An Adders Heartbeat Part One
"Dude this is the sort of thing the mind does to you when your bored." Sorry I don't know any street names in New York as I live in England and have never been there. Oh yeah and just for the record, in my mind Snake is only 24 years old don't ask.
March 24th New York City 11:30pm. Snake had just finished his last pint in his local bar, he took his long black coat off the back of the bar stool and pulled it on, he headed towards the entrance of the bar and opened the door, much to his delight it was raining quite hard and puddles had formed in the street and the roads.
"Great looks like I'm gonna get a late night shower" muttered snake
He pulled the collar of his coat up, rammed his hands in his pockets and walked down the empty street, yellow taxi's were whizzing by him and splashing through puddles, only a handful of people went past him some holding umbrellas.
"Dude wouldn't be seen dead holding an umbrella." Thought snake He carried on walking, his hair becoming increasingly wet, his coat just barely holding out the rain and his hands becoming cold. Snake put his hands up to his mouth and blew into them trying to keep himself warm. All of a sudden snake slowed down his pace, something had caught his attention, the faint cries of a woman could be heard and it sounded like she was in trouble. Snake walked along checking every alleyway as the screams became increasingly louder, he was growing more and more concerned and he quickened his pace, then he saw where the screams were coming from, an alleyway leading to the dead end, Snake could see a bulky man in his late thirties wearing expensive clothes throwing things at the ground but snake was more concerned about what was on the ground.
" You stupid Bitch I told you not to get caught your lucky I saved you, how dare you put my reputation on the line" Hollered the man.
The whimpers of the woman soon followed.
"Hey what the hell you doing here mister?" Shouted Snake
The Man turned to face Snake.
"It's none of your business" Replied the man
The man turned and faced the ground and kicked the thing on the floor, a woman's cry was heard soon after. Snake marched down the alleyway and grabbed the mans shoulder.
" I asked you what you were doing." Gruffed snake
The man just smiled at snake.
"Just keeping the scum in their place mister" Replied the man
Snake turned his head to look at what the man was kicking, he could see a pool of blood and money chucked on the floor, beyond that he could see a women in her early twenties cut and bruised, she was wearing a black hoodie, pale blue jeans, bandanna and black trainers, she was cowering under the hood and tears were staining her face. Snake turned back to the man, smiled and then threw him to the ground, the man looked up to see snake's shoe covering his face.
" I tell you what, you run out of this alleyway and leave this girl alone and I won't kill you with the end of my shoe." Said Snake
The man started to shake.
"Okay, okay I'll do as you say." Replied the man
"Good" Growled Snake
Snake lifted his shoe from above the mans face, the man got up and ran just like Snake had asked him too, Snake laughed and then turned his attentions to the woman cowering on the floor.
"It's Okay I'm not going to hurt you" Said Snake sympathetically
The young women looked up slightly.
"I wanna see how bad your wounds are, it's okay," Said snake softly
Snake had crouched down to the woman's eye level and positioned himself in front of her so she could see his face. The girl glanced at him and slowly raised her hand to remove her hood; slowly the hood came off to reveal a blonde haired blue-eyed woman with cuts to her left cheek and cuts above her right eye.
"You got mashed up pretty bad didn't you?" asked Snake softly
The young woman nodded, tears streaming down her face and staining her face.
" Look I wanna see how deep your cuts are so I'm gonna have to touch your face, are you okay with me doing that?" asked Snake
The girl just nodded. Snake put his cold hands on her face and looked at the wounds, he asked her nicely to turn towards the light so he could get a better look.
"They look pretty deep, I'm going to have to get you to the hospital and get them to patch you up" said Snake
The young woman just looked at snake with her empty blue eyes, Snake got up and held out his hand, the young woman grabbed it and pulled herself up, Snake could see the young woman was cold and drenched, Snake took off his jacket and draped over her shoulders, the woman looked up.
"You need it more then me" Said Snake
Snake flagged down a taxi and asked the driver to take him to the hospital, he opened the door for the woman to get in and then went round to the other side and clambered in, whilst in the car he could see the woman shaking and staring into an empty space, Snake started to feel attached to the woman, like he had to look after her no matter what.
"What's wrong with her?" Asked the taxi driver
Snake looked at the woman.
"She had been attacked," replied Snake
"Is she bad" Asked the driver
" A few deep cuts and bruising but nothing serious I hope," replied Snake
The taxi sped through the wet streets of New York, the rain continued to pour and Snake did not want to leave the woman alone after the hospital treatment.
The Taxi pulled up to the hospital, Snake opened the door for the woman and paid the driver the fare.
"It's okay mate, I won't charge you." Said the taxi driver
"Why" asked Snake
"Your doing a good deed, that girl your taking in, she's homeless and to get a little money she steals from the local shops to help sell Mr Bridgeworths security products. He treats them like shit, thinks he's helping New York by doing it but he ain't he just a slave merchant." Replied the taxi driver
"That'll explain the man who beat her up," said Snake
"Yeah, look I'll stay here till you get out. No charge" said the Taxi Driver
"Cheers" Said Snake
The Taxi driver smiled.
