Hey. Sorry for the lack of update. I've been super busy with Destination Imagination, soccer, and I'm playing on an all star basketball team. I'm also getting ready for an audition in a week.
Anyway, here it is! Chapter 9! Tell me what you think:)
Review and Read On!
- Emily
Braid skipped down the road toward the lodging house, the song Medda sung to her playing over in her head. The sun was nearly set and the sky was turning dark. She quickened her pace, knowing that Jack would be upset if she walked in past curfew. Braid turned the corner next to Tibby's, now silently humming to herself. She could make out a dark shadow in the corner of an alley, but when she turned around it was gone.
It's probably my mind playing tricks on me. She thought.
Shrugging it off, she continued down the road, arriving at the Lodging House just as it turned dark. She opened the door and slipped inside to see the boys playing what seemed to be a very intense game of poker. Of course, Race was playing with an unreadable poker face on. She shut the door and turned around, only to see Jack standing very close in front of her.
"Where were you?" He asked. Braid couldn't tell if his tone meant he was angry or worried.
Great. She thought.
"Um, at Medda's?" She said in a question form.
"You don't sound to sure." He stated.
"I was!" Braid proclaimed. Jack rolled his eyes.
"Fine, just get here faster next time." Braid opened her mouth to object, but decided against it and nodded. Jack let out a huff of air and went back to watch the poker game. Braid let out a huff of air as a hand was placed on her shoulder.
"Eh, don't worry about him. He's just stressed out with this whole thing with Queens." Braid smiled and turned around to see Mush.
"Yeah, it must be stressful and all. But hey, just think about the stress Spot must feel." She said. As if on cue, Spot walked up behind her.
"What must I feel?" He asked, making her jump. Mush laughed and doubled over, making Braid's face turn bright red.
"Um, stress. You know...with the war and...yeah." She said, tripping over her words. This only made Mush laugh harder. Spot rolled his eyes and smirked, smacking her cap down to her eyes.
"Where's Jack at?" He asked. Braid motioned over to the poker game-which ws getting intense- and Spot walked over.
"Smooth." He said, regaining his oxygen.
"Shut up." She muttered, her face still red.
The next day they all got up at the normal times. Kloppman wrapped on her door and she groaned, rolling over and falling out of her bed.
"Time to get up, Braid." He said.
"Yeah, thanks." She said groggy. She could hear a faint chuckle on the other side of the door as the older man walked off to wake the boys up. Braid threw on her selling clothes and tossed her hair into a quick braid. Setting her cap on her head, she walked down stairs to meet up with Mush and Race.
"Hey! Are you guys going to the show at Medda's tonight?" She asked. Race shook his head.
"Nah, I got some business to take care of. Got a hot tip on a horse down at the tracks."
"Race, you say that every time. Obviously someone keeps forgetting to tell the stupid horse." Mush said.
"Aw shut up! I have a good feeling about this one!"
"You said that last week." Replied Mush, leaving Race sulking in his tracks.
"So, Mush?" braid asked.
"Yeah, I suppose I'll go."
"Medda played me this beautiful song when I was there yesterday. She said she might play it tonight!"
"Is that so?" Mush said, looking off into the distance.
"Yeah. You will love it!" Braid said.
"Yeah, probably." Mush said, now staring far off down the road.
"Um, Mush? What are you looking at?" Braid asked, waving her hand in front of his eyes.
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I could have sworn I saw something moving around that alley way." He said, now straining his neck.
"Mush, people are always going down that alley. It's probably nothing." Race said. The trio turned toward the Distribution Center.
"Yeah. You're probably right." He said. They got into line and got their papers. Race nodded at them before walking off toward his favorite spot near the Sheapstead, yelling jibberish into the air. Braid followed Mush down the road until she saw a group of gullible looking old ladies. She headed toward them, story already planned out in her head.
The sun was just getting ready to set when Mush, Jack, and Braid left to go to Medda's. Jack and Mush both took very long strides that Braid had to jog just to keep up.
"So, Braid. You said Medda has a new song?" Mush asked, trying to start a conversation.
"Yeah. It's really pretty." She said. Jack said nothing, only staring with a cold expression at the road in front of him.
"Um, so what's it called?" Mush asked.
"It's called I Miss The Mountains. Oh! By the way, Medda wanted to talk to me after the show tonight." She said to Jack. He nodded slightly, still focused on the road ahead of him.
They walked up the steps and into the theatre finding an empty table near the middle. Just as they sat down, as if the whole place had been waiting for them, the lights dimmed and Medda swayed onto the stage in an elegant purple dress that fit her just right. She smiled at the crowd and looked over at Braid and winked. Braid smiled and waved slightly.
"Hello folks. Tonight we have a very entertaining show for you. First up, I would like the e==introduce the Vaudeville dancers." She said, stepping back as three young girls came out in soft, angelic costumes. The music played and the girls leapt to life. The way they twirled in the air and the way their bright smiles caught the light of the stage made Braid slightly self-conscious. She brushed it off as they left the stage and Medda stepped back out.
"Wasn't that beautiful? Thank you all for coming out tonight. To close this night off, I would like to sing a new song I have been working on. I call it I Miss The Mountains." She cleared her throat and the music started to play. Just as it had the previous night, the music seemed to fill Braid's should and lift her up to the heavens. She felt light, she felt free, and most of all she felt at peace. All of her thoughts and worries had left her as Medda's sweet voice filled the the song ended, both of the girls had tears in their eyes. Well, and Mush.
The theatre stood up and burst in applause. Medda took a bow and smiled to the crowd before retreating back to backstage. People began to file out of the theatre quickly.
"I'll meet you back at the lodging house." Braid said to the two boys.
"I'm not sure. It's already dark out." Jack said.
"It'll be fine. i'll come straight back." She promised. Jack bit his lip in uncertainty,
"Fine. I'll be waiting for you, okay?" Jack said.
"Me too." Mush said. Braid nodded and walked up to the stage as the boys exited.
"Medda? She called out. The lady came out from backstage and smiled.
"How did I do?" She asked.
"Oh Medda! You were fabulous! Don't tell him I told you, but Mush was crying." Medda let out a soft chuckle before sitting down at the piano.
"You ready?" She asked. Braid nodded eagerly and walked over beside Medda.
"Okay, here we go. Try to be loud, okay? I know you can do it. You've opened up a lot since you've been here." Medda said. Braid gave a small smile and nodded.
It turns out. Braid actually had a pretty decent voice. There was always room for improvement, Medda was impressed. Braid walked out of the theatre with a smile on her face. She felt at easy and was lost in thoughts.
That's when a hand clamped over her mouth and she was drug into an alleyway.
Well, there it is. Was it okay? I don't really like this chapter as much.
Review please! Thanks!
-Emily