Hey hope you guys have been enjoying the chapters so far, before you go on to read more I have some stuff to share. Part of my mind wants to combine this story with my young Kit story. But I am still working out the kinks. So since there are still a lot of kinks to work out I am going to put the two stories up as is. But don't be surprised if you come and read this some time in the future and...well that it's all changed. Just a note from the ever crazy Josiahgirl now on to your regularly scheduled story.
The countryside passed by quickly and watching it go past was making Kit sick to her stomach. She remembered she had packed a book and reached up to get it. Her legs stiffened and Kit reached down to rub out the cramp. She sat back down and attempted to read but the words didn't make any sense. They had been on the train for 2 days and were going to be reaching Chicago sometime in the next 3 hours.
Kit hadn't left their seats except for personal needs and was now terribly bored. She stood up and stretched again, "I am gonna go for a walk." She told no one in particular and when no one responded she started down the aisle. It was a moving train and there weren't many places she could go. She picked a direction and headed off that way.
Spot and Tack had spent most of the past two days figuring out how to search for the twins and the little girls. At each stop they got out and asked people at the station if they had seen any children around the station that they didn't recognize. No one had and Tack was starting to give up hope that they could be found.
"What if they got off and no one saw them. They are so little Spot. What if they didn't make a train going this way. Spot they could be anywhere." Tack started to cry pulling her legs up to her chest and crying into her knees.
Spot didn't deny her fears, as he wondered if it could be true. Bait and Jolly did have street smarts but they were still quite young. "They will be just fine Tack. Me nephews are smart boys. If they get lost they'll head for home."
Tack's head came up at the nephews remark. "The twins are your nephews?"
Spot looked surprised that he had revealed the secret he had been keeping for two years. "Yeah, well Ise think they's me sister's kids. See me sister and me weren't all that close and Ise found the twins in the street one night and I found out she died that same night. It was when they was 6 and Ise been raising them ever since. They don't know though. Actually no one knows, well except youse. Ise gonna tell Kit sooner or later, but Ise never had the chance."
"Well wes gonna find Kit for sure so you can tell her then." Tack said a bit more self-assured than the moment before.
"Yep, and Ise never gonna let her disappear again." Spot said more to himself than to Tack but she heard and smiled. They slipped into a silence and just sat watching the countryside go by.
Kit entered a car just one back from her original car. The seats weren't as nice, they were more like wooden benches and it smelled of cigar smoke and unwashed bodies, among other things. She caught the attention of some men who were sitting at the front of the car. "Now what has we got here? Ain't you a bit lost missy?"
"Nah she is looking for me ain't you sweetheart."
Kit's lip moved up in disgust as she tried to move past the men, "Neither, Ise just stretching my legs." One of the men grabbed her arm and she pulled out of his grasp.
"Well boys we got a live one here. Now come on baby we're nice guys. Come sit and tell us about yourself." He grabbed her arm and this time she couldn't get out of his grasp. She blindly reached out to scratch the man, "Ouch now that ain't nice." He grabbed her roughly pulling her down to sit next to him. Kit struggled against his arms and finally was able to lift her foot. She brought it down hard on his insole. He let her go and Kit stood up and began running toward the back of the car. An arm reached out and pulled Kit down onto a bench. She would have protested but lips over her mouth prevented it.
Tack's attention was taken from the countryside when she heard the men in the front of the car jeering. She looked up to the front of the car, but all she could see through the hazy cigar smoke was the figure of a girl. She shuddered, the men had made some sly comments to her the first day, but had stopped when Spot had come up. She touched Spot's shoulder. "Spot should we go help the girl up there?"
Spot broke his gaze from the window, "Huh? Nah the conductor has to come through eventually she'll be fine." The girl's yell stopped him, "Or maybe not." A male bellow and the sound of shoes running down the aisle soon followed it. Spot did the first thing that came to him, stepping out into the aisle he went up a couple of seats. As the girl came by he grabbed her bringing her down to the seat and began to kiss her. The girl tried to struggle but Spot held on tight, he wasn't going to let her go.
The man stopped to talk to Tack, "You seen where my wife went off to?"
"Nope didn't see any one I just woke up." Tack could smell the alcohol on his breath and figured he was too inebriated to have seen Spot grab the girl.
The man shrugged and began to walk back to his seat. Tack got up and went over to the seat where Spot was sitting with the girl he had rescued. She tapped Spot on the shoulder, "Spot, he's gone you can let the girl up now." Spot shook his hand to wave Tack away and she stomped her foot. "Spot Conlon we are going to go get your girlfriend, I don't think this is how you should be acting with some girl you just met."
Spot finally sat back from the girl and looked up at Tack, "If youse don't mind Tack Ise telling my goil hello and Ise rather do it in private."
