1 Chapter Ten
Singah gasped. "Blink!"
"Dat's right Singah, Blink, your ex. Remembah me? I'se da one you'se left for dat son of a bitch. So, now, you'se gotta decide. Him or me? Me, I let 'im go. Of course, he ain't gonna be in dat great a condition, but he'll be alive. Choose him, and I'se gonna make sure that neither one of you'se evah gets out a here. So what's it gonna be Singah? Him or me?"
"You bastard! I'se gonna soak ya!" Spot yelled. Blink gestured, and the two goons who had taken him in got some rope from a crate and tied him up, then took a rag and tied it in his mouth. He struggled against the bonds, but suddenly grew lethargic. –Chloroform- he though dazedly.
Seeing Spot understand, Blink nodded sagely. "Dat's right, Mister Conlon. Chloroform. Dat should keep you from alertin' our neighbors to our presence. And should either of you start screaming," he said, turning and addressing Trolley and Singah, "You'se will get da same. So if you'se don' want da same splittin' headache he's gonna have, I suggests you stay quiet."
Singah was taken aback. She had had no idea that Blink was this vengeful. "Blink, why? Why dis? I ain't done nuttin' dat ain't been done before. You'se been dumped before, and you nevah did nuttin' like dis. Or did you?" Suddenly Singah was even more scared- what if this wasn't a new thing- they often didn't see Blink's exes around, but they had been from different districts.
"No, I ain't done dis before- what do you tink I am? Insane? No, Singah, you'se special. I loved ya, Singah, and you left me for dat son of a bitch. Now you gotta decide- him or me? Let him live, or you both die? Which will it be?"
"I can't choose between life widout Spot or death wid him!" –stall him, stall him!- she thought desperately. "Blink, can't you'se at least let Trolley go? He ain't done nuttin, he don' need ta be here!" –Please have worked!- she prayed to the god she didn't think existed. –Please!-
Blink thought about it. "Aight," he said. "And untie Conlon- he ain't gonna put up a fight now!" He laughed- it grated on Singah's ears. Had it sounded like that before, his laugh? Like a goat, bleating in anger? Or is that what happens when people go crazy? The goons moved to obey him. Trolley got up and ran, with a quick look back at the remaining people. "You guys go too- I'se can handle dese two. And don' follow him- go back ta Brooklyn!" Once they were gone, he continued his tirade.
"Now, Singah, let's talk." He got off his throne of crates, reminiscent of Spot's throne on the pier in Brooklyn. The irony didn't escape her. He stalked towards her, and almost casually cracked his hand against her face, then punched her in the belly. She groaned in pain. Spot was already starting to move again, and he writhed in agony- not physical, but emotional- that bastard, who wasn't worth Singah's piss, was beating her. "Aight, then, Singah, me dear, what was dat you was sayin' anout not choosin'? I tink you should be decidin' right- about- now." With a grunt, he aimed a swift kick at her belly again. "Made up yer mind?" He continued to kick her, with Spot growing more and more agitated behind him, and
"Blink, stop- I can't- stop kicking- me there- the baby…" She grimaced- she wasn't even sure about that yet, but it just came out. Spot's eyes widened in shock- that was unexpected! He wasn't sure he was ready for that- but dammit, he'd do whetever he could do be sure they got through this now!
"You bitch!" Blink howled, no longer attempting to keep his voice down. "You'se let him get you pregnant? I was wid you fer a year and you'se never let me do nuttin'! Bitch!"
Spot was suddenly able to find his voice, though he still cuoldn't do more than push himself up. "Get away from her, you bastard! You FUCK! You'se can' even hit me, and I'se all doped up on chloroform!" Blink whirled around and stalked over to where Spot lay on the floor.
"SPOT! NO!" Singah screamed. "BLINK! NO! DON'T!" She managed to lift herself up, grasping her aching gut, and cross the floor to Blink and Spot. She picked up a piece of wood and bashed it into the back of Blink's head. He fell onto Spot, moaning and incapacitated. Singah pulled Spot out from underneath him, helping him away from Blink's prostrate form. He rolled over, in pain, to look at Spot and Singah clutching each other. He laughed.