Snake turned around to see the woman just staring into the distance; she looked scared and lonely, unable to fight back if she was in that situation. Snake felt a sudden urge to just wrap his arms around her to comfort the poor woman but snake knew he could not. Snake walked up to her side, he stood next to her shivering and sopping wet but it's the price for caring someone, the woman turned around and stared at snake with her cold blue eyes, she could see him shivering and somehow managing a smile, she felt it was only polite she smiled back at him.
"Come on let's get you patched up." Said snake.
The woman nodded and walked into the entrance of the hospital, snake closely following her, she could feel the warmth on her cold beaten cheeks and a smile spread across her face. Snake walked up to the receptionist leaving wet footprints through the waiting room.
"Can I help you sir?" asked the receptionist
"Yeah my friend was caught up in a fight and she needs to see a nurse if it's at all possible?" asked Snake
The receptionist smiled at Snake.
" I don't think that's going to be a problem sir, as you can see the waiting room is empty. I'll get the triage nurse to look at her for you." Replied the receptionist
The receptionist got out of her chair and walked down the corridor to find the nurse, Snake turned to check on the woman, she was sitting down reading a newspaper.
"You okay?" asked Snake
The woman looked up and raised her thumb to signal she was okay, Snake raised his thumb at her, the woman giggled, snake just grinned back. The receptionist returned with the nurse.
" If you'd like to follow me please." Said the nurse
Snake turned to the woman and signalled to her to follow the nurse; the nurse was of Caribbean origin, she had a soft voice, was tall and had kind eyes. The nurse led them to the sixth bay and opened the curtain to let Snake and the woman in and then closed the curtain behind them.
"If you just like to jump on the bed for me" said the nurse politely
The woman clambered onto the bed and smiled at the nurse.
" Can you tell us your name for me?" asked the nurse
The woman shook her head, she seemed afraid to tell her name.
" I found her getting beaten up in the street, she hasn't spoken a word to me since I found her." Said Snake
The nurse just smiled.
"Well that's not a problem, will just get you sorted out like anyone else. Now I'm going to take at look at your wounds okay?" said the nurse
The woman nodded, the nurse placed her hands on the woman's face and looked at the cuts on her face.
"Well they look deep but they are not going to need stitches so we will place butterfly strips over the wounds." Said the nurse
The Nurse put some cotton wool in a bowl filled with antiseptic, she placed it carefully onto the open wounds, the woman winced in pain, she held her hand out to Snake for him to hold it, Snake grabbed it and raised his thumb to ask if she was okay, the girl used her free arm to shake her hand, it meant so-so, Snake smiled. The nurse finished cleaning the wounds and started to apply the strips.
"There, all over." Said the nurse softly
The woman smiled and got off the bed, the nurse opened the curtain to allow Snake and the woman out, snake walked up to the nurse while the woman walked over to the hospital entrance.
"How much do I owe you?" Asked Snake
The nurse held up her hand and smiled.
"You owe nothing." She said
Snake looked at her oddly
"In my religion you're classed as a Good Samaritan, what you have done for her is the payment you owe." Said the nurse
"Nah come on I can't accept that," replied Snake
Snake went to get money out of his wallet but the nurse placed her hand on his wallet and pushed his hand back.
"You owe me nothing." Said the nurse
She walked away and left Snake gob smacked, the woman walked outside the entrance, Snake turned around and walked towards the woman he could not believe the generosity of these people, he thought they would jump at the chance to take his money.
Snake signalled to the cabbie to come and get them, he looked at the woman, she looked happier and was smiling, she noticed snake looking turned her head and showed him her thumb, snake laughed.
"Hey look I know you ain't got no where to go so if it's okay with you I'm going to make you stay at mine." Said snake
The woman started to giggle and raised both her thumbs.
"I'll take that as a yes then?" Giggled Snake
The woman smiled back and nodded her head.
"Could be the start of a beautiful friendship." Muttered Snake
The woman just grinned at Snake she knew what he meant.
The Taxi stopped next to Snake and the woman, Snake opened the door and allowed the woman to get in first and then he got in afterwards. Snake told the taxi driver where to drop them off, the taxi driver nodded and pulled away from the hospital.
The Taxi driver arrived outside the front of Snake's house, Snake got out first and held the door open for the woman, the woman got out and snake closed the door behind her, the taxi driver waved goodbye and drove off. Snake walked up the stairs to his door, he placed the keys in the lock and opened the door, and he stood there holding the door while the woman walked in.
"You'll have to excuse the mess." Snake joked
He reached over to turn on the light and the light exposed how a bit untidy the place was, some boots scattered over the place and a few jackets lying over the banister of the stairs but other then that the hallway was tidy.
The woman handed Snake the jacket he lent her, Snake took it and placed it on the radiator to get dry. Snake opened the door to the front room and turned the light on, he chucked his keys on the coffee table, the woman followed behind him and grinned, she could not believe how big the place was for one person, the front room was huge and it led into the kitchen, the walls were painted a warmish blue colour, there was Beachwood blinds over the windows, A black leather three piece sofa and 42" HDTV placed on the back wall.
