2. Wasting Time
Time really did feel like it had slowed down, but just when I thought I was going to have a heart attack, it was time to meet Morris at the park.
I still wore the dress from this morning, but since then, I had gotten some makeup from the woman next door to us. She wasn't really willing to share at first, but when I told her of my date (and gave her a penny) she let me use a bit of rouge and lipstick.
I ran most of the way to central park, but when I was a block away, I slowed my pace, and walked gracefully, with swaying hips into the park.
Morris stood up from a bench when I neared him and he kissed my hand. He put his arm around my waist, and let me down the street.
We entered the nearest pub, and Morris ordered to whiskeys, one for him, one for me.
He drank his down quickly like a real man, but I had never drunk before. I had sworn myself off it because its what made my dad the way he was.
But because Morris was watching me, I took a sip from the shot glass. I strange heat burnt my throat and it felt like I couldn't breath as I began to choke and sputter.
Morris laughed and pounded me on the back before swigging down the rest of my drink himself.
I decided that before our next date I would learn to drink.
Morris had one more drink, and then we left the pub and walked along outside.
The moon was up and full, and Morris took my hand as we walked through the empty streets of New York. He suddenly pulled me into an alley and kissed me passionately, and of course, I kissed him back.
He held me in away that he could feel my body, which made me nervous, but it must have been a sign of love, I knew this because no one had ever given me attention like this.
The next day I woke up and it seemed like the birds were singing with joy. Anders was still asleep in the bedroom, and I climbed off the couch and made some coffee before leaving to see Morris.
I couldn't wait to see him again, I couldn't wait for him to ask me out again.
I ran the whole way to the distribution center, but when I saw him I stopped and stared.
Morris was passionately kissing a brunette girl, I was mortified. How could Morris do this, didn't he love me?
"Ya see, I told you'se not ta waiste yoah time," said Oscar from behind me.
I turned and looked at him, making my face hard and almost emotionless. I walked past Oscar bumping him in the shoulder as I went.
When I was a ways away I went running down the street, not looking where I was going, I was to blind by my tears. Finally I reached central park and threw myself down on the bench and cried even harder than before.
I felt a hand on my leg, and I whipped my head up and glared at the little boy standing in front of me. He looked worried about me but still I kept a hard face, and grabbed him by both shoulders and shook him hard.
"Give my yoah money kid." I said to him.
The boy looked terrified, and quickly grabbed his money out of his pocket. It was only 2 cents, but that didn't matter.
I shoved the kid to the ground and walked of, jingling the coins in my hand. I wouldn't be any ones stupid one timer girl again.
When I returned home that evening, I saw Anders standing by my father's chair, some one sitting in it. The man in the chair stood up and looked at me.
"Hello Loki," he said.
I gasped. Karl had returned.
Karl took our fathers place in the household. Anders was still the one who got yelled at, and I was ignored most of the time.
There sometimes when I got them to notice me, like when I followed them to a pub. Some guy dissed me, and I ended up beating him in a drinking contest.
I quietly thanked Morris for that victory, without him I wouldn't have become a drinker.
Karl took the money I had won, and put it in his own pocket. I got nothing but a pat on the back and a 'good work Loki', but that was enough to raise my spirits for awhile.
All the money I earned went to Karl, and he made sure of this. After a time, I began to wonder all the money kept going, it cost us much more to support Karl than it ever did father, but I never saw the fruits of our labour.
Late one night, Karl came out of his room and kicked me awake. I got off my blanket on the floor and pulled on my clothing, Anders was already off the couch and dressed.
"Whats 'appenin," I asked them, but all Karl did was glare and tell me to shut up.
The boys led me down the streets of New York, and through many different alleys and back passes until finally we stopped at a run down building.
"Keep watch goil," Karl grunted at me, before he and Anders stepped into the building. I heard voices in the room and curiosity over came me.
I crept over to a window and sat beneath it. Through the cracks of the closed curtains I could see small beams of light, but that was about it.
There was no wind tonight, so I took a chance and began to slowly crack the window open. If there had been wind, the men inside would have see the curtains move in the breeze, and I would be in a lot of trouble.
Ever so carefully I worked on the window until it was open wide enough for me to hear voice coming from within.
"Look Poulson," said a smooth voice, "We agreed ta get you outta the joint, and you promised to pay us foah it. So fah you ain't stuck to yoah promise. Are ya gonna give us the money or not?"
" I don't gots it yet, you knows that Jim," said Karl, "Dere's a guy who owes me money, once I get I from 'im I'll come to ya imidiatly."
I could tell by the silence that this guy Jim was thinking things over.
