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We walked together in silence much of the way, only stopping when the deep cough crept back into my lungs. Every time this happened he would ask me if I was alright, and I, not wanting to be fussed over, quickly lied. I refused to admit it, but my condition was even beginning to worry me.
At last I could see the building that made my stomach knot up and my palms sweat. I wanted so badly to hate it, but found my fear of it was overwhelming.
Before I realized what was happening there we were on the steps, nearing the door with every stride. I found my legs growing stiffer until at last they stopped working all together. The boy glanced back when he felt me stop.
"You alright?" he asked in his kind voice.
I didn't reply but just glanced at the door. I suddenly felt ill.
"Come on, my boys wouldn't hoit a fly."
I scoffed inwardly then quickly realized it hadn't been contained to my thoughts. He laughed as he took my arm again and opened the door.
I instantly noticed the lack of cheerful sounds as we entered. As I looked out from the shadows I saw many of the smaller boys had gone to bed, and the rest looked terribly glum. My stomach dropped as I saw the boy with the cigar coming down the stairs and grumpily collapsing into a chair by the game of cards taking place in the corner. I felt myself pale. Last time they all looked so happy, and remembering how that turned out, I didn't want to imagine them when they were upset.
I was brought back to reality when the voice of the boy next to me rang out in greeting.
"Heya fellas"
Still being arm and arm with him I was dragged out from the shadows into the warm room. Being in the toasty room made me realize how excessively warm I was feeling. My skin felt chilled but I could feel heat pulsing through me. I quickly looked down at the dusty wood floor, the now complete silence making my face glow red.
"Whats da mattah?" the boy next to me asked the room of boys, the hint of amusement back in his voice, knowing now for sure that they had seen me before.
"Cowboy we . . ." one boy stammered, unable to complete his thought.
I risked one glance up and saw the boy with the cigar hanging his mouth open dumbly. This lifted my spirits only slightly as the boy next to me began to speak again.
"Look what I found fellas, an' sleeping on the streets on a night like dis." He shook his head in a 'what a shame' sort of way and continued. His warm voice instantly changed to a tone that clearly demanded respect.
"So when did start throwin' people out on the street huh? An' a lady no less."
The silence remained and it seemed I wasn't the only one bothered by it. Jack spoke again, slightly louder this time.
"Whats da mattah with you fellas huh? Some goil comes in heah lookin' for her bruddah an' you just kick her out?"
Instantly the guilty expression on the boys faces vanished, replaced by looks of... shock? I no longer stared at the floor as confusion was overriding my timidness. Their eyes were wide and many mouths hung open as they stared from the boy next to me, to me, to each other, and back again. Suddenly I realized how close I was. This was it, I was going to find out where my brother was. The nervous knot in my stomach tightened in excitement.
"What is goin' on heah?" Jack half shouted, getting fed up with the silence.
As I felt the excitement in me rise, I felt something else as well. My throat and lungs were just begging for me to cough. Trying hard to hold it back, knowing that it would be more of an excruciatingly long hack, another boy at last spoke. It was the boy with the patch.
"But Jack" he said, shaking his head in confusion as he spoke. "She told us she was lookin' for a Fr. ."
I could contain myself no longer as another coughing fit ripped through me. I immediately turned my back on the room. The boy with the patch went silent as the kind boy who found me placed his hand on my back again. I was far to weak to care to pull away, and decided to accept it as comforting. As it began to subside I turned and saw horrified faces etched with concern. The image began to blur as I struggled to focus my eyes. I felt my ears ringing and my head pounding.
Just as the room began spinning and vanishing before my eyes I felt a strong arm scoop my legs out from under me. The boy who found me ignored everyone as he silently walked to the stairs with me in his arms. Once we were up them he quietly kicked open the door to a room that through my blurry vision was seen to be full of beds and glowed a soft blue from the moonlight seeping in through the windows. The room felt chilled compared to the warmth downstairs. I was gently laid down on a bed and my drenched coat was removed. I collapsed back onto a pillow and felt a blanket being draped over me. I tried so hard to mutter my thanks to the boy, but found I couldn't find my voice as my eye lids slid quickly down and sleep took me.
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As soon as the boys downstairs saw their leader vanish, and heard the bedroom door latch with a soft click, their voices erupted.
"Jack's got a sistah?"
"He nevah told me dat before."
"She didn't look too good. . .dat cough. ."
"Yeah, real pale. ."
"She shoa looks like 'im dough, doesn't she? I mean, if she is in fact. . ."
"Was I da only one who got the impression Jack. . didn't exactly know. ."
"I know what ya mean, he acted like she was just some goil. ."
"Wondah what 'er name is."
"It's Rose."
"Dat right Blink? Well dats appropriate, wit all da blushin'"
"Jack shoa looked angry dough. . ."
The voices continued, getting louder as they spoke over each other. Through all of this, no one noticed the one boy who remained silent. Puffing at his cigar, he listened to the banter, feeling more and more wretched with each minute that passed.
A very short while later Jack returned to the once again silent room, sighing.
"Looks like she might be real sick. . ."
When he finally looked up he saw the other boys exchanging looks and nudging each other.
"What?" He asked. It held a tone that demanded an answer as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Kid Blink, after receiving one too many nudges, courtesy a nearby Mush, was once again the first to speak. He felt more involved than the others, having met her once before.
"Jack, she uh . ." He wanted to choose his word carefully. "You say she was lookin' for 'er bruddah?"
Jack turned to face him. "Yeah, an' she also says you bums kicked 'er out." He said this not angrily, but with a distinct sound of confusion.
"Well Jack she didn't . ." Kid Blink began, "She didn't tell us she was lookin' for 'er bruddah. . . .exactly. . ." He glanced to the others for support, which only caused them all to avoid eye contact.
Jack stood staring at him with his arms crossed, looking very impatient for him to continue.
"Well ya see. . . she told us she was lookin' for. ." he gulped, "a Francis Sullivan."