Jack reached the side of the building and reached down to help her back
onto the rooftop. She'd barely managed to catch the side of the building
she'd been jumping to, but her muscles were so tired that she couldn't pull
herself up. When Jack had her on the roof, she collapsed, partly from
fear, partly from hunger, and partly from exhaustion, both mental and
physical. Jack held her close to his chest to keep her from bolting as
soon as she could. Plus he was hoping actual human contact would soften
her. He could feel her heart beat like a trapped animal's against his
chest and hear her breath coming fast and desperate. Finally she went limp
in his arms and his hold relaxed.
Big mistake.
Once again she shoved him away as hard as she could and took off across rooftops. This time there was no loose stone to slow her passage and she escaped. Jack remained on the rooftop for some time.just sitting and thinking until the velvet black of night had completely fallen across the city he lived and breathed. Rising to his feet he made one of the hardest decisions he'd ever had to make. He gave up. He couldn't reach her and he didn't know if anyone ever would. She was too scared to let things in and too strong to be forced. Sighing, he walked slowly back to the Lodging House.
****************************************************************************
Ice didn't stop running until she reached the trainyards. There she hopped into the closest car, already containing several such intended passengers, and huddled in a corner, using the cold metal sides of the car to envelop herself in the ice she desperately needed to hold herself together. Eventually, pure exhaustion dropped her to sleep.
The next morning the train halted at some town, somewhere other than New York. The other passengers of Ice's car had warily watched each other for most of the night, none of them too trusting of the other. Yet when the car screeched to a halt and they rose to quickly exit, less their presence be discovered, one old woman reached down to wake the tiny girl who hadn't stirred for several hours. She gasped aloud when she realized that the girl was in a sleep from which she would never awake, yet she was probably happier than she'd ever been. The frozen tear tracks down her cheeks led to a small, warm, smile. She was with her family once again, and finally, her ice wasn't thick enough to withstand the warmth of their love.
Big mistake.
Once again she shoved him away as hard as she could and took off across rooftops. This time there was no loose stone to slow her passage and she escaped. Jack remained on the rooftop for some time.just sitting and thinking until the velvet black of night had completely fallen across the city he lived and breathed. Rising to his feet he made one of the hardest decisions he'd ever had to make. He gave up. He couldn't reach her and he didn't know if anyone ever would. She was too scared to let things in and too strong to be forced. Sighing, he walked slowly back to the Lodging House.
****************************************************************************
Ice didn't stop running until she reached the trainyards. There she hopped into the closest car, already containing several such intended passengers, and huddled in a corner, using the cold metal sides of the car to envelop herself in the ice she desperately needed to hold herself together. Eventually, pure exhaustion dropped her to sleep.
The next morning the train halted at some town, somewhere other than New York. The other passengers of Ice's car had warily watched each other for most of the night, none of them too trusting of the other. Yet when the car screeched to a halt and they rose to quickly exit, less their presence be discovered, one old woman reached down to wake the tiny girl who hadn't stirred for several hours. She gasped aloud when she realized that the girl was in a sleep from which she would never awake, yet she was probably happier than she'd ever been. The frozen tear tracks down her cheeks led to a small, warm, smile. She was with her family once again, and finally, her ice wasn't thick enough to withstand the warmth of their love.