Emily woke to the sound of a loud crack. Melody looked triumphantly after the two muggers, one nursing his arm as they ran.
Emily got up, "What happened?" she asked, looking at Melody's bloody face worriedly.
Melody smiled, "Dey tried ta steal our stuff and beat me up, but I showed dem," she said, beaming with pride. Emily just shook her head, genuinely concerned about her friend's health.
"You ok tho? It's looks as though they got ya, your forehead's bleeding. How's yer arm?" she asked, finally noticing that Melody was hiding it behind her back. "C'mon lemme see it," Emily insisted, taking her arm gently from behind her. She gasped as she saw the bandage covered in dark red blood and quickly unwrapped it, despite the yelps coming from Melody. "We gotta get ya to a doctor," Emily said, seeing the infected and bleeding wound.
Melody took her arm back fast, "NO," she said, quickly.
"Why not?" Emily said, a little surprised that Melody would react that way.
Melody sighed, "Well fer one thing we don't got the money," she said.
Emily gave her a look. "Dat ain't it, tho, is it?" she asked.
Melody stared at the ground, "I don't wanna talk about it," she said quietly, trying to avoid Emily's concerned blue eyes.
Emily threw up her hands, "What am I gonna do wit ya?" she cried out in despair. "Fine, well we need to clean it and we need ta find a place ta stay at," she said, trying to gather her anger into a small bottle, like she usually did.
Melody nodded and looked up, "I think I saw an abandoned apartment building back a ways," she said, a grin beginning to form on her face.
Emily couldn't help but smile, she always had one on her face it seemed. "Fine, let's go," she said, gathering up Melody's belongings, having none of her own and Melody's arm being quite dysfunctional. Melody tried to help her, but Emily just told her off. Melody sighed in despair and started wiping away the blood that was slowly increasing from her head wound.
Emily led the way and soon enough they had reached the building. It was awful looking, all the windows being broken and it smelled awful. Emily sighed and looked at Melody who just looked blankly back, being in deep thought. The inside wasn't as bad as the outside, to Emily and Melody's delight, and they soon found that there was even some furniture left there. Melody smiled at the sight of a comfy looking couch and jumped upon it.
She cuddled herself into a ball and was soon fast asleep. Emily sighed, wishing that she could fall asleep that easily. She fixed up the place best she could and when she was finished she was delighted to find a window seat that had a gorgeous view of the city. She grabbed the sweatshirt she had borrowed from Melody and curled up on the seat, watching the city grow dark as the sun set.
* * *
The door slammed shut, waking Emily from her deep sleep. She found herself on the couch with a blanket over her, unaware of how she had come to be there. She heard footsteps coming from the other room and soon Melody appeared through the door, a big, bulging bag in her hand.
"Oh, you're up finally, I moved ya when I got up," Melody said, seeing the confused look upon Emily's sleepy face.
"Where'd ya go and what's in de bag?" Emily asked yawning and then jumping off the couch to join her friend.
Melody smiled, "Well, fer one thing I went out to see where we actually are and in the bag I have some clothes and food," she said. She proceeded over to an old, moldy looking table and pulled something out of her bag. A dark green silk tablecloth was what she pulled out and Emily looked at her surprised as she put it on the table.
"How much did dat cost ya?" she asked, looking at the expensive cloth. Melody's next actions surprised her also. She emptied the bag on the table and out came some clothes, all boys' clothes and even though they looked dirty, they smelled clean.
"Heah, put on a pair, I'll wash yer others latah," she said throwing a shirt and pants at her. "I think dere yer size," Melody said, disappearing into the other room. Emily changed quickly and went to join Melody in the other room. She found her busying herself in what looked like a kitchen, cutting up pieces of bread with a long sharp knife and then proceeding to cut up some fresh fruit and vegetables. Emily just gaped, her mouth watering at the sight of the food.
"Where did ya get all dis?" she exclaimed, surprising Melody.
"Don't evah sneak up on me," Melody said, turning pale. Emily muttered a 'sorry'.
"I bought it at the market," Melody replied, color slowly returning to her face.
Emily thought for a moment, "But, where'd ya get de money?" she asked.
"From de pokah game silly," Melody said with a grin.
"But . . ." Emily began, remembering that Melody hadn't earned that much from the game on the train.
Melody hushed her by shoving a piece of apple in her mouth. "No more questions, we'll talk latah," she said with a grin, "You'se probably jist as hungry as I am." Her stomach growled loudly and the two girls laughed lightly. Melody took a seat on a rickety old chair and stuffed her mouth full with a piece of bread.
They ate as much as it pleased them and didn't talk until both of them were finished or rather when all the food was gone.
"Full?" Melody asked.
Emily nodded and Melody smiled, "Good, now I'se gonna show ya around de city," she said with a grin and jumped out of the chair, dragging Emily to the door. She slid down the railing and waited as Emily made her way down the steps.
Melody skipped happily out of the alley and into the bright, yellow sunshine. She danced around, the rays hitting her beautiful blonde hair. Emily smiled and as she came out of the alley her eyes widened. The city was more beautiful in the daytime and she was amazed at how many people were out and about. Melody smiled as she saw Emily taking in the city.
She smiled and put her arm around Emily's shoulder and said with a grin, "Welcome ta New Yoik."
* * *
Note from Author: more soon, this fic is finished…I'm such a tease *smirks*
