Near Enough For Shelter (Fabel)

[Fabel]

"You're stayin' here?" "With that thing sleepin' ten feet away?" "What if he wakes up before you do? What if he finds you?" "No way am I leavin' you alone. I'm stayin' as long as you stay."

Fabel looked at him, startled. She hadn't really expected him to feel compelled to stay with her. She thought that he might think it indecent for them to both be sleeping in the same cramped little spot, but as long as they were in two separate Blankets, or in this case, sheets, it would be alright, Wouldn't it?

Fabel didn't know what to say and it came out in an awkward stutter, "I..Than..Thank you.." she managed, feeling completely stupid at her loss of words momentarily. Story Tellers always had something to say, and never stuttered...Why had he just made her trip over her words with a simple gesture of kindness?

"Plus...what kind of friend would I be if I left you here?"

Fabel was warmed immediately. If she had doubted him before, those doubts were now scattered away. But if you think about it, running from thugs, cleaning wounds, and then staying the night together in a warehouse, would qualify them as friends now. Fabel smiled and almost laughed aloud. She yawned again, and felt this desire to be completely flat on the ground so that she could sleep off her pain and exhaustion. She positioned herself so that she was entirely on the ground, and rolled onto her side, so that she was facing Race.

"I'm glad I've got someone like you for a friend." she said softly.

[Anthony Higgins]

"I'm glad I've got someone like you for a friend."

Race turned to look at her, startled. No one had ever said that to him before. He knew, of course, that he had friends. Some of the best friends he could ask for. But the friendship went unspoken and unproclaimed. It was cemeted with memories and jokes, the laughs and the causes they had fought for. Those were special kinds of friends, Race decided. But when someone said something like that...it was something of a different kind of special. He hated to admit it...but he liked the sound of it. A grin began to unfold on his face. "Thanks..." he said. "You too..."

Race seemed to be out of words for the day. It was strange...usually he didn't have a limit nor a quota, but today it was as if all the words had been used up. Normally he would crack a joke, but of course that wasn't good for here and now. He cleared his throat and said to Fabel, "You can sleep, Evelyn. I'll stay up and keep a watch till Two-by-Four leaves." It wouldn't be so smart, he decided, for both of them to be sleeping with someone who was after them dozing not fifty feet away.

[Fabel]

"Thanks..." he said. "You too..."

Fabel returned his grin, which turned into a yawn.

"You can sleep, Evelyn. I'll stay up and keep a watch till Two-by-Four leaves."

Fabel couldn't have been happier with that statement. She was exhausted from the days events, and the loss of blood had made her weak and even more so exhausted then normal. She didn't protest, she was far too worn out to argue, but instead simply nodded.

"Good night Anthony." the words rolled off of her tongue easily and she couldn't help but notice how the simple saying of those words made her feel. It felt...Normal. As if it was supposed to happen. Fabel closed her eyes and soon began to drift off into a dreadful sleep, filled with visions of her family..

((In my next post..I think It will be morning and she will wake up.. ))

[Anthony Higgins]

"Good night Anthony."

"G'night, Evelyn," Racetrack returned. It was odd, he had to admit, to be adressed by his real name. No one had called him that since his grandmother died. There was a good feeling that came with it, but also it was somehow awkward. He didn't mind, though. He had to admit, he kind of liked it...it was a change, and not completely unwelcome.

As she dozed off, Racetrack leaned against a crate and sighed, taking off his hat and pulling it between his hands. The hat still had some dust from the race tracks on it, he observed. It was then he realized how long of a day it had been. He'd lost his hat, saved a girl more than once, spent a day running from fat, drunk men, and missed his races. And now he was in an old warehouse with a new friend sleeping not too far away and a fat man sleeping off alcohol fifty feet away. What a day, he decided.

Time passed at a snail's pace. Racetrack was about to doze off a little when he jerked himself awake. He had to stay awake, and he hoped he wasn't just being a gallant fool when he'd offered to keep watch while Fabel slept. He stood up and glanced over at the fat man. He was stil fast asleep. Race sat back down and checked his pocket watch. In about a half hour it would be midnight. He was having trouble keeping his head up.

Finally, he heard the sound of the fat man stirring. It was three in the morning, and the fat man blundered up. He opened his eyes, squinting in the darkness, and seemed to wonder where he was. Shaking his head and groaning with the pain of a hangover, the man waddled of the warehouse. Race sighed. Now he could sleep...

[Fabel]

Fabel awoke suddenly at the sound of something, or someone, moving around. It took her a few moments to regain her bearings - For a moment she thought she was back at the lodging house in her own bunk. She rubbed her eyes, and the past days events came whirling back down onto her. The pain in her knee made her realize just how long the day had been. She glanced up and saw Race Track dozing off slightly, and smiled. She soon drifted back to sleep.

