Notes: Yippie! 100 reviews? You like me, you really like me! May you
all be blessed with Kurt plushies!!!
--
Chapter 10: Day out.
Kurt took the precaution of teleporting into an alleyway within sight of a bus stop. The alleyway was so dark that even in the broad daylight, it was difficult to see. They walked over to the bus stop, and Kurt suddenly was aware that what he was wearing wasn't very warm. He shivered in the t- shirt, despite the leather coat and felt glad of the added protection of the gloves he had put on to disguise his trydactyl hands.
There was no one at the bus stop and looking at the timetable, they realised the next bus wouldn't be round for quite a while. An old man came along, sat down on the bench, looked at Kurt and mumbled "Young punks." Kurt and Siobhan exchanged a bemused look.
Siobhan, now bored and impatient, wandered off down another alleyway. She eventually came across a car, realised some idiot had left the car unlocked and with no one in sight, she decided to apply something her father had taught her - hotwiring a car. Siobhan remembered a time when her father had robbed a convenience store; she had been with him at the time. His car wouldn't start and he had simply stolen one instead. Strangely enough, it had resulted in a father-daughter bonding moment.
When Kurt eventually found her - missing the bus in the process, he didn't know whether to laugh, scold her, get angry, or just say nothing. He shooed Siobhan away from the drivers' seat and looked at her, clearly disappointed.
"Siobhan, what have I told you about stealing?"
"That you won't do it!"
Kurt might have banged his head against the wheel. Instead, a flash of inspiration came to him. Preaching would never work on the girl, but a harsher approach could.
"When your father was murdered, his life was stolen, Siobhan. Stealing a car, stealing a life, both come under the same meaning in the end."
"Well... You could be right..." Siobhan felt disappointed in herself too. "But we could always return it! Even if we just abandon it, the police can find it and return it to the owner!"
Kurt conceded Siobhan had a point. As she seemed to realise she had done wrong, plus the car would be more convenient, there was really only one thing to say. "Buckle up."
--
Surprisingly luck or God seemed to be on their side as Kurt felt very jumpy every time a police car could be heard. They weren't stopped once, not even when the police whizzed past them. Arriving at Siobhan's old home, Kurt felt disgusted by the squalor, graffiti clad walls and drunks. Horrible rap music was blaring in the background and Siobhan cringed with embarrassment. Before they got out of the car, Kurt re-applied the contact lenses.
Kurt's disguise appeared to be holding, one passer by even remarked "Nice threads" as they walked inside the apartment block. Siobhan led him to a door and politely knocked.
"Why are you knocking?" Kurt asked.
"Mrs Patton has the spare key. Don't worry, she's nearly blind and deaf."
Kurt was about to ask how Siobhan expected to convince a resident that she wasn't a missing person after all, when a very ancient woman wearing ethnic, yet prudish clothing slowly opened the door.
"Hi Mrs Patton! Can I have the spare key?" Siobhan asked the woman in a loud voice.
"Siobhan! Everyone has been talking about you and poor Miguel. Dear child, where have you been? The police have been round looking for you!" the woman said in a slight Jamaican accent. She then noticed Kurt. "Who is this?" she asked suspiciously, peering out at him through large glasses.
"Oh this is Uncle Kurt. We're here to pick up my stuff; Carlotta hasn't thrown it all out, has she?"
Kurt tried to keep a straight face, Siobhan referring to him as an uncle was a pleasant surprise. Plus she didn't lie about why they were here; perhaps his lecturing was finally getting through to her.
"That whore?" Mrs Patton spat. "She's out with my boy. That silly son of mine! He bailed her out and now she's taken him! So soon after Miguel's death! Despicable."
They eventually were given the key, but not before enduring the old woman's ranting. Carlotta didn't appear to be a very well liked person.
Once they were in Siobhan's old home, Kurt tripped over a pile of rubbish, the contact lenses hindering his eyesight. Taking them out once more, he remarked "People live here?" The place was akin to a pig sty. Perhaps the police had made it so during their raid for drugs, but Siobhan seemed nonplussed by the mess. "Carlotta won't cook or clean and Daddy never gave me enough pocket money." She said defensively.
