(no subject)
I looked over the ever growing group of young faces and sighed.
"Has anyone seen Maria lately?"
Silence. Glances were exchanged and shoulders shrugged, but no one spoke up.
"Danny?" I asked, walking infront of a kid of about sixteen with red hair that only made the many freckles on his face stand out more.
He shook his head. "I ain't seen her since last week. She was in the wharehouse district hanging in one of the deserted offices. Pretty sweet set up. Running water and no cops..."
I crossed my arms over my chest and he stuttered on.
"But...I ain't seen her since then."
He bent his head and stared at his shoes, avoiding my eyes.
"Look," I said, trying to make eye contact with those kids that would let me. Most of them found spots on the wall, ceiling or floor to stare out. "Things are crazy out there," I said pointing to the front doors. "We might have moved a little uptown with this new shelter, but it's still dangerous outside these doors. There are all sorts of things on the street...things that aren't your normal problems. I'm not talking about drug dealers, or gang members...I'm talking about other things. Things that wouldn't think twice about killing some kid who is out there all alone."
"Bullshit," whispers a girl sitting on the couch and rolling her eyes.
I narrow my eyes and go to stand infront of her. "Monica, you have something to say?"
"Yeah," she said looking up and looking me straight in the eyes. "I'm tired of your bullshit. You're always trying to scare us, trying to keep us on the straight and narrow. Well in case you couldn't tell I don't go to church. I don't believe in demons and all that shit. The world is scary enough without you having to tell boogeyman stories."
It's nothing new. All these kids think they know everything. Just the way I did.
"You don't have to belive me," I said keeping my voice level. She was trying to get a rise out of me and I wasn't about to let her. "If you're going to stay here though you do have to follow the rules. That means in by six o'clock and the doors are locked. No one gets in or out until the next morning. This shelter is a safe place for all of you. A place to get food and a bed and if you're willing to take it, a way out."
"Whatever," Monica says getting up. "I'm tired of it. I don't need your help or your stories. I'm outta here. Are you coming?"
She's looking at the mexican girl sitting beside her. They came in together a week or so ago.
The girl says nothing, just stares at the ground and after a moment Monica looks up at me. If looks could kill Monica here would be headed towards the Penn.
"Alright, suit yourself," she snaps as she marches to the door.
"Monica, if you leave you won't be able to come back tonight," I say to her back.
She says nothing just flips me off as she opens the door and lets herself out.
I let out a slow breath and walk to the door to lock it behind her. I turn to the rest of the group, my hand pausing before I switch the lock in place. "Anyone else want to leave?"
Again there's silence and the avoiding of eye contact.
"Alright then," I say sliding the lock in place. "So tomorrow Danny I want you to go check up on Maria."
"What?" he asks raising his head to stare at me. "Why?"
"Because," I say wrapping my arms around me. "We've got to watch each other's backs. We're all we've got. And if Maria is in trouble, we need to know."
"Has anyone seen Maria lately?"
Silence. Glances were exchanged and shoulders shrugged, but no one spoke up.
"Danny?" I asked, walking infront of a kid of about sixteen with red hair that only made the many freckles on his face stand out more.
He shook his head. "I ain't seen her since last week. She was in the wharehouse district hanging in one of the deserted offices. Pretty sweet set up. Running water and no cops..."
I crossed my arms over my chest and he stuttered on.
"But...I ain't seen her since then."
He bent his head and stared at his shoes, avoiding my eyes.
"Look," I said, trying to make eye contact with those kids that would let me. Most of them found spots on the wall, ceiling or floor to stare out. "Things are crazy out there," I said pointing to the front doors. "We might have moved a little uptown with this new shelter, but it's still dangerous outside these doors. There are all sorts of things on the street...things that aren't your normal problems. I'm not talking about drug dealers, or gang members...I'm talking about other things. Things that wouldn't think twice about killing some kid who is out there all alone."
"Bullshit," whispers a girl sitting on the couch and rolling her eyes.
I narrow my eyes and go to stand infront of her. "Monica, you have something to say?"
"Yeah," she said looking up and looking me straight in the eyes. "I'm tired of your bullshit. You're always trying to scare us, trying to keep us on the straight and narrow. Well in case you couldn't tell I don't go to church. I don't believe in demons and all that shit. The world is scary enough without you having to tell boogeyman stories."
It's nothing new. All these kids think they know everything. Just the way I did.
"You don't have to belive me," I said keeping my voice level. She was trying to get a rise out of me and I wasn't about to let her. "If you're going to stay here though you do have to follow the rules. That means in by six o'clock and the doors are locked. No one gets in or out until the next morning. This shelter is a safe place for all of you. A place to get food and a bed and if you're willing to take it, a way out."
"Whatever," Monica says getting up. "I'm tired of it. I don't need your help or your stories. I'm outta here. Are you coming?"
She's looking at the mexican girl sitting beside her. They came in together a week or so ago.
The girl says nothing, just stares at the ground and after a moment Monica looks up at me. If looks could kill Monica here would be headed towards the Penn.
"Alright, suit yourself," she snaps as she marches to the door.
"Monica, if you leave you won't be able to come back tonight," I say to her back.
She says nothing just flips me off as she opens the door and lets herself out.
I let out a slow breath and walk to the door to lock it behind her. I turn to the rest of the group, my hand pausing before I switch the lock in place. "Anyone else want to leave?"
Again there's silence and the avoiding of eye contact.
"Alright then," I say sliding the lock in place. "So tomorrow Danny I want you to go check up on Maria."
"What?" he asks raising his head to stare at me. "Why?"
"Because," I say wrapping my arms around me. "We've got to watch each other's backs. We're all we've got. And if Maria is in trouble, we need to know."