Chapter One

Leah awoke to the sound of low voices, conversing across the small room.

"Well, what do we do with the girl then?" The first voice asked. Leah recognized it as Marabelle's. She was an older lady, who at one time had led the life of a prostitute. As the years had begun to catch up with her, she had become more of a manager, taking care of all of the dirty work for the Madame. She wasn't well liked by any of them, since most of the girls feared that one day; Marabelle would tell them to pack their bags.

"She's only 14! You can't just send her out on the streets!" Came the second voice. This belonged to Filly, a fairly standoffish person, who tended to come across as cold and reserved. She had arrived at the brothel recently and had become slightly attached to the young Leah.

"Well…" the other voice said thoughtfully, "She looks older then her age… we might be able to pass her off as 17, with a little rouge, and some lip color. If she wants she can stay but she must earn her way."

"Earn her way? Mara-"

"That's enough; I don't want to hear another word about it. You can tell her when she wakes up. If she decides to leave, the she needs to be out of here by tonight." With that, Leah heard a door slam shut.

Leah opened her eyes, and sat up. She gazed at Filly with wide eyes, wondering if she had heard right. Filly cleared her throat and took a seat in the wing-back chair that was positioned next to the bed. Her face was white and drawn, as she looked at the young girl lying in bed.

Leah sat quietly, disbelievingly waiting for Filly to tell her that she had misheard. That everything was alright. Maybe even that she had dreamed her mother's death, and now that she was awake, things would go back to the way they were.

Filly's usually stone cold look came to her face, and she sat rigidly straight in the chair. "Well." She cleared her throat, before going on. You have a choice. You can stay here and… work, for a living. Or. You can try to make your living on the streets." She paused for a moment, before looking Leah full in the eyes. "Please, Leah. This is no life for a little girl. Whether it's by choice or not. Don't stay here. I'll do all I can to help you. I've got some money saved up. It's yours. Find a better life then this. You can find work at a factory, I'm sure. Just don't stay here."

Leah looked at her with wide blue eyes. "Filly. I can't" Her voice cracked as she choked back a sob. "I can't live on my own. I have no home, I have no-"

Filly interrupted her, "This is no home either! Anything is better then this!"

"Then why do you stay?" Leah asked quietly.

Filly turned away, "That's none of your business. Just take the money and go." Filly reached under the mattress, and withdrew a small drawstring bag. Leah could hear the coins jingling around in it and felt the weight of the money in her palm. "But I-"

"GO! Before I change my mind, and take it back!"

Leah scrambled out of bed. She ran back to the room she had shared with her mother, and gathered her few belongings together, placing them into an extra blouse, and tying the sleeves together to make a bundle. She hurried out of the room, and paused only for a moment outside Filly's door. "Thank you." With that she was gone, down the stairs, and out the front door.

Leah didn't know how far she had run, but it felt like miles. She felt sharp bursts of pain in her sides, but continued running, her tired feet beating out a steady rhythm on the cobblestone street. SLAM! She ran straight into a boy. "Oof!" both of them tumbled to the ground, she dropping her bundle, and a stack of papers flying out of his arms.

"Hey! Watch it!" The boy said, snatching his cabby had off the ground, and stuffing it back onto his head.

"I'm, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. Really, here, let me help." She said stooping to pick up his papers for him.

The boy sighed impatiently, "Look, don't worry about it. I got it. Just watch where you're goin' next time, okay?"

"Yeah. I'm really sorry. Really."

"Racetrack!" Someone called from across the street, "Hey, would it kill you to be on time for once!"

"Sorry, Callie, I was unavoidably detained."

The girl called Callie laughed, and came across the street to join them. Leah continued to pick up her belongings, and stuff them back into her makeshift bundle.

"Hey kid, he botherin' you?"

"What? No- no, I ran into him… on accident."

"Am I botherin' her? Geeze, thanks, Callie, it's good to know I can count on you to take my side. She ran into me!"

Callie laughed again, at the mock look of hurt on Racetrack's face. "Yeah, yeah, you're not insulted, don't act like you are." She turned towards Leah, and handed her the comb that had fallen out of the bundle. "What's your name kid?"

"Leah."

"Yeah? You runnin' away from home?" Callie eyed the bundle and the lost look on Leah's face.

"No. Well, yes. Sort of."

"Well, which is it?" Racetrack asked.

"I dunno. Look, I'm sorry to bother you, I've got to go. Really."

"Whoa, hold you're horses. Do ya got a place to stay?"

"No."

"Well, ya do now, you can stay with me. At the lodging house." Callie said, "The name's Calliope, but most people call me Callie. This is Racetrack. One of my best friends. He's not nearly as scary as he looks." Racetrack snorted at that, but Callie continued, acting as if she hadn't heard. "Anyway, you look like you could use some help. At least come to the lodging house until you can figure out what you're gonna do. First night's free."

Leah stared at her for a minute, wondering what she should do. At last she gave in, figuring she had no other alternative. Callie and Racetrack seemed nice enough, anyways, and a night in a lodging house was better then a night in an alley. "Ok. I'll come."

"Great." Callie said, smiling warmly. "Right this way!"