At around 3 in the morning, Fabel felt the unmistakable sticky liquid oozing around her knee. She was about to groan aloud, but held her breath as movement from behind the crates caught her attention. She sighed in relief when she heard the great drunk walrus leaving the building - and then groaned aloud. She sat up, wincing, and glanced over at Race through the semi darkness. When he sighed she whispered, "Tired?" she was surprised at how raspy her voice had become.

She unwrapped herself from the sheet and brought her knee painstakingly up. The makeshift bandage had slid slightly down her leg, and was bleeding freely again. She made a sound of disgust, and then she re-did it so that a more clean part of the bandage was on the wound now. Her leg was getting itchy from the dried blood, but she ignored it as best as she could.

Once that was fixed, she laid back down and wrapped herself back up in the sheet, shivering.

[Anthony Higgins]

As the fat man left, Fabel stirred. Race looked over at her as she adjusted her bandage again. "Tired?" she asked. Race merely grunted in responce and shifted. Boy, his neck was killing him. He slumped against the crate and closed his eyes with a sigh. He meant to say more to Fabel, but he was too tired to do much talking at all. He dozed off after only a few minutes, his sleep fragmented and uncomfortable.

After about a half hour, he gave up on sleeping while against a wooden crate and looked over at Fabel, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. He shook the sleep away and said, "Sorry...boy, I'm beat..."

((Sorry for the shortness, but there's not much to say... ))

[Fabel]

((Haha - no prob, Ill make it morning..))

"Sorry...boy, I'm beat..."

Fabel felt awful for having dragged him into this mess now. He looked miserable! She sighed deeply and rolled onto her back. She was asleep very son after.

Morning came all to quickly for Fabel. A single shard of sunlight flooding through the broken windows lit up the entire warehouse. Fabel blinked hard, and then rubbed her eyes. She stood up, feeling stiff all over and very cold. Glancing out over the crates, she could see the street outside was already busy with businessmen and she could faintly hear the Brooklyn Newsies already hawking headlines.

She yawned and turned to Race Track who was sleeping slumped up against the wall. She quickly pulled her hair back into a makeshift bun, and then maneuvered her self next to him again. She nudged him, "Hey...Um..It's morning.." she said awkwardly. She wasn't used to having to wake people up, only to wake herself up.

Fabel stood back up and stretched while she waited for him to completely awaken. She felt awful for him...But she didn't know how she could ever repay him.

[Anthony Higgins]

Racetrack felt someone shaking him. He had the fleeting thought that it was Kloppman, come to wake him up. He half expected to hear the groans and complaints of the other boys. When his eyes opened, he was suprised not to see Snipeshooter in the bunk next to his, or the bottom of Kid Blink's bunk above. The warehouse walls and a crate was what greeted him, and he closed his eyes and started back to reality. He then heard Fabel's voice: "Hey...Um..It's morning.."

Racetrack groaned at a slight headache and turned to look at her, rubbing his eyes roughly with his knuckles. "I can see that," he muttered, squinting in the sunlight that came through the windows. He sighed, stretched out his sore back, and checked his pocket watch. "It's seven o'clock. The boys're pro'lly wondrin' where I am..." He looked at Fabel. "And them other Harlem kids must be wondrin' after you..."

Racetrack stood up, sore and tired. He looked around the warehouse, and then back to Fabel. "Rough night..." he said with a shrug. "How's that knee comin'?" He knew it couldn't have gotten much better, but maybe now they could take her somewhere without fear of any unfriendly people. "We'll get you patched up today. Sorry the darn hankie's all I had..." But then again, did people expect him to carry a roll of bandages on him all the time?

[Fabel]

"I can see that,"

Fabel grinned, "Not a morning person, I see.." she said, whacking him playfully on the arm.

"It's seven o'clock. The boys're pro'lly wondrin' where I am..." "And them other Harlem kids must be wondrin' after you..."

Fabel nodded, knowing that she had been expected as usual by the younger newsies to tell stories last night. They may have even sent out a search party for her.

"Rough night..." "How's that knee comin'?" "We'll get you patched up today. Sorry the darn hankie's all I had..."

"Sorry..." Fabel echoed. "You shouldn't be sorry!" she exclaimed sharply. "It's my fault, remember?" she added frowning and changing her position so that her injured knee was flat on the ground. "I didn't expect you to rough it out with me, but I'm glad you did - Just please don't tell me that your sorry about anything..You shouldn't be!" Fabel was getting all worked up. Whether it was from uncomfortable sleep, or lack there of, or blood loss, or just plain grumpiness in the morning, it was doing a number on Fabel emotionally.

