Chapter Nine
Chapter ran through the night, blinded by her fear and anger. She had to find Big Shot. She had to stop him before he found Solo…or Solo wouldn't make it out alive. She knew Big Shot. She knew that he wouldn't leave Solo alive if he found him. He had stolen his love and killed his leader. There wasn't much more he could do to make Big Shot more angry, aside from seeing morning come.
The lamp posts that lined the streets cast a dim, gloomy glow to everything it touched. The night was crisp and cool and, though it was summer, Chapter shivered. She raced down the street the lodging house was on and into Jersey, following another street that connected to the lodging house street. Turning back into the Bronx, she was near the docks. She shivered again, though not from the late night chill. She couldn't bring herself to look into the murky river.
***
Big Shot walked straight ahead through these streets he knew so well. Solo had to be out there somewhere, Big Shot knew it. So he would just keep walking until he found him. And when he found him… He massaged his knuckles with the thought.
He had been wandering ever since he had stormed out of Chapter' room, several hours before, and his search had not tired. He WOULD find him, or else his destiny in life would have failed.
Turning onto the street near the docks, he stared out into the horizon where a thin strip of black lay. It was the river. He glared and kept walking.
***
Solo hurried on his way home. He had to get home. He had to. The night streets weren't very inviting ones. Freedom, freedom. The word chorused in his ears. If only he had taken his life that night, if only he could have been freed. But no. That night he had found Chapter. That night had changed his life forever.
Silently, he found his way through the streets, with only the sparse light from the street lamps and the stars and the moon. If he got home, then he would be safe. But he had to get home first. The street he was on led straight for Jersey. If he kept going, he was certain he would make it. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught glimpses of the crescent moon reflecting in the water of the river. That river was no longer warm and enticing. It was cold, bleak and lonely.
***
Chapter walked further down the street, losing hope with every step she took. As she paused in a circle of light emitted from the street lamp, she sighed and looked around for any sign of…
Solo! Solo was coming towards her. She didn't dare move. When he saw her, he broke out into a run and scooped her up into his arms. He swung her around a little and set her back down, looking into her face. Her face was grave and saddening, and he asked her what was wrong.
"Big Shot," She whispered. "Big Shot is looking for you. He's trying to—trying…to kill you."
Solo nodded, "I know." He whispered back, kissing her cheek. "I won't let him. I'll live through tonight." Chapter let out a tiny smile and hugged him close, closing her eyes tight. He only hugged her back and the two stood in their silence, warding off the ominous fear with the other's presence.
***
Big Shot turned another corner onto the street leading to Jersey. He was heading there to pick out Solo, since he couldn't seem to find him here. With the gloomy light from the street lamps around him, he felt invincible. Solo would die that night, he was certain of it.
He walked on, these thoughts swimming in his head, until he stopped abruptly. His eyes narrowed, his fists clenching tighter than they had been already. Forth stood a street lamp, and under that street lamp stood two lovers, holding eachother close. Looking closer, he caught the outline of Chapter's body. The one she held was Solo.
He crept towards them silently. The closer he got to them without them noticing the better. His hand slinked to the pocket in his coat where a satisfying bulk lay. Drawing forth the thing from beneath his coat, the starlight caught the silvery metal and reflected it off into the streets.
Chapter jerked her head upwards, catching the glint of something in the distance. Someone was lurking in the shadows. Quickly, she looked up into Solo's face, "He's here," she whispered hastily. Solo turned around quickly, staring into the shadows.
Big Shot didn't dare move.
Solo looked down again into Chapter's worried, panicked eyes, "Everything will be alright." He assured her again, leaning in to place a kiss upon her trembling lips.
Two shots rang out from the darkness. Big Shot's eyes glowed menacingly, his face contorted in anger, jealousy, sorrow and even fear. He held in his hand a stolen revolver from one of the shops he had passed on his way. The bullets whizzed through the air, set deadly on their targets: one for Solo, one for Chapter. She deserved to die as much as Solo did.
One missed and grazed by Chapter. The other reached Solo. He collapsed instantly with a grunt and a groan. Chapter fell next to him, exclaiming in horror. Big Shot was frozen where he stood. He had hit a man with a bullet. He was mortified.
"Solo," Chapter whispered quickly, "Solo, where did it hit you?" She was shaking now more than ever. Her tears couldn't fall, not for Solo to see.
Solo couldn't manage words. He only moved his hand tentatively away from his side where he had clutched his wound. The blood ran freely. Solo's right hand was soaked in his blood, the wound in his lower left abdomen, right below his heart. He snapped his eyes closed groaning again, louder. The pain seared through his body.