Manoeuvring round empty beer cans, discarded pizza and women's clothing, they went into Siobhan's room, which surprisingly for a little girl's room was cleaner. Most of the contents of the room were in bin bags and boxes, ready to be chucked out. Siobhan looked appalled when she saw broken bits of china atop a wardrobe. "My dollies!" she wailed. "That bitch broke my china dolls!" Kurt wasn't listening, instead he had opened a window, gasping for air, the stench of days old pizza, booze and other smells he just didn't want to think about were overwhelming. Siobhan glanced at him, expecting a word of warning for using the word bitch and realised his skin tone was fading back to blue. "Um, Kurt? The makeup's running off. Bathroom is first door on the right, ok?"
Kurt made his way to the bathroom and reapplied the gunk. Noticing an aerosol can of air freshener, he sprayed the contents into every room until it ran out. The flowery scent was also sickening, but tolerable.
"Now do you believe me when I said how horrible Carlotta was?" Siobhan said, as Kurt shook the can, hoping there was enough for another spray.
"I never doubted you, but I had no idea she was this, this..." Kurt couldn't find a word in the English language to describe the apartment. "Have you found the letters?"
"Not yet." Siobhan replied, tipping out the contents of another bag. "Help me out, Carlotta could return any second!"
Kurt reluctantly reached down to help.
--
Unknown to them, Carlotta and her latest boyfriend were returning. As the couple walked in, they kicked some of the rubbish out of the way and started making out on the couch.
Kurt and Siobhan heard the noise and peeked out from Siobhan's room. "We will have to hurry." Kurt whispered as Siobhan franticly worked through the rubbish for her letters.
Carlotta looked up and heard the sounds of scuffling. Kurt noted that she really was as horrible looking as Siobhan claimed. Her features were harsh, not helped by her hooked nose, her makeup even more overdone than Kurt's. Kurt wasn't one to judge by appearance, considering his own, but even he felt he was better looking. 'Siobhan said this woman had several nose jobs, didn't she? She needs a new plastic surgeon.' Kurt thought, amazed by the size of Carlotta's hooter. Her surgically enhanced breasts almost bounced out of her low cut top as she dislodged the man from her and got up.
"Found 'em!" Siobhan said triumphantly while Kurt flipped out of Carlotta's way as the woman burst in.
"Pequeña perra, cuáles son usted que hace aquí?" Carlotta asked Siobhan angrily.
"Guten abend." Kurt greeted her, almost mesmerised by the size of Carlotta's nose. "We were just leaving..."
Carlotta gave Kurt an all over look. "Well hello handsome." She said demurely, as Siobhan sniggered. "Why don't you ditch the kid and come play with me...?" Carlotta's boyfriend mumbled something derogatory and slammed the door as he left the apartment in disgust.
Kurt staggered backwards and stuttered "Ah, um, yes I would like to get to nose, I mean know you!" He grabbed Siobhan. "Some other time perhaps, ja?"
As an insulted Carlotta lunged towards them, Siobhan screeched "Gota muerta, Carlotta!" Then the faint smell of brimstone added to the stench of the apartment as Kurt teleported.
--
Back to where the car was supposed to be, they realised it had been stolen. Again. A nearby drunk, who saw them suddenly arrive, commented "Whoa. This is my last drink. Ever" He drowned the can of beer and promptly opened another one.
"Damn, the car is gone! Want me to get another one?" Siobhan asked jokingly.
Kurt sighed. "Certainly not. We will walk in this fresh air."
"Trust me, it didn't used to be as bad as that. Carlotta's a stinker."
Kurt managed to refrain from agreeing. "Will she or the other residents report us to the police, do you think?"
"Squeal to the police? Here? You have got to be kidding." Siobhan laughed.
--
As they walked, people gave Kurt strange looks. Siobhan had to keep assuring him that the makeup was still on, but that didn't stop him from looking at his reflection in shop windows. One boy dressed in gothic gear remarked "Dude, you so do not wear those pants with that coat." Siobhan yelled back "Whatever man, at least he's not in some cheapo p.v.c!" Kurt had to hurry her on before they started a shouting match.
