Chapter 6: Miscellaneous.
Something that looked like a moldy sandwich, bottle tops mixed with loose change, an old baseball, a water bottle, a broken torch, a mixed assortment of different pencils – most with their ends broken off, two scripts in a plastic bag – one tide together with string to keep it closed and… Dame Skyla's purse.
The three youths stared at it.
"That little sneak." Jade exclaimed. "I wonder when she took it."
Breeze raised an eyebrow and picked it up. "Probably when she ran into Skyla." The woman had told them how she and Joanie had met.
Jade sniffed. "Thief." She said disgusted.
Slam grinned at her and took the purse from Breeze. "Opportunist." He said. "Kids who live most of their lives on the street gets like that."
Breeze glanced in his direction. "You think she lives on the street?" He queried.
Slam nodded. "Its fairly obvious." He pointed out.
They thought over this for a moment.
Jade watched as Slam placed the purse back on the table. "We should tell Skyla about that." She said and frowned when Slam picked up the scripts. "That's private Slam." She told him strictly. The boy paid her no mind.
"Hey." He said and slipped off the strings. "The way I figure, if she has the audacity to steal Skyla's purse, then we can take a peak at her stuff."
Jade sniffed disapprovingly and shared a look with Breeze.
"It's still not right." She said softly, but picked up the other book.
When Slam opened the book a Polaroid picture fell out. Breeze leaned over and picked it up. He stared at it for a moment before he smiled gently. "Here." He said and handed it to Jade. The girl took it and studied the picture.
The edges were fraying and there were watermarks on the surface but they could still see the image. Jade smiled too as she looked at the small girl staring back at her from astride a small scruffy pony. The kid didn't smile as she looked at the camera; her dark eyes were haunted, with her expression clearly stating that she didn't want to be there. Jade turned the picture around and studied the faded script at the back.
"Joanie-Ellen." She read out loud. "Fourth birthday…" She raised an eyebrow and showed the back to the two boys. "Look at the date, this means that she's…" She made a quick calculation. "Thirteen." She and Slam said together.
Breeze frowned and glanced at the closed door. "She's small for her age." He pointed out. Jade slipped the picture back into the book.
Slam turned to the first page, mindful of anything else that might be loose in the book. The first thing they encountered was a short message scrawled in the untidy scrawl of kid, warning them in horrible grammar that the book didn't belong to them and they better…
Breeze blinked surprised. "If this was written a while ago she certainly had a colorful vocabulary at a young age." He pointed out.
The two with him laughed softly as they turned another page. It was an obvious failed attempt to start a proper diary. The writing at the top was crossed out and replaced by a drawing of an old house done in black pen. The three frowned at the drawing, taking in the detail with which it was drawn.
As Slam turned another page, they found another drawing – a crow in a tree. Although you could see that it was drawn by a child, you could also see that it was done by a child with talent. Intrigued they turned the page again…
The Tinker sighed wearily as he checked the girl's temperature one last time.
"Her fever's will probably rise a bit higher than it is now." He said softly and checked on her pulse. "Keep giving her some of the root at regular intervals. Also, I'm going to send all of the salve with you as well. When her chest gets tight again, apply it thoroughly at regular intervals, say every two hours. That should do the trick."
Queen Skyla was sitting on the other side of the bed, her hand unconsciously rubbing Joanie's arm. "And when she wakes up?" She queried softly.
The Tinker sighed and drew a chair closer. "A lot of bed rest, no strenuous excersize and definitively no running." He said with a small smile. "Also, I've noticed her physical condition. Take care of what you give her to eat, nothing rich."
Skyla smiled. "Don't worry." She said. "I was planning chicken soup."
The Tinker raised a bush eyebrow.
"Oh, so you do your own cooking now?" He jessed.
The woman smiled affectionately. "I do many things." She said mysteriously and winked. "But cooking isn't one of those." She laughed softly. "I have a woman who cooks for me when I don't eat at the school." She trailed off and returned her attention to the sleeping child. The Tinker leaned forward as he sensed her mood.
"What's wrong my dear?" He asked softly. "Something is troubling you."
The woman looked up and half shook - half nodded her head.
"I feel…" She paused and glanced at the sleeping form. "Strange about this." She said eventually. "As if there is something…" She stopped herself and shook her head. "I think I'm just tired." She said eventually. "Its late or rather early. I've had a busy week, I miss…" She rubbed over her eyes and made a dismissive guesture with her hand. "You know how it goes."
The man looked at her with compassion filled eyes. "That I do." He said softly. "Do you want something to drink before you go?"
The woman nodded. "Yes I…" She was interrupted as Joanie stirred, coughed in her sleep and turned on her side. She sighed deeply and drifted back to a deeper sleep.
Queen Skyla quickly changed her mind and shook her head. "We should be getting her back to her own world." She said and stood up. "It would be a bit of a catastrophe if she woke up here. And, the other three should be getting back as well. I've kept them awake long enough."
