Chapter 5 A Boy Called Waif
P O V: Leslie Shay
"$100 dollars down on Gabby," "Huh?" "What are you talking about Foster?" "I bet $100 dollars with Herrman, Severide, Otis that Gabby gets the balls to admit she likes you first," My head spun so fast I almost lost control of the Ambo. "you guys bet on us?" She grinned sheepishly "Something has got to give Shay, if you won't get the balls to admit to her how you feel, she will have to at some point, neither one of you can live in this limbo state forever," "We're not pawns Foster, you can't bet on us like horses in the damn Belmont, we have feelings, obligations."
Jumping out of the rig I opened the side door pulling out of the trauma bag. "Chill Shay it was just a joke, seriously though she likes you everyone can see it," "Of course she likes me we're best friends for over ten years, we're partners," She rolls her eyes "Please," the second we round the Ambo we see a scene of complete disorder. Police cruisers are racing up behind us a teenage boy was strung up on the pole beneath the railroad tracks four teens who have beaten this poor kid nearly to death see us and haul ass out of there, my breath catches when I see two of those teens are Diego and Eva Dawson, Antonio's kids.
"It's more than friendship Shay she looks at you like a little kid who is staring at an ice cream cone on a hot summer day, she wants to lick every rim of that cone," "Gross Foster I'll never look at ice cream the same now," "Shit Shay if I had the chance I would lick every part of Gabby just to get out all the last of her delicious cream, she is fine"
My mind is on the Dawson kids why were they here? How did they get involved with a violent crime like this? Why were they running? "New bet Shay $200 if you get your skinny chicken ass straight to Gabby when this shit is all done and admit to her that you want to ride her like a bunny," "So I'm suppose to bet on myself?" "Well if you have the balls to do this shit, you'll win, cuz I bet you ain't got the balls," "why because I don't like balls, I don't have any?" she shrugged "Whatever I know you ain't got it in you child we all do so I'm about to be $500 richer tonight cuz the bet ends tonight, ha ha I'm getting turnt tonight smack them monkey balls,"
We waited till 81 had the boy cut down Erin Lindsay, Hailey Upton and Kim Burgess had taken off after Diego, Eva and another teenage boy. While Kevin Atwater and Jay Halstead took after the 4th teenager. Sargent Hank Voight cursed calling Antonio on his cell.
After five minutes Casey, Stella and Herrman had the kids cut down carrying him over to our stretcher. Flinging his arms, gasping for air, wild eyes filled with fear, "No cops, No cops, send them away," gently laying my arm on his shoulder I tried to talk to him to ease his fears. "Sweetie your not in trouble, my name's Shay, I am a paramedic, this is my partner Foster we're here to help you," "No police, no cops,"
"Okay sweetie no cops, lets get you to the hospital they can sort it out there call your parents,"
"Not my parents," I looked to Emily as we started an IV, got him hooked to monitors. "So you don't call them mom or dad, what do you call them?" "Eric or Basil please no cops," "Foster give him 30cc of Epinephrine," "Copy Shay" "Mom, dad I don't remember them,"
His fever was spiking fast indicating possible infection one of the reasons this kid could be having issues focusing. "Did they die when you were young hun?" "No they didn't die, I did," "We exchanged looks as a very familiar sicking feeling came over me. Starting from my stomach rising to my chest, arms almost paralyzing me. "Can you tell me where you live?" "Now or then lady?" 'Shay my name is Shay either one will do hun," "I don't remember then I was too young, now I can't tell you," "Your not in trouble babe, we just need to know so we can contact your guardians," "I can't tell you I don't know."
He was starting to calm down now yet nothing was making sense. "Can you tell us your name babe?" Foster asked his eyes welled up "they call me Waif," Waif it means Orphan a child without any parents. "They said my parents died, they lied I know the truth, it's not them that died, I have died, they said if I call the cops, they will kill me, how though? I am already dead you can't kill death can you?" He laughed sadly "Sweetie it's okay you are safe now we're here,"
"No one will believe me, I'm just a kid with too big of an imagination."