Chapter eyed the wound and looked back into Solo's face again quickly. She put her hand against his cheek and he swallowed, opening his eyes slowly, covering her hand with his own.
"It's…not that bad…" he whispered in the frail voice he had left. "I'll be alright."
"No…" Chapter murmured, "I don't think you will." She bit her bottom lip hard to keep the tears back, so hard that she tasted the salty blood. A single tear broke free and rolled down her cheek silently. Solo saw. He brushed it away gently with his thumb.
"Don't cry for me." His breath was growing short. He struggled to breathe.
"I'll never be able to hold you again…" Chapter moaned, "I'll never watch the stars with you…like I did that night I found you…"
Solo managed to find a smile in all the pain he felt, "I see the stars now." He mumbled, "They're beautiful. And watching them pass like this, like we are right now, there's nothing else in the world I'd rather be doing." He brushed away more tears from the constant trail that flowed down her cheeks. She began to sob.
"No…" she wailed, "No, Solo please… Please, I need you here! You can't…you can't…die…" She hid her face in his upper chest and sobbed until her eyes hurt. Solo lifted her chin gingerly with his fingertips.
"I love you." He murmured. "You're—beautiful. Like the- Like the stars-" He hadn't much strength left in him. Holding her weeping face in his hands, he lifted his head off the ground. With one quick, silent kiss, he said goodbye. And then he was gone.
***
Chapter sobbed harder and louder, wailing the cry of misery reserved only for the lost and the mourning. That night had heard this wail more times than once. Her whole body shook horribly as she cried, the sound of her sobs ricocheting off the surrounding buildings for all to hear.
Free had taken a band of Bronxes into the streets to find Chapter and Big Shot and to bring them home. With the cry of anguish she heard, she knew that she was too late and her heart plummeted. Hurrying the others along, they found Big Shot, frozen where he had released the shots. The gun had fallen to his feet. Free shoved him forward and the group approached the wailing Chapter, almost rabid with her grief.
"YOU!" she screamed leaping from Solo's side when she spotted Big Shot, "You! You KILLED HIM!" Big Shot's eyes were wide, glued to Solo's still form. Chapter flew towards him and was only stopped by Free who held tight onto her flailing arms. She wouldn't let go and Chapter struggled against her for a minute before her anger began to fade. She looked at the group that had gathered around Solo and herself. One, Nadia, was clutching the gun. Chapter eyed the thing with a malicious glare and snatched it from Nadia's hands. She stepped back staring at the shiny gun, running her fingers over the smooth barrel.
The Jerseys as well had begun to appear. They stared with horror in their faces at Solo's still, blood-soaked body and then up around to the faces of the Bronxes who were staring right back. Griffin lost it and flew forward trying to attack any of them he could touch, yelling in fury. He and Action got into a fistfight and Chapter went off.
"STOP!" she screeched, the gun pointed at the two, "DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? Can't you SEE why three of us are DEAD? It's because of your stupid hate and your stupid jealousy! Look at eachother! What do you see, huh? Action, what do you see?"
"I see a killer and a beast." He spat towards Griffin.
"I see a scab, a traitor!" Griffin shot back. The two groups tossed hateful words back and forth, the energy running higher and higher between the two. This wasn't what Chapter had been hoping for.
"Do you know what I see?" she rang out over them. They stopped and stared at her. She looked into the faces of the Jerseys. No hate or fear was anywhere to be found on her own. "I see a newsie. I see a human being. I see a friend, a brother and a sister. Why do we hate eachother? Why do we fight? It results in this." She looked down at Solo, tears in her eyes again. "It results in death. It starts in fear, jealousy. And it ends in anger, hatred, pain. Perhaps it is I that doesn't understand. I don't understand the hatred or the fear. But now, Three lay dead, killed by our own hands, by our own HATRED!" She screamed the vile word out and it echoed through the waning darkness. She collapsed onto her knees, doubling over to try to collect herself again. Her eyes were on the gun. She lifted her head slowly, holding the gun in her hands again. "I don't want to see this hatred. I don't want to see this pain any longer. I want to be free. Desidero essere libero." The gun's point was held at her heart. She looked dead straight into the eyes of the people surrounding her. With her eyes blurry from her tears, she couldn't distinguish a Bronx from a Jersey. There was no difference. Why couldn't they see that? Why did she have to prove it to them this way?