"You really tink dat was smart, Singah? Jus' cause I'se here wid you don' mean dere wasn't other stuff goin' on! Bacon is in Brooklyn now- he's takin' ovah! Trolley ain't gonna make it! So you'se stuck, fellas! Manhattan ain't safe either- do you'se timk Bacon's gonna stop wid Brooklyn?" He laughed again, the evil goat showing it's vile face. Spot and Singah turned and stumbled out of the warehouse, leaving Blink on the floor, laughing, laughing, always laughing.
***
Trolley, however, had made it. Instead of running back to Brooklyn, he went to Manhattan. He ran into Jack, selling near the bridge.
"Cowboy, you gotta help dem!" He gasped for breath.
"Who?" Jack was confused. The it dawned on him- Spot and Singah! "Where are they?"
"Dey's in dat abandoned warehouse- not far from here! But…" he paused, still dragging the air painfully into his lungs, "Blink's got 'em- and Harlem's helpin' him!"
"Shit! Look, you go find da nearest newsie- I tink Itey's near here today. Tell him ta get da others- we'se getting dem out."
"Jack- dere's sumtin else- Bacon- he's in Brooklyn- I tink dey's takin' ovah!"
"Well, den, da Brooklyn boys is jus' gonna have ta prove how tough dey really is. And dey's gonna do it widout Spot. Now go an' get Itey!" He was going on alone.
***
Spot and Singah had made it out alive, rather worse for wear, and shaking like a pair of leaves, but alive. They managed to reach a bench near a crowded corner, and sat down heavily. Singah was crying and holding her stomach, and Spot was protectively holding her close, letting her soak his shoulder. Once she had calmed down, he held her at arms' length, just gazing at her.
"Singah, you'se alright?" She nodded mutely. "Singah, about da baby? Is it true?" He had to know. She nodded again.
"Spot, you'se gonna be a faddah." She said quietly. "I'se gonna have yer baby." Just then, Jack came running by. He looked around, trying to see the warehouse, and saw them instead. He dashed over, and asked, "What happened? What's goin' on?"
"Jack, I'se gonna have a baby."
Singah gasped. "Blink!"
"Dat's right Singah, Blink, your ex. Remembah me? I'se da one you'se left for dat son of a bitch. So, now, you'se gotta decide. Him or me? Me, I let 'im go. Of course, he ain't gonna be in dat great a condition, but he'll be alive. Choose him, and I'se gonna make sure that neither one of you'se evah gets out a here. So what's it gonna be Singah? Him or me?"
"You bastard! I'se gonna soak ya!" Spot yelled. Blink gestured, and the two goons who had taken him in got some rope from a crate and tied him up, then took a rag and tied it in his mouth. He struggled against the bonds, but suddenly grew lethargic. –Chloroform- he though dazedly.
Seeing Spot understand, Blink nodded sagely. "Dat's right, Mister Conlon. Chloroform. Dat should keep you from alertin' our neighbors to our presence. And should either of you start screaming," he said, turning and addressing Trolley and Singah, "You'se will get da same. So if you'se don' want da same splittin' headache he's gonna have, I suggests you stay quiet."
Singah was taken aback. She had had no idea that Blink was this vengeful. "Blink, why? Why dis? I ain't done nuttin' dat ain't been done before. You'se been dumped before, and you nevah did nuttin' like dis. Or did you?" Suddenly Singah was even more scared- what if this wasn't a new thing- they often didn't see Blink's exes around, but they had been from different districts.
"No, I ain't done dis before- what do you tink I am? Insane? No, Singah, you'se special. I loved ya, Singah, and you left me for dat son of a bitch. Now you gotta decide- him or me? Let him live, or you both die? Which will it be?"
"I can't choose between life widout Spot or death wid him!" –stall him, stall him!- she thought desperately. "Blink, can't you'se at least let Trolley go? He ain't done nuttin, he don' need ta be here!" –Please have worked!- she prayed to the god she didn't think existed. –Please!-
Blink thought about it. "Aight," he said. "And untie Conlon- he ain't gonna put up a fight now!" He laughed- it grated on Singah's ears. Had it sounded like that before, his laugh? Like a goat, bleating in anger? Or is that what happens when people go crazy? The goons moved to obey him. Trolley got up and ran, with a quick look back at the remaining people. "You guys go too- I'se can handle dese two. And don' follow him- go back ta Brooklyn!" Once they were gone, he continued his tirade.
