"I want mamma!"
The little girl whimpered softly into her brother's neck. He cradled her in his lap with some difficulty, not being much bigger than she was himself.
"I know, Lacy." His gentle voice soothed. "I miss 'er too." He pulled his dirty fingers through her curls.
"I hate it here Francie. When are we goin' home?"
Her brother sighed as though weary of the much-discussed topic.
"We ain't goin' home-'membah? But we ain't stayin' 'ere eidduh. I'll get us out soon- I promise." He rested his check on the top of her head. "Ya' trust me don' cha'?"
Her curls bounced as her head bobbed vigorously up and down.
"Course I do." They were silent for a while and he assumed that she had finally fallen asleep. He felt a little guilty for sneaking into her room and keeping her up anyway. He was just shifting out from under her when her voice sounded again.
"Will ya' sing ta' me, Francie?"
"No. It's time ta' sleep, Lacey. It's real late." He replied.
"Please?" She twisted to look up at him with big brown eyes. He returned her gaze briefly with brown puppy dog eyes of his own before looking away with a compliant sigh. He began to rock them back and forth slowly, taking a deep breath.
Dey say it's not enough
But don' tell us we can't make it
'Ey we'll jus' toughen up
We'll show 'em we kin take it
I know we ain't got much
But all we need's eachuddah
Come on, lighten up
Ya' kin' count on yer big bruddah
The stars kin fall down from dere perch in da' sky
Da' mountains kin crumble
Pigs- goil, dey kin fly
De' oceans dry up, dere's no woild left ta' see
But nothin' won' evah
Come between you 'n me
Her lids drooped sleepily now and he patted her back as he laid her down in her bed.
"Ya' jist wait. Francis 'ill take care 'a everyt'ing." He whispered.
The setting changes suddenly, flashing to Lacey and her brother Francis outside in the street:
Lacey struggled against an older woman who held her firmly in her arms and whispered consoling things in her ear. She reached frantically for her brother who also resisted the arms of an older man.
"Francie!" She howled.
"Is' okay Lace! You'll be fine, 'kay? I swear it!" He yelled to her over her sobs as they were pulled further apart.
"I love ya'!" He called. And then he was gone.
* * *
"Sulk. Hey, Sulk, wake up." Luke's hands firmly grasped her shoulders as he shook her awake. Sulk opened her eyes to find him perched on the edge of her bed with Quarters leaning in behind him. She scowled- one of many looks that had granted her the nickname.
"Ya' okay?" Luke asked quietly, fully aware that she didn't particularly love the attention she'd called to herself. She nodded in response, refusing to cry in front of her boys- even if it was just two of them.
"I'm sorry I woke you up. Again." She managed when she had gained control of the quake in her voice. Quarters grinned at her good-naturedly, blue eyes shinning out from beneath a mop of blonde hair.
"It's okay. But if I'm grouchy in the morning… well, It'll be on your head." He bent around Luke and patted her arm. "See ya' in the mornin'"
Luke waited until he was gone to pull her into a brotherly bear hug.
"Get some sleep, Squirt, there's nothin' ta' squirm about- you know you're safe with us."
Sulk forced a sorry excuse for a smile and nodded her agreement. The Brooklyn lodging house was a very safe place indeed- just so long as you were on good terms with its inhabitants. Luke shot her one last reassuring look before following Quarters out and shutting the door behind him. After being sure that he was really gone, she reached into her pillow case and gingerly pulled out an old photo. It was of she and her older brother, Francis, taken years earlier when they were both still at the orphanage. His beaming face blurred as the tears that wanted so badly to drip down her cheeks did so. Sulk rolled over and buried her face in her pillow, sliding the picture away again. After a moment the mattress sunk as someone sat down. She turned swiftly, rubbing at the tears in her eyes, to find Spot beside her. She'd forgotten all about him. As if that was in any way possible. He studied her from behind thoughtful, stormy blue eyes.
"Da' dream?" his deep voice was startlingly jarring in the silence.