Chapter gulped, feeling the fear that had so often gripped her heart. But she disregarded it this time. She was ready to give in now. She had nothing to live for, her existence was pitiful. The gun was glued to her chest. She glanced into Free's eyes. Her gaze shifted from Free onto Nadia. From there, she saw Star, Action, Jazz, Wolfe, Voice. Flame, the little one, hid behind Poet's legs, shaking with fear. She looked into the faces of the Jerseys. Words was weeping just as Star was. They were all feeling the same emotions. Loner stood still, staring at her. Griffin held Shadow's arm tight. Even little Freckles clutched Fidget's legs as she wept silently.
"I will be free" she whispered to everyone, a pleasant, happy smile on her face. "Non pianga per me."
A shot sounded and was quickly silenced. Chapter tumbled over in a heap next to Solo. Everyone in the crowd had screamed. None of them had tried to stop her. WHY hadn't they tried to stop her? Because she wouldn't listen, that's why. She had wanted this. She had wanted her freedom.
Her smile was still on her lips as she lay next to the one she loved. She was safe now. She would never again feel the fear or the pain. No one could ever bring her back. But at last she was free.
***
Griffin looked over at Action to find Action looking back at him. There was no anger or hatred in their faces. That seemed to have died with the four that had been taken that night. But their eyes were filed with fear. Fear of the past and fear of the coming future. What was to become of them no that everything had resulted in death? Something was going to change.
Slowly, gracefully, almost like a dance, the Jerseys and the Bronxes approached one another. Not a word had been spoken. The girls found themselves hugging the other girls, the boys shaking hands, their heads bowed in shame. The little ones were in the arms of an older one, crying hard against their shoulders. They didn't know why that boy had died or why that girl had gone and shot herself. They didn't know anything about the hatred and the fear. They could only feel the sorrow in the losses.
Finally, the two groups stooped and picked the two bodies up from beneath he street light. Bronx or Jersey didn't matter anymore. The group walked off, towards the Bronx Lodging House, as it was closer. Each and every one of them were silent.
***
Free stayed behind. Stooping, she picked the revolver up from the ground, dusting off the dirt that had covered it. Never before had she seen such an ugly, threatening thing as this gun. A shiver ran through her.
Free looked up from the gun out past the river, into the horizon where the first frail fingers of the morning sunlight were reaching up into the sky. She stood where she was and watched it. The gulls called to eachother in their warbly, throaty voices. People began to venture out from their homes onto the streets, ready for another day. Most people disregarded the rising of the sun. Probably because it happened every day. But some never missed it…
Chapter ran through the night, blinded by her fear and anger. She had to find Big Shot. She had to stop him before he found Solo…or Solo wouldn't make it out alive. She knew Big Shot. She knew that he wouldn't leave Solo alive if he found him. He had stolen his love and killed his leader. There wasn't much more he could do to make Big Shot more angry, aside from seeing morning come.
The lamp posts that lined the streets cast a dim, gloomy glow to everything it touched. The night was crisp and cool and, though it was summer, Chapter shivered. She raced down the street the lodging house was on and into Jersey, following another street that connected to the lodging house street. Turning back into the Bronx, she was near the docks. She shivered again, though not from the late night chill. She couldn't bring herself to look into the murky river.
***
Big Shot walked straight ahead through these streets he knew so well. Solo had to be out there somewhere, Big Shot knew it. So he would just keep walking until he found him. And when he found him… He massaged his knuckles with the thought.
He had been wandering ever since he had stormed out of Chapter' room, several hours before, and his search had not tired. He WOULD find him, or else his destiny in life would have failed.
Turning onto the street near the docks, he stared out into the horizon where a thin strip of black lay. It was the river. He glared and kept walking.
***
Solo hurried on his way home. He had to get home. He had to. The night streets weren't very inviting ones. Freedom, freedom. The word chorused in his ears. If only he had taken his life that night, if only he could have been freed. But no. That night he had found Chapter. That night had changed his life forever.
Silently, he found his way through the streets, with only the sparse light from the street lamps and the stars and the moon. If he got home, then he would be safe. But he had to get home first. The street he was on led straight for Jersey. If he kept going, he was certain he would make it. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught glimpses of the crescent moon reflecting in the water of the river. That river was no longer warm and enticing. It was cold, bleak and lonely.
***
Chapter walked further down the street, losing hope with every step she took. As she paused in a circle of light emitted from the street lamp, she sighed and looked around for any sign of…
Solo! Solo was coming towards her. She didn't dare move. When he saw her, he broke out into a run and scooped her up into his arms. He swung her around a little and set her back down, looking into her face. Her face was grave and saddening, and he asked her what was wrong.
"Big Shot," She whispered. "Big Shot is looking for you. He's trying to—trying…to kill you."
