"So Is That What You Call A Getaway, Tell Me What You Got Away With"- Brand New
Spot walked back from the docks with a small group of boys. They laughed and joked as they walked, occasionally passing a joint back and forth between them. The smallest boy on the group took a hit, and then passed it to Spot. He shook his head and waved it on to the next person.
As they approached the lodging house Spot saw Gunther standing outside, with Gem nowhere near him. When he got close enough, he yelled out to him, "Where's Gem?"
Gunther just shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head toward Jim, who also shrugged his shoulders in reply.
"Last time I seen her she was in the lodging house with Gunther," Jim said, before turning to the boy who had just tapped his shoulder, and took the joint off him.
Spots eyes moved to Gunther, "Where'd she go Gunther?"
"I already told ya Spot, I ain't seen her. I left her upstairs, that's the last I seen of her."
Spot sighed and pushed through the boys, making his way to the steps. He walked the main room of the lodging house and made his way to the stairs. He passed a few of the smaller boys on the way up, and after nodding a greeting; he reached the top and proceeded towards her bedroom.
He gave a sharp knock on the door and upon hearing no response quietly turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.
The room was empty.
"Where the hell is she?" Spot thought to himself.
After shutting the door, he turned and walked back down the way he had come and headed outside.
"Alright you bums! Everybody up!" All the boys looked up at there leader, who looked more lost then ever before.
"Before I get really pissed off, has anybody seen Gem?"
The small group that had gathered around him looked at each with anxious eyes. Nobody spoke.
"I'm gonna ask one more time…HAS ANYONE SEEN GEM?"
Once again the boys stared on one another, not sure of what to say.
Spot glared at each of them individually, letting his icy glare make the shiver before moving onto the next one.
Finally, someone spoke up.
"I saw her Spot," said a tiny voice rising from the back of the group. It pushed itself forward allowing each boy to see who it belonged too.
"Where Speck?"
"Heading down the street. I watched her walk out of the lodging house, and I followed her."
"Where'd she go?" Spot asked trying to remain calm.
"I only followed her as far as I'm allowed to go without one of the older boys. But I could still see her walking after I stopped. I think she went to Jake's".
Each boy stopped and stared the tiny boy. Spot stood frozen in time. Suddenly, he moved towards the little boy, his cane in his hand, held as if he was ready to strike.
Gunther stepped in front of him, trying to slow him down; but, with a one arm push, he landed on the ground.
Speck stared at Spot with fear in his eyes, and grimaced as the boy got closer, preparing for the worst. Spot pushed past him, and called over his shoulder.
'Good job Speck." Then he fled the lodging house, his feet pounding every step of the way. The boys heard the door slam, and then all immediately looked to Gunther for reassurance that everything would be okay. He gave none. He dropped his head, and let his eyes stare at the floor shaking his head in disappointment.
She brought the glass to her lips and threw her head back, letting the amber substance run down the back of her throat. She relished this moment, when everything made sense, the only time anything ever did.
She looked into the glass making sure that every last drop had been consumed before roughly slamming the glass back onto the bar, "Hit me Jake!" She exclaimed to the middle age man standing in front of her behind the bar.
"Lanie, I think you've had enough," he protested, trying to get the girl to slow down.
"How many have I had?" She asked, looking at him through half-opened eyes.
"Enough," was his response.
Lanie reached into her pocket and placed 2 pennies onto the bar. "Enough is never enough," she said to him.
The older man just shrugged his shoulders and sighed, taking the whiskey bottle and refilling the glass.
After twisting the cap back on, he returned the bottle to the shelf moved to be once again in front of the girl.
"What are you trying to forget?" He asked her.
She stared at him, and shook her head, "Nothing," was her response.
The older man chuckled, "I've never seen anybody in here before that drank that much for no reason. Everybody that comes in here has a story, what's yours?"
The girl looked away, and back down to the glass. She took a swig and wiped her lips with the back of her hand.
"It's not a what," she said.
Jake looked at her with confusion, "I'm sorry?"
"You asked me what I was trying to forget. It's not a what, it's a who. Who I'm trying to forget."
"And who might that be?"
She looked at him, taking another gulp from the glass. "I'm not quite sure," was all she said.
She let the silence fill the room after that, not wanting to answer anymore questions but drown in her own self pity.