Tack looked at the blushing girl and she saw what Spot had seen when the girl had come running up the aisle. "Kit." She went and gave her friend a hug, making it a group hug in the process.
Kit finally got over her surprise, "What are you guys doing here? Not that I mind or anything."
"Wes came looking for youse Kit." Spot said holding her close as if he was afraid to risk losing her again if he let go. Kit seemed content to stay where she was. Tack sat down across from them, and pursed her lips.
"We didn't just come to look for you though Kit." When she saw Kit's confused look she lowered her eyes. "The twins and the little girls took off looking for you. We hoped they jumped the train you were on, but as this is obviously your train I guess not."
"What? The twins are looking for me?" Kit looked a bit confused and worried.
"Yeah, they took off the night youse left; but wes didn't realize it till really late. Wes came after them as soon as we realized." Spot looked down at their entwined hands.
"Well they have to be on this train, it was the first one to leave the station that morning." Kit said with some certainty.
"So where youse keeping youse selves?" Spot asked.
"The next car up. This train gets to Chicago soon, wanna come on up? Mills will be glad to see people." Kit suddenly stood up and started to drag Spot and Tack down the aisle.
"Hey let me get our stuff." Tack called as she went back for their bags. Kit stopped and Tack was soon back. They all headed back down the train car, stopping about 3 sets of benches back.
"Stay out here till I come and get you okay?" Kit asked, "And don't come any nearer, it's gonna be a surprise."
"It will be a surprise alright." Spot mumbled as Kit walked back up, much happier than when she had left.
Mills looked up from the blanket she was making. "Well youse seem happier now. What did youse see on your walk?."
Kit sat down and started her story. "Well see I went walking and as I entered this car a drunk man tried to put some moves on me." This brought Swan and Cray to attention, Kit waved off their concerned looks, "Let me finish, anyway I was able to get away from him because another guy saw what was happening and grabbed me and started kissing me."
"He did what!?" Cray looked ready to kill someone.
"OH don't worry it was someone I knew so anyway we had a good talk and I invited him and his friend to come back here so you could thank them for saving me from getting hurt."
"I'd like to thank him alright." Cray mumbled.
"Well then I'll go get him, be right back." Before they could protest Kit stood up and motioned to someone. "Cray, Swan, and Mills I would like you to meet my saviors, even though I think we all know them already."
Spot and Tack sat down and were greeted by Mills' happy exclamation and Cray and Swan's looks of shock. "Spot and Tack came looking for me so there Cray." Kit put her arms around Spots middle and leaned against him quite proud of herself.
The countryside passed by quickly and watching it go past was making Kit sick to her stomach. She remembered she had packed a book and reached up to get it. Her legs stiffened and Kit reached down to rub out the cramp. She sat back down and attempted to read but the words didn't make any sense. They had been on the train for 2 days and were going to be reaching Chicago sometime in the next 3 hours.
Kit hadn't left their seats except for personal needs and was now terribly bored. She stood up and stretched again, "I am gonna go for a walk." She told no one in particular and when no one responded she started down the aisle. It was a moving train and there weren't many places she could go. She picked a direction and headed off that way.
Spot and Tack had spent most of the past two days figuring out how to search for the twins and the little girls. At each stop they got out and asked people at the station if they had seen any children around the station that they didn't recognize. No one had and Tack was starting to give up hope that they could be found.
"What if they got off and no one saw them. They are so little Spot. What if they didn't make a train going this way. Spot they could be anywhere." Tack started to cry pulling her legs up to her chest and crying into her knees.
Spot didn't deny her fears, as he wondered if it could be true. Bait and Jolly did have street smarts but they were still quite young. "They will be just fine Tack. Me nephews are smart boys. If they get lost they'll head for home."
Tack's head came up at the nephews remark. "The twins are your nephews?"
Spot looked surprised that he had revealed the secret he had been keeping for two years. "Yeah, well Ise think they's me sister's kids. See me sister and me weren't all that close and Ise found the twins in the street one night and I found out she died that same night. It was when they was 6 and Ise been raising them ever since. They don't know though. Actually no one knows, well except youse. Ise gonna tell Kit sooner or later, but Ise never had the chance."
"Well wes gonna find Kit for sure so you can tell her then." Tack said a bit more self-assured than the moment before.
"Yep, and Ise never gonna let her disappear again." Spot said more to himself than to Tack but she heard and smiled. They slipped into a silence and just sat watching the countryside go by.
Kit entered a car just one back from her original car. The seats weren't as nice, they were more like wooden benches and it smelled of cigar smoke and unwashed bodies, among other things. She caught the attention of some men who were sitting at the front of the car. "Now what has we got here? Ain't you a bit lost missy?"
