21;

The pictures on the board were lined up in four different rows, each tacked on with small metal push pins. There was nothing written on them or otherwise identifying them, simply the faces of kids with most of them smiling.

Henry watched the girls carefully looking it over. "These are all the kids that have come in here and that I've helped in some aspect over the past year. There are obviously far too many pictures on here. I'd prefer not to have any." He paused for a moment and sighed. "Most of them I see on a semi-regular basis in and out of here. Some of them I haven't seen in quite a while. I hope things have improved for them..." He took his focus off his board and back to the girls. "And what can I do for you two?"

The girls glanced at each other before Riley spoke up. "We've walked a long ways to… get away from some stuff. We're just looking for help. Things like food and somewhere to sleep."

"Most of the kids I help are in the same position, so I think I can be of some use. I'll give you the rundown. I call this building 'Safe Haven'. It's a place where I can help the troubled or homeless youth of the city."

"In what way?"

"In regards to finding a more permanent shelter for them or providing a temporary place to sleep for the night. I also look out for jobs and post them here when they come up, as well as schooling information and, should you like, adoption and fostering opportunities. Unfortunately I can't do much for food, that'll be your responsibility."

"We actually found a soup kitchen before we came here. They helped us find this place."

"Soul Bowl?" Ellie nodded at the question. "Did you speak with Cheryl there?"

"We did."

"Good. Then head back there when you're hungry and tell her to give you both some food. Make sure you say I told her to."

"Cool, okay."

"Sleeping arrangements. Do you have any?"

"Not yet. We slept in the park last night."

"Not a good place." He swiveled to the side and unobstructed their view of a door behind him. "There are limited beds that I offer here in the backroom. All of them are signed out for tonight and the next, but I can sign you up for one after that."

"That'd be great."

"Alright. I can get you two if you want, but it'll take longer."

"One's fine. We'll share."

He nodded his head. "Okay. As far as a more stable sleeping situation, I'll sign you up for a program the city offers. It'll get you a room for a while, likely with some other people. It costs a little a month, but it's something you can afford even with just begging money. The only problem is that it takes some time to kick in so you'll be on your own for a while."

"Can we be signed up even if we came from another city?" Riley was still worried about doing anything that could lead to them being relocated back.

"You're here now. Doesn't matter where you were."

Ellie was more immediately concerned with the sleeping situation. "How often can we sleep here?"

"I sign the beds out on a rotational basis. That way everyone gets a place to sleep at night." He motioned toward the board on the wall. "Though because of how many come in and out of here, you may only get one night a week to sleep here. It's only fair." His eyes danced back and forth in thought. "I think that pretty much covers it. Unless there's something else, I'll get your information and we'll go from there. Sound okay?"

"Absolutely."

The three of them sat at his table and worked out the paperwork for just a few minutes, the majority of it needing to be done by Henry later. They gave him their names and some information about themselves, though there wasn't much to tell. He clipped the papers together and pushed them off to the side.

"I'll get these going later today. Again, it could be a few days or it could take a few weeks. It seems to be random. Just check back every couple of days for an update if it isn't too hassling." He stood up, causing them to as well, and shook their hands again. "You're free to come and go as you please, but just be sure to abide by the sleeping schedule."

"Of course. Thanks again, you're exactly what we needed."

"You're welcome." He smiled and watched them head back through the small building and out the main doors.

Once outside Riley turned to face Ellie to gloat but was instead surprised by being pulled into a hug. She stood startled for a second before relaxing into Ellie's hold and resting her hands against her back.

Ellie let go and glanced away with an embarrassed smile.

Riley returned the smile but arched her brows. "What was that for?"

"Just feeling… relieved I guess."

"Well yeah. Me too."

"I know, but... I just had a really bad feeling this place wasn't going to help."

Riley threw a tight arm around Ellie. "You worry too much, you know that? And besides, even if it hadn't, we'd have figured something out together. But, that doesn't matter now, does it?"

"Nope."

"Right."

They grinned at each other again as Riley started walking them back in the direction they came. "Hungry?"

Ellie scoffed. "Oh my god, yes."