"Again." She confirmed. Spot raise a calloused hand to swipe some moisture from her cheek. He looked down at his fingers quizzically.
"I know what you're thinking, but I'm not crying. Honest." She protested softly, knowing that he knew; knowing that he knew everything. A smile played at the corners of his mouth.
"I kin see dat." He chuckled, and then laughed harder when he looked back up at her.
"What?" came her very self-conscious reply. He didn't answer, only pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the smudged newspaper ink from where his fingers had left it on her cheek. Sulk laughed a little upon seeing it.
"Don't you ever wash your hands?" She joked, smiling up at him. He returned her grin but didn't respond, allowing the silence to answer her question. They grew quiet again and Sulk looked up at him earnestly.
"I'm sorry I woke you." He shook his head slightly.
"I was up."
"Up? As in already awake?" she asked in surprise. "What time is it, Spot?" He rose from her side and took a step back.
"Late." Was all he said, fixing her with a look.
"How late?" she persisted, completely ignoring his warning.
"G'night, Angel." Spot said, leaning back in to brush his lips across her forehead. She sighed and looked back up at him.
" G'night, Spot." He padded noiselessly from the room, going to do who knew what at that ungodly hour. Sulk just watched him go, having learned better than to question her leader's ways. She settled back and snuggled down under her blanket. The thought that she'd have to be up in a few hours to sell was a bitter one, but she pushed it from her mind, instead focusing on getting back to sleep. She giggled at herself, counting newspapers in her mind instead of sheep. But it worked. She was already asleep when Spot came back to bed a few minutes later.
* * *
When Luke came in to wake Sulk up the next morning, Spot promptly made for the door.
"What?" Luke laughed softly, noticing his withdrawal.
"I'm not in da' mood ta' listen ta' da' two a' youse goin' at it dis' moinin'." He replied without turning. Luke laughed again and twisted back to where Sulk lay sprawled over the bed. He shook her arm, not roughly but with the force he knew was required to produce any sort of arousal.
"C'mon. It's sellin' time!" He said loudly, with mock enthusiasm. She groaned and rolled over obstinately, covering her head with the pillow. Luke pulled it easily from her tired hands and proceeded to beat her with it, all the while cackling maniacally while Sulk shouted at him to cut it out. Downstairs, Spot shook his head. Even out of the room he could hear their banter.
"C'mon Sulk! You do this every mornin'! Just get up!" Luke begged. She responded by elbowing his chest when he leaned across her to see her face.
He cursed.
"Get up!" he ordered for the last time, and wretched the sheets from her when she made no move to do so.
"Luke!" she squealed and shoved him away when he blew his morning breath in her face. He took that as his cue to leave and made a speedy retreat, closing the door behind him just in time to avoid being clobbered by Sulk's boot. She sat slouched on the bed, glaring at various objects around the room for existing, before finally stretching and wearily rubbing at her sleep-deprived eyes. Only after she retrieved her thrown boot and pulled in on did she realize that it would be nice to put some pants on first. There was some thudding as she slammed things around the trunk she shared with Spot. In the end she rolled the sleeves on a teal shirt and donned it over her brown camisole, leaving purple suspenders hanging at her sides. They fastened securely onto brown cut-offs, once belonging to Spot. She yawned as she walked into the washroom, braiding her hair as she did so.
"Heya' cuddles! Ya' lookin' mighty chipper dis' moinin'!" called Sprints from somewhere across the room.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," She scoffed, "Whatever you say."
Water splashed into the sink and she scrubbed her face with it despite its temperature. When she found no towel in the immediate area, she called out routinely and someone chucked one in her direction. Pointer sauntered up and leaned on the counter beside her, brushing his auburn hair from his face. He looked at her with amber eyes.
"Ya' wanna' sell wid' me ta'day?" He asked.
Sulk nodded and began walking towards the door.
"Yeah, sure, Points. Let's go."
He followed her down the stairs and outside where they began making their way to the distribution center.
"Ya' t'ink dere 'ill be a good 'eadline ta'day?"