She shook her head to clear away her sudden burst of impatience and frustration. It wasn't like her to yell at someone suddenly, especially after that someone had helped her in some way.

"I'm so sorry..." she muttered, shaking her head wearily and pulling her uninjured knee to her forehead. She had just succeeded in making herself feel terrible, and may have just lost her friend in the process.

[Anthony Higgins]

"Not a morning person, I see.."

"Usually? I am. But four hours of sleep do a number on ya..." Normally Racetrack was asleep by eleven o'clock, like most of the boys were when the had a day of selling ahead of them. Six in the morning Kloppman went around to wake them up, and usually Racetrack was among the first to get to their feet, groggy but without complaint. "Dammit, and I missed the morning edition..." He had lost his money at the tracks yesterday, and what's more, he wouldn't get to Manhattan in time to sell the New York World's morning edition with the rest of the boys. He hated selling in the afternoon with all the tenderfoot schoolboys who sold cause they thought it was fun being a newsie. Fun wasn't exactly what a real newsie would describle it as.

"I didn't expect you to rough it out with me, but I'm glad you did - Just please don't tell me that your sorry about anything..You shouldn't be!"

Racetrack was brought fully awake by Fabel's sudden tirade. He was stunned to silence as he watched her shake her head and bring her knees to her brow in an attempt to hide herself. "I'm so sorry..."

He moved towards her a little. "Ya done?" he asked, meaning for it to be a light bit of humor but realizing it didn't sound too friendly. "Look...I'm tryin' to think of a nice way to say this, but I can't think of anything. So...just, shut up, alright?" he grinned a little. "Cause what do you want me to say? 'This whole thing was your fault; you ruined my day; I hated spendin' the night here; and I hope that cut gets infected cause that's what you deserve for makin' me miss my damn races and waste abour twenty cents...'" He shook his head forcefully. "That ain't it, kid! Lemme tell ya, usually I ain't as nice a guy. If I liked you less I would've cleared out way before this. So don't you go sayin' it ain't my fault none. I chose to be here, much as I hate where it's got me. So I gotta stick with it. And I gotta stick with you."

[Fabel]

"Usually? I am. But four hours of sleep do a number on ya..." "Dammit, and I missed the morning edition..."

Fabel was really feeling guilty now. It wasn't like missing the morning edition wasn't a big deal to newsies, it was. Your survival depended on how many papers you could sell in order to eat, and to have a place to sleep. Without that, It would be the factory where you were worked to death and in turn, didn't make near enough to support yourself without having to work odd hours. Fabel knew, she had done it once.

"Ya done?"

Fabel looked up and glared at him, with a hurt expression in her eyes.

"Look...I'm tryin' to think of a nice way to say this, but I can't think of anything. So...just, shut up, alright?"

Fabel did not grin back, but continued to glare unfalteringly into his grinning eyes. She knew he was trying to lighten things up, but she was mad at herself for having brought him into it, and now she was getting mad at him. At the end of his rant, Fabel let out a sharp breath. She put on a fake smile and moved her hands up to his shoulders.

"Well then, thanks for your help.." she said sarcastically as she pushed him backwards, and in the process used his shoulders as a brace to push herself up. She turned around painfully and began half hopping in the direction of the warehouse door. She came upon the bloodied sheets, which the walrus man had spread around all over the floor in the night, and tried to hop through them. She got about half way through, when her foot got tangled in the sheets, and sent her falling. She yelped as she came down hard on her side, and gritted her teeth as she attempted to pull herself back up.

[Anthony Higgins]

"Well then, thanks for your help.."

Racetrack staggered back when she pushed him and gaped at her, shocked. "What'd I say?" he demanded as she made her was across the warehouse, obviously with some difficulty. He didn't follow her, taking the oh-so-subtle hint that he had said something to make her mad. He couldn't think of what he had said...he was being honest, that was all, and trying to be as nice as possible while doing it. But for Racetrack, being nice and being honest sometimes weren't possible together. He wished more people could get that...

He only jumped over when Fabel fell hard on the ground. He strode over to her quickly and was at her side, taking her arms in an attempt to pull her up. Eventually he got her to her feet, and he still held on to her arms as he said, "Don't storm off like that on me, kid. Jeez, you can barely walk as it is..." He glanced at her knee and shook his head. "Lucky thing it all looks okay."

He met her eyes again. He knew she was probably still mad at him, but he held fast to her arms and she couldn't exactly walk too far, so he had the opportunity to be heard. "You don't got a reason t'be mad at me. All I did was tell you honest what I thought. And what I think is I'd rather be anywhere else besides in this damn warehouse. But it's half worth it. Cause you're my friend. And as much as I hate where I am, I'm stickin' with you. Cause I think you're a real swell girl, got that? Real swell. And I don't mind helpin' you, and I ain't about to leave you, no how." He hoped that this time around he got his message across.