The Tinker nodded. "I'll prepare the girl for the flight back." He said. "You go prepare your kids."
The woman nodded and left the room. She blinked as she entered the next room.
Breeze, Slam and Jade were all huddled on one coach, their heads bend close together.
She cleared her throat to make her presence known and joined them. She noticed the objects spread out on the table.
"What's so interesting?" She queried.
They looked up as one, a flash look of guilt crossing their faces.
"We think it's her visual diary." Breeze offered and sat back so that Skyla could see the book. "She draws… Everything. You should see the stuff she has sketched Queen Skyla. It's amazing."
The woman raised an eyebrow as she took the book from them. She paged through a few pages. She stopped at a drawing of a park.
"This one's my favorite." Jade said softly. "Look at the detail. She drew every thing, the kids playing, the dogs, the vending machines, the vendors… Moms with their kids, the homeless guy sleeping on the bench."
Skyla frowned intent as she studied the montage of activities. Her eyes softened as she closed the book. "This is a very sad picture." She said softly and put the book down on the table. Her eye caught something.
She blinked surprised and frowned. "You guys, what is my purse doing here?" She asked, her tone blank.
Breeze offered an answer. "We've been meaning to tell you." He said. "We found it in her bag, we think she pick pocketed you."
Skyla raised her eyebrows as she took up her purse and open it. There was a reasonable sum of money in it.
She clicked her tongue softly, her eyes narrowing in thought. Then, setting her mind she closed the purse and placed it back in her bag. "Say nothing of it." She said. "I'll remove my credit cards when we get home, I don't think she'll miss them."
The three stared at her surprised. "What are you doing?" Slam asked stunned.
The woman returned all of the other things to the bag, including the two scripts. Slam had neatly replaced the string without even untying the knot.
"I'm…" Skyla paused. "Call it an investment." She said slowly. "Yes. An investment."
The three shared a puzzled look but didn't inquire further on the matter.
They stood up, sensing that they were about to leave.
"I'll carry her back." Slam stated. "Seeing as how she's our new investment."
Skyla shook her head at him and went to help the Tinker.
Gold… Silver… Clouds… Security…
Voices.
"Queen Skyla, she's awake."
Faces. Fantasy...
"Easy there Joanie-Ellen…"
Soothing tones and soft touch.
"Go to sleep little one. You're dreaming. Close your eyes, don't fight it now."
A warm glow.
No resistance.
Sleep.
Something that looked like a moldy sandwich, bottle tops mixed with loose change, an old baseball, a water bottle, a broken torch, a mixed assortment of different pencils – most with their ends broken off, two scripts in a plastic bag – one tide together with string to keep it closed and… Dame Skyla's purse.
The three youths stared at it.
"That little sneak." Jade exclaimed. "I wonder when she took it."
Breeze raised an eyebrow and picked it up. "Probably when she ran into Skyla." The woman had told them how she and Joanie had met.
Jade sniffed. "Thief." She said disgusted.
Slam grinned at her and took the purse from Breeze. "Opportunist." He said. "Kids who live most of their lives on the street gets like that."
Breeze glanced in his direction. "You think she lives on the street?" He queried.
Slam nodded. "Its fairly obvious." He pointed out.
They thought over this for a moment.
Jade watched as Slam placed the purse back on the table. "We should tell Skyla about that." She said and frowned when Slam picked up the scripts. "That's private Slam." She told him strictly. The boy paid her no mind.
"Hey." He said and slipped off the strings. "The way I figure, if she has the audacity to steal Skyla's purse, then we can take a peak at her stuff."
Jade sniffed disapprovingly and shared a look with Breeze.
"It's still not right." She said softly, but picked up the other book.
When Slam opened the book a Polaroid picture fell out. Breeze leaned over and picked it up. He stared at it for a moment before he smiled gently. "Here." He said and handed it to Jade. The girl took it and studied the picture.
The edges were fraying and there were watermarks on the surface but they could still see the image. Jade smiled too as she looked at the small girl staring back at her from astride a small scruffy pony. The kid didn't smile as she looked at the camera; her dark eyes were haunted, with her expression clearly stating that she didn't want to be there. Jade turned the picture around and studied the faded script at the back.
"Joanie-Ellen." She read out loud. "Fourth birthday…" She raised an eyebrow and showed the back to the two boys. "Look at the date, this means that she's…" She made a quick calculation. "Thirteen." She and Slam said together.
Breeze frowned and glanced at the closed door. "She's small for her age." He pointed out. Jade slipped the picture back into the book.
Slam turned to the first page, mindful of anything else that might be loose in the book. The first thing they encountered was a short message scrawled in the untidy scrawl of kid, warning them in horrible grammar that the book didn't belong to them and they better…
Breeze blinked surprised. "If this was written a while ago she certainly had a colorful vocabulary at a young age." He pointed out.
