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Post by Brook LaRue on Apr 23, 2010 0:08:23 GMT -5
She made some kind of sound and turned her head, since it hurt and it ached. She hadn't been there during that time-- still at home. Her eyes slid closed when he moved away and she missed his nearness, for some reason she was starting to get scared and sniffling alone in her bunk just wasn't cutting it. When he returned and the cool cloth found her head she turned slowly to where she was closer to him. Trying not to sob at how much pain she was in and disoriented.
"I don't have no money," her voice was soft but she felt like she had cotton in her mouth, yet she couldn't hear the fear in his voice. Her body was on fire but the cool cloth felt nice on her skin, yet she was cold too. She sniffed and tried not to cry, she didn't know what to do she didn't want to die. She'd seen a lot of death in the bayou from scarlet fever. "I don know what ta do.."
She was scared and rightly so, but his voice sounded afraid too and she just laid there. Moving wasn't going to be happening and a doctor was something that needed money, and rarely did they care about street children.
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Post by Kid Blink on Apr 23, 2010 1:32:37 GMT -5
Blink, stricken by a fit of nerves, jumped up off the mattress again and paced the area between Brook's bunk and the next, fidgeting his hands as he tried to think of what to do. He didn't doubt his diagnosis of "real sick" now. He'd seen a lot of illness in the lodging house. He'd seen simple stuff, and he'd seen the stuff that made Kloppman put the kid in another room until he got better, and he'd seen the stuff that you didn't get better from. He'd seen lots of kids in the street sick, and those kids occasionally made a good headline for Blink and his friends later. He couldn't tell the sick that made you hot from the sick that made you puke from the sick that made you dead, but he knew sick when he saw it, and he was seeing it now.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit...," he mumbled, wiping a hand over his face. What to do, what to do? Street kids, no money, who would help them? Doctors were expensive, took a lot more than even a really successful day's selling for one of those. But who else could take care of Brook? There weren't any healers or medicine men here like there were in those books Dutchy and Jack and Snoddy and everyone passed around. (Yeah, and when did the lodging house turn into a damn library any--never mind, stay on one topic.)
With each step, the tin of lozenges in his pocket clacked, the few lozenges left rattling around inside. He stopped suddenly, pulling it out of his pocket. That one doc, the one who gave him these things. The one with the crazy hair, maybe he would help. He helped out a lot of the kids after the fight there at Medda's place. Took a bullet out of Blink's arm, bandaged him up, gave him these nice little lozenges and never asked for nothing in return. Talked like a god damn auctioneer the whole time, gave Blink a headache--but then handed over the morphine and that took care of that, too. Maybe, if Blink could find him... maybe he would help?
He landed on Brook's bunk again with a bounce, popping open his tin and pulling out one pretty pink pill. "Brook, here, open your mouth," he said, leaning over her and pressing the pill against her lips. "You gotta take this. It'll make you feel better, make the pain stop. I'm gonna go get someone who can help, but I can't leave you here with nothin'. Take it for me, okay? Please?"
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Post by Brook LaRue on Apr 23, 2010 2:30:33 GMT -5
Brook found herself alone for another few moments and her hand reached for him, her body shifted and she tried not to cry out at the pain she was in. Was she really dying? With a breath she tried to calm her speeding heart, breathing but it was shallow and uneven and her lungs ached with the strain. Where did he go? She opened her eyes just in time to feel him sit back down on the side of her bed and press something to her lips, begging her to take it? What was it?
Without being able to really argue Brook parted her lips and let him shove whatever it was in her mouth. The chalky taste did not help the cotton feel in hr mouth but she swallowed and felt the pill scrape all the way down her throat. With a wince she registered his words, what? No.. no he couldn't leave.
She used whatever strength she had to move her body, only able to drop her face into his lap and her arms weakly around his waist. "Don't leave.." it was a murmur against his leg, she couldn't lift her head much farther as she ran out of energy about half way but she tried to summon up some strength.
"Please don leave me alone," she pleaded. "I don't wanna die alone please.. please.." she was begging, Brook, well she never begged. The little Cajun was sweet as the sweetest strawberry, but she had a spine when she needed one. This wasn't the time for those things, this was real fear creeping up on her. She was to afraid to move off of him least he really leave and what if.. she wasn't strong enough. What if when he was gone she couldn't.. she couldn't hang on and was just done. "Please... "
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Post by Itey Delgado on Apr 27, 2010 3:05:22 GMT -5
Itey gracefully tripped into the girl's bunk room. Turning around, he bent down and peered at the floor suspiciously, daring it to jump up at him again. The wooden planks blinked back innocently enough, but Itey saw them wiggle nervously and was not fooled. The boy wagged a finger at them in reprimand and giggled at how seriously they took it. Twirling back around again, he stumbled a bit as the room began spinning. Calmly he waited for it to stop and then dismounted the carousel that had obviously been the cause. The lodging house had a lot of character, he mused.
