I don't know why I took him to where me and Annie were staying. I don't even know why I helped him in the first place. But he reminded me of someone who I was close to. But since they couldn't give me answers, maybe he could.
We walked into the small apartment and Casey's eyes widened with shock.
" This is where you live?" He asked with a bit of sarcasm and looked around the room with disbelief.
"Yeah. Me and Annie." I set the backpack down on the floor near a mattress and started pulling out the clothes and ripping off the tags. I didn't want Annie to know that the only reason we had clothes was because I stole them.
I pulled out the baby food and Casey sat down next to me.
"You and Annie have a kid?"
" Annie is the kid. But she's not mine."
" Whose is she?"
" We're foster run aways. Her mother left her at the door and never looked back. When I ran away, I couldn't leave her behind." He looked at me for a minute as if he understood. I used to hate telling people about my past. I used to cry every time. But recently, I kindda just stopped caring. Casey started looking around slightly concerned.
" Um, so, exactly where is Annie?"
" In the closet hiding. People don't really know that we're living here, so when I leave she hides beneath some clothes in the closet over there." I pointed at the closet and Casey got up and started to slowly walk towards it. I stopped unpacking and watched him open up the closet and saw him bend over and pick Annie up.
" I think she's still sleeping." He was holding her so gently as if she'd break if he held her too close.
" She doesn't have a heartbeat." I said slightly changing my seating position. He glanced up at me for a quick moment but remained silent looking down at Annie's sleeping face. " Her eyes change colour like yours too. And if you feel her skin it's....."
" What are you trying to ask!?!" Casey snapped at me. His eyes were more red than green now and it finally made sense to me that his eyes were changing with his mood.
" I'm trying to figure out what I need to do to help Ann."
"So what does that have to do with me?!" He was practically shouting and I watched as Annie was starting to squirm a little bit in Caseys arms.
" It means that you might have answers that I need." I stood up and and softly slid my feet towards the two.
" walizzie. walizze." Annie was slowly waking up as Casey was still holding her close. The way he held her, close to his chest, as if he knew her or had some kind of connection with her, it made something inside of me certain that he could help me.
" What do you want to know." He glared at me while light bouncing Annie in his arms.
" I need to get her to eat. She hasn't eaten in 4 days. 2 days is all I ever allow her not to eat. I think something is wrong with her. " I tried to show how concerned I was about her and I gently stroked her head and I could feel her warmth. Casey sucked his teeth and started giggling to himself. "What?."
" You. You're taking care of a kid that's not yours, she doesn't have a heartbeat, and you're worried that she's not eating? And- and then you bring a complete stranger into your home because he doesn't have a heartbeat either, and you think, what? Oh this is too perfect!!!" He started doubling over with laughter and I reached out to take Annie from him, until I heard her little giggle start up. I sat back down on the floor and looked up as Casey began tickling Ann. Her bubblely laughter filled the room and it seemed that the suns rays started peeking through our boarded up windows.
" I'll help you with her. But I have some conditions." He set Ann down and told her to change into some of her new clothes. He then lightly grabbed my arm and we walked into the tiny kitchen area.
" So, um, what are these conditions that you were talking about?" I folded my arms against my chest and looked over to where Annie was sitting on the edge of the bed swinging her legs.
"Well, first thing, since I will be helping you, I'll have to keep an eye on you."
"Meaning..."
" Meaning that I'll have to have you both staying with me for a while." I stayed silent. Staying with him? I didn't know if I trusted him that much. But if it was going to help Ann, I could try. I nodded my head motioning him to continue. " You don't have to worry. I rent a small house in a town not too far from here but its nicer than you would think. The only thing is sleeping arrangements, but we can figure out that later." He looked over toward me before turning his head and speaking again. " Next, I have to tell you something, but I'm not sure if you'll believe me. Its going to take a while so if you want to wait till we go to the house then that's fine. But it is important that we talk about it some time soon. Okay?" He looked over to me as I stared at Ann. When I was about to run away, I wasn't going to take her with me. In all honesty, I was running away to a place where I could never be found by anyone on earth. But I saw her sleeping, and a little voice in my head told me that as much as I hated myself and my life, Anibeth needed me. I knew that she had a greater purpose in life, and I had to live so that she could succeed in whatever her little non beating heart desired.
" okay. I'll trust you. But I swear to God that if you let me down, I will kill you, your body will be so mutilated not even the king of hell will want you." He chuckeled at my serious treat and looked to the floor.
" Please don't threaten me with a good time. " He looked up at me and our eyes met. They were dark green now. No red hue. But for some reason, they seemed to be full of a certain pain and empty ness that I was all too familiar with. " Oh and one other thing;" he said his eyes turning bright green and a mask of humour was quickly put over all his pain." When you come over to New Salem, no stealing things from stores. If you need anything just ask me and its yours."
