Disclaimer: Da usual
A/N: Sorry for the delay. I go to this place called a University and they make me do all kinds of crazy stuff like essays and paintings and portfolios...it sucks!
Please keep your hands, arms legs, and mouth off of Skittery until I am finished with him.
Chapter 4:
Pie Eater's words hung heavily in the air as an uncomfortable silence fell over the inhabitants of the lodging house.
Less than five minutes before, there had been a loud bang as the front door swung open, and then Skittery was thrown inside forcefully. He landed against the sign- in desk, behind which sat Kloppman. Kloppman had been at Skittery's side in a second to assess the damage. Then he looked up at Skittery's attackers and demanded an explanation.
Pie Eater had done the honors as soon as Skittery was on his feet again.
"He was at the meetin'," Pie Eater had said.
It took a moment for the words to sink in and then suddenly there was an outburst, some defended Skittery while others stared incredulously. Kloppman yelled loudly for silence and when they had quieted, he asked Pie Eater for the whole story.
"There ain't much to tell," Pie Eater said. "We went there, and he was there, but he weren't there like we were, he was actually inside. Race watched 'im come out."
Racetrack nodded, an unlit cigar protruding from his mouth.
"So den we grabbed 'im and brung 'im here," said Snitch.
"Why were you there?" Specs inquired, his eyes fixed on Skittery who had yet to say anything in his own defense, and whose eyes were fixed intently upon the floor. Skittery shrugged.
"I say we soak 'im, den send 'is broken body to his newsie-hatin' friends," Racetrack suggested.
Kloppman stepped in front of Skittery. "Nobody's gonna soak anybody," he said. "I think he deserves a chance to defend hisself." He looked pointedly at Skittery then and for the first time that night, Skittery looked up.
"You was spyin' right?" asked Blink, hopefully. His smile faded when Skittery shook his head.
When he spoke, it was quiet and the others had to lean forward to hear him. "I just wanted ta hear what he had ta say."
"I coulda told ya what he had ta say," Snoddy snapped. He removed himself from the nook beneath the staircase, his usual brooding spot, and stepped forward to glare at his best friend. "You're real lucky they didn't see ya like they did me."
"They saw me," Skittery said. "Jacob Loffstetter, calls hisself a prophet, he talked ta me. Offered me a job again."
"You didn't take it," Dutchy said, though his statement seemed like more of a question.
Skittery shrugged. "Told him I'd think 'bout it."
"Why you—" Snoddy cut himself off before he pushed Skittery backward into the desk, and after regaining his composure, Skittery countered by punching Snoddy in the jaw. Snoddy reeled backward into Blink and Mush who caught him before he could fall over and then held him back when he lunged for Skittery.
"That's enough!" Kloppman growled, holding Skittery tightly around his chest. "Everyone up to bed, now." His voice was loud and angry, as he barked the order. Snoddy pulled himself free of his restraints and then stomped up the stairs. The others were hesitant to obey.
"I ain't sleepin' in the same room as no murderer lover," said Racetrack. He looked Skittery in the eye as he said it, and had Kloppman not been holding onto Skittery, there would have undoubtedly been a brawl.
"Then you can sleep outside, Racetrack," Kloppman said. "He paid his fee just like the rest of you."
"Don't bother," Skittery growled, yanking away from Kloppman's grip. "I'm outta here."
"You can't be serious," Mush said, as Skittery stomped to the corner of the room where his stick lay.
"Why would I wanna stay in a place where no one trusts me, huh?"
"I trust you!"
"Yeah well, no one else does, and I don't wanna get killed in my sleep, awright." He made the mistake of looking at Mush then. Mush always looked so vulnerable. He had the same effect on Skittery that Itey normally did.
"Look, I can protect ya," said Mush. "Me an' Blink, we'll stay up all night with you."
"Thanks, Mush. But it's probably better if I just leave."
"Let him go Mush," said Racetrack. "Go off an' be with your new friends."
Skittery shook his head and then pulled the front door open. Before stepping through it, he pulled Mush closer. "Keep an eye out on Snoddy, awright?"
"Sure thing," Mush mumbled. Skittery was grateful that at least one of his friends didn't hate him. Maybe Mush would convince the others to change their minds also.
He pulled the door shut behind him and then started walking.
...
Skittery squinted at the paper in his hand under the dim lamp light. See me when you need someone who cares was scrawled across the tiny paper in a delicate and ornate cursive that Skittery almost couldn't read. Below it was simply "34th street. Number 27."
He shoved the paper back into his pocket and stared up at the dingy house looming over him. The house was one of the biggest he had ever seen, but it wasn't fancy like all of the other ones. It was dirty with peeling paint, broken shutters, and upstairs railing that threatened to break loose at any second. Skittery had expected nothing less than a beautiful mansion with a great green lawn and a dozen servants. He was slightly disappointed as he raised his hand to the front door and knocked loudly.
The door opened a crack and a woman stared at him, curiously. Skittery removed his hat immediately and tried to smile. She looked appalled at his appearance, but he couldn't blame her. He hadn't looked into a mirror but from the way his face hurt, he knew he looked bad. "Uh, hi ma'am. I'm here ta see Mr. Loffstetter. He around?"
The woman smiled. "Are you the boy he met in town the other day?"