How bad it was for her, to have lived through all that she had lived through at such an early age. She lost her mother, father, sister… her best friend.
One again she brought the glass to her lips and drank until the glass was empty before placing it back on the bar.
She reached into her pocket and grabbed a cigarette and lit it, letting the smoke fill her lungs before exhaling.
Then suddenly out of nowhere, the door to the bar flung open with a bang. She turned in her chair and saw Spot walking towards her, fire in his eyes.
Jake yelled over to him, "Hey Spot, long time no see. Where ya been?"
Spot walked quickly over to the bar, "Fine Jake, just coming to check on my friend here."
Jake smiled, "I was wondering if she had someone watching over her. Didn't want to let her walk home by herself."
"No," Spot replied, "She's got a whole bunch of somebody's to watch over her. How much she had to drink?"
Jake shook his head, "I don't know how she isn't babbling drunk, been here a little over two hours."
Spot shot a look at Gem, who gave him a tight-lipped smile and turned away, knowing she was in trouble.
"Alright Gem lets go." Then he grabbed her by the arm, pulling her out of the chair and towards the door.
They walked a ways, Spot dragging Gem by the arm, until she cried out in pain to let her go, he was hurting her. Suddenly, he led her into a deserted alley, and once they where into the middle of it, he tightened his grip and threw her against the brick wall. She stood there, rubbing the back of her head, which had received the hardest hit. Spot took both of his arms and placed them around either side of her head.
"I want you to listen to me Lanie, and I want you to listen to me real good."
She stared at him, with a rising fear growing in her eyes. She knew that he was so angry that he was almost calm. He was the scariest when he was like that, when the yelling never comes and yet his words still cut liked a knife.
"Why? Why do you keep doing it? I lock you in a room, you don't get it. You almost kill yourself, and still you don't get it. I bring you here to Brooklyn to watch you, and still, you don't get it. What more do I need to do to keep you from doing it? You drink for what reason Lanie? To hide, to chase away your problems? I can't figure you out, and the more I try, the more I get confused. Is it because of your sister? What is it, just tell me, please I want to fix you, and I can't fix it unless I know why it's broken."
He stared intently at her, noticing for her first time the tears falling down her face. He wanted more then anything to break through his tough façade and hold her forever, but doing that wasn't going to help. So he stayed stoic, standing in front of her, trying hard not to break eye contact with her.
She gave him no response.
"Please Lanie, please, help me figure it out. You're the only one that knows why. Share your secret with me. I just want to help you, and for the first time ever I'm at a loss."
He paused then, taking in a deep breath. Lanie looked up at him, and noticed the tears swelling in his eyes.
He spoke again, his voice cracking, "Please, please tell me, please. Lanie, I can't deal with not being able to save you. You're breaking my heart."
Then the tears flowed freely from both of them, but neither moved, they just stared at the other, unsure of how to handle the situation.
Then, without a word, Gem pushed herself off of the wall and turned around, kneeling down to the ground. The sudden movement startled Spot and he before he knew what she was doing he heard her gagging.
"Lanie, what are you doing?"
She gave no response, and within seconds the amber liquid she had been drinking all night reappeared on the ground.
"Lanie, stop!" Spot yelled trying to pull her up from the ground, but she fought him.
"No Spot," she said through gasps. "I'm sorry; I want it to just go away. I'm sorry I left the lodging house. I'm sorry I drank. I just want it to go away."
With that, she fell to the ground sobbing. In one shot, Spot swooped down and grabbed her, embracing her tightly, hold her, close to his body. She kept repeating "I'm sorry" over and over into his shoulder, and he did nothing put occasionally wipe away the tears that were falling down her face.
They stayed like that for a long time, him holding her close, until her sobs became silent tears and then just silence. Spot moved in and kissed her forehead, and as he did this, her soft voice whispered, "I'm sorry I left you." But Spot said nothing, he stood there holding her a long after that, making sure she knew he understood and the skies broke down and the rain began to pour all around them.
Author's Note: I AM SO SORRY! It had been forever since I have updated and I am a terrible person. I had a very busy summer taking class and working, so I just didn't have to time, and when I had to time I was too tired. I hope that you guys liked this chapter, I promise after this one it won't be that dark, and I am thinking three more chapters before the end. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! You know you guys are the best! Thanks!