"Now, Singah, let's talk." He got off his throne of crates, reminiscent of Spot's throne on the pier in Brooklyn. The irony didn't escape her. He stalked towards her, and almost casually cracked his hand against her face, then punched her in the belly. She groaned in pain. Spot was already starting to move again, and he writhed in agony- not physical, but emotional- that bastard, who wasn't worth Singah's piss, was beating her. "Aight, then, Singah, me dear, what was dat you was sayin' anout not choosin'? I tink you should be decidin' right- about- now." With a grunt, he aimed a swift kick at her belly again. "Made up yer mind?" He continued to kick her, with Spot growing more and more agitated behind him, and
"Blink, stop- I can't- stop kicking- me there- the baby…" She grimaced- she wasn't even sure about that yet, but it just came out. Spot's eyes widened in shock- that was unexpected! He wasn't sure he was ready for that- but dammit, he'd do whetever he could do be sure they got through this now!
"You bitch!" Blink howled, no longer attempting to keep his voice down. "You'se let him get you pregnant? I was wid you fer a year and you'se never let me do nuttin'! Bitch!"
Spot was suddenly able to find his voice, though he still cuoldn't do more than push himself up. "Get away from her, you bastard! You FUCK! You'se can' even hit me, and I'se all doped up on chloroform!" Blink whirled around and stalked over to where Spot lay on the floor.
"SPOT! NO!" Singah screamed. "BLINK! NO! DON'T!" She managed to lift herself up, grasping her aching gut, and cross the floor to Blink and Spot. She picked up a piece of wood and bashed it into the back of Blink's head. He fell onto Spot, moaning and incapacitated. Singah pulled Spot out from underneath him, helping him away from Blink's prostrate form. He rolled over, in pain, to look at Spot and Singah clutching each other. He laughed.
"You really tink dat was smart, Singah? Jus' cause I'se here wid you don' mean dere wasn't other stuff goin' on! Bacon is in Brooklyn now- he's takin' ovah! Trolley ain't gonna make it! So you'se stuck, fellas! Manhattan ain't safe either- do you'se timk Bacon's gonna stop wid Brooklyn?" He laughed again, the evil goat showing it's vile face. Spot and Singah turned and stumbled out of the warehouse, leaving Blink on the floor, laughing, laughing, always laughing.
***
Trolley, however, had made it. Instead of running back to Brooklyn, he went to Manhattan. He ran into Jack, selling near the bridge.
"Cowboy, you gotta help dem!" He gasped for breath.
"Who?" Jack was confused. The it dawned on him- Spot and Singah! "Where are they?"
"Dey's in dat abandoned warehouse- not far from here! But…" he paused, still dragging the air painfully into his lungs, "Blink's got 'em- and Harlem's helpin' him!"
"Shit! Look, you go find da nearest newsie- I tink Itey's near here today. Tell him ta get da others- we'se getting dem out."
"Jack- dere's sumtin else- Bacon- he's in Brooklyn- I tink dey's takin' ovah!"
"Well, den, da Brooklyn boys is jus' gonna have ta prove how tough dey really is. And dey's gonna do it widout Spot. Now go an' get Itey!" He was going on alone.
***
Spot and Singah had made it out alive, rather worse for wear, and shaking like a pair of leaves, but alive. They managed to reach a bench near a crowded corner, and sat down heavily. Singah was crying and holding her stomach, and Spot was protectively holding her close, letting her soak his shoulder. Once she had calmed down, he held her at arms' length, just gazing at her.
"Singah, you'se alright?" She nodded mutely. "Singah, about da baby? Is it true?" He had to know. She nodded again.
"Spot, you'se gonna be a faddah." She said quietly. "I'se gonna have yer baby." Just then, Jack came running by. He looked around, trying to see the warehouse, and saw them instead. He dashed over, and asked, "What happened? What's goin' on?"
"Jack, I'se gonna have a baby."