[Fabel]

((Well, Fabel is tired of waiting on him, so she's about to make something happen. ))

Fabel was surprised when she felt herself being pulled up. It was almost a regular feeling for her now, but she hadn't expected it right then. She had thought that pushing him away would have told him that she was ok by herself and didn't need him anymore. Apparently she was wrong.

"Don't storm off like that on me, kid. Jeez, you can barely walk as it is..." "Lucky thing it all looks okay."

Fabel didn't say anything but swaggered slightly, partly from lack of sleep and partly from having not eaten anything in the past 24 hours. She was actually grateful that he held onto her, otherwise, she may have just toppled over. Her mind was sent right at work though as he began his speech.

"You don't got a reason t'be mad at me.
Says who?
All I did was tell you honest what I thought. And what I think is I'd rather be anywhere else besides in this damn warehouse.
Thats obvious.
But it's half worth it. Cause you're my friend. And as much as I hate where I am, I'm stickin' with you.
Wait - Friend? Really? Fabel smiled inwardly, warming right up.
Cause I think you're a real swell girl, got that? Real swell.
Fabel stared blankly into his eyes. What was that supposed to mean, really?
And I don't mind helpin' you, and I ain't about to leave you, no how."
That was relieving to hear.

Fabel bit her bottom lip and looked down for a moment. Looking back up, she was half grinning. What she did next, surprised her maybe more than it must have surprised him. She leaned in quickly, and planted a light kiss on his lips. She pulled back slightly, embarrassed and shocked at what she had just done. She cleared her throat;

"Does this mean that you are gonna help me to a doctor?" she asked, blushing quite profusely, and innocently half smiling.

[Anthony Higgins]

Racetrack was waiting for her to say something. All she seemed to do was glance at him, and then look away. When she looked back she was smiling a little. He was about to say something to her...maybe she was expecting him to say sorry or something...but then she kissed him. Racetrack froze when their lips met. It was a light, quick kiss, but it couldn't have shocked him more if it was anything else. Fabel had pulled back quickly, and Racetrack was stunned into silence.

"Does this mean that you are gonna help me to a doctor?"

She was bright red, and Race knew he was probably the same hue, if not redder. No one had ever kissed him before...well, he was sure his mother or someone had, but this was completely different. He had to regain his ability to speak, pausing for a long moment before nodding slowly. "Sure..." he said quietly, gulping and pressing his lips together nervously. "Sure...ah..." he released Fabel's arms and took a step back. "Can y'stand?" he asked, and then shook his head. "Course you can't...couldn't a minute ago..." He was suddenly muddled and confused; nothing he was saying really made sense.

"There's a hispial...er, a hospital..in Harlem. So that's good for you...you'll be home, right?" He nodded in responce to his own question. Get a grip on yourself, he commanded in a thought. He sighed, felt the blush on his face cool a little and said with deliberation, "We'll get ya there soon as we can. You're doin' pretty good, kiddo..." He gave her a casual smile, but his heart was still racing.

((No pun intended. ))

[Fabel]

"Sure..." "Sure...ah..." "Can y'stand?" "Course you can't...couldn't a minute ago..."

Fabel looked away, still slightly embarrassed. She had never done that before, and it had, in fact, been her first kiss. She has always been slightly compulsive in nature, and it was not unusual to see her doing things quite abruptly and then regretting it later. She thought for a moment though, and decided that she most definitely did NOT regret what she had just done. Sure, she may have just alienated herself from him for good, but she had expressed what she had felt.

She didn't quite know how to respond to his befuddled state, so simply nodded and stood there. She felt very on the spot, and was beginning to feel very self-conscience. She hadn't the faintest clue as to what he could be feeling or thinking at that particular minute, but his next statement confirmed it.

"There's a hispial...er, a hospital..in Harlem. So that's good for you...you'll be home, right?" "We'll get ya there soon as we can. You're doin' pretty good, kiddo..."

She wasn't entirely sure, but she could have sworn she had succeeded in making him flushed, thus resulting in his stuttering manner. She laughed quietly and stepped forward after he had moved away. She turned rather awkwardly so that she was at his side, and grabbed his arm for support.

"I'd walk there myself so you didn't have to...But your a better crutch than I could ask for right now." she said smiling. Fabel always had that way of making an awkward situation either humorous or more comfortable. She remembered when she was small, how she would always run away and hide in a hollowed out tree on the outskirts of the small town she lived in, just to get away from situations much like this one. That was what she was good at - Running from her problems. She was better at running than she was at Story Telling.

Sure, she knew all the stories and understood all the morals that they carried within their depths, but she didn't apply them to her life. She didn't know how. It was like trying to be someone else, someone perfect.