My legs gave out as the voice that I thought I had buried years ago came back to me. "Shay." Foster tried to talk to me but I was caught up in the memory of that day almost twenty-eight years before.
(Flashback)
"Strike 'em out baby girl, you can do this!" Cheers erupted from the crowd gathered around Jefferson field both sides of the stands each filled with parents, friends from both little league teams. Looking to my coach Natasha Raelynn Conway, I felt an assurance of love, belief. Even though my parents weren't there, she was, she believed in me, cheered me on not just because she was my coach or my friend, because she genuinely cared. "Dream big girl ya' got this." Deep Breath Grace, deep breath you can do this. Closing my eyes for a moment I gave myself a little pep talk, I've trained for this for years, all the extra practices Coach has given to me, all the talks to build my self confidence they aren't in vain, nope you got this. Remember what your father always says Emanuel Ó Séaghdha did not raise his kids to be wimps. I could hear his voice inside my ear as I stood at the pitchers mound Grace Isabella Ó Séaghdha there is no fireside like your own fire inside, be the candle that burns those who dare try to distinguish it,"
I wound up bases were loaded it was top of the 8th my team was up 10-9, two outs, if I got a 3rd strike we'd win. If they hit we were going home losers and there was no way I could face my father, my teammates, town or my coach. Everything is riding on my shoulders, a heavy price for an 11 year old girl, but one I could bare.
St. Lois Morgan Hills Little League was depending one me we hadn't had a championship win in over a decade, for the last year Coach had been training me extra hard because she saw something in me, she said I had a spark, a passion that burned as bright as the stars. Bending slightly my eyes swept over the batter a boy about 12, his eyes weren't nervous the very opposite steady as two beams of steel. He was cocky the way he grinned at me I knew what he was thinking a girl yeah right this chick ain't gonna strike me out. I'm Billy Smart, the star RIB hitter of Martian Creek Little League from Wisconsin. My eyes caught with the catcher my best friend Elizabeth Lesley Spencer she grinned at me she always had the most beautiful smile.
Her long blond hair was braided in two separate braids her eyes connected with mine. "Diamond," she yelled out making me laugh, smile. Diamond was our code word for two reasons, one was because we lived in Beverly Hills so we were use to seeing stuck up princes, princesses so whenever we saw one who thought they were too dang good for us, we'd yell Diamond because well diamonds are the worlds most beautiful jewel. Number two was because we were tough as diamonds not swallow or breakable. We could be pretty and sweet but inside we were tough as nails. So whenever we encountered someone like Mr. Martian Creek we just had to remember we were tougher than them.
'Hey batter, batter, swing batter batter swing," My arm ached as I threw the ball for what was probably the 100th time this game. My breath was suspended in mid air as I released the ball watching as it sailed through the air everyone was frozen in this moment. Watching as the ball sliced through the air to cross over the home plate, "strike," I heard the word which sounded like magic to my ears. The batter threw his bat in anger. Cheers erupted the team surrounded me screaming in pure happiness.
Parents swarmed the field in sheer exuberance tears running down their faces as hands pounded my back, shoulders, head kissing my head. My eyes searched for my family maybe they had come late and couldn't find a seat. My eyes came back empty "hey girl, I told ya you could do do it, didn't I?" Raelynn came over grinning wrapping her arms around me, her lips grazed my forehead. She's funny, talented, beautiful she pays extra attention to me she helps me with my homework, my fast pitch, catching. "Thanks Rae, dang I have to pee bad," "Grace you know the rules, you can't go anywhere without an adult," "I know Coach Rae but my parents ain't here what a shocker, I have to go really bad, can you take me," She looked around "Okay babe, I suppose everything here is under control,"
I make it quick as I'm washing up she looks at me and smiles, she's leaning against the sink watching me strangely. "Feel better?" I nodded thinking how pretty she is her checks are full deep dark pink, her eyes almost sparkle, I want to be like her when I am older. "My daddy always told me there's nuthin' a good piss or a cold beer can't fix," I think that's strange so I told her she throws back her head laughing a deep belly laugh. Slugging my arm a little bit "I always said the same thing grace baby, you and I are so alike sometimes it scares me," she throws her arm across my shoulders amazing me she thinks were alike? How so? I want to know more, I don't know why it is so important yet it somehow it feels like life or death.
