Chapter 5
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Siren smiled as she walked with Jack and Spot to the Lodging House. She was thinking of her father. He had always loved to sing and Siren had almost heard him tonight as she sang. His strong voice had filled her ears and she was still imagining him there in the crowd smiling at her.
Suddenly her happy thoughts were interrupted by loud screaming and cheering.
"You'd think they would learn to shut up after the last time," Siren said to Jack.
Jack nodded remembering how just the other week the cops had been called because the boys were "disturbing the peace".
"Well, let's go," Siren said as she walked in the building and up the stairs, Spot and Jack following her.
"EVERYBODY SHUT THE HELL UP!!!" Siren screamed as she walked in.
A dead silence followed her voice. She looked around and saw a poker game in the corner consisting of Race, Skittery, Mush and Blink. She saw Snipeshooter and Boots asleep in their beds, and wondered faintly how they were still asleep. Dutchy, Specs, and Bumlets were in the middle of a crap game. Swifty, Itey, and Snitch were in, what looked like an animated, fight. Snoddy and Pie Eater were talking about the trouble with the selling spots. Jake was reading on his bunk. And finally, David and Crutchy were just looking around doing nothing.
"Jack, lay him down on my bunk," Siren commanded softly as she issued a group death glare.
Jack nodded and set Les on Siren's bunk in the corner.
"Momma," Les whispered as Jack laid him down. Siren walked over to the bed and sat on the edge.
"Shhh, it's alright," Siren whispered rubbing his head.
"Siren, will you sing a song for me?" Les asked sleepily.
"Alright baby," she said soothingly. "Piper."
A girl sitting next to Itey smiled and produced a set of pan pipes from her pocket. She started playing a slow soothing tune as Siren started singing.
"When the last eagle flies
Over the last crumbling mountain
And the last lion roars
At the last dusty fountain
In the shadow of the forest
Though she may be old and worn
They will stare unbelieving
At the Last Unicorn
When the first breath of winter
Through the flowers is icing
And you look to the north
And a pale moon is rising
And it seems like all is dying
And would leave the world to mourn
In the distance hear the laughter
Of the Last Unicorn
I'm alive, I'm alive
When the last moon is cast
Over the last star of morning
And the future is past
Without even a last desperate warning
Then look into the sky where through
The clouds a path is formed
Look and see her how she sparkles
It's the Last Unicorn
I'm alive, I'm alive."
She finished singing and saw that Les was sleeping soundly. Smiling, she got up and walked into the washroom as the others got ready for bed. Siren changed and came back out wearing her nightgown and holding a brush in her hand.
"Siren, c'mere," Spot said as he patted the bed next to his.
Siren did as she was told and sat on the bunk beside his. She started brushing her hair when a hand stopped hers. Looking behind her she saw Spot taking the brush gently from her hand.
"Let me," he whispered and he started to brush her hair.
"Do you do this with all your conquests, or am I just special?" Siren asked in a whisper.
Spot seemed to tense at the question. 'I've struck a nerve,' she thought as he stopped brushing her hair.
"Foist, Siren," Spot started, "I'se would like ta ouch. Ya know I'se risking a lot ta git dis close ta youse and did is 'ow youse t'ank me? And secondly Siren, youse are special."
"Sorry," Siren said after he was finished. "It's just-, well, talk travels and especially if it's about Brooklyn's leader. 'Sides Mush warned me about you. He said I needed to be on my guard or you'd break my heart."
"Guess I'se'll have ta tawk ta Mush, huh?" Spot relied as he finished her hair and braided it.
"How did you learn how to do that?" Siren asked as she stood to put away the brush.
Spot tensed and his eyes became ice once again. "Never ask me dat again, ya hear?" he growled at her.
Siren nodded, slightly scared. "I won't, I promise."
Spot looked into her sea-green eyes and softened. "I'se sorry Siren, it's just a sensitive subject."
"I understand, really," Siren said as she walked into the washroom and laid the brush down. Coming back out, she saw Spot taking his shirt and shoes off. Allowing her eyes to travel up and down his body, Siren silently appraised him. 'Wow,' seemed to be the only thought echoing through her head.
Sensing someone watching him Spot turned and caught Siren's eyes. Smirking, he said, "Like what youse see?"
Siren blushed but smiled seductively and said simply, "Who wouldn't?"
"Lights out guys!!" Jack suddenly called and Siren jumped into her bed, literally, seeing as it was the top bunk.
"Night guys," Siren said as Jack turned the lights out and climbed onto his bunk beside her. A few of the boys answered back and soon were asleep.
Yet try as she might, sleep alluded Siren and instead she dwelled on thoughts of her past, things that needed to be long forgotten but wouldn't be, things that haunted her nightly. Yet, somewhere in the memories dreams took hold of Siren and she was tortured with things even the boys of the streets didn't know.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Siren smiled as she walked with Jack and Spot to the Lodging House. She was thinking of her father. He had always loved to sing and Siren had almost heard him tonight as she sang. His strong voice had filled her ears and she was still imagining him there in the crowd smiling at her.
