her knee. She had a few pieces of food left and pulled a granola bar from her pack. "Here.. this will fill you up better." She offered with a soft smile. "I have an orange left too.. if you want to split it."
"You're kidding right?" He smiled brighter and his stomach growled at the thought of something more solid than sugar. He didn't argue about the offering and took it. "Although this just may kill me. You can keep the orange, really. You need it worse than me. Besides... orange... peppermint.. um, no, but thanks." The candy in his mouth suddenly cracked loudly, much louder than a normal crunch before he swallowed the pieces away and started on the granola bar. "Whoops, sorry. Hope that didn't startle you. I forget sometimes. Just a trick I picked up somewhere. Kinda echoes in here, though. Sodapop, by the way, or just Pop... like the candy just now," he shrugged. "So you gonna tell me yours, Maine?"
"Eh.. it's okay.. kinda get used to loud noises and surprises out on the road awhile.. that didn't hurt did it?" She asked him in a voice that was sounding less edgey and hard and begining to soften, relax and the natural sweetness of the girl starting to shine through. "yeah.. orange and peppermint.. kinda like toothpaste and.. maybe I'll wait on the orange myself. Don't worry about the granola bar, I have a couple left and I can get more tomorrow or something." She shrugged, easy going and not seeming too concerned about getting more. "So.. my arm.. yeah long story short.. it got broken... fractured.. isn't that pretty much the same thing?"
"Nah, it didn't hurt," he shook his head, eagerly mawing a large chunk of the granola bar. "Sometimes, though, if I don't pay attention like that, I can choke, kinda. Feels like somebody punched me in the gut, you know? Outta breath? It's weird. Thanks for this. It helps." He paused a moment to tuck the last bite in his mouth like a fat cigar while he twisted up the wrapper and tucked it in his pocket, having some manners at least not to litter. It was gone quickly enough and he looked out of their shaded doorway, turning her attention to a pair of men in dark clothes headed up the walkway toward them. "Aw, man. Hope that knee's good, We may hafta move afterall. Yeah... fracture, break, same thing. Tell me about in the morning." His own attention went back to his pockets for another candy that was quickly unwrapped and set in his teeth as he spoke around it. "Hope I don't have to use this. It's my last one."
"Great.." She muttered glancing to the men who were walking, she didn't look long, but took a quick inventory of them and scooted a little closer to the boy next to her. She hoped tht he was sincere and these men were not some part of a set up with him, three of them could easily take her. Two on tow might be a little more fair and better chances of getting away if something started.
The men didn't waste any time coming up closer to the pair in the doorway. They looked as though they wanted lunch money and then some, coming closer to the girl than him. "Hey, Maine, if you can run, now is a really good time. I'll catch up."
"Catch up to me where? She spoke softly, just behind his shoulder and close to his ear. "I don't know left from right here.. who knows where I'll end up." Her fingers gripped into the sleeve of his shirt as she watched the men coming closer.
He shivered from her voice being so close that it tickled. "Just go... around the block behind us, you know where I told you not to go? Just run... like now." He tried to insist and get her moving out of the doorway, hoping that the guys wouldn't split up and follow her too. Right - change in plan, run with her. "Just go!"
She nearly tripped as he urged her to run and was suddenly coming with her. "Woah.." She gasped, turning and running with him, her fingers slid to find his to lace into as she started to really run. She ignored the pain in her knee and just concentrated on keeping her legs pumping and not tripping over anything.
Pops was as fast a runner as he was a talker. The guys that were coming up on them came after them a block or two, but gave up. They 'd chased them off their turf at least, but now he and 'Maine' were headed toward the old railyards and construction fences that would be even less friendly. At least in Central Downtown, they could hope for a doorway, but down there they'd better keep moving or get another ride.
The bang of a dumpster lid was purposely loud to get the kid's attention. Randy was putting out the last of the 'night before', rattling another bag of broken bottles and wrangling them up to dump when he saw the kids running down his alley. It wasn't the first time Pops had been jogging for his health and probably wouldn't be the last. If the kid looked up, he'd see the man thumbing to the doorway he'd left propped open.
"Awesome. This way, c'mon!" Sodapop didn't explain. She probably saw the guy anyway. "Just a little bit more then we're golden. C'mon!"
Cherry was about to ask where they were going when Pops pulled her down an alley and the next thing she knew he was leading her through some door. "Hey.. where.. what.. " She was breathing hard from running so getting the questions out wasn't going to be easy anyway so she just let it drop for now. She really hoped Soda knew where he was going.
Introductions were short and sweet... Maine, Randy, Randy, Maine.... and Soda was giving the man the puppy-eyes treatment, hoping he wasn't going to give them mop duty tonight. He'd be happy to do it though if those guys didn't come back tonight.
Randy wasn't buying the girl's nickname , but let it slide. "Don't come between a woman and her secrets..." he warned with a strange smile before he ruffled the boy's dark hair and left the kids with a couple cokes and some pretzels at the bar. He pointed to the loft upstairs, free for the taking as long as they respected the space and Randy's hospitality. No signs left behind meant another "night at the inn" when he needed it.
Soda explained the rules of the house for Maine - simple enough, just make it look like you were never there and you could come be 'not there' any time you needed. Randy was cool that way and had covered him a couple times when he'd lifted a tee-shirt off a sports vendor and hotdogs from the corner guy with the cart. It was funny sometimes, the way Randy had with the police. He agreed they should probably stay the night, maybe another full day, but they'd need to leave and there was someplace she was trying to get to. A woman and her secrets, huh? Yeah, whatever... she'd have to tell him at least or she might not ever get there.