Shuffling over to a bunk by the window Itey lay down, crossing his legs and propping his arms up behind his head. As he closed his eyes to nap, his nose began to tickle and he wiggled it three times. The tickle became an itch and Itey realized his nose was trying to escape! It had tried this one or two times before, but luckily he was always quicker. Pulling a hand out he slapped it onto his face trapping his nose in place. As it stopped itching he giggled again and opened his eyes. The wooden bottom of the bunk above him had cut outs of fashionable ladies (some wearing animals in disguise) and newspaper adds for perfumes. It dawned on him then that he was in the wrong bunk room and, apparently, the wrong bed. Maybe that was why his nose had tried to leave...
Swinging his legs over the side of the bunk Itey sat up, smacked his head on the bunk above, laid back down and waited for the room to start spinning. It didn't start and his head didn't even hurt, so he assumed the carousel was on break with the hammer guy. Shrugging, he sat up again (this time in slow motion) and shimmied off the bed. He was just beginning to slow-motion his way toward the door when he noticed his friend Blink sitting on Brook's bunk with her head in his crotch. Assuming something naughty, Itey tip-toed forward and snickered to himself--or so he thought.
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Post by Kid Blink on Apr 27, 2010 10:40:26 GMT -5
Brook flopped into his lap, and Blink felt himself tense involuntarily. Latching his hand under her arm and trying to ignore the fact that her skin was prickled with goosebumps despite her searing-hot touch, he tried to pull her upright again but found she was like dead weight. Oh god, don't even think that word.
"You're not gonna die, Brook!" he said firmly, one fist balling angrily as the other pushed her stringy hair out of her eyes. Bringing his other leg up off the floor, he moved it to tuck his foot under his opposite leg, Indian-style, which successfully turned Brook's head out of his crotch at least. "You're not gonna die," he repeated, gentler now. "You're gonna be fine, but I gotta go get--"
He broke off quickly as a stomp announced the arrival of someone else. Looking up, he found Itey staring sternly at the floor. Itey was... strange. That was the kindest term Blink could find. He was a weird one, and it was a crapshoot as to how things would play out when he was around. Half the time, he didn't even seem to know where he was--and this seemed to be one of those times. But despite that, Itey was a good kid, and if this was one of his better days, he could be just what Blink needed now.
Blink watched, stroking Brook's head soothingly, as he teetered all the way over to some girl's bunk and flopped down, resting for a few seconds before seeming to realize that he wasn't where he thought he was, getting up and teetering for the door again.
"Hey Ites!" he called when Itey looked his way, giggled, and looked away again. "Come over here, I need your help. Brook's sick and I can't leave her. You gotta go get that doc for me. You know the one, he's got the glasses and the hair? He was there at Medda's after the fight. Took the bullet outta my arm, popped Skittz's shoulder back in place?"
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Post by Brook LaRue on Apr 27, 2010 23:45:26 GMT -5
Brook grunted as she was moved, not even sure that she was hearing him right but she made a whimpering sound as he shifted her head away from that sensitive area. Her eyes were closed anyway, and she winced only to be soothed by his hand trailing over her head gently. She let out a low sigh, her breath coming out in a woosh as she tried to calm. His voice was firm and then softened and she felt ashamed for reacting so poorly.
Hnn? The sound had her opening her eyes to see a shady form, her vision blurry with the fever as she watched someone... Itey? He was odd, very, very odd. Brook didn't make a sound, her hand balled on Blink's knee as he called Itey over. He wasn't leaving? Oh good... good... her eyes slid shut once more as he continued talking. The doc that did those things. "His hair is scary, mon choux.." yes she was a bit delirious as she spoke and her voice was barely audible. She wasn't feeling well at all, she just wanted to sleep.
Itey's presence did not assist her in anyway, but it did and she knew that as she felt Blink settle in. Oh good, he.. she sighed again and relaxed a little bit more, fighting the sleep she felt she wanted so badly. "Dun leave..." She hardly even registered that Itey was there after a few moments.
