by Tiya Rayne
Chapter Ten
“Why can we not just have a normal outing?” Medina whines.
She is following behind me carrying a heavy basket stuffed with food I stole from the kitchen in the Northern castle. It’s not like they will miss it. With all the food they have, it’s hard to believe that hunger is even a thing for this realm. Drago tells me that the Northern Kingdom is the richest territory in the Locke. You couldn’t tell it from the dreary and downtrodden faces around me.
“This is a normal outing.” I shuffle the large basket of food, trying to make the basket not as heavy.
“Then why are we carrying fifty pound baskets of food through the bloody Northern Kingdom.”
I sigh, Medina has done nothing but complain the entire time.
“My arms feel as if they are about to fall off. I am not cut out for manual labor.”
“Relax, Beautiful! I will make you feel all better when we get back to the castle tonight.”
I peek over my shoulder to catch Drago blow a kiss at Medina. I can only chuckle at his commitment. No matter how many times she shoots him down, he keeps trying. He has two of the large baskets propped up on each shoulder.
“Oh shut it, you buffoon.”
“It’s not that much further, Medina. I promise.”
Medina held off on her complaints. Well, until we arrived at our destination.
“The more I know you, the more your ability to care about others and your passion to do right…..pisses me the fuck off.”
I only smile over at her as we stand at the opening of Orphan Alley. Two brick walls rise up on both sides of us and it makes me think of how the Jewish people must have felt as Moses parted the red sea.
“All we’re doing is leaving these baskets of food in the alley so the kids can get them.”
“I told you this alley wasn’t safe.”
“We won’t be in there long. Just a simple drop off. Come on, Medina, they have to be hungry. You said it yourself that they are left behind. If it were you, wouldn’t you want someone to drop off some food?”
“If it were me, I would have killed the others and survived off their carcass.”
I turn to her appalled. She only shrugs at my disgust.
“Fuck, baby, that was sexy.” Drago smiles adoringly at Medina.
Despite what Medina says, I know she agrees with me. Besides, if she didn’t she wouldn’t be following me down this dark alley.
The further down the alley we go, the more the light seems to retreat. The smell of garbage and urine surrounds us. Piles of trash run along the perimeter of the stone walkway like hedges along a manicured driveway.
“I don’t like this.” Drago admits to the eerie silence.
His large wolf hound whines at his feet letting us know that he agrees.
The alley is empty except for a few rodents and stray cats that run free amongst the pile of garbage. The noise from the busy main street seems to disappear this far away from the entrance.
Finally we get to the spot I notice the little girls go through the other day. There is a door, but no handle. The metal door is flushed to the brick wall. There is no way to get inside from out here. Unless I knock. I lift my hand to do just that.
“Oh no the fuck you won’t.” Medina grabs my arm before I could touch the door. “Just leave the stuff here.”
She drops her basket on the ground in front of the door. I sigh and do the same.
“See,” I say dusting my hands off the side of my dress. “That wasn’t so bad.”
The moment the words leave my mouth Phoenix growls and we all turn to find a group of about ten kids behind us with sharp weapons.
Drago hisses as he pulls his boomerang like weapon from beneath his long coat. Phoenix lets out another warning growl and Drago steps in front of Medina and me.
“Drago, relax, they are just kids.”
Again a noise prompts us to turn from the ten children to find out that we are entirely surrounded by children of all ages and none of them look too happy to see us.
“I’m giving ye’ little fucks until the count of ten to get out of our way, or lack of food will be the least of ye’ problems.”
The children stand stoically watching us with cold uncaring eyes.
“One!” Drago shouts.
I place a hand on Drago’s shoulder and step around him. Phoenix immediately comes to my side, his ears back and his head low.
“I don’t mean you any harm. I just wanted to bring you some food.” I point down to the baskets of food we piled in front of the door.
Still no response from the children.
“Five!” Drago shouts.
“Five?” I turn to him. “What happened to two through four?”
Drago ignores me, his hand tightening around his weapon.
“Six!” he continues.
“Look, we will get out of your way. Ok? No one has to get hurt. I just wanted to make sure you guys had food.” I hold my hands up to show them I didn’t mean them any harm.
“Ten!” Drago shouts and holds his hand up to toss the boomerang. I panic, knowing what that seemingly innocent weapon could do. Suddenly a dart shoots into Drago’s neck and his entire face goes slack before he falls to the ground. Medina squeals behind me. I hear a whine come from Phoenix and when I turn to look at him, he’s lying on the ground too. Medina is the next to fall out. I can’t help but think, right before my world goes dark….. not this again.
I awake to the sound of low mumbling in a room that smells like my junior high school locker room—feet, body odor, and not enough deodorant. Before my eyes crack open I take into account my body. From my internal inspection I know that other than a little light headedness, I am not hurt. My arms are bound and raised high above my head. Apparently, I’m tied to something. When I finally open my eyes I see that I am on some type of raised platform or stage. Hundreds of little emotionless eyes surrounded by dirty faces stare back at me. It’s as if they are all here to see some kind of macabre play.
