CHAPTER 13

PM and review; I'm curious how you guys like this story. Also, this one seems a bit shorter, but I've already written chapter 14, just editing

Frau turned to Sarah, the rest of the story was hers to tell. Still leaning against the wall, Sarah sighed

"I heard the officers apprehend Frau; I remember crying as I crawled all the way to the roof through the vents. My knees and elbows were completely torn, but I made it. I could smell that the building was on fire, and I could see them taking you away. There were old cables running from the building to the next, and I was just light enough that when I crawled across it, they didn't snap.

``I sat on that roof for hours just staring at the blaze in the building we had just been in, unable to move. When I was finally calm, I went back to the warehouse. I didn't have any possessions to look for, but I had to see what was left. It was almost completely gone; the only thing remaining was a few sheets of scorched metal. There was no one around, no kids, no officers. I had nowhere else to go; the only two homes I had ever known were burnt to the ground in a matter of hours."

"It was so lonely… Frau had been taken away, all my friends were dead, and I was covered in ash. I couldn't take a chance walking around the streets like that, so when it was dark enough I broke into an old woman's house that had always been nice to me when I begged for food; all the lights were off so I assumed she had gone to bed early. But unfortunately, she came through the backdoor just as I was washing the last of the soot from my hair. She beat me pretty good until she recognised me. After that, I don't know if she was trying to make up for hitting me, or if she really liked me… but she cleaned and fed me, and let me stay in her house. Her name was Nit, and I think she would have let me stay there indefinitely. But it only took a few days until I became anxious. ``

``I was not her blood relative, and couldn't give her anything for rent or food. I could never pay her back for the hospitality that she showed me, but I didn't want to burden her any longer. So I left to go back onto the streets. I didn't tell Nit, but she knew. I left during the day, and just didn't come back. By that time, the subjugation of street kids was slowing down and it was relatively safe to live on the streets again.``

"So it was almost a year after my time with Nit, and I was firmly back in my niche on the streets. I was sleeping in an alley when I felt someone very close to me… I almost broke Frau`s knees when I attacked him in the dark." Sarah gave him a small smile, she was no longer crying. She turned and looking Castor straight in the eyes. He could barely stand how little emotion she said her story with. He knew this was happening to street kids even now; he pressed his fingernails into his palm, leaving half-moons in the flesh. He was sure that there were stories that she would never tell him, that this was just the basic overview of key events. His heart almost exploded in pride and sadness that she had made it out or that hell with her own heart intact. Castor would die again if it could take all that away from her.

"When I recognised him, I couldn't believe it! How had he gotten out? I expected that the church would never let him outside again, that he was chained to a wall. He looked tired, but other than that was healthier than when he had been on the streets. We sat on the cold stone for hours, just holding each other while I asked questions; he told me about his nightmares, of how he didn't know if I had survived and had broken out almost every night searching for me, that he was pretty sure a Bishop was trying to train him to be a future bishop, and how I could go back with him. I didn't tell him about nearly starving, or how I had watched a girl my age get shot for stealing from a garbage bin; it didn't seem important know that he was with me. But I did tell him about Nit, her kindness, how I could never repay it. But could I really go to the Church? I never saw women there except as nuns. He told me that a nun is better than living on cardboard. I had to agree, my living situation was a bit dire indeed. "

"So we decided! I would go with him that night to the Church and try to get an apprenticeship there. I was so happy, I told Frau Id meet him in front of the church in the morning; I had made new friends, and couldn't just disappear on them. I also wanted to go see Nit, I had seen her from time to time across crowded streets, but had never said hello, even though I knew she had seen me too."

"I went to Nit's house; she acted as though I had never left. And I told her my goal, I'd never seen her so happy! But I only had enough time for one cup of tea, since I was to meet Frau soon.``

...When I went outside her door, it was to find a row of about 5 offices waiting outside. They had come to arrest her for not paying tax or something like that, and seeing a street kid come out definitely didn't help her case. 4 of the men charged in and grabbed her; one grabbed my arm, but instantly released it when I crushed his toes with my foot." Frau and Castor watched as Sarah flexed her long fingers in agitation, her teeth now clenched "I attacked the men holding Nit, she was screaming to get out, but I couldn't! Not Nit! I took out them one by one. One man rushed me, but using his momentum, I kicked his feet out from under him. His body dropped and I smashing his head into the floor, another fell crying when I pulverized his kidneys with my fist. But I was so small, and too weak. When there was only one man standing, I couldn't even raise my arms I was so tired.

He took out his gun, and directed it at my head. I didn't even have enough strength to lunge at him, Nit was in the corner, her skinny arms wrapped around her knees, I have never seen her look so frightened… and her I was about to be shot in front of her… but that didn't seem to be my fate. The man who I had first attacked stood up, and told the other officer to lower his weapon. He personally cuffed my hands, Nit started to scream and cry at this, begged them to let me go, but they ignored her and marched me out onto the street. And I was officially the governments prisoner.``