Two.
Finally, slowly, the sobs began to subside and the pain in her heart also let up a little.
She rubbed her eyes, but as soon as she'd lowered her hand more tears took the place of the ones she'd wiped away. She rubbed furiously at her eyes until they stung. She grabbed the hem of her apron and bunched it up, burying her face into the linen. She waited for the tears to stop fully and for the hiccups and sobs to get under her control again.
Alice then lifted her head from the now crumpled and dampened apron. She hurt all over, her thoat and chest was sore, her eyes raw and her head was pounding. She was getting a cramp in her back, and her legs were going numb from having sat there unmoving for so long.
Placing her hands on the cold stone ground, she pushed herself up off the cobblestone floor. Standing awkwardly, she took a moment to keep her balance before starting on her way again.
The evening was growing late and she had to eat and get some rest. There was so much she had to do. Like the orphans, the other patients of Dr. Bumby... what could she do for them?... Should she even try to do anything for them? Would they do the same in her situation...? or leave this place and forget everything. Just... just pretend it never happened...?
'No.. I can't just pretend it never happened and by rights, I can't just leave the others end up how the Doctor intended. On the streets begging for scraps, selling themselves into slavery and prostitution. No, I don't want that and I can't let them fall to that. Not after beating Dr. Bumby. That'd be letting him win, by essentially continuing his work in ruining peoples lives.
Stumbling down the street, she was nearing the orphanage formerly run by Dr. Bumby.
She was begining to feel rather dizzy. "Ohh.. all that crying did me no good" Her stomach growled loudly, hunger pains wretched her insides. Alice threw a hand over her tummy, maybe hoping to stave off the hunger or the noise, or perhaps both.
Her head was overloaded. She was on her last ounce of energy. "I must get to the Orphanage. I need to lie down, before I fall-" she stumbled, something caught her foot and she fell to the ground with a hard thump. She groaned, her energy sapping more and more. With an effort she pushed herself up with one hand and turned to get a looked at what had tripped her up. A loose cobblestone had trapped her foot. Alice pulled up her foot, fully dislodging the cobblestone from the ground and gave it a frustrated kick. It skidded away from her. She rose and started walking only to fall again, this time she'd forgotten to put her foot out far enough in front of her. Just before she hit the stone ground again, a hand grabbed her arm firmly. Alice whipped her eyes to the person who'd caught her.
'Nan-'
'Dont you "nan" me! What do think you're doin' girl?! Out here drunk off yer' head! I hope yer' not trying to take after that drunken old fool, Pris! Are you? Put yerself in real danger here, Alice! I thought you knew better! Do you know how late in the evening its gettin'? Yes, just about the right time for perverts and creepers prowlin' for inocent and vulnerable girls, like yerself!-' Alice tried to pull away and make a smart sounding come back about how of coarse she knew better! But she lost her footing again, making the pull weak and girlish. She felt like a stroppy teenager with no sense. It didn't matter, Nan Sharpe had a good grip on her.
'Nan, I am not drunk! I do know better, I.. I'm just a little ... tired' her eyes were drooping even as she spoke, her words had slowed considerably. She didn't sound believable at all..
"Even I'd think I was drunk.."
'Yeah yeah, girl. Never mind, let's just get you back to old Bumbys' place. Come on deary, put one arm over me. That's one step at a time.'
'I don't need you to baby me, Nan. I'm most certainly not becoming a drunkard like Pris. I just need to rest.'
'Oh calm yerself, Alice. Accept a helpful hand when it's offered once in a while will yeh!'
that silenced Alice for a moment.
At first it was bitter silence, "I would if anyone who didn't have the notion to use me, offered to help. But... then again I probably wouldn't trust them anyway. People only look out for themselves."
Nan sharpe noticed the tension in the silence. 'Ah I'm sorry m'dear. I know it hasn't exactly been easy for you to trust anyone, between being thrown about, being used by people for their own selfish gains and whatnot. But I just mean, I want you to be safe.'
'I know Nan.' Alices' cold tone softened. 'I know.'
They lapsed into silence again as Nan Sharpe helped Alice along. They reached Houseditch got up the step and through the wide, tall doors without any furthur conversation. It wasn't awkward or bitter this time, just silence.
'Oi look! It's Miss nuh'er!' a child voice called out when they entered the building. A weedy, ruddy-faced boy, no older then eight was standing at the door.
'Bugger off with yeh, little scalliwag!' Nan ordered. But the boy just spitefully stuck his tongue out at Nan Sharpe.
'I don't have to take orders from a fat old slapper like YOU!'
'Oi! Watch yer mouth, boy, or so help me! Now piss off!'
'YOU piss off! I can say what I like! No one tells me what to do! Old bag-'
'JONATHAN!' The boy jumped at the sudden shout over his and Nans spat. It had come from behind him, to the left and down the hall. There was a fast paced sound of hard heels clacking off the floor boards, growing louder as they approahed the boy. The boy stood there staring dumbly at the on-comer.
'WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT OF BED?! GET BACK TO YOUR ROOM RIGHT NOW!'
Alices' head was killing her as it was, but it pounded even more at the familiar shrill shouting of Nurse Strident. She sighed and groaned irritably.
The nurse appeared at the door behind the boy, roughly grabbing hold of his arm. 'This is the last I let you off so easily-' it was just then that she caught sight of the two standing a few feet away from the doorway that the boy stood before. She straightened, a cold look crossed her pointed stern features as she scrutinised Nan Sharpe and the figure half leaning on her shoulder. Nurse Strident was a very thin and tall woman, often known by the children as the Skeletricks. A skeletal woman who was full of tricks. And not any particular nice tricks either.
'Who are you?' she asked coldly, looking distastfully down her nose at Nan sharpe and her revealing clothes. It was quite obvious that Nan was a prostitute, and this bothered Nurse Strident. A lot.
'I'm helpin' this one to her room. Found her out and about on the street, she looked a bit tired so I'm makin' sure she gets some'ing to eat and then to sleep.' Nan said standing straight and, though a full head shorter then the nurse, stood tall meeting the nurses' cold eyes. Alice raised her head groggily to see the two head-strong women have their staring match.
'Oh really. And why would a whore care to do such a thing?'
'Yeah! She IS a whore aint she!' the ratty looking boy perked up.
'JONANTHAN!' Nurse Strident whipped her head round realising he was still there, and then icily, 'To bed with you..'
The boy complied, nodding his head vigorously and then scuttling off to the boys dorm.
'Nurse Strident, this is Nan Sharpe. She was just helping me to my room.' Alice explained barely holding back the tired irritation in her voice. 'She'll be gone as soon as I've gotten to my room.' She met the icy glare of the nurse.
Nurse Strident then turned to Nan. 'Right then get her to bed. But only that, then I want you out imediately, wench!' With a sneer the nurse turned and started to shout at a few more children, chastising them to their correct dorms.
Alice and Nan let out exasperated sighs in unison. 'Good lord, what a pain in the arse, that one!'
Nan looked at Alice. 'Oh dear, yer lookin' worse by the minute. Come on dear.' With that Nan led Alice to her room and layed her on her bed. Alice pulled the scrawny blanket over her. Her stomach growled.
'When was the last time you ate?' Nan asked standing over her hands on hips.
Alice huffed, 'Uhh, don't remember. I'll go to the lunch cafeteria in a bit and get some bread or something.'
'Like arse, you will. Wait here, hun, I'll go grab something.' Nan turned and made for the door.
'But you don't even know where-' but she'd already disappeared from the room. Alice lay there completely sapped of her energy. "Silly old bat. Though I suppose now that I think of it, I think the last time I ate was yesterday mornings' breakfast. No wonder I lost my energy so fast. How stupid, Alice! But then, it wasn't exactly within my control. After all thats happened." She turned over on her side, facing the door. "Shes probably gotten herself lost, the fool. I would have been fine. I wouldn't have minded waiting for tomorrows breakfast in the cafeteria."
Alice lay there still fully clothed in her bed with only her shoes taken off and throwm onto the ground, stomach growling and aching from the hunger pains. Her whole body started to ache from tiredness that came over her. She was emotionally drained.
She was just begining to drift into a deep sleep when Nan returned with two chunks of buttered breadin one hand and a wooden beaker of milk in the other.
Alices' brow creased in confusion, eyes almost widened enough to show her shock.
'Nan! How...? How did you know where... Is- is that.. butter? Where... They don't give us butter... or milk for that matter! Where did you get that?!'
'Sh sh! Never mind that girlie. Here eat that down. Not too fast mind, don't want you gettin sick either.'Alice tentatively took one of the bread slices and bit into it. Nan placed the wooden beaker of milk on the small bedside table next to Alices' bed.
'Nan... really, how did you-'
'I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Got into the staff kitchens. Nicked some butter and milk. Not enough to be missed, so don't you be worryin' ' Nan winked, a proud smile on her face as she pulled up the small chair placed beside the old wardrobe, and sat down next to the bed.
"Most likely exacting some revenge against Nurse Strident..." Alice thanked her though, Nan was the only person in this rut of a place that cared any bit for her. She ate her buttered crusty-bread, relishing the taste of proper butter, and gulped down the milk. Her mood had lightened considerably after this. Nan ate the other slice of bread.
'well then' Nan said, brushing crumbs off her hands. 'I'd better get going before it gets too late. Jack'll be missin' me...'
'Nan!' Alice suddenly sat up, she wanted to tell Nan about Dr. Bumby. The words were all there... but she stopped herself. Should she tell her about Bumby? About all he'd done? Or more importantly about his untimely death?
Would Nan support her or send her straight off to the Asylum with the London police toeing her along.
'What is it hun?'
'Uhh... ' No it was mad. Stupid even, to think that Nan sharpe would or even could support on this. She was on her own and Nan had her own problems to be dealing with anyhow.
'Dr. Bumby is dead. I killed him...'