At first I didn't notice where we were heading when I do notice I see we are heading away from the field, she simply smiles at me lovingly touching my nose. "just getting some fresh air darlin'you deserve it sugar what you did out there today was totally tubular!" my whole body becomes stiff in excitement I love when she compliments me. "We really did it coach didn't we?" "We did it baby girl, we surely did, I am so proud of you Dudette," she touched her nose next to mine, I could feel her breath against my check, minty fresh my skin tingled.
Her hands held me in her arms I felt her heart beating so strong her eyes danced like moon beans across the surface of a beautiful cyan ocean. "you like my eyes Grace?" her voice is super soft like cotton candy. I don't understand why it's changed yet it did something to me, my whole body came alive. Her hands pulled me closer "Yeah," My voice cracks, she laughs super girlie like, I can feel myself blushing. Her touch against my checks is super cool. "Why do you like my eyes so much? Their just eyes," "No Rae their more than just eyes, their like I don't know how to tell you, I'm only 11, maybe like music notes dancing across the scale to their own beat, I never could dance I always wanted to learn do you know how?" "I do love, would you like me to show you how?" I nod happily "Close your eyes place your hands in mine,"
She sits on a table pulling me between her legs. "Let go of your doubts, don't listen to that voice inside your head listen to mine," I follow her advice feeling my body press against hers I trust her so I don't react when I feel her lips against mine, I'm not sure I know how to even react, I've never kissed anyone before, her lips are soft, warm, it feels beautiful, yet breakable, like if the light hits it the truth will come out, will be exposed, judged.
I don't want to be exposed, I want to stay in her arms held safe. "love," she whispers kissing my forehead "that's the secret to a beautiful dance, you have to love what you are doing, music unlocks for only the truest of passions," I'm still frozen "kiss me again Rae, please I need to feel your warmth," She's nervous yet she drops down lower I sit on her leg she wraps her arm around me. "are you sure grace?' I love how she says my name the way her lips part mid breath, her upper one curls up on the side. Her lower one hangs like she's afraid to let go of my name."
"I'm 100% sure coach, kiss me please," "First babe don't call me coach it's creepy, call me Rae," leaning down she presses her lips against mine I grant her access. Breathing her in closing my eyes.
Air I can't breathe a hand covers my mouth another across my throat, my eyes snap open no longer am I in her lap now my back side is pressed against a grown man's body. Rae is now standing looking nervous. "Grace be quite don't scream, you said you wanted to be together forever right?" I'm too scared, confused to answer her, the man holding me is strong he smells badly of fresh pine, real leather, cigar, ponderosa pine, he's rough pushing me forward, my knees lock, my legs twitch "Scream I'll kill you, then I'll get that pretty little sister of yours, what's her name again? Rae darlin'" "Megan," "Ah Megan is a fine name for a pretty lil' thang," I freeze feeling my heart beat pound harder. I'm dizzy with fear. "No one will believe you, you are just a kid with too big of an imagination, I promise you though Megan won't escape, so you either shut up or I get her,"
I would do anything to protect my sister so I get in with help from his hand he shoves me hard, I land on my face Rae climbs in the back with me her hand on my knee, which I yank away he gets into the drivers seat, the van jerks away from the field and life as I know it.
(present day)
"Shay," my body jerks back as I fall back against the damn wall hit by the intensity of those memories. Emily is in front of me on her knees worried. "Casey can you drive? Something is wrong with Shay," she straps the BP cuff on me before I can stop her, Casey has already jumped into the drivers seat. Stella is now in the back with us. Eric and Basil's faces pop into my mind except I knew them as Rae and Teddy. "Shay," voices call to me I can't answer them, I'm paralyzed in a world of spinning black orbs, they call me to their land promising me peace.
A/N Happy Holidays Everyone hope everyone is safe, well and blessed, thanks for the reviews and favorites. Have another story up called Christmas Promises Might Lie.