A moan comes from the other side of me, I twist my head trying to see past my arm pit. I finally catch sight of Medina’s body tied to what looks like a stripper pole. Her arms are behind her back and the rope is wrapped from her chest all the way down to her feet. Medina must just be coming around, because her head seems to lull a little to the side before lifting off her shoulders. She yanks on the ropes binding her, fighting against their hold like a crazy person. Eventually she stops and her body slumps in defeat.
“Are you hurt?” I ask her.
Her head lifts and she turns to me seeming shocked and relieved that I am here with her. Her eyes widen then narrow before she rolls them at me.
“I was hoping they had already killed you.”
Her words didn’t have the same bite as she intended. Especially since I saw the relief on her face when she found out I was with her.
“I’m glad you’re still alive too, Medina.” I say, turning to the other armpit hoping to find Drago. Unlike Medina and myself, Drago is tied to a large pole over our head by his feet. His long hair hangs inches from the floor. His red eyes find mine and he looks at me as if he could truly strangle me.
“Ye’ know,” He starts from his position upside down. “When I was asked to take this job, Human, he didn’t tell me how much of a pain in my ass ye’ would be.”
Who didn’t tell him?
“Are you alright?”
He makes an exasperated noise with his mouth.
“I was captured by bloody children and I’m hung upside down like a godsdamn pig. What part of this would make ye’ think I was fucking alright?”
“At least you are alive.”
“Not the time for ye’ optimism, Human.”
“It is really weird how quiet they are.”
Drago and I both turn towards the children. I agree with Medina. The way they stare but don’t speak is alarming. Children should be loud and boisterous, not creepy and quiet.
“Are they sick?”
&nbs
p; “Who the fuck cares! We need to get out of here.”
Drago begins to wiggle like a worm stuck on a hook. The pipe over his head makes groaning sounds, and it is the only noise in this quiet room. His heavy body is too much for the thick pipe and it begins to loosen sending his body closer to the floor.
A rustling in the crowd catches our attention. The children are quietly turning to the approach of something.
“Both of ye’, keep quiet. Let me do all the talking.”
“Yes, because it worked so well last time.” Medina argues.
“Woman, now is not the time.”
The crowd of children part, and standing before us is a boy no older than 15. He’s tall and skinny with the blackest hair I have ever seen. His skin is milky white and his eyes are the color of icebergs. They are so pale blue that they almost look white. Scars run up and down the boy’s arms. A filthy bandage covers his left ear.
Standing beside him is the older girl from the other day. I assumed she was the necklace thief’s sister. Her long dreads are pulled back on her head by a silk scarf. Standing beside the boy she looks like she is 12 years old, but it is only because the boy is so tall. A closer look told me the girl is older, maybe the same age as the boy. She’s a beautiful girl. She has brown skin and full lips with a button nose. Her eyes remind me of mama’s lazy house cat, not because of the color, but by the way they are shaped. She’s wearing boy trousers, and immediately I envy her. Her top is the bodice of a dress she has cut off. I know her outfit wasn’t created for style but for mobility and survival, but she could walk any runway in my realm and fit in. The girl’s eyes seem to be studying me. For the longest she holds my stare without flinching. She only looks away when the boy beside her speaks.
“You were trespassing on our property.” The boy starts. “The penalty for such a crime is death. Here is your chance to beg for your life.”
“Fuck Ye’! My dick is bigger than ye’, Kid. I will never beg for my life, especially not from a conceited little prick that should be still sucking his mother’s tit. Ye’ cut us the fuck down and give me back my godsdamn wolf.”
“Oh Drago, your negotiation skills are amazing.” Medina says, dryly.
The boy in front of us clenches his jaw so hard I thought he would break it.
“Kill them.” He says in a growl.
“Whoa!” I shout.
“Kill them, I can be useful.” Medina pleads.
“Untie me and try.” Drago growls.
We all speak at the same time, but it is the beautiful girl that is standing beside the boy that gets his attention.
“You can’t, Oden.”
The boy that I now know is Oden turns to her puzzled. Even in his confusion I can tell the way he looks at her that he is head over heels in love with the young beauty.
“And why not?”
“The girl,” The brown skinned girl points to me. “She is in favor with The Dark King.”
Those ice blue eyes turn to me then back to the young girl.
“How do you know this?”
“I saw them last night. He was in her bed.”
I didn’t have to look to know Drago and Medina’s eyes were both on me. I could feel their judgement and accusation burning a hole in my face.
“That’s not true.” I argue.
My face is burning from embarrassment. Not only did this young girl think that she witnessed Nevy and I in some kind of sexual act, but now everyone else thinks the same thing.
“Just to clarify, he was in my room, but not my bed.”
Oden doesn’t seem to care about the difference, his eyes are on the girl.
“What were you doing in the castle, Karima? If the Dark King would have found you, he would have killed you…..or worse.”
The last part is said in a soft whisper that is so full of pain that I even felt it. It also made me think, would Nevy have really hurt this young girl in the way Oden thinks?
“I had to go. Padimé is showing symptoms.”
The crowd of children gasp and I’m stuck wondering, showing symptoms of what?