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Post by Itey Delgado on Apr 28, 2010 21:44:34 GMT -5
Itey winced at being caught, but but brightened up when he realized Blink wasn't going to get him in trouble. Next minute he frowned again as words began spilling out of his friend's mouth and onto the floor. He watched them swirl around, distracted by the pretty colors they made in the light streaming through the windows. Though most people assumed he couldn't hear them when he got distracted, Blink knew better. They'd been friends ever since Itey first came to New York and was well familiar with Itey's ways. As Blink fished and the-yucky-body-on-the-bed-that-was-apparently-still-Brook fished moaning, Itey nodded and repeated his orders.
"Go get the médico with the silly hairs who saved our extremos?" He looked at Blink to see if he had any more words to spill, but was distracted by the first set of words trying to sneak out the window. Rushing over, he opened the window as wide as it would go so they could escape. The way the words scurried out the window was so comical that Itey couldn't help busting out laughing. Realizing it might be rude to laugh while Brook was dying, he quickly slapped a hand on his mouth and began edging toward the door. "Anything else, Winky?"
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Post by Kid Blink on May 2, 2010 0:53:28 GMT -5
Blink gave Brook a reassuring pat. "His scary hair protects his big brain, froggie. Don't be afraid of it." Somehow, being around Itey made everyone start acting just a liiittle odd.
He nodded as Itey repeated his instructions. Blink didn't know a word of Spanish, but he assumed Itey had gotten it right. He seemed lucid enough to keep it together, anyway. As he rushed to the window to yank it wide open and laugh, apparently at the hilarity of windowsills, Blink snapped his fingers to grab Itey's attention.
"Ites! Itey! Look over here!" Once Itey's attention--what little he possessed, anyone--had come as close to focusing as the boy could manage, Blink spoke slowly. "Close the window. Brook's sick, and it's cold outside. You gotta hurry, okay? Go straight to the hospital, and tell the doc to come straight back. This is an emergency. You gotta save the day, okay?"
Itey was an odd one, but Blink had discovered that he was loyal to those who could handle his weird behavior. If Itey could just hold it together long enough to find the doc...
"If you do it right," Blink said, thinking of an added security measure, "I'll buy you a sandwich later, okay?" Food was a good motivator for Itey. He always seemed hungry, anyway.
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Post by Brook LaRue on May 2, 2010 16:08:20 GMT -5
Brook heard Itey and sighed, oh? He was still here? Frowning she relaxed as Blink gave her another pat her eyes beginning to hurt as she held them open to watch, a scowl forming on her normally friendly face. She could scowl better than the best of them but she closed her eyes and snuggled more into Blink's leg. What did she really want to do? Lay there and not be alone, as she watched Itey talk the window came open. She felt the cold and she let out a whimper.
The cold was nice on her skin but at the same time her feet were freezing. She curled up closer to Blink, any closer and she'd be into his lap again, and she heard him shout at Itey once again. His voice was slow and she registered the sound of his voice. That urgency. She frowned a bit and sighed, why did it hurt so much. Her heart was racing and she let out a breath... "Just go, mon choux.. please?"
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Post by Itey Delgado on May 13, 2010 1:10:49 GMT -5
"Ites! Itey! Look over here!
Itey looked and closed the window as instructed. Following orders wasn’t hard for him (so long as they were in simple terms and he could pay attention long enough to get them), it was the deciding for himself part that tripped him up most often. Blink reminded Itey of his big mission, then grabbed his attention in a way only he knew how to do: food. The promise of munchies made Itey’s stomach grumble, and he poked it repeatedly till it calmed back down. He got the sudden urge to bite his nails and did so briefly. His feet were ready to go, no doubt prodded into action by his stomach, and it was all her could do to keep them from running out the door without him.
“Sí, sí, snatch the froggie an’ take him home. Or, bring him home. No…espera…” His mind started fogging over and he shook his head to clear it, spinning in a circle a couple times for good measure. “I bring him back here for Sickly, and you get me my sandwich.” Nodding repeatedly, he backed out the door then turned and ran down the stairs, only to freeze at the bottom. He paused in thought for a moment then tore back up and into the girls bedroom (hopping over the most pesky floorboards to save time), stopping in front of his friend.
“What to do about the birds?!” He asked in a high, panicky, tone. Birds screeched and flapped and swooped and pooped everywhere. Itey didn’t like birds.
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Post by Kid Blink on May 21, 2010 22:19:34 GMT -5
Blink sighed twice--first in relief that Itey seemed to have gotten control of himself, then in frustration as Itey appeared again in a panicked tizzy over the global crisis of avian terrorists.
"Itey," he said firmly, "we've talked about this! You see a bird, you take your hat and wave it around in a big circle. The birds will think your hat is the key and you're using it to open the dragon's mouth and swallow them whole. They don't wanna be turned back into bananas, so they'll fly away and leave you alone. Now hurry up, you gotta get going! If something bad happens, you don't get your sandwich!"
