"Get up." Anybodys blinked, and half-opened her eyes. The glare from the streetlights, now back on, made her feel nauseous and dizzy. The right-hand side of her body, the one pressed painfully against the ground felt dead. The left hand side of her felt cold, and when she tried to turn to see who was addressing her, a stabbing pain shot through it. Her head ached, from a mixture of dehydration and cold. Her tears, all cried out, had stained and tightened her cheeks. Her hair was matted against her right ear. Her clothes were grimy, although not noticeably more so than when she had lain down. She shaded her eyes from the glare of the lamp, and squinted, open-mouthed up at the stranger.
Suddenly, she recoiled in fear. It was the PR girl she and the other Jets had attacked earlier at Doc's. The one who'd been goin' with the Shark boss, the one Tony… Tony killed. Anybodys gulped, and slid away.
The girl didn't move. The urchin lying on the playground floor paused. Why didn't Anita, or whatever her name was just get on with it and kill her? Slightly emboldened, she peered up and took a proper look at the figure's face. She, too was filthy. Layers of grime on her cheeks and eyes set her bone structure into stark relief, along with the whites of her eyes. Which, surprisingly didn't look mad. They looked sullen, tired even. But not defeated. And not a foe Anybodys wanted to wrangle with. Again, without looking up, Anita murmured; "Get up." Blinking, Anybodys did, scrambling ungracefully to her feet, eyes locked on Anita's tear-stained face. She stood, feeling painfully self-conscious in the face of Anita's awesome dignity. Anita inclined her head sideways, eyes still fixed on the ground.
"Come with me." She said, her voice authoritarian. A memory stirred in Anybodys' tired, cold mind. She raised her head, and sneered openly at her.
"Why should I?" There was a silent pause. Anybodys swallowed. "You said Maria was dead."
Anita looked sharply at her, and although her gaze was piercing, it wasn't accompanied by the violent blow she expected. Her next words were a low hiss.
"And you and your Jet buddies tried to rape me." Anita turned slightly towards her, and Anybodys shrank away, shielding her head. No attack came. Instead, when she looked back, Anita's hand was outstretched.
"Vaminos. Tell me, when did you last go home?" Anybodys got up.
"I don't know-the rumble, or the day before. Not since before the dance.." Anita closed her eyes as if in pain.
"You should go home."
"I'm not going." Anybodys held Anita's gaze for a long moment. Anita nodded with understanding. She stretched her hand out further.
"Good," she said swiftly. "Then you come with me."
Anybodys frowned, and looked at Anita narrowly. Then, finding no deception in her brown eyes, she took her hand.
They walked back through the playground, retracing Anybodys' steps along the streets. Tears were welling in Anybodys' downcast eyes, and as they passed Doc's, she let out a strangled sob. Anita halted abruptly, and turned round with her arms out. Anybodys darted away, defensively. Then, she too halted, and bowed her head, waiting to be hit. Anita gasped.
"Santa Maria," she whispered. "You really do think I gonna hit you?" Anybodys looked up slowly.
"I don't know," she hissed in a low, fierce voice. "And- and," A choke robbed her tone of its menace, and she pressed her right palm to her forehead. "I don't much care…how can I now?" She gestured weakly towards the darkened, empty drugstore with her free hand, and looked like she might collapse. Anita rushed forwards and took her protectively in her arms. The child-for that was how Anita thought of the little Yank urchin, was scrawny, and desolate. At first she arched her back in distrust, then slumped against Anita's embrace. Then she cried, long and hard.
"Anita…he's gone, he's gone. And Riff, poor Riff, but Tony hurts more.. he always looked out fer me, till he left…. And now he's gone.. dead, right there on the ground, with HER, and I coulda stopped him, I tried to stop him.. all the guys'll blame me. But whadda I care? He's gone, Riff's gone, and it's all my fault…" She buried her face in Anita's shoulder. "I'm scared. What's gonna happen to me? I don't wanna live no more. But I'm still scared of dying."
"Hush. Hush," Anita soothed, holding the little one tightly against her. "Don't worry. Don't be scared. Just cry." She jerked her head back towards the PR side of town, and gave a rueful smile. "I got one back there who won't cry. Can't. It's nice to see some good healthy grief for a change." Her mood changed as she stroked Anybody's hair.
"You loved him, didn't you? Like I loved Bernardo." She asked gently. Anybodys nodded. Anita let out a long sigh. "I know," she whispered, and began to walk with her again. "C'mon. I'm taking you home with me."