Eventually, after two bus journeys, Kurt was feeling edgy. He had been getting lots of appreciative glances and even a wolf-whistle off several young women. After Carlotta's reaction, plus the fact he just wasn't used to such treatment, he felt extremely uncomfortable. Siobhan kept nudging him every time an admirer would flutter her eyelashes at him, the young girl found this all very entertaining. When they came within teleportation distance to the church, Kurt practically sprinted off the bus, apologising repeatedly to an old woman he almost tripped over in his haste to leave.
Back at the church, Kurt couldn't wait to scrub off the makeup. His eyes hurt, so did his tail, with it being confined to the baggy pants, he had resorted to sitting on it while on the bus. That particular appendage now felt badly bruised.
Siobhan made her way back up to the spire with her letters and one china doll still intact that she had managed to swipe. She placed the doll on top of the bookshelf and re-read her letters while waiting for Kurt.
Eventually Kurt came in nursing his tail in his hands. "You want to put a bandage round that? It'd look so funny! Or a ribbon? That'd be cute." Siobhan said as her imagination provided her with the comical image.
Kurt let go of his tail and laughed. "No, I think I've suffered enough today." He said light-heartedly. "Do you have an address?"
"Yeah... But I'm reading through them all again."
Kurt boiled up something to eat as Siobhan reminisced. Neither of them was in any hurry. Tomorrow they would figure out a way to re-unite Siobhan with her mother. Tonight, they would laugh and joke about their day out.
--
Notes:
I wasn't sure how to end this chapter and I'm not liking the way I've done so, but remember, I do update regularly, so you all won't have too long to wait for chapter 11.
I'm really pleased to hear that the conversations between the characters sound realistic, I used to belong to a roleplaying forum where describing every action was more important than actual speaking, plus I'd roleplay silent, mysterious types, so conversations is something I felt I really needed to develop.
About the contact lenses; I haven't seen any interviews of the cast, the reaction to the lenses was purely my idea, based on my own experience, I've perfect 20/20 vision but when I dressed up as a cat for an adult fancy dress party, I missed most of it because of my cat eye effect lenses!
Spanish translations:
Pequeña perra, cuáles son usted que hace aquí? = Little bitch, what are you doing here.
Gota muerta = Drop dead
All of my translations are done without the aid of online translators - I prefer the challenge of working them out myself.
--
Chapter 10: Day out.
Kurt took the precaution of teleporting into an alleyway within sight of a bus stop. The alleyway was so dark that even in the broad daylight, it was difficult to see. They walked over to the bus stop, and Kurt suddenly was aware that what he was wearing wasn't very warm. He shivered in the t- shirt, despite the leather coat and felt glad of the added protection of the gloves he had put on to disguise his trydactyl hands.
There was no one at the bus stop and looking at the timetable, they realised the next bus wouldn't be round for quite a while. An old man came along, sat down on the bench, looked at Kurt and mumbled "Young punks." Kurt and Siobhan exchanged a bemused look.
Siobhan, now bored and impatient, wandered off down another alleyway. She eventually came across a car, realised some idiot had left the car unlocked and with no one in sight, she decided to apply something her father had taught her - hotwiring a car. Siobhan remembered a time when her father had robbed a convenience store; she had been with him at the time. His car wouldn't start and he had simply stolen one instead. Strangely enough, it had resulted in a father-daughter bonding moment.
When Kurt eventually found her - missing the bus in the process, he didn't know whether to laugh, scold her, get angry, or just say nothing. He shooed Siobhan away from the drivers' seat and looked at her, clearly disappointed.
"Siobhan, what have I told you about stealing?"
"That you won't do it!"
Kurt might have banged his head against the wheel. Instead, a flash of inspiration came to him. Preaching would never work on the girl, but a harsher approach could.
"When your father was murdered, his life was stolen, Siobhan. Stealing a car, stealing a life, both come under the same meaning in the end."
"Well... You could be right..." Siobhan felt disappointed in herself too. "But we could always return it! Even if we just abandon it, the police can find it and return it to the owner!"
Kurt conceded Siobhan had a point. As she seemed to realise she had done wrong, plus the car would be more convenient, there was really only one thing to say. "Buckle up."