Solo nodded, "I know." He whispered back, kissing her cheek. "I won't let him. I'll live through tonight." Chapter let out a tiny smile and hugged him close, closing her eyes tight. He only hugged her back and the two stood in their silence, warding off the ominous fear with the other's presence.
***
Big Shot turned another corner onto the street leading to Jersey. He was heading there to pick out Solo, since he couldn't seem to find him here. With the gloomy light from the street lamps around him, he felt invincible. Solo would die that night, he was certain of it.
He walked on, these thoughts swimming in his head, until he stopped abruptly. His eyes narrowed, his fists clenching tighter than they had been already. Forth stood a street lamp, and under that street lamp stood two lovers, holding eachother close. Looking closer, he caught the outline of Chapter's body. The one she held was Solo.
He crept towards them silently. The closer he got to them without them noticing the better. His hand slinked to the pocket in his coat where a satisfying bulk lay. Drawing forth the thing from beneath his coat, the starlight caught the silvery metal and reflected it off into the streets.
Chapter jerked her head upwards, catching the glint of something in the distance. Someone was lurking in the shadows. Quickly, she looked up into Solo's face, "He's here," she whispered hastily. Solo turned around quickly, staring into the shadows.
Big Shot didn't dare move.
Solo looked down again into Chapter's worried, panicked eyes, "Everything will be alright." He assured her again, leaning in to place a kiss upon her trembling lips.
Two shots rang out from the darkness. Big Shot's eyes glowed menacingly, his face contorted in anger, jealousy, sorrow and even fear. He held in his hand a stolen revolver from one of the shops he had passed on his way. The bullets whizzed through the air, set deadly on their targets: one for Solo, one for Chapter. She deserved to die as much as Solo did.
One missed and grazed by Chapter. The other reached Solo. He collapsed instantly with a grunt and a groan. Chapter fell next to him, exclaiming in horror. Big Shot was frozen where he stood. He had hit a man with a bullet. He was mortified.
"Solo," Chapter whispered quickly, "Solo, where did it hit you?" She was shaking now more than ever. Her tears couldn't fall, not for Solo to see.
Solo couldn't manage words. He only moved his hand tentatively away from his side where he had clutched his wound. The blood ran freely. Solo's right hand was soaked in his blood, the wound in his lower left abdomen, right below his heart. He snapped his eyes closed groaning again, louder. The pain seared through his body.
Chapter eyed the wound and looked back into Solo's face again quickly. She put her hand against his cheek and he swallowed, opening his eyes slowly, covering her hand with his own.
"It's…not that bad…" he whispered in the frail voice he had left. "I'll be alright."
"No…" Chapter murmured, "I don't think you will." She bit her bottom lip hard to keep the tears back, so hard that she tasted the salty blood. A single tear broke free and rolled down her cheek silently. Solo saw. He brushed it away gently with his thumb.
"Don't cry for me." His breath was growing short. He struggled to breathe.
"I'll never be able to hold you again…" Chapter moaned, "I'll never watch the stars with you…like I did that night I found you…"
Solo managed to find a smile in all the pain he felt, "I see the stars now." He mumbled, "They're beautiful. And watching them pass like this, like we are right now, there's nothing else in the world I'd rather be doing." He brushed away more tears from the constant trail that flowed down her cheeks. She began to sob.
"No…" she wailed, "No, Solo please… Please, I need you here! You can't…you can't…die…" She hid her face in his upper chest and sobbed until her eyes hurt. Solo lifted her chin gingerly with his fingertips.
"I love you." He murmured. "You're—beautiful. Like the- Like the stars-" He hadn't much strength left in him. Holding her weeping face in his hands, he lifted his head off the ground. With one quick, silent kiss, he said goodbye. And then he was gone.
***
Chapter sobbed harder and louder, wailing the cry of misery reserved only for the lost and the mourning. That night had heard this wail more times than once. Her whole body shook horribly as she cried, the sound of her sobs ricocheting off the surrounding buildings for all to hear.
Free had taken a band of Bronxes into the streets to find Chapter and Big Shot and to bring them home. With the cry of anguish she heard, she knew that she was too late and her heart plummeted. Hurrying the others along, they found Big Shot, frozen where he had released the shots. The gun had fallen to his feet. Free shoved him forward and the group approached the wailing Chapter, almost rabid with her grief.
"YOU!" she screamed leaping from Solo's side when she spotted Big Shot, "You! You KILLED HIM!" Big Shot's eyes were wide, glued to Solo's still form. Chapter flew towards him and was only stopped by Free who held tight onto her flailing arms. She wouldn't let go and Chapter struggled against her for a minute before her anger began to fade. She looked at the group that had gathered around Solo and herself. One, Nadia, was clutching the gun. Chapter eyed the thing with a malicious glare and snatched it from Nadia's hands. She stepped back staring at the shiny gun, running her fingers over the smooth barrel.
