GS Note: Well, aren't you proud, Gato and this out in the same day! Assuming people are still reading….

Before the Tale

Choices

As it turned out, left was a bad choice. It led right into a dead end, a newly constructed wall blocking my way out. I whirled around.

That little kid, Solo, was now in my way. He spread his arms disarmingly. There was blood trickling down his nose too. It stuck out at a funny angle.

"Oh combe on," his voice sounded strange. I almost groaned when I realised that kick must have broken his nose. There was no way I was leaving this house alive. "I'mb knot bmad at you. Let's talk dis out—"

I didn't give him a chance to finish. Unmindful of my own injuries, I pushed past his outstretched arms and darted back into the first room I saw. I slammed the door behind me, my heart pounding as I hear him yelling in the hall. I used my body to hold the door shut but as the boy wrecked it with his fists, I felt the impacts on my thin frame. This wasn't going to work.

I scanned the room. It was the same one where I had stabbed… Without a second hesitation, I dove under the bed again and whirled around to see the door open hastily. I braced myself on my hands and knees, glaring at the socked feet coming towards me.

There was no way in hell I was leaving now.

***

I wrapped the worn wool blanket around my knees tighter. The pillow was leaning against the wall behind me and another blankets cushioned the hard wood floor. I closed my eyes to take a quick nap. Unfortunately, my visitor had other thoughts.

"This is silly," the bedsprings creaked over my head, I sighed and pulled the blanket over my head. "It's been a week, that's seven days bucko. You've been fed, clothed 'n cleaned up. 'Course, ya did the last part yourself but hell, we even got ya that potty thing, and frankly, I'm glad Father Maxwell cleaned it and not me. I might still be peeved at ya fer my nose but Sister Helen don't give a rat's ass about 'her kidney. Well, if she still had it a'course. Haha, that's funny. Well fer me a'course. I'm sure Sister don't like me makin' fun of her and all."

I poked my eyes out from under the blanket. The springs sagged more as Solo dropped his head over the side of the bed. His blonde hair hung over his eyes and he blew on it futiley.

"Ya gonna come out of there any time soon?"

I could tell he was bored. I just wanted to sleep. He had said it had been a week and in that time he hadn't left me alone for very long. I had hoped that by not talking I would discourage him. I didn't know Solo.

He was right about a few things. I had been fed three times a day with good warm food and drinks. I had gotten new clothes and blankets to sleep on. I admit, that bowl they had me pissing in was a bit humiliating but I deserved it.

Sister Helen, that kind lady who's helped me, had to get her kidney taken out. When Solo told me how it was done, I shuddered. How someone could let a stranger take a knife to themselves and take something out was beyond me. In our endless time together, Solo never failed to explain everything to me. From His day-to-day life, how the Church worked, the kinds of food Sister Helen would make if I was bad to the police visits, I heard it all. In length and detail, might I add.

He was still looking at me patiently. There was a bandaid over his nose from where I had broken it. He didn't seem bothered one bit as his cheeks started to turn red from the blood rushing to his head. I pulled the orange blanket over my head again and cleared my throat.

If silence wasn't gonna shut him up, I needed a better approach.

"Maybe," my voice was gritty and rough. Solo squeaked and pulled his head up. I uncovered my eyes again and listened as he scrambled around the bed until he landed on the floor. He lay flat on his belly, unmindful of the cold floor and looked at me with eager blue eyes.

"Didja say something?" he asked. "Finally?"

"Hn," I grunted and shrugged my shoulders. A week of stationary position had made me stiff. I slowly began to pull my legs underneath me to look at him straight on. "I did. And af'er all dis time, I got sumting ta say."

I was nervous, I'll admit. Sure, these people might act nice now, but so did my mother when she wanted something. These people might be the same. Maybe they wanted something, maybe they just wanted to use me for something then throw me away. There was an awesome chance that they would give me to the police or they might even be trying to trick me for their own perposes. Either way, I was still stuck under a bed. And I need to get out, now.

If things got bad, I could always run. I took a chance.

"I wanna get outta 'ere."

Solo offered his hand. I hesitated. What if it was a mistake, what if I was getting myself in over my head? I squashed that little voice. With trembling fingers, I put my hand in his. He clasped it in a warm grasp and pulled me out from under. I slid along on my knees.

My back protested as I stood upright for the first time in a long while. Solo was taller then me, I squared my shoulders, balled my fists and glared at him. He looked me up and down before cheekily meeting my eyes.

"Now yer talkin' my lingo, mate," Solo grinned widely, his nose crinkling under the bandage. "I think Father'll be wantin' ta talk with ya."

I jumped as he clapped a friendly hand on my shoulder and started to steer me out of the room. I threw one last look over my shoulder at the safe haven I had left. Then, I turned around back towards the door and with a straight back, left.

It took a long while for things to get sorted out. Sister Helen was still in the hospital and the police hadn't been able to track down either Solo's parents or mine. Secretly, I was relieved. Father Maxwell had agreed to take temporary custody of us until a home could be found to take us in. We slept on the couch in the big room Sister Helen had taken me to before. I had been solo for most of my street life and wasn't used to being in such close contact with another person before.

Needless to say, the first night after I came out, it was a bit shocking to wake up in the middle of the night to take a leak and find myself trapped by a pair of arms. My first instinct was to scramble away and I followed it. With my kicking, Solo let out an indignat squeak and fell off the old couch onto the freezing floor. I perched on top of the arm and peered down at him rubbing his butt.

"What waz that for?" he grumbled quietly and stood up. The Church was dark and silent with even the soft movements of little Solo causing the floorboards to creak.

"Whadda t'ink ya waz doin'?" I hissed harshly. "Me waz under ya arms!"

"I waz cold ya moron," Solo glared back, only his glinting eyes and pale hair were visible on his dark silhouette. Moonlight streamed in from one of the old windows. "That's wot people do when they're cold. It's body heat or sumthing. Jeez, can't a guy get a little warmin' up?"

I snorted and slowly slipped off the arm and landing with a quiet thud on the floor. I hurried down the dark halls as Solo struggled back on the couch grumbling. I found the bathroom after a few lost turns and did my business in the dark. I tiptoed passed Father Maxwell's room on my way back but hesitated before climbing back on the couch.

Having someone's arms around me reminded me of my father. He used to hug me all the time and tell me what a miracle I was. After he had been killed I swore that no one could hold me like that again. It was my father's special right and if he couldn't do it, no one could. Especially not a stranger like Solo.

I knew Solo was awake, his eyes were opened a slit as he watched me from under his blankets. Not bothering to look back, I took one of the top blankets from him and curled up on the floor wrapping it around me for warmth. I felt the tension in the air as he raised his head slightly to look at me. I ignored him until he gave a hurt sigh and flopped back down.

My guts were tossing and turning and I felt a little sick. Worry gripped my throat.

Had I lost my only friend in the world?