The two with him laughed softly as they turned another page. It was an obvious failed attempt to start a proper diary. The writing at the top was crossed out and replaced by a drawing of an old house done in black pen. The three frowned at the drawing, taking in the detail with which it was drawn.
As Slam turned another page, they found another drawing – a crow in a tree. Although you could see that it was drawn by a child, you could also see that it was done by a child with talent. Intrigued they turned the page again…
The Tinker sighed wearily as he checked the girl's temperature one last time.
"Her fever's will probably rise a bit higher than it is now." He said softly and checked on her pulse. "Keep giving her some of the root at regular intervals. Also, I'm going to send all of the salve with you as well. When her chest gets tight again, apply it thoroughly at regular intervals, say every two hours. That should do the trick."
Queen Skyla was sitting on the other side of the bed, her hand unconsciously rubbing Joanie's arm. "And when she wakes up?" She queried softly.
The Tinker sighed and drew a chair closer. "A lot of bed rest, no strenuous excersize and definitively no running." He said with a small smile. "Also, I've noticed her physical condition. Take care of what you give her to eat, nothing rich."
Skyla smiled. "Don't worry." She said. "I was planning chicken soup."
The Tinker raised a bush eyebrow.
"Oh, so you do your own cooking now?" He jessed.
The woman smiled affectionately. "I do many things." She said mysteriously and winked. "But cooking isn't one of those." She laughed softly. "I have a woman who cooks for me when I don't eat at the school." She trailed off and returned her attention to the sleeping child. The Tinker leaned forward as he sensed her mood.
"What's wrong my dear?" He asked softly. "Something is troubling you."
The woman looked up and half shook - half nodded her head.
"I feel…" She paused and glanced at the sleeping form. "Strange about this." She said eventually. "As if there is something…" She stopped herself and shook her head. "I think I'm just tired." She said eventually. "Its late or rather early. I've had a busy week, I miss…" She rubbed over her eyes and made a dismissive guesture with her hand. "You know how it goes."
The man looked at her with compassion filled eyes. "That I do." He said softly. "Do you want something to drink before you go?"
The woman nodded. "Yes I…" She was interrupted as Joanie stirred, coughed in her sleep and turned on her side. She sighed deeply and drifted back to a deeper sleep.
Queen Skyla quickly changed her mind and shook her head. "We should be getting her back to her own world." She said and stood up. "It would be a bit of a catastrophe if she woke up here. And, the other three should be getting back as well. I've kept them awake long enough."
The Tinker nodded. "I'll prepare the girl for the flight back." He said. "You go prepare your kids."
The woman nodded and left the room. She blinked as she entered the next room.
Breeze, Slam and Jade were all huddled on one coach, their heads bend close together.
She cleared her throat to make her presence known and joined them. She noticed the objects spread out on the table.
"What's so interesting?" She queried.
They looked up as one, a flash look of guilt crossing their faces.
"We think it's her visual diary." Breeze offered and sat back so that Skyla could see the book. "She draws… Everything. You should see the stuff she has sketched Queen Skyla. It's amazing."
The woman raised an eyebrow as she took the book from them. She paged through a few pages. She stopped at a drawing of a park.
"This one's my favorite." Jade said softly. "Look at the detail. She drew every thing, the kids playing, the dogs, the vending machines, the vendors… Moms with their kids, the homeless guy sleeping on the bench."
Skyla frowned intent as she studied the montage of activities. Her eyes softened as she closed the book. "This is a very sad picture." She said softly and put the book down on the table. Her eye caught something.
She blinked surprised and frowned. "You guys, what is my purse doing here?" She asked, her tone blank.
Breeze offered an answer. "We've been meaning to tell you." He said. "We found it in her bag, we think she pick pocketed you."
Skyla raised her eyebrows as she took up her purse and open it. There was a reasonable sum of money in it.
She clicked her tongue softly, her eyes narrowing in thought. Then, setting her mind she closed the purse and placed it back in her bag. "Say nothing of it." She said. "I'll remove my credit cards when we get home, I don't think she'll miss them."
The three stared at her surprised. "What are you doing?" Slam asked stunned.
The woman returned all of the other things to the bag, including the two scripts. Slam had neatly replaced the string without even untying the knot.
"I'm…" Skyla paused. "Call it an investment." She said slowly. "Yes. An investment."
The three shared a puzzled look but didn't inquire further on the matter.
They stood up, sensing that they were about to leave.
"I'll carry her back." Slam stated. "Seeing as how she's our new investment."
Skyla shook her head at him and went to help the Tinker.
Gold… Silver… Clouds… Security…
Voices.
"Queen Skyla, she's awake."
Faces. Fantasy...
"Easy there Joanie-Ellen…"
Soothing tones and soft touch.
"Go to sleep little one. You're dreaming. Close your eyes, don't fight it now."
A warm glow.
No resistance.
Sleep.