She pulled out the piece of paper Cheryl gave her and flipped it upside down. They followed the directions backwards through the streets and reached the same unassuming building as before. Inside was noticeably busier. More people were waiting in line and the available seating was readily shrinking. They quickly scanned the workers and found Cheryl not among them so they squeezed past the line on the right and headed behind the counter towards her office. They poked their heads in and found her in the same spot as before.

"Hey, Cheryl."

The woman looked up and pushed her chair back slightly. "Hi again girls. Did you find the place alright?"

"Yes, thanks again. It helped a lot."

"Good, glad to hear it. Henry does some amazing work over there."

"He does." Ellie unintentionally began rubbing the back of her neck. "…speaking of which-"

Cheryl interrupted with a slight smile. "Free food right?"

"Uh, yeah."

"It's fine. Henry and I have an understanding. Go ahead and wait in line, tell them I said it's free for today. But remember, from now on you'll have to pay."

"Got it."

They nodded and headed back out into the room and stood in the back. The line was full of an eclectic collection of people. Some have obviously been homeless for a long period of time, dirty and ragged, while others seemed much cleaner and perhaps just down on their luck and needed cheap food.

They eventually reached the front and told them about Cheryl's permission. They were each poured a bowl of soup that looked much like standard chicken noodle. A generous amount of some kind of pasta noodle was served inside it along with some water on the side.

They were both excited, as one could be in a soup kitchen, to be eating something other than leftover scraps. The fact that it was hot made it that much better. They sat at one of the long tables alternating between slurping down soup and gulping water, paying no mind to manners or the fact that someone had set immediately beside them and was watching in interest.

The man was kempt looking, despite the layered clothes attire common among the homeless, and somewhere in his late twenties. He waited for a break in their gorging before speaking out with an unexpectedly soothing voice. "So, you two have no place to sleep tonight?"

They immediately stopped eating and uncomfortably glanced at him, their faces not angled far from their bowls.

"Oh, I'm sorry." The man nervously chuckled. "I overheard you at Safe Haven. I was sitting nearby."

Ellie's face showed obvious caution as she glanced at Riley before digging into her bowl again. Riley chose to be more upfront and furrowed her brow at him.

"You followed us?"

"I…no, well, sort of."

"We're fine."

He sighed and attempted to recover. "Perhaps I can start over. My name is Ethan. You're new here and it seems like you don't know the area. I've been here for a while and I just wanted to suggest somewhere you can sleep for the night. It's a little spot under the nearby overpass where a few of us have gathered. It's out of sight from the street and we've set up a small living arrangement there. It's not quite a home, but it's something."

The girls looked at each other, unsure of what to make of the man or the offer. Ellie spoke out this time after they reached a silent agreement.

"Like she said, we're fine."

"I get that you're skeptical, that's good. You should be. But you also shouldn't be so quick to dismiss someone just trying to be helpful." He stood up from the table but only made it half way before sitting back down. "Let me ask you a question. Do you know where you're sleeping tonight?"

Ellie internally groaned and shrugged the question off. "Probably the park again."

"And like Henry said, that's not a good idea. The cops like to patrol around there at night to catch squatters."

"We were fine there last night."

"Do you really want to risk it?"

Riley sighed, knowing that a detainment by the cops is the last thing they need. "Where is this place?"

Ethan's expression brightened. "It's down 3rd Ave., take it east until you hit the freeway. But if you don't mind, I think it'd be easier if I just showed you. We're not so easy to find."

Riley leaned into Ellie's ear and whispered while Ethan quietly looked on. "What do you think?"

"I don't know. We could try it, I guess. If we don't like it we can just leave."

"Seems hard to believe he just wants to help."

"Up to you."

Riley leaned back and, after a moment of thought, nodded with agreement at the man. "Alright, we'll come check it out."

"Cool. I'm sure you'll like it."

Ethan smiled at the girls who, in return, remained in silence for the rest of the meal, unsure of what to make of the stranger sitting next to them.

Halfway there! Which is awesome 'cause I love the second half (love the first half too, don't get me wrong).