--
Surprisingly luck or God seemed to be on their side as Kurt felt very jumpy every time a police car could be heard. They weren't stopped once, not even when the police whizzed past them. Arriving at Siobhan's old home, Kurt felt disgusted by the squalor, graffiti clad walls and drunks. Horrible rap music was blaring in the background and Siobhan cringed with embarrassment. Before they got out of the car, Kurt re-applied the contact lenses.
Kurt's disguise appeared to be holding, one passer by even remarked "Nice threads" as they walked inside the apartment block. Siobhan led him to a door and politely knocked.
"Why are you knocking?" Kurt asked.
"Mrs Patton has the spare key. Don't worry, she's nearly blind and deaf."
Kurt was about to ask how Siobhan expected to convince a resident that she wasn't a missing person after all, when a very ancient woman wearing ethnic, yet prudish clothing slowly opened the door.
"Hi Mrs Patton! Can I have the spare key?" Siobhan asked the woman in a loud voice.
"Siobhan! Everyone has been talking about you and poor Miguel. Dear child, where have you been? The police have been round looking for you!" the woman said in a slight Jamaican accent. She then noticed Kurt. "Who is this?" she asked suspiciously, peering out at him through large glasses.
"Oh this is Uncle Kurt. We're here to pick up my stuff; Carlotta hasn't thrown it all out, has she?"
Kurt tried to keep a straight face, Siobhan referring to him as an uncle was a pleasant surprise. Plus she didn't lie about why they were here; perhaps his lecturing was finally getting through to her.
"That whore?" Mrs Patton spat. "She's out with my boy. That silly son of mine! He bailed her out and now she's taken him! So soon after Miguel's death! Despicable."
They eventually were given the key, but not before enduring the old woman's ranting. Carlotta didn't appear to be a very well liked person.
Once they were in Siobhan's old home, Kurt tripped over a pile of rubbish, the contact lenses hindering his eyesight. Taking them out once more, he remarked "People live here?" The place was akin to a pig sty. Perhaps the police had made it so during their raid for drugs, but Siobhan seemed nonplussed by the mess. "Carlotta won't cook or clean and Daddy never gave me enough pocket money." She said defensively.
Manoeuvring round empty beer cans, discarded pizza and women's clothing, they went into Siobhan's room, which surprisingly for a little girl's room was cleaner. Most of the contents of the room were in bin bags and boxes, ready to be chucked out. Siobhan looked appalled when she saw broken bits of china atop a wardrobe. "My dollies!" she wailed. "That bitch broke my china dolls!" Kurt wasn't listening, instead he had opened a window, gasping for air, the stench of days old pizza, booze and other smells he just didn't want to think about were overwhelming. Siobhan glanced at him, expecting a word of warning for using the word bitch and realised his skin tone was fading back to blue. "Um, Kurt? The makeup's running off. Bathroom is first door on the right, ok?"
Kurt made his way to the bathroom and reapplied the gunk. Noticing an aerosol can of air freshener, he sprayed the contents into every room until it ran out. The flowery scent was also sickening, but tolerable.
"Now do you believe me when I said how horrible Carlotta was?" Siobhan said, as Kurt shook the can, hoping there was enough for another spray.
"I never doubted you, but I had no idea she was this, this..." Kurt couldn't find a word in the English language to describe the apartment. "Have you found the letters?"
"Not yet." Siobhan replied, tipping out the contents of another bag. "Help me out, Carlotta could return any second!"
Kurt reluctantly reached down to help.
--
Unknown to them, Carlotta and her latest boyfriend were returning. As the couple walked in, they kicked some of the rubbish out of the way and started making out on the couch.
Kurt and Siobhan heard the noise and peeked out from Siobhan's room. "We will have to hurry." Kurt whispered as Siobhan franticly worked through the rubbish for her letters.
Carlotta looked up and heard the sounds of scuffling. Kurt noted that she really was as horrible looking as Siobhan claimed. Her features were harsh, not helped by her hooked nose, her makeup even more overdone than Kurt's. Kurt wasn't one to judge by appearance, considering his own, but even he felt he was better looking. 'Siobhan said this woman had several nose jobs, didn't she? She needs a new plastic surgeon.' Kurt thought, amazed by the size of Carlotta's hooter. Her surgically enhanced breasts almost bounced out of her low cut top as she dislodged the man from her and got up.