“Why didn’t you tell me, baby!” Oden pulls Karima close to his chest and wraps his arms around her. She buries her face in his chest and I immediately ache for the feel of Assassin’s arms.
“I can’t lose Padimé, Oden.”
“We will find a cure. For Padimé and for the others.”
Oden turns back to the crowd.
“Free the girl but kill the others.”
A few of the older children step forward and I shout.
“Wait!”
Both Oden and Karima turn to look at me.
“You can’t kill them.”
“Says who?” Oden folds his arms over his chest and stares back me.
“Look, it is my fault they are here. I just wanted to bring you guys some food.”
“We do not need your food.” Karima argues. “Look around, Queen, do we look like we need food?”
For the first time I do take a look around at the many faces, other than dirt, scrapes and bruises, the kids in this room didn’t look hungry. No one is overweight, but they didn’t look malnourished. And thanks to Medina, I knew what malnourished looked like.
“Next time, you should think twice before trying to help.” Oden says.
“Same thing I’ve been saying.” Medina adds.
“Finally someone says it out loud.” Drago growls.
The older kids advance on us again.
As I watch them approach, ready to kill Drago and Medina, I wonder if what they’re saying is true. I’ve always gone out of my way to be nice or help someone in need. Until this moment, I thought it was one of my most enduring qualities, but what if my inability to not lend a hand is annoying. It has gotten me in quite a few really ugly situations.
I startle when I hear Assassin’s voice in my head. “Stay strong, little human. Be true to who you are.”
A ghost kiss graces my lips and I swear I can smell Assassin in the air around me.
I miss him. I hate our last encounter ended the way it did.
Suddenly, the rope binding my arms over my head is cut and I drop to the floor like a sack of potatoes. On each side of me, a group of the older kids are surrounding Medina and Drago.
Drago is swearing and threatening every one that comes near him. Medina is hissing at the young boy that’s tugging on her ropes. I’ve finally had enough.
“Stop!” I yell and surprisingly everyone obeys. I’m pretty sure it isn’t because I asked, but more because I just yelled in this eerily quiet room.
“Look, you guys are right.” I look to Medina and Drago. “I’m too kind. I stick my nose in business that don’t belong to me. I’m always looking for ways to help someone, or even just make them smile. I know it drives everyone crazy, but it’s who I am. And I won’t change it or apologize for it, because I know what a simple gesture can do to a person. Just one kind word can brighten some ones day. Holding a door for a stranger can change their whole outlook on life. Offering a seat, pulling out a chair, helping carry a bag, all these things seem so small, but can impact a person in monumental ways.” I turn to the crowd of kids around me and with a sigh I admit. “Just like saying hello to a little mixed girl that often had to play alone on the playground could have made her smile. Or sitting beside her on the bus when everyone else made her feel like she was contagious, might have made her feel less lonely. Maybe if just one person would have asked her how she’s feeling, on a day when her stepfather had just beat her black and blue, she might not have felt so useless. I am kind to others, because I never want anyone else to feel the way I did as a child.
So maybe my offer wasn’t helpful today. You didn’t need food. But I won’t think twice when the opportunity to help someone else comes around again.”
I make sure I look to Oden when I recite his words back to him.
“It is because of my need to help, that I saved a young boy from being maimed for stealing. He ended up being one of th
e greatest and bravest kids I knew. That same inability to walk away, led me to stop the nightly abuse of a woman that starved and beat me.”
I didn’t have to look at Medina for her to know I was talking about her.
“It also made me stop the death of a little girl that stole a necklace.”
This time I catch Karima’s eyes and she looks away.
“I will not let you kill my friends.” I place the butterfly necklace between my two fingers and hold it up. “Honestly, all I really need to do is call out to the assassin and he and his entire army will be here in the blink of an eye.”
The entire room starts to fidget uncomfortably. I hear whispers of Assassin’s name around the room. I can see the fear in Oden’s eyes. He talked tough, but they all feared the Assassin. I wasn’t exactly sure this necklace could do what I said, but they didn’t have to know that. I let the necklace fall back to my chest.
“Like I said, sometimes my kindness actually does help.”
The room is quiet for a moment. No one moves. They all seem to stare at me bewildered. Some still look fearful as if I actually would call Assassin. Even if I could, I wouldn’t. Assassin wouldn’t take too kindly to seeing me tied up like this.
Finally a small voice from the back draws my attention.
“Can you help heal my brother?”
Once again the crowd of children part so a small boy with pale hair and blue eyes can approach me.
“What’s wrong with him?”
That question led me, Medina, Drago, and a very pissed off Phoenix, into a room with more than 100 sick children ranging from infants to teenagers. The entire scene reminded me of a documentary I saw on the bubonic plague.
Small bodies lie on the ground on thin filthy blankets. The sound of coughing circled the room like a chorus. It was a hacking wet cough. The stale smell of sickness and bodily fluids clog the air. The room is small, dark, and stifling. It is hard to breathe and I’m not even sick. But the worse part of it all, is the sad faces of the sick children. On their face I see defeat. They have no hope for survival.
“What is this?” I turn to ask Medina and Drago, both whom look just as distraught as I do.
