Author's Note: I'm sorry it took so long to get out the next part, but this story is strange, y'know? I know exactly how I want it to end, but I couldn't figure out how to do this transition chapter. But I had a brainstorm during my global environment exam yesterday, and this chapter is the result. I hope you guys understand what I mean, but, if not, I will post my explanation at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!
Shout Outs:
Lange – *bows down to the almighty Lange* Yes, you are better than Miss Cleo! And, you're right! There really is no happy ending in store for anyone.
Rae-zin – I'm sorry, but if you were looking for a chapter to make your head not hurt, then you're in trouble. But, I promise, this will be the last confusing chappy!
Derby – Hmm, maybe I should kill Skitts in the next chappy *grins evilly*
Dragonfly – I'm sorry about killing your Kloppy, but it's better than Race, right? And you're right, those stupid little comments ff.net made are… well, stupid!
Sami – Don't worry, I think there's only one or two chapters left to this story.
Act – Hmmm, now… Well, I just re-read the review and it said 'right more NOW', so I guess it's now … now, so I haven't really taken that long to update. *gotta love my logic, lol*
Vix – You keep holding onto Jack, and don't let Kisses get him, k?
Aki – My penguin is being a little doll! And I'm sorry about Jack's greasy hair. Maybe next chappy we'll give him a shower. *grins at a lovely mental picture*
Holiday – You know what, maybe a newsies circle of protection around Jack would be a good idea!
Emu – You know what, I still love your reviews, even if they are repeats sometimes!
Rumor – I haven't read that yet, but I think I might just start (after I finish re-reading LotR, I'm hooked on that right now!). I love Mary Higgins Clark! All of her books are deliciously creepy. If only I could write like that…
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September 28, 1899
Dear Journal,
O.K., I know that it's too early in the morning again to be writing in you, but I had another nightmare. I mean, you think they would have stopped since there hasn't been any sign of the "kissy-mark murderer" in almost a month. But, no. You know, it has been so quiet ever since Kloppman's death. Denton is doing a great job helping Mrs. Cook run both of the lodging houses until we can find a new replacement for the boys'. Heck, even Jack has begun to smile, every now and then. He even says that it'll be alright if we start selling papers again, as long as we go in pairs at least. And David. He's been just great. With every passing day, he's spending more time with me and less with Cowboy, now that Cowboy's been able to begin accepting Stress' death. It seemed like everyone was getting past what had happened and was beginning to move on with their lives. Until this morning...
Maybe it was the quarrel I had last night with David. We just argued slightly about selling tomorrow. I wanted to sell with him and at first he didn't want me to go.
Secrets and David sat on the porch of the Bottle Alley Lodging House, holding hands and talking quietly under the stars. "I can't believe dat we'se gonna git ta sell tageddah tamorrah, Dave," Secrets murmured as she laid her head on his shoulder. When he didn't answer her, she picked her head up and looked at David questioningly. "Right, Dave?"
David stared straight ahead. "I don't think it's a smart idea for you to go out selling tomorrow, hun."
Secrets stood up suddenly, grabbing her hand out of his. "What does dat mean?"
He sighed. He hated it when she had her mood swings. "Secrets, just because Jack thinks it's safe enough for some of us to go out and earn money, it doesn't mean everyone is. I would feel a lot better if you weren't walking around town."
"I don't t'ink dat's faih," she huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest and turned her back on him.
But then he changed his mind -- but on one condition...
David stood up as he reached out and laid his hand on Secrets' shoulders. "Secrets? I'm sorry."
Almost at once she melted and turned around to face him. "Really, Dave? Does dat mean you'se gonna let me sell tamorrah? I feel so cooped up stayin' in dis lodgin' house day in an' day out."
David thought about mentioning the time he saw her walking the streets about a month ago, right after Jack told them all to stay in doors, but thought better of it. "You can come sell with me tomorrow, but—"
"But? What does but mean?" Secrets' blue eyes narrowed and stared straight into David's.
"Well you may not like this, but Jack is going to sell with us too."
"What?" Secrets yelled as she flung her arms out in a gesture of how much she didn't like his news.
David looked taken aback but held his ground. "I'm sorry, Secrets, but he's got to sell with someone, and he's my best friend."
After he told me that, I got a little miffed and told him that he should just marry Cowboy already. Childish, I know, but I was little upset. I thought he might want to spend the day alone together, but no. After that I just decided to go to bed and I told him to leave. I fell to sleep almost instantly, which is really strange for me, now that I think of it. Maybe that's why I had that nightmare...
"Layna…Layna…"
Secrets stood alone in the middle of a dark red hallway. But if she was alone, what was that voice and where was it coming from? And how did she know her real name? Only Kisses knew her name.
"Layna…" came the melodic voice again, as a bright white light lit the end of the hallway.
Secrets just stared in awe as the white light grew brighter with every step it took closer to where she stood. When it was barely ten feet away from her, she was able to see a figure, cloaked in white, appear. "Stress?" she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
The figure laughed quietly. "It's been awhile since I've been called that," she whispered.
"But…but…you're dead," Secrets exclaimed, trying to move before realizing that she no longer had any control over her feet and must remain planted in front of Stress.
"Yes, sadly, I'm dead."
"But, why—how are you'se heah?"
