Widdle Kevin skipped down the street, unaware of the closeness of his proximity to two captives. He was licking his lollipop that he'd found on the street when he looked up to find a familiar face staring down into the road, tears streaming down her face. He used his pink shirt to wipe the dirt away from his eyes. He had to make sure he'd actually seen her. His too large hat fell over his eyes. Had he really seen Catwalk? Had he really seen her cry? He looked up again to the window to confirm the sighting of his fellow newsie, but she was gone.
"Golly gee wiz, what happened to her?" Widdle Kevin asked to no one in particular. He rushed home, one hand on his hat, the other holding his lollipop.
"Spot! Mush! I found her! I found her!" Widdle Kevin said as he skidded into the Brooklyn Lodging House.
"Found who?" Mush asked as he got up from the bed that he used to share with Catwalk.
"Catwalk and Flight. You know them two." Widdle Kevin said, his hat falling over his head again.
Spot's head snapped up.
"Wha? Where?" he asked, suddenly coming out of his drunken stupor.
"That big warehouse off of Whore Avenue." Widdle Kevin licked his lollipop. "I saw Catwalk looking out of the window. I did."
"Are you sure it was her?" Mush asked anxiously, taking a hold of the little boy's shoulders and looking him in the eye. "Are you positive?"
Widdle Kevin looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes.
"I'd know Catwalk anywhere. She taught me how to read."
"Take me to them," Spot said icily. It was a command. "Now."
For the first time in two months, she was happy. She had hope that someone was going to save them. She practically ran to find Flight, who was sitting, huddled in a corner, her hair still matted and slightly red. She was shaking, and Catwalk could see a small tear streak down her dirt covered face.
"Flight? Flight, I have great news." Catwalk said breathlessly, sitting next to her friend. Flight looked up at her with sad, red eyes, not wanting to hear her news.
"I saw Widdle Kevin. He still has the hat you gave him. I saw him run towards Brooklyn. Spot and Mush are coming for us." The room was silent for awhile.
"They're not coming, Catwalk." Flight looked up at her with empty eyes. "They'll never come for us; we're dead to them. After you, Blade will move on to me. We'll be stuck here without any reason to hope for the rest of our lives."
Catwalk stared down at her in disbelief.
"What do you mean
they're not coming? Flight, Mush and Spot love us, and they'll
never give up on us. They WILL come."
"Who's coming where?"
The cuttingly cold voice broke through the silence.
Catwalk spun around, and Flight's head dropped. Blade was standing in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest.
"N-nothing," Catwalk stuttered.
"Listen," Blade said, crossing the room, "You will leave, when I tell you to leave, and that's not anytime soon. Understand?" Blade took a handful of her hair and slammed her into the wall.
"No one's coming. No one's ever coming. Listen to your friend, and you might just survive." Catwalk nodded before Blade left the room. She held her head where blood was gushing out. She looked over at Flight, who was now staring at the blood spot on the wall.
"I told you," she said in a quiet voice. "I told you so." Catwalk looked at her friend in disbelief.
"How could you say that about our husbands? They promised they'd stand by us in sickness or in health. Richer or poorer. Till death do we part they stand by us."
"But are they're not by us now! We're in an old warehouse. I lost my baby. You're going to have one. We're going to die before they find us. You know it and I know it so don't try to deny it."
"I don't know if it's the baby growing inside me or my gut feeling talking, but I know they're going to find us and take us back where we belong."
"Think what you want." With that, Flight turned away from Catwalk, into her corner and refused to say any thing else. With a sigh, Catwalk limped back to her own room.
"Good to see you back," Change's voice said as the door swung shut. Catwalk spun around and glared at him.
"What do you want?"
"You know what I want."
"Do I?"
"I think you do." With that, Change walked toward Catwalk, who was now backed into a corner.
"I've been waiting a long time for this." Change said, his hot breath hitting her neck. His breath reeked of alcohol as he kissed her neck.
"Change. No. Even if I wasn't married I would never do this with you." Catwalk said, her voice slightly shaking. But Change didn't care. He continued to kiss her neck and started to undo the top three buttons of her shirt. She tried to push him off, but he was to strong.
"Change!" A voice from the doorway yelled. It was Blade. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Change let go of Catwalk and she fell to the floor.
"I thought you were done with her. So I wanted a go." Change said, but his voice said otherwise. Blade laughed.
"She's carrying my child as we speak." Blade said, a smirk on his face.
Change's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"No . . ."
"Yes, and she will never be for your taking. If you want someone, someone cooperative, try the girl in the next room over."
Catwalk gasped. They meant Flight.
"She stopped crying and caring a long time ago."
Change opened his mouth to argue, then shut it and stalked out of the room, deep disappointment etched into his face.
Blade helped Catwalk to her feet.
"He's not to be any where near you, and you are to stay here until my boy is born. Do you understand?"
Catwalk nodded, wishing herself anywhere but here.
"Good." Blade kissed her roughly and then left without a word.
Catwalk crossed the room in a daze to the window. She looked out into the street, searching for the two faces she longed to see the most.
"They will come. I know they will."