The Jerseys as well had begun to appear. They stared with horror in their faces at Solo's still, blood-soaked body and then up around to the faces of the Bronxes who were staring right back. Griffin lost it and flew forward trying to attack any of them he could touch, yelling in fury. He and Action got into a fistfight and Chapter went off.
"STOP!" she screeched, the gun pointed at the two, "DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? Can't you SEE why three of us are DEAD? It's because of your stupid hate and your stupid jealousy! Look at eachother! What do you see, huh? Action, what do you see?"
"I see a killer and a beast." He spat towards Griffin.
"I see a scab, a traitor!" Griffin shot back. The two groups tossed hateful words back and forth, the energy running higher and higher between the two. This wasn't what Chapter had been hoping for.
"Do you know what I see?" she rang out over them. They stopped and stared at her. She looked into the faces of the Jerseys. No hate or fear was anywhere to be found on her own. "I see a newsie. I see a human being. I see a friend, a brother and a sister. Why do we hate eachother? Why do we fight? It results in this." She looked down at Solo, tears in her eyes again. "It results in death. It starts in fear, jealousy. And it ends in anger, hatred, pain. Perhaps it is I that doesn't understand. I don't understand the hatred or the fear. But now, Three lay dead, killed by our own hands, by our own HATRED!" She screamed the vile word out and it echoed through the waning darkness. She collapsed onto her knees, doubling over to try to collect herself again. Her eyes were on the gun. She lifted her head slowly, holding the gun in her hands again. "I don't want to see this hatred. I don't want to see this pain any longer. I want to be free. Desidero essere libero." The gun's point was held at her heart. She looked dead straight into the eyes of the people surrounding her. With her eyes blurry from her tears, she couldn't distinguish a Bronx from a Jersey. There was no difference. Why couldn't they see that? Why did she have to prove it to them this way?
Chapter gulped, feeling the fear that had so often gripped her heart. But she disregarded it this time. She was ready to give in now. She had nothing to live for, her existence was pitiful. The gun was glued to her chest. She glanced into Free's eyes. Her gaze shifted from Free onto Nadia. From there, she saw Star, Action, Jazz, Wolfe, Voice. Flame, the little one, hid behind Poet's legs, shaking with fear. She looked into the faces of the Jerseys. Words was weeping just as Star was. They were all feeling the same emotions. Loner stood still, staring at her. Griffin held Shadow's arm tight. Even little Freckles clutched Fidget's legs as she wept silently.
"I will be free" she whispered to everyone, a pleasant, happy smile on her face. "Non pianga per me."
A shot sounded and was quickly silenced. Chapter tumbled over in a heap next to Solo. Everyone in the crowd had screamed. None of them had tried to stop her. WHY hadn't they tried to stop her? Because she wouldn't listen, that's why. She had wanted this. She had wanted her freedom.
Her smile was still on her lips as she lay next to the one she loved. She was safe now. She would never again feel the fear or the pain. No one could ever bring her back. But at last she was free.
***
Griffin looked over at Action to find Action looking back at him. There was no anger or hatred in their faces. That seemed to have died with the four that had been taken that night. But their eyes were filed with fear. Fear of the past and fear of the coming future. What was to become of them no that everything had resulted in death? Something was going to change.
Slowly, gracefully, almost like a dance, the Jerseys and the Bronxes approached one another. Not a word had been spoken. The girls found themselves hugging the other girls, the boys shaking hands, their heads bowed in shame. The little ones were in the arms of an older one, crying hard against their shoulders. They didn't know why that boy had died or why that girl had gone and shot herself. They didn't know anything about the hatred and the fear. They could only feel the sorrow in the losses.
Finally, the two groups stooped and picked the two bodies up from beneath he street light. Bronx or Jersey didn't matter anymore. The group walked off, towards the Bronx Lodging House, as it was closer. Each and every one of them were silent.
***
Free stayed behind. Stooping, she picked the revolver up from the ground, dusting off the dirt that had covered it. Never before had she seen such an ugly, threatening thing as this gun. A shiver ran through her.
Free looked up from the gun out past the river, into the horizon where the first frail fingers of the morning sunlight were reaching up into the sky. She stood where she was and watched it. The gulls called to eachother in their warbly, throaty voices. People began to venture out from their homes onto the streets, ready for another day. Most people disregarded the rising of the sun. Probably because it happened every day. But some never missed it…