Stress, removed the white cloak from her head, revealing a golden aura around her light brown curls. "First things first, Layna. I'm not here to pass judgement, nor blame anyone. The Lord is my master now and I have learned a lot from him in the short time that I've been in his presence. I've learned to forgive. But I haven't forgotten."
"Are you'se an angel? An' what da heck happened ta yer accent? It was worse den mine when you'se was livin' wit' me in da lodgin' house," Secrets blurted out, acting very calmly for someone in the presence of a ghost.
Stress laughed again. "Yes, I'm an angel. I don't know how I made it to Heaven, but I did, and it sure is a great place. And, as for my accent, I'm being taught by some of the greatest minds. Sadly, my poor accent was one of the first things to go when I became enlightened."
Secrets nodded. "Oh, dat makes sense. But, wait, dat doesn't explain why yer heah. I mean, you'se have been dead fer ovah a month now."
"I know. And what a month it's been. Life up here is better than anything they got down there. But…"
"So many 'but''s tonight," Secrets sighed before prompting Stress to continue, "But what?"
"Life would be so much better if I had my soul mate with me. I left that part of me on Earth, so I never really feel whole."
"Are ya tawkin' 'bout Jack, Stress?"
"Yes, my Cowboy. It's so lonely without him. And I never got to say goodbye," Stress' voice became choked up in the memories of her past life. After she composed herself, she continued to speak to Secrets. "And that is why I'm here. How is Jack? Is he good? Has he forgotten me?"
Secrets pushed aside her ill feelings towards Jack as she tried to answer Stress' questions. "Well, he's getting' bettah. But, no, he ain't fergettin' ya any time soon. He still loves ya an' misses ya so much."
"Thank you, Layna. Thank you. It's good to know that he's O.K., though. But it would be so much better if he was with me…" And with those last words, Stress turned around and began to float down the red hallway.
"Stress? Wait! Who killed ya? Who's da moiderah?" Secrets yelled after her. If this really was Stress the Angel, maybe she could tell Secrets who the murderer was so they could prevent any more lives from being taken.
But Stress ignored her and continued her ascent. Secrets tried to run after her, but the room began to spin and darken all around her.
The last thing Secrets remembered before the realization of consciousness hit her was the retreating figure of Stress' faintly glowing specter.
Secrets placed her pen down, trying desperately to push the sickly vision of Stress from her mind as she slipped her journal under her bed. Since she was planning to sell that day, with or without David, she figured it would be a good idea to get a few more hours of shut-eye before Mrs. Cook's wake-up call.
***
"Rise and shine, girls!" cried Mrs. Cook, as she began to shake the girls awake. "Whoever plans on going out and selling today, get your bums out of bed."
"Finally, we kin go out an' sell taday. Race is takin' me down ta Sheepshead taday. It's been da foist time we'se been deah since da day dey found Stress," Dragonfly paused for a moment, remembering how rough the past few weeks had been, "What 'bout you'se, Hades?" she continued, adressing the girl washing her face at the water pump.
Hades pushed her long dark hair out of her face. "I t'ink dat me an' Mush are jist gonna walk 'round da city tageddah. We haven't jist been out walkin' tageddah in ferevah." She stopped speaking when she noticed that Secrets was still asleep. "Hey Secrets, ya gotta git up. It's time ta sell da papes," she announced, shaking Secrets awake from her sound sleep.
Secrets stretched slowly and nodded. "I gotta stop wakin' up in da middle of da night an' writin' in me joinal," she murmured out loud as she stood up and reached for her brush.
"Hey Secrets?"
She turned around and saw Iris waiting by the door of the bunkroom. "Yeah Iris?"
"Ya want me ta tell Dave dat you'se'll meet him down at da distribution centah?"
Secrets scowled slightly before pasting a phony smile on her face. Just thinking about David made her remember that strange dream she had just had. "Shoah Iris. T'anks!"
"No problem," she called before she exited the bunkroom with Dice, all the other girls who were running late following behind them.
Secrets finished brushing her hair and tossed the brush on her bunk. She looked around the room quickly and, making sure that no one else was in the bunkroom, reached for her journal. She hadn't received a message from Kisses since the day they buried Kloppman, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. But it did make her nervous, which resulted in her checking her journal at regular intervals to see if a new passage had emerged.
And, this time, it had.
Layna,
See, I told you it would be best for everyone if the Cowboy was to go. Never doubt me.
Kisses
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Author's Note: O.K., I'm gonna just explain what I'm trying to show with this chapter. If you understood it, go right ahead and leave me a review without reading this part. If you were kind of lost, don't feel bad. I'm confused and I wrote it! Anywho, the reason why Secrets had a dream with Stress the Angel in it (it was only a dream; Stress didn't come down from Heaven to see her) is because the crazy psycho part of her is beginning to blend with the nice, sane part (the part that is unaware of the psycho part). Since Kisses is so bent on getting rid of Jack, this dream is trying to show Secrets that everyone would be happier if Jack was to join Stress in Heaven, instead of remaining on Earth. Oh, and the reason why there hasn't been any Kisses entries is that she was appeased once Secrets was happy (when David started spending time with her instead of Jack). Once David upset her by mentioning Jack, Kisses is re-awoken. This chapter is the result of Kisses' reawakening.
Understand now? Good, now please leave me a review : )