Suddenly her happy thoughts were interrupted by loud screaming and cheering.
"You'd think they would learn to shut up after the last time," Siren said to Jack.
Jack nodded remembering how just the other week the cops had been called because the boys were "disturbing the peace".
"Well, let's go," Siren said as she walked in the building and up the stairs, Spot and Jack following her.
"EVERYBODY SHUT THE HELL UP!!!" Siren screamed as she walked in.
A dead silence followed her voice. She looked around and saw a poker game in the corner consisting of Race, Skittery, Mush and Blink. She saw Snipeshooter and Boots asleep in their beds, and wondered faintly how they were still asleep. Dutchy, Specs, and Bumlets were in the middle of a crap game. Swifty, Itey, and Snitch were in, what looked like an animated, fight. Snoddy and Pie Eater were talking about the trouble with the selling spots. Jake was reading on his bunk. And finally, David and Crutchy were just looking around doing nothing.
"Jack, lay him down on my bunk," Siren commanded softly as she issued a group death glare.
Jack nodded and set Les on Siren's bunk in the corner.
"Momma," Les whispered as Jack laid him down. Siren walked over to the bed and sat on the edge.
"Shhh, it's alright," Siren whispered rubbing his head.
"Siren, will you sing a song for me?" Les asked sleepily.
"Alright baby," she said soothingly. "Piper."
A girl sitting next to Itey smiled and produced a set of pan pipes from her pocket. She started playing a slow soothing tune as Siren started singing.
"When the last eagle flies
Over the last crumbling mountain
And the last lion roars
At the last dusty fountain
In the shadow of the forest
Though she may be old and worn
They will stare unbelieving
At the Last Unicorn
When the first breath of winter
Through the flowers is icing
And you look to the north
And a pale moon is rising
And it seems like all is dying
And would leave the world to mourn
In the distance hear the laughter
Of the Last Unicorn
I'm alive, I'm alive
When the last moon is cast
Over the last star of morning
And the future is past
Without even a last desperate warning
Then look into the sky where through
The clouds a path is formed
Look and see her how she sparkles
It's the Last Unicorn
I'm alive, I'm alive."
She finished singing and saw that Les was sleeping soundly. Smiling, she got up and walked into the washroom as the others got ready for bed. Siren changed and came back out wearing her nightgown and holding a brush in her hand.
"Siren, c'mere," Spot said as he patted the bed next to his.
Siren did as she was told and sat on the bunk beside his. She started brushing her hair when a hand stopped hers. Looking behind her she saw Spot taking the brush gently from her hand.
"Let me," he whispered and he started to brush her hair.
"Do you do this with all your conquests, or am I just special?" Siren asked in a whisper.
Spot seemed to tense at the question. 'I've struck a nerve,' she thought as he stopped brushing her hair.
"Foist, Siren," Spot started, "I'se would like ta ouch. Ya know I'se risking a lot ta git dis close ta youse and did is 'ow youse t'ank me? And secondly Siren, youse are special."
"Sorry," Siren said after he was finished. "It's just-, well, talk travels and especially if it's about Brooklyn's leader. 'Sides Mush warned me about you. He said I needed to be on my guard or you'd break my heart."
"Guess I'se'll have ta tawk ta Mush, huh?" Spot relied as he finished her hair and braided it.
"How did you learn how to do that?" Siren asked as she stood to put away the brush.
Spot tensed and his eyes became ice once again. "Never ask me dat again, ya hear?" he growled at her.
Siren nodded, slightly scared. "I won't, I promise."
Spot looked into her sea-green eyes and softened. "I'se sorry Siren, it's just a sensitive subject."
"I understand, really," Siren said as she walked into the washroom and laid the brush down. Coming back out, she saw Spot taking his shirt and shoes off. Allowing her eyes to travel up and down his body, Siren silently appraised him. 'Wow,' seemed to be the only thought echoing through her head.
Sensing someone watching him Spot turned and caught Siren's eyes. Smirking, he said, "Like what youse see?"
Siren blushed but smiled seductively and said simply, "Who wouldn't?"
"Lights out guys!!" Jack suddenly called and Siren jumped into her bed, literally, seeing as it was the top bunk.
"Night guys," Siren said as Jack turned the lights out and climbed onto his bunk beside her. A few of the boys answered back and soon were asleep.
Yet try as she might, sleep alluded Siren and instead she dwelled on thoughts of her past, things that needed to be long forgotten but wouldn't be, things that haunted her nightly. Yet, somewhere in the memories dreams took hold of Siren and she was tortured with things even the boys of the streets didn't know.