The rain clattering against the sturdy brick buildings and the cobblestones in the road that had been there for ages. He had been there for ages. The rain rumbling against the rubbish bins and the dark rolling clouds making the streets of London even darker in the black pitch of night. He was rubbish, he had been told before. The air was filled with warm humid scent of the rain with the dirt, grime, and filth of the London streets. The only taste in his mouth was the taste of sweet rain and the taste of bitter dissatisfaction. Who was He? It had troubled him for practically forever. He had no name, no family, no future, no heart. He was pure and coursing anger.
"Harry?" he heard a young girl's voice call. Harry, he repeated in his head. The name he had been deemed by the closest thing he had ever had to a father. He said He'd come back. That's what they've all said, a voice told him in his head. They always said that they would come back and he'd have a proper family. They Never Did. He was alone in the world, no one to care for, no one to care for him.
"Harry, Where are you?" the voice sounded again. Except her. She was like an unwanted puppy. She'd just follow someone around until they accepted her as a usual occurrence. There was a bang of thunder and a close flash of lighting. He heard a little scream and a whimper. He was the closest thing she had ever had to a friend. Maybe he did have a heart, it just took the right person to find it.
"Harry? Where are you?" she called to him again and added as a quiet afterthought, "I'm scared." Aren't we all? He thought as he arose to find the source of the voice.
There was a succession of loud crashes and bright lightening flashes followed by a loud scream. It seemed as if the night was reflecting the torrent of emotions that lived constantly in side of him. He wandered into the old abandoned warehouse that they called home for the moment to find the little voice that was hopelessly searching for him.
Another crash, another burst, another scream. He turned a corner around a column and found a small curly-brown-haired bundle shaking and silently crying in a corner. He stepped over to her and sat down next to her.
Another thunder, flash of light, and a little scream as little arms were thrown around him. "I'm scared, Harry." She said into the side his jacket. He put an arm around her and gave her a caring squeeze. "I know, Kid. I know. I'm scared too." He said quietly. She snuggled up next to him, "You can be scared, Harry. You're the bravest person I know." She said quietly, "Braver than Humphrey Bogart and Claude Rains put together." He smiled to himself, "You know, Kid, even they get scared." He said.
There was another crash of lighting and thunder and she huddled up next to him. "Why are they so angry, Harry?" she asked with her face buried in safe and warm brown jacket. He thought for a moment, "I think it's because they're scared. I think that they decide instead of showing how terribly scared they are; they get angry and decide they don't need anyone else to help them along." He said with a sigh, " So they scream and shout and throw things to prove to themselves that they don't need anyone, when all they really need is a friend."
She laid down her head on his thigh and said in sleepy voice, "I'll be their friend, Harry." He looked down for a long moment, then leaned down to whisper in her ear, "You already are." At that moment he temporarily let go of his anger, his hate, his loneliness, for just a moment and used the emotional impulse that most people call their hearts and he began to sing. It was a song he didn't know he'd learned. It was a song he didn't even think he'd heard before. It just seemed to be purely … him.
Of all the money that ere I had, I spent it in good company.And of all the harm that ere I've done, alas was done to none but me.And all I've done for want of wit, to memory now I cannot recall.So fill me to the parting glass. Goodnight and joy be with you all.
Of all the comrades that ere I had, they're sorry for my going away, And of all the sweethearts that ere I had , they wish me one more day to stay,But since it falls unto my lot that I should rise while you should not, I will gently rise and I'll softly call, "Goodnight and joy be with you all!"
Oh, if I had money enough to spend and leisure time to sit awhile There is a fair maid in this town that sorely has my heart beguiled Her rosey cheeks and ruby lips, she alone has my heart in thrall.So fill me to the parting glass. Goodnight and joy be with you all.
"That was pretty, Harry." she said sleepily. The rain had slowed to a drizzle and sleep came itching at his eyes.
"Harry?" she asked, "Are you my friend?" He smiled lightly, "Yes, Darling, I'm your friend." he said in a whisper. She turned her head to look up into his eyes, "And you'll never leave me, right, Harry?" she said with the question sparkling in her innocent green-gray eyes.
"No, Christabelle. I'll never leave you." She snuggled in close to him again, "I knew I could trust you." she said with a yawn, "Goodnight, Sam Spade." He closed his eyes with a smile and said, "Here's looking at you, Kid." As he faded off to dreamland of brave detectives and thrilling mystery.