Cherry was doing her best to follow what was going on but was totally confused by the time Soda finished telling her whatever it was he'd been trying to explain. "Umm.. yeah.. I'm lost, but thanks for filling me in.. when I figure out what it is you're talking about, I'm sure I'll be grateful for the wisdom." She sipped at the cola and nibbled on a pretzel, glancing around nervously.
"Wisdom? Yeah, okay, I was just saying, he's a good guy. You can stop looking around now. He's closed up for the night and nobody else is coming in. Trust me, okay?" Soda flicked a piece of pretzel at her and chuckled. He took a sip of his coke and let it fizz and bubble around the pretzel in his mouth while he thought a moment. Once it dissolved away, he set his glass down. "So... we know you weren't looking for a Porsche, so what were you looking for? Or should I ask where you were headed when you got stranded by the last bus out? I kinda know the town and might know the place, or the person, or something."
She laughed and shook her head. "I was just looking for a place to sleep for the night. I missed the last bus out." She shrugged one slender shoulder and played with her straw, looking around again. She couldn't help it, it was habit -watch your own back cause no one else was going to. "I fell asleep waiting to catch the last bus.. woke up too late.. and so I'm stuck.." She shrugged again, reaching to pluck a pretzel out of the bowl.
"Yeah...okay," he nodded, his hand trying to pull on the invisible line attached to the rest of the story she wasn't telling. "Go on... So you have a place," he pointed to the back stairs and fished another pretzel, almost fishing her hand out of the bowl instead. He shrunk back a little. "Sorry. So where was the bus headed that you missed? I mean, chances are good that they won't take the 'I slept and missed it' at the transfer window without a heap of cash for a new ticket to get out of here, so yeah, maybe you are stuck. What are you going to do if you are?" He shrugged and broke the pretzel in half, nibbling on a corner of one of the pieces like a tough strip of jerky.
"Why do I get this feeling you don't believe me?" She laughed somewhat nervously and eyed Soda more closely as she nibbled on her own pretzels. "I actually don't know where the bus was heading.. west." She laughed again. "It's on my ticket and I know and I don't have money for another ticket.. so I'm totally screwed. I'm on the street and on foot until I can come up with some cash." She looked down and then up at him. "And NO I don't.. do anything that involves sex for money.. in any way.. I'm saying it now so there won't be any suggestions or ideas.. I've heard them before and no way.. uh uh.. " She held up her arm. "No way, even if it means getting my arm broken for not wanting to.." She was half explaining, half defending herself, still scared since there were now two guys and her and she'd heard about stuff like this happening to other girls. "I'm sorry.. you don't seem like you would.. but you can't be too sure.. learned that the hard way.." She apologized, reaching up to wipe her eyes and blink away the threat of tears. She took a deep breath and gave him a small smile.
"Jesus would you relax? Do I look like the kind of kid that should be a dad? I don't do that kinda sh*t." He knew what she meant, but he was insulted. He was just trying to help her out, not get anything out of it - not like that anyway. "You get the bed, I've got the floor, it's cool, okay? Go on up and check it out. Besides Randy's got kids I think, or did once or something.. he looks out for them. I told you, he's a good guy."
She flinched back from him as he got upset, dropping the pretzels she'd started to pick from the bowl. Cherry looked away from him, feeling the tears wetting her cheeks, she was such a baby! Hadn't she just said he didn't seem the type but she just had to say it.. you could never be sure, no matter how nice someone seemed. "I'm sorry." She mumbled, grabbing her bag off the stool next to her and heading back toward the door they'd come in through.
Randy had already locked up for the night and the back door they'd come through needed the key even from the inside or the alarm would ring. If she wanted out that bad... "Maine, hey... I'm sorry. Would you come back here? Please? I'm sorry, okay?" Get chased from doorways enough you forget how to be polite sometimes, don'tcha? He felt bad for getting mad at her, but he was still a kid himself and just didn't think that way. He had enough problems taking care of just himself. He went after her to keep her from breaking her arm all over again trying to bust her way out. "What's your real name, huh? Mine's really Soda... Sodapop... no joke. You ever read the Outsiders?"
Cherry ended up laughing even though she'd been crying and her cheeks were still wet when she turned around to face him. "Really?" She wiped one cheek with her hand. "That's funny.. mine's Cherry.. Cherry Winston.. it was a popular book."
"Randle.. that is weird," he winced, chuckling. "Real popular for giving kids dumb names, but I guess my mom loved it... more than she loved my dad. No idea what his name was. You gonna be okay Ma-... um.. it's really Cherry? That's just too weird." He pointed out the 'alarm' sign and started to walk back to the main room, waving her on to follow him back. On the way, he reached behind the bar, liberating a handful of wrapped candies from a bowl that was usually next to the register. He tucked most in his pocket, but unwrapped one. "Let me show you something cool."
"Yeah, it's really Cherry.. Cherry Fizz.. actually.. yeah my mom had finny ideas about names.. I have a sister named Pixy and a brother named Hershey..eh.." She cleared her throat softly, glanced at the alarm sign, sighed and followed him back into the main room. Her head tipped to the side a little and she watched him with the candy. "What are you going to do?"