Skittery nodded. The woman opened the door and led him inside. "He told me he was expecting you." Once inside, Skittery got a chance to get a good look at the woman. She was young, but much older than Skittery, with more wrinkles than were necessary. Her stringy brown hair was coming loose from a bun at the nape of her neck, and she was short. She dressed in a simple brown dress covered by an apron, which she wiped her hands on before turning back to Skittery. "You'll have to forgive Jacob," she said. "He's practicing a sermon right now, and he hates to be disturbed." Skittery opened his mouth, intent on asking her if he could come back later, but she spoke first. "You can wait in his study." She grabbed his arm and led him down the hall where she pushed him into a large room. "I'll get a bath ready for you, you look so miserable. I'll get you some fresh clothes too."
Skittery gaped at her. "Uh...thanks," he said.
"Go on, make yourself comfortable. I'll let Jacob know you're here once he's done."
Skittery didn't say anything as she left, closing the door behind her. After setting his stick up against the fireplace, Skittery sat down in a chair close to the crackling fire. He sighed contentedly as he sunk into it. He wondered if Loffstetter would let him sleep there.
Skittery felt his eyelids growing heavy when the door finally opened again, and Loffstetter stepped inside. "Ah. If it isn't my young savior," he greeted. Skittery moved to get up but Loffstetter held out a hand. "No need young man. I'll come to you." He stopped in front of Skittery and held out a hand which Skittery shook.
"I was wondering when you'd come to us."
"Yeah, well. I don't really have any other place ta go right now," Skittery said, bitterly. Loffstetter settled into the chair across from him, leaned slightly forward.
"That lodging house was no good for you anyway. Here you can be a gentleman." Loffstetter gestured around the room, grinning.
"If ya don't mind me askin', Mr. Loffstetter—"
"Please, son. Call me Jacob."
"Uh, Jacob. Why are ya doin' this for me? I thought ya hated people like me."
"Oh, I do, boy. I do, but only because God does. Because God wants a clean city, and it will never be so with the low lives that live here. But you, lad. I've seen you in a vision. It was destiny that you and I should meet. I will make you great."
"But the others, couldn't ya make them great, too?"
"Oh, no. You are the one exception. You were never meant to roam the streets desperate and hungry—"
"But I ain't—"
"You were meant for greater things! You can get those things here. Let me help you. Son. Let me show you the light."
Skittery stared into the old man's light blue eyes, considering his proposal. He was confused and nervous. "Suppose I do this. My friends, you won't hurt them, will ya?"
"I cannot guarantee their safety at all times. You already know my policy. But I will personally never harm a hair on their heads."
There were a lot of reasons why he shouldn't shake the old man's hand. He could think of a dozen more reasons to turn around and run, but in the end, he stuck out his hand, and Jacob, grinning accepted it. "You can stay here as long as you want," Jacob said. "And since you're in such bad shape, I'd say the first order of business is to clean you up a little. I believe you met Anna earlier."
Skittery nodded as he and Jacob stood up. Skittery grabbed his stick, which Jacob eyed nervously before leading Skittery from the room. "Do you always carry that around?" Jacob asked.
Skittery nodded. "Mostly. It's safer."
Jacob still seemed uncomfortable at the explanation but he led Skittery up a long flight of stairs and into a hallway with about a dozen doors. "Whoa," Skittery said. He marveled at how large the place was as Jacob led him down hallway after hallway. Finally he stopped in front of a room, the door of it already open. Anna was inside, spreading a blanket over a bed.
"Is that for me?" Skittery asked.
Jacob nodded, pleased with Skittery's reaction. "It just occurs to me, boy. I don't know your name."
"Skittery," he replied. "That's what my friends call me."
"Well, I most certainly will not call you that, especially in civilized company. What's your real name? The one your mother gave you."
Skittery racked his brain, trying to remember what the nuns had called him in the orphanage. "James," he said finally, not sure if it was his real name or not. A lot of the boys in the orphanage had been called James.
"Is there a last name as well?"
Skittery blurted out the first name that came to his mind, one he'd read just that morning in the papers. "Caufield."
"Very well, James. Anna has prepared a bath for you in the room next door. There are fresh clothes there on the dresser that I expect you to wear tomorrow morning. You'll attend school during the day, and have lessons with me in the evenings. I'll have someone wake you for breakfast. Now get to it."
"Do I hafta go ta school?"
"If you want to remain here, yes. You have a terribly unpleasant lack of manners and I intend to fix that. Good night, James."
"'Night."
Skittery waited for Jacob to leave before turning toward the room next door. The door was open and through it he noticed a large tub, full of steaming water.
"Get undressed now," said Anna behind him. He jumped slightly and then blushed at her request. "Look ma'am I ain't here ta—"
"So I can wash them, James," she explained, a hint of a smile on her lips.
"Oh." Skittery's face was on fire. "Uh. Could ya turn around?" he asked.
She chuckled, amused, and then replied, "Just go in there and do it. Toss your clothes out when you're finished."
"Awright." Skittery stepped into the adjacent room and started to close the door, but Anna's voice stopped him again.
"James?"
"Yeah."
"Don't forget to wash behind your ears."
An hour later, Skittery was nestled beneath the heavy blanket on his bed, the most comfortable bed he'd ever slept in. Despite the pleasant sleeping conditions, though, his sleep was fitful and when he awoke the next morning in a cold sweat, breathing heavily, he felt utterly confused.