Anything For You

1: A New Place

-Natalie's POV-

I huddled on the frigid bench. It had taken a cold turn in the city, one I didn't like. My government lease had been revoked a few weeks earlier. Almost two months. During that time, I had lost almost a fourth of the weight I had previously. During my life in school. In a home. When I had food and a warm jacket and a bed, not an old newspaper pile I had tried to keep myself warm in. I wasn't going to survive the year.

There were plenty of people I could ask for help. Plenty of people that may give me money. But my pride had never let me. I would do things my own way-I always have. Always would.

Or so my foolish ego led me to believe.

I still hoped that someday, I could set up a life for myself. Get a career in Egyptology, or some other fancy pursuit. I had done well in the Egypt elective, the only school-related thing I felt I would need that wasn't a basic class. One of the only things I loved.

I still would not write a sign, though many people had tried to get me to. The old people who wanted to do some good before they expired. The occasional orphanage worker who accepted my refusal to come stay.

I got up off of my freezing butt and stretched. The sweatpants I had scrounged had not kept out the cold of the metal park bench. As I yawned rather fiercely, I saw the Empire State Building through the gap in my arms. Jogging in place, I gave a grim lipped smile as a spike of warmth rushed through me. The grimace did not stay long.

I headed down the alley, toward my cardboard home. The place wasn't much, really. A large refrigerator box with two ripped out sides to shelter me from the elements. Paper wadded together in a large pile for me to imagine a bed. Three bags piled neatly in the corner, like they contained the world itself.

To me, they did.

The first bag was the smallest, but to me, the most precious. It contained nearly fifty dollars and forty-seven cents. The money was my stash that I had squirreled away from the trust fund the government had given me and the hours of work I had paid to earn my wages.

The second bag contained the meager amount of clothing and food I had. The food was wrapped up in a large piece of bubble wrap I had washed using melted ice. My clothes were really thin, worn to tatters in the last two months.

The last bag held memories and tools. A lighter. A picture of my best friend on her last day. She had died from pneumonia a year ago. A worn blanket. A brush. A toothbrush. A knife.

I stocked my meager supplies. Tomorrow was trash day. I needed food. So I would have to grab some from the dusty bins behind a restaurant near my small alley.

I set off on my quick trek. The wind was ice cold and needle sharp. I shivered as I walked.

Frozen.

Malnourished.

Weak.

I took a shaking step.

Then another.

Then another.

Hands grabbed the collar of my jacket, ripping the gray cotton off me. "Hey, give that back!" I shouted. My assailants didn't listen. One grabbed my arms and tugged me into a large alley. He-I could tell from his hands-held my arms behind my back. I struggled.

"Let go! Take your hands off of me," I shrieked. I began to spit profanity at them. They didn't listen to me at all.

A fist connected with my face. My head snapped backward, hitting someone's chest. I reeled off balance, stunned.

"You need to wash out your mouth, missy." Another fist beat my face. I screamed, tasting the blood from my nose and mouth. I was repeatedly punched in the stomach.

"Wha-what do you want?" I lisped.

"Gimme the money you stole from me. I want it all, girl. You owe me." A man's voice.

"I don't have any stolen money. I'm-I'm no thief," I whispered.

"Liar!" someone shook me roughly. The other one.

I yelped as I was struck in the ribs. "I don't steal!" I screamed loudly. "HELP! SOMEONE, PLEASE! HELP!" I whimpered again.

"Enough." A quiet voice. I opened my eyes. Another man stood at the entrance to the alley. "Stop this foolishness at once."

"Cousin, you ain't got a thing on me."

"I'm quite friendly with this girl's relations. They've come to take her in." He puzzled me. I didn't have relatives.

The men slunk away, but not before one kicked me viciously in the ribs. I yelped.

"I'll get that money, girl." Then he and his friends were gone.

I painfully stood. The man hurried up to me. A woman joined him. "Miss Channel, you need to come with us," the man said. I was so confused. On the streets, you looked out for only yourself.

"Wh-why?" My voice cracked. I seethed in anger at myself.

"We've gotten a relative to take you in. A man named Larry Daley." I had heard that name before. He used to own Daley Devices, but went back to being a guard at some museum.

"I'm not-related to him."

"Yes you are, miss Channel. We've come to take you home. But first, we'll want to get you some treatment." It was the woman this time. "But you need to come with us." I walked with them to the car. Heck, my life couldn't get any less crappy.

I completely forgot about my shack in the alley until I was gone.

* * *

I stepped up to the door of my new home. I had a small suitcase in my hand, nothing else. The woman, Quinn, had provided it for me when I left. She sure had thought out everything about this.

The door opened before I had a chance to ring. A man stepped up to the door, a boy not much older than myself right on his heels.

"Hello, Natalie. I'm Larry Daley, and this is my son Nicky. Why don't you come in?" I did as asked. Nicky waved. I waved back, smiling shyly. He seemed nice enough.

"We have a room back here for you," Larry continued. "I know it's not everything you're used to, because we have no experience, but-" I followed him through the house into what they said was my room. The walls were white, and the bed was too, but there was a sign that said 'Welcome Natalie' hanging over the door.

"It's perfect. I didn't expect to see this again, ever." This place was a palace. "Thank you so much!" I hugged Larry and grinned at Nicky, trying to show my appreciation in my smile. He shot me a thumbs up.

"It was nothing, Natalie. Jus-"

""Yes it was. You guys went through the trouble to do this for me- oh it's such a nice surprise!" I meant it.

"Well, we'll let you get settled. But could you be in the kitchen at 9:30? I'd like to show you around the museum," Larry said.

"Sure. Thank you, again." They walked away, and I shut the door. The first thing I did was smile happily at the ceiling. I had a life back.

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It's me!!!! I' like to know how this chapter was from your point of view. Just to let you know, I may be slow on updating, but I will try. Expect longer chapters. So please comment on what I need to improve, what I could add, what you thought. Please vote, and if you're in a really good mood, follow me! Sorry it's a lot for a person to do. Share, vote, comment, follow, anything! Not too hard! Also, if anyone would message me with ideas, that would help a lot. Tysm, guys!