"Alright Poulson, but I need dah money by the end 'o' the month. I need it foah anudda job."
They agreed and I guess they shook hands on it. I suddenly realized that they would be heading for the door now, so I quickly raced back to my post at the door.
Jim came to the door with my brothers. He was tall man with brown hair and a beard, he looked like a bartender or something cheap like that.
"Who's dis?" he asked Karl, nodding towards me.
"Me sistah, she ain't to bright though."
Jim looked me over with sharp eyes, making me blush, but thankfully it was dark, and I kept my face stern.
He walked up to me and touched my cheek with a finger. "Whats yoah name goil?"
"Loki," I said, not moving away from his touch.
"Well Loki, how would ya like to woik foah me?"
"What would I'se do?"
"Entertainin," Jim said with a wink.
Karl took a warning step towards him, but Jim just smiled at me, and I smiled right back.
"I don't knows Jim. I tink I'd prefer swindlin people outta dere money like you'se." I winked at Jim, and he burst out laughing.
This wasn't the reaction I thought I would receive, after all he just discovered I had been spying on them.
Now Karl on the othah hand, he was plum mad, and he was making little growling noises as he grabbed me by the shoulder.
"Not to bright is she? I'd say she's smartah den you Karl," laughed Jim.
Karls grip tightened on my shoulder so it was painful, and I elbowed him in his stomach, making him release me.
"Ok girl, I'll find you a special job working with me, hows that?" Jim held out his hand for me to shake, and I stepped away from my brother. I reached my hand out, and when he went to grab mine, I quickly pulled it out of his reach.
"I'll see ya 'round Jim," I said. I turned and headed down the alley, swaying my hips. I could hear Jims laughing as I left, my brothers close behind me.
Let met tell you, what I did was one very good way to get attention, but I had to pay a price for it. Karl doesn't cool down before he acts.
He beat me so hard that I could barly move. He never hit me on the face though; he was smart enough not to hurt me anywhere that it would show.
I would have sat up all night, saving myself extra pain in the morning, but I figured that it would hurt like hell tomorrow no matter what I did. So I lay stiffly on my side and slept for the remaining two hours of the night.
The next morning, Karl pulled me to my feat and told me that he and Anders had a job, and I had to come with them. He didn't trust me on my own after my show last night.
"So wheahs dis job of yoahs?" I asked as we walked.
"The distribution centah, we'ze keep dah newsies in dere place." Said Anders over his shoulder. I stopped in my tracks and stared after Anders.
"But ain't tha' the Delancy brudda's job?"
"Not any moah, Morris was killed, and Oscah left."
I struggled at fighting back a surge of tears. Morris was dead! Was that even possible?
We reached the center a few minutes before the newsies did, and we stood on the platform as they walked up.
A blonde hair guy, with a bandana and a cowboy hat came up to my brothers. I knew he was Jack Kelly, or Cowboy, the leader of the Manhattan newsies.
I had never given him much notice, since I was always watching Morris, but looking at him now, I realized he was quite attractive. So what, he wasn't as manly as Morris.
"Are you'se newsies?" he asked us.
"We'ze replacements," said Anders stepping forward.
"Replacements foah what?" asked Jack in confusion.
"Foah dem Delancys. We'ze the Poulsons and don' you forget it."
Some of the newsies rolled their eyes and smiled to myself about this. We'd make sure they wouldn't forget.
"No one can replace the Delancys," muttered a kid with an eye patch.
'Or at least Morris,' I thought to myself.
"You wanna bet on dat blind boy?"said Karl strutting past Anders.
I watched the eye patch guy wince and knew we had struck gold.
"The names Kid Blink, and you ah?" the blind boy asked.
"I'se Karl, dats me brudda Anders, and me sistah Loki. You stay a way from 'er, got dat blind boy?"
I rolled my eyes. Since when had Karl wanted to protect me? I could handle myself against a lousy newsie without Karl's help thank you very much.
Jack stepped forward his face showing anger. "Look 'ere Karl. I'se dah leadah of dese boys and I don't wan' ya making trouble."
Karl stepped up to Jack ready for a fight, and I think ever one could sense it too.
I reached out to get Karls attention.
"Leave 'im alone, it ain't woith yoah time." I took my hand off his back and walked into the office where my brothers would be working.
Karl slowly backed off and he and Anders entered the building to sell the papers to the newsies.
How was that for a second chaper. I thought it was interesting. Some of that stuff at the distribution center is in my story ' A matter of life and death,' except that no one knows who the Poulsons are. I hope you enjoyed my story and hope to hear more. Reviews are gladly accepted.
Leh Sundance