Humbling Spot Conlon (A Spot Conlon Love Story)

Ch. 10: Once and For All

Life felt empty without Jack. He was the person I was closest to and every attempt anyone made to talk to me just made me feel less connected to the world. I gave up on everything. The boys couldn't even get me to leave the lodge. I sat inside all day, laying in my bunk. Nobody could get me to feel anything. I felt numb.

One day, the boys seemed absolutely determined to get me out. They increased their efforts by 100. They wouldn't give up.

"Come on Nicky, you've been sittin' in this room for the past week," Race tried.

Mush climbed up and sat next to me on the bed. "Yeah, ya haven't moved since..." He faltered, but I knew what he meant. Since Jack joined the scabbers.

I didn't move. I didn't show any signs of life. I just wanted everyone to go away. Their presence only made me feel more alone.

"He ain't movin'," Race observed accurately. "Mush, you could probably carry 'im right?"

"No!" I sat up abruptly, causing Mush to jump. I did not trust him to carry me.

"He's alive," Race remarked. I shot him a glare and fell back into a lying position.

Without a warning I found myself falling. Race had dragged me out. As I fell I let out a shriek. Then I hit the ground with a thud. "Are ya tryin' ta kill me?" I groaned, picking myself up.

Race let out a sarcastic gasp. "He speaks." He grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled me with him. "C'mon."

"I'm not a rag doll," I complained as we scrambled down the stairs.

I squinted in the blinding light of the sun when we got outside. I rubbed my eyes, trying to adjust. It was warm out. It was loud. People were bustling around, laughing, yelling, and having fun. It made me want to sink into the ground.

"How does it feel ta see the light o' day?" Race asked, giving me a light punch.

I squinted at him. "Bright."

Race patted me on the shoulder. "That's the spirit." With that he shoved me into the road and went off to do his thing. The rest of the boys followed his lead, going in every different direction, leaving me alone.

I was going to go back inside but I had gotten used to the light and the morning sun felt nice on my face. So I just sat where I was and stared aimlessly into space.

After a while it began to feel hot. I took off my vest and tossed it inside, I unbuttoned the top two buttons on my shirt and pulled up my sleeves. I decided to take a walk. Maybe it would take my mind off of things.

While walking I heard a scream and the familiar voice of Les. I ran towards the sound. I found Les covered in mud, lying on the ground on the road.

I quickly helped him up. "You okay?"

"Mhm." He nodded. "You gotta help Sarah and David." He pointed to an alleyway where none other than Sarah and David were. They were caught up in a fight with the Delancey brothers.

I ran into the alleyway. I jumped on Morris, grabbing at his brass knuckles. He simply reached his arms back and threw me over him. I hit the ground and seemed to lose all the air inside of me. I groaned as I lay on my back. I could hear Sarah's screams to tell them to leave us alone, which were very unhelpful by the way.

"Looky here," Morris said, looking down at me. "The little boy thinks he can fight."

I managed to lift myself from the ground. I held my fist out to punch him but before I could, he kicked me back down and I got a faceful of dirt. I propped myself up against the wall, but I couldn't do more than that.