"Nah she is looking for me ain't you sweetheart."
Kit's lip moved up in disgust as she tried to move past the men, "Neither, Ise just stretching my legs." One of the men grabbed her arm and she pulled out of his grasp.
"Well boys we got a live one here. Now come on baby we're nice guys. Come sit and tell us about yourself." He grabbed her arm and this time she couldn't get out of his grasp. She blindly reached out to scratch the man, "Ouch now that ain't nice." He grabbed her roughly pulling her down to sit next to him. Kit struggled against his arms and finally was able to lift her foot. She brought it down hard on his insole. He let her go and Kit stood up and began running toward the back of the car. An arm reached out and pulled Kit down onto a bench. She would have protested but lips over her mouth prevented it.
Tack's attention was taken from the countryside when she heard the men in the front of the car jeering. She looked up to the front of the car, but all she could see through the hazy cigar smoke was the figure of a girl. She shuddered, the men had made some sly comments to her the first day, but had stopped when Spot had come up. She touched Spot's shoulder. "Spot should we go help the girl up there?"
Spot broke his gaze from the window, "Huh? Nah the conductor has to come through eventually she'll be fine." The girl's yell stopped him, "Or maybe not." A male bellow and the sound of shoes running down the aisle soon followed it. Spot did the first thing that came to him, stepping out into the aisle he went up a couple of seats. As the girl came by he grabbed her bringing her down to the seat and began to kiss her. The girl tried to struggle but Spot held on tight, he wasn't going to let her go.
The man stopped to talk to Tack, "You seen where my wife went off to?"
"Nope didn't see any one I just woke up." Tack could smell the alcohol on his breath and figured he was too inebriated to have seen Spot grab the girl.
The man shrugged and began to walk back to his seat. Tack got up and went over to the seat where Spot was sitting with the girl he had rescued. She tapped Spot on the shoulder, "Spot, he's gone you can let the girl up now." Spot shook his hand to wave Tack away and she stomped her foot. "Spot Conlon we are going to go get your girlfriend, I don't think this is how you should be acting with some girl you just met."
Spot finally sat back from the girl and looked up at Tack, "If youse don't mind Tack Ise telling my goil hello and Ise rather do it in private."
Tack looked at the blushing girl and she saw what Spot had seen when the girl had come running up the aisle. "Kit." She went and gave her friend a hug, making it a group hug in the process.
Kit finally got over her surprise, "What are you guys doing here? Not that I mind or anything."
"Wes came looking for youse Kit." Spot said holding her close as if he was afraid to risk losing her again if he let go. Kit seemed content to stay where she was. Tack sat down across from them, and pursed her lips.
"We didn't just come to look for you though Kit." When she saw Kit's confused look she lowered her eyes. "The twins and the little girls took off looking for you. We hoped they jumped the train you were on, but as this is obviously your train I guess not."
"What? The twins are looking for me?" Kit looked a bit confused and worried.
"Yeah, they took off the night youse left; but wes didn't realize it till really late. Wes came after them as soon as we realized." Spot looked down at their entwined hands.
"Well they have to be on this train, it was the first one to leave the station that morning." Kit said with some certainty.
"So where youse keeping youse selves?" Spot asked.
"The next car up. This train gets to Chicago soon, wanna come on up? Mills will be glad to see people." Kit suddenly stood up and started to drag Spot and Tack down the aisle.
"Hey let me get our stuff." Tack called as she went back for their bags. Kit stopped and Tack was soon back. They all headed back down the train car, stopping about 3 sets of benches back.
"Stay out here till I come and get you okay?" Kit asked, "And don't come any nearer, it's gonna be a surprise."
"It will be a surprise alright." Spot mumbled as Kit walked back up, much happier than when she had left.
Mills looked up from the blanket she was making. "Well youse seem happier now. What did youse see on your walk?."
Kit sat down and started her story. "Well see I went walking and as I entered this car a drunk man tried to put some moves on me." This brought Swan and Cray to attention, Kit waved off their concerned looks, "Let me finish, anyway I was able to get away from him because another guy saw what was happening and grabbed me and started kissing me."
"He did what!?" Cray looked ready to kill someone.
"OH don't worry it was someone I knew so anyway we had a good talk and I invited him and his friend to come back here so you could thank them for saving me from getting hurt."
"I'd like to thank him alright." Cray mumbled.
"Well then I'll go get him, be right back." Before they could protest Kit stood up and motioned to someone. "Cray, Swan, and Mills I would like you to meet my saviors, even though I think we all know them already."
Spot and Tack sat down and were greeted by Mills' happy exclamation and Cray and Swan's looks of shock. "Spot and Tack came looking for me so there Cray." Kit put her arms around Spots middle and leaned against him quite proud of herself.