"Found 'em!" Siobhan said triumphantly while Kurt flipped out of Carlotta's way as the woman burst in.
"Pequeña perra, cuáles son usted que hace aquí?" Carlotta asked Siobhan angrily.
"Guten abend." Kurt greeted her, almost mesmerised by the size of Carlotta's nose. "We were just leaving..."
Carlotta gave Kurt an all over look. "Well hello handsome." She said demurely, as Siobhan sniggered. "Why don't you ditch the kid and come play with me...?" Carlotta's boyfriend mumbled something derogatory and slammed the door as he left the apartment in disgust.
Kurt staggered backwards and stuttered "Ah, um, yes I would like to get to nose, I mean know you!" He grabbed Siobhan. "Some other time perhaps, ja?"
As an insulted Carlotta lunged towards them, Siobhan screeched "Gota muerta, Carlotta!" Then the faint smell of brimstone added to the stench of the apartment as Kurt teleported.
--
Back to where the car was supposed to be, they realised it had been stolen. Again. A nearby drunk, who saw them suddenly arrive, commented "Whoa. This is my last drink. Ever" He drowned the can of beer and promptly opened another one.
"Damn, the car is gone! Want me to get another one?" Siobhan asked jokingly.
Kurt sighed. "Certainly not. We will walk in this fresh air."
"Trust me, it didn't used to be as bad as that. Carlotta's a stinker."
Kurt managed to refrain from agreeing. "Will she or the other residents report us to the police, do you think?"
"Squeal to the police? Here? You have got to be kidding." Siobhan laughed.
--
As they walked, people gave Kurt strange looks. Siobhan had to keep assuring him that the makeup was still on, but that didn't stop him from looking at his reflection in shop windows. One boy dressed in gothic gear remarked "Dude, you so do not wear those pants with that coat." Siobhan yelled back "Whatever man, at least he's not in some cheapo p.v.c!" Kurt had to hurry her on before they started a shouting match.
Eventually, after two bus journeys, Kurt was feeling edgy. He had been getting lots of appreciative glances and even a wolf-whistle off several young women. After Carlotta's reaction, plus the fact he just wasn't used to such treatment, he felt extremely uncomfortable. Siobhan kept nudging him every time an admirer would flutter her eyelashes at him, the young girl found this all very entertaining. When they came within teleportation distance to the church, Kurt practically sprinted off the bus, apologising repeatedly to an old woman he almost tripped over in his haste to leave.
Back at the church, Kurt couldn't wait to scrub off the makeup. His eyes hurt, so did his tail, with it being confined to the baggy pants, he had resorted to sitting on it while on the bus. That particular appendage now felt badly bruised.
Siobhan made her way back up to the spire with her letters and one china doll still intact that she had managed to swipe. She placed the doll on top of the bookshelf and re-read her letters while waiting for Kurt.
Eventually Kurt came in nursing his tail in his hands. "You want to put a bandage round that? It'd look so funny! Or a ribbon? That'd be cute." Siobhan said as her imagination provided her with the comical image.
Kurt let go of his tail and laughed. "No, I think I've suffered enough today." He said light-heartedly. "Do you have an address?"
"Yeah... But I'm reading through them all again."
Kurt boiled up something to eat as Siobhan reminisced. Neither of them was in any hurry. Tomorrow they would figure out a way to re-unite Siobhan with her mother. Tonight, they would laugh and joke about their day out.
--
Notes:
I wasn't sure how to end this chapter and I'm not liking the way I've done so, but remember, I do update regularly, so you all won't have too long to wait for chapter 11.
I'm really pleased to hear that the conversations between the characters sound realistic, I used to belong to a roleplaying forum where describing every action was more important than actual speaking, plus I'd roleplay silent, mysterious types, so conversations is something I felt I really needed to develop.
About the contact lenses; I haven't seen any interviews of the cast, the reaction to the lenses was purely my idea, based on my own experience, I've perfect 20/20 vision but when I dressed up as a cat for an adult fancy dress party, I missed most of it because of my cat eye effect lenses!
Spanish translations:
Pequeña perra, cuáles son usted que hace aquí? = Little bitch, what are you doing here.
Gota muerta = Drop dead
All of my translations are done without the aid of online translators - I prefer the challenge of working them out myself.