" Hey it isn't that great," joked snake
The woman just grinned, Snake just walked into the kitchen, he peeled the drenched T-shirt from his toned body and placed it in the washing machine, he grabbed a towel and placed it on his head, the woman took off her black bandanna and handed it too him.
"Nah your okay." He said
She shook her head and pointed to the washing machine.
"You want me to wash your clothes?" asked Snake.
The woman nodded her head.
"Hey why don't I run you bath and give you a few of my clothes for you to wear for now?" asked Snake
The woman nodded, she was okay with the idea.
Snake grinned he ran upstairs and grabbed a white hooded jacket, black t-shirt and a pair of black three quarter length trousers, then he ran back downstairs and handed them to the woman.
"They may be a bit big for you." He said
The woman laughed and raised her thumb.
"Look I got the bath running for you, you just give me your clothes when you're done in there and don't get any lipstick on the mirrors" joked snake
The woman just laughed she took the clothes and went upstairs.
"FIRST DOOR ON THE LEFT!" yelled snake
Snake just smiled, he went back into the kitchen and took his wet socks off and put them in the washing machine along with his t-shirt.
Half an hour later the woman appeared from the bathroom, her hair dripping wet and looking a lot more happier and cleaner, she handed snake her clothes for the wash and then ran out of the kitchen and jumped onto the leather sofa, she grabbed the T.V remote and started flicking through the channels.
"I cooked you something to eat." Said Snake.
He grabbed a knife and fork and brought in a plate of hot food for the woman to have, the woman looked at what he brought in for her, it was a cheeseburger with chips and tomato sauce.
"Okay for you madam I have beef burger placed between cheese and a sesame bun, as a side dish we have sliced potatoes slightly fried and a helping of tomato sauce as a nice dip." Said Snake
The woman started laughing
"Yeah it's burger and chips." Said Snake
The Woman just grinned and grabbed the cheeseburger; she was eating it rather quickly and had soon finished the whole meal.
" Want something to drink?" asked Snake
The women raised up her thumb.
"Hot chocolate good for you?" asked Snake
Again the woman rose up her thumb, snake chuckled, he got up and went to the kitchen and started making some hot chocolate for the woman, he looked as the woman finished her last mouthful.
"Poor soul" he muttered
Snake poured hot water into the cups and stirred them with a spoon, he picked up the cups and walked into the room, A huge belch came from the woman while Snake placed the cups on the table, the woman looked at Snake's face and the burst out laughing, Snake just laughed with her, he thought it was funny too, the woman rolled off the sofa and hit her head on the table.
"Oww." She said while still giggling
"Hey you can talk." Said Snake
The woman looked at him
"Yeah, I can, look I'm sorry I did not speak before hand, I was unsure about you, I was nervous, I thought you might hurt me but I was wrong." She replied
Snake helped her to her feet; he placed her onto the sofa and sat next to her.
"So what's your name?" He asked
"I have no name, I prefer to be called by my nickname, it's the only one I'm known by, my real name is for those who are family" she replied
Snake shrugged his shoulders, he could not complain, he was guilty of that himself
"So what's your nickname?" He asked
" Adder " she replied
Snake smiled he stuck his hand out
"Nice to meet you Adder" He said
Adder grabbed his hand and shook it.
"What be yours?" Asked Adder
"Call me Snake, I don't have a name too, don't need it either." Replied Snake
Adder shook his hand she started laughing.
"House of snakes huh" She said
Snake grinned.
"Looks like I got to go do some shopping then, you wanna come along?" asked Snake
"Yeah why not, I ain't got anything better to do have I." Replied Adder
Snake raised his feet onto the table and flicked through the channels in the hope to find something decent on, Adder just slumped into the sofa, she looked at snake aimlessly going through the channels, she beamed a cheeky grin on her face and then turned and planted her feet on his lap.
"Make yourself at home why don't you?" Asked Snake sarcastically.
Adder folded her arms and grinned at him cheekily, Snake shook his head and stuck his tongue out at her, Adder replied with the middle finger and Snake just laughed, he turned back to the TV, what could possibly be on at half two in the morning, Snake did not care he'd usually find something if he was in his "I can't sleep modes." But he was not, he was more concerned about keeping an eye on Adder, seeing she would settle down as he was not going to let her back on the streets again; late night wrestling came onto the screen and Snake stopped flicking the channels.
"Hey how does wrestling take your fancy?" Asked Snake
No answer, Snake turned his head to find that Adder was sleeping she looked comfterble for once.
"I'll take that as a no shall I?" Said Snake
He carefully removed Adder's feet off his lap and onto the sofa, he slipped his arms underneath her legs and head and carried her up to bed, Adder didn't wake although she did manage to smack Snake in the mouth in her sleep. Snake opened the door to his bedroom with his foot and then walked in backwards, he did not turn on the light incase he disturbed Adder's sleep so he waded through the clutter on the floor and placed Adder on the bed, he carefully slipped the covers over her, Adder stirred a little bit and then settled back down again, Snake walked over to his bedroom window and sat down underneath it, he found a long sleeved t-shirt amongst the clutter and put it on. Snake sat and stared at Adder as she lay there sleeping, he wanted to see she was going to be okay and prepared himself for a long night.