The Streetcar was the End~A short story by Joshua Scott
My name is Billy Blacksmith; at least, that is what they call me on the streets. I live in downtown New Orleans. My life is not the easiest, nor is it the hardest. I must simply find a way to survive each day. I live with two other urchins; their names are Squirrelly and Stumpy. We have always been together; we are like family.
It happened a few months ago. It was a bright and burning Monday morning. My friends and I awoke to another day of having to take from others what we needed to live. I decided I'd head down to the "quarter" today and see if there were any foolish tourists that might not notice a few dollars missing from their bags and wallets.
The quarter was full of its usual crowd. There were the mind readers and fortunetellers making claims that they could contact the dead on your behalf. I stopped and wondered if one of them could contact my parents and tell them to die, but then, I guess that would be a waste of time. I cannot recall if my parents did die or not, but they must have because there is no way they would have left me like this.
I snapped back to my surroundings because there in front of me was my first victim. He was a middle-aged man, wearing a sports jacket and nice slacks. He walked with a limp and carried a cane. This would be a big hit. I blended into the crowd as I always did, and just as he was passing by, I slyly darted my hand into his trousers pocket, and encountered his wallet. Pay dirt! This guy must have been loaded. Just as I was beginning to get a feel of how much might be in this wallet I was tripped very rudely by a nice looking cane. To my horror it was the cane of my victim.
Instead of biting my head off or calling the police they guy picked me up and dusted me off. He offered me his hand and told me his name was William. I do not know why I remember his name, I just do. He asked for his wallet and gave me a fiver. I looked at him with my mouth hanging open and asked him what he was playing. The guy told me that he had a job for me and that I would get a ten if I did well.
It was simple, deliver the package get my pay and leave. No big deal. I hopped onto a streetcar and headed out to where he said I would find my guy. It was a nice neighborhood, outside town, where the well-to-do crowd stayed. The houses were back from the double street that was divided by the streetcar tracks. I jumped off at the intersection I was informed of, and started down the drive I was instructed. I came to a big house, and like I had been told ther was a man on the front veranda waiting for me. I gave him the package, he gave me the cash, and that was that.
I began back down to drive without so much as a word to or from the man, and when I got out to the street I saw the cany man. This guy had been watching out for the street kids for a while. He used to give us candy when we were younger, and he always tried to keep us out of trouble. I decided today I would pay him for the candy.
I was only half way back up the drive when I heard a shout from the direction of the house. I turned and what I saw made me freeze. I was screaming at myself to run, but I stayed glued to the spot. Then when the guy took his first shot at me, the ice melted from my feet and I darted away like a frightened sewer rat. I saw the candy man waving his arms at me and yelling at me. I knew that if I could make it to him, he would save me.
I ran for all i was worth toward the candy man, and he towards me. I was almost there when three more shots burst from behind me. One hit the ground just to my right, the others i did not see. Looking up I realized where they had found their mark. The candy man was on his knees, blood spurting from his neck and his left shoulder. I was mortified, but not for long. Second after I saw my only hero shot down before me I noticed the blaring sound of a streetcar's horn. Then, I no longer had to worry where my food would come from. I no longer had to worry about paying back the candy man. The man chasing me with a gun meant as little as the ten-dollar bill floating to the ground to land in a pool of blood. All was finished, and all was fine.
It happened a few months ago. It was a bright and burning Monday morning. My friends and I awoke to another day of having to take from others what we needed to live. I decided I'd head down to the "quarter" today and see if there were any foolish tourists that might not notice a few dollars missing from their bags and wallets.
The quarter was full of its usual crowd. There were the mind readers and fortunetellers making claims that they could contact the dead on your behalf. I stopped and wondered if one of them could contact my parents and tell them to die, but then, I guess that would be a waste of time. I cannot recall if my parents did die or not, but they must have because there is no way they would have left me like this.
I snapped back to my surroundings because there in front of me was my first victim. He was a middle-aged man, wearing a sports jacket and nice slacks. He walked with a limp and carried a cane. This would be a big hit. I blended into the crowd as I always did, and just as he was passing by, I slyly darted my hand into his trousers pocket, and encountered his wallet. Pay dirt! This guy must have been loaded. Just as I was beginning to get a feel of how much might be in this wallet I was tripped very rudely by a nice looking cane. To my horror it was the cane of my victim.
Instead of biting my head off or calling the police they guy picked me up and dusted me off. He offered me his hand and told me his name was William. I do not know why I remember his name, I just do. He asked for his wallet and gave me a fiver. I looked at him with my mouth hanging open and asked him what he was playing. The guy told me that he had a job for me and that I would get a ten if I did well.
It was simple, deliver the package get my pay and leave. No big deal. I hopped onto a streetcar and headed out to where he said I would find my guy. It was a nice neighborhood, outside town, where the well-to-do crowd stayed. The houses were back from the double street that was divided by the streetcar tracks. I jumped off at the intersection I was informed of, and started down the drive I was instructed. I came to a big house, and like I had been told ther was a man on the front veranda waiting for me. I gave him the package, he gave me the cash, and that was that.
I began back down to drive without so much as a word to or from the man, and when I got out to the street I saw the cany man. This guy had been watching out for the street kids for a while. He used to give us candy when we were younger, and he always tried to keep us out of trouble. I decided today I would pay him for the candy.
I was only half way back up the drive when I heard a shout from the direction of the house. I turned and what I saw made me freeze. I was screaming at myself to run, but I stayed glued to the spot. Then when the guy took his first shot at me, the ice melted from my feet and I darted away like a frightened sewer rat. I saw the candy man waving his arms at me and yelling at me. I knew that if I could make it to him, he would save me.
I ran for all i was worth toward the candy man, and he towards me. I was almost there when three more shots burst from behind me. One hit the ground just to my right, the others i did not see. Looking up I realized where they had found their mark. The candy man was on his knees, blood spurting from his neck and his left shoulder. I was mortified, but not for long. Second after I saw my only hero shot down before me I noticed the blaring sound of a streetcar's horn. Then, I no longer had to worry where my food would come from. I no longer had to worry about paying back the candy man. The man chasing me with a gun meant as little as the ten-dollar bill floating to the ground to land in a pool of blood. All was finished, and all was fine.