Content that the threat of no-food would work as well as the motivation of food had, Blink shooed Itey and shifted on Brook's mattress. Pushing his hand against her shoulder, he turned her over onto her back, then onto her other side, and slid down beside her. In what couldn't be called anything but spooning, Blink tucked himself in behind her, his arm clamped around her body to hold her steady against him in the narrow bunk.
"You're gonna be okay, froggie," he murmured. "You hear me? I promise you will. You just gotta lie right here and rest for a little while longer, okay? Just close your eyes and try to sleep, okay? And I'm gonna stay right here with you. I won't go anywhere, I swear. Okay, Brook?"
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Post by Brook LaRue on May 22, 2010 15:20:50 GMT -5
She wasn't aware of what was going on until she felt his arms around her, the sensation against her hot flesh was almost just as soothing. Brook relaxed against his chest and closed her eyes, letting his arms hold her tightly. The fever was making her shake but his words in her ear were as clear as if she were thinking them herself, it actually made her smile. He really did care about her, it made her want to cry to a point she was so afraid of losing herself and dying.
"You'll stay?" she asked quietly on a sigh as she set her hand over his around her. She seemed to calm at the thought. Her eyes slid closed at his urging, her breath coming out slowly. "Mon Choux, your not going to be with me forever are you?" It was almost as if she were afraid he would go away one day and she would never see him again-- one minute there and the next he would be gone leaving her to wonder.
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Post by Kid Blink on Jun 11, 2010 17:54:06 GMT -5
((Since Dani's off hablaing espanol for ten weeks, I vote we skip her tag and pretend that Itey's left. Good? Good.))
Blink watched over his shoulder as Itey turned and hopped from the room (knowing from previous encounters with Itey that the bounce was because he was only allowed to touch the floorboards that glittered yellow, and that touching any other colored board would cause a giant fire-breathing squash to appear), then turned and settled into Brook's shoulder again. "Yeah," he assured her, stroking her upper arm, "I'm gonna stay right here."
At her next semi-lucid question, Blink hesitated. How conscious was she? He wasn't sure now, she seemed awfully hazy. How much of this would she remember if--when the doc sorted her out? He didn't know that either. But he did know this was a conversation more suited for when she was better, when she could form coherent thought again.
"Forever's a long time, froggie," he said finally, putting off a true answer. "I'm not going anywhere for a long time, I promise. Please, just... close your eyes for me, try to rest. I'll still be right here when you wake up, okay? I'm gonna stay right here the whole time." Tightening his grip around her middle while he repositioned, squirming into a more comfortable position against Brook's frail body, he nuzzled against the back of her head, nosing through her stringy hair, feeling her feverish scalp against his lips. "I'm not gonna leave you here alone."
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Post by Brook LaRue on Jun 11, 2010 21:47:14 GMT -5
She relaxed, her body fitting against his and she found herself relaxing instantly when she felt him around her. Protecting her from all the scary things that would be coming in the dark. She felt hot but didn't want him to move away. The breeze from the window was still cool against her skin but she was listening.
Forever was a long time? It's true, it was. But she wasn't about to say much else as she did as he bid her, closing her eyes and trying to calm her breathing. She was scared still, she was so afraid she wouldn't wake up. But she had Blink wrapped around her and she could only pray that she wasn't right. Pray that she wouldn't fail.
The little Cajun made a small sound and her breathing slowed but it was labored. There was a promise made, maybe they would have that conversation and maybe he'd be honest about it. Maybe-- just maybe she'd know and she'd wake up. She just wanted to be able to wake up the next morning.
Moments later she was out like a light.
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Post by Catty Sinclair on Jun 16, 2011 12:06:54 GMT -5
((NEW DAY)) ((Reserved for Anyone))
Catty sat in the girls bunkroom, she was feeling very tired. Her day had been filled with unruly customers, and people giving her shit all day long. People who just yelled at her, and high maintenance people telling her about getting a real job...that a girl with her looks shouldn't sell papes.... But hell, that's why she did it in the first place, because she was pretty, and thought she could do business that way and make some money.
Things had changed since her time at the Orphanage, and it has been 4 years since she's been out of there, and she was happy to be. She had hated that place more than anything in the world.
Catty plopped on her usual top bunk with her arms crossed at her chest, and a sour look on her face. She then raised her right fist, and sighed. It was still bruised from earlier today when she punched out a kid for squeezing her ass.
*Damn! I still got it after all these years!* She thought to herself with a wide smile on her face.
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