Titanic 2 - Book 4 - Let Me Protect You

Chapter 3

Meanwhile, over near the benches, further away from the schoolhouse and the playground, the little redheaded shy girl was getting tossed around by a group of older bully kids.

They hit and punched her, calling her a 'cow' and a 'fatty'. She screamed and cried as they stomped on her lunch before her eyes.

Cora heard the commotion, and looked behind her to see the same shy girl from earlier getting beaten up and made fun of. Her eyebrows furrowed in outrage, and her left eye twitched in anger.

Just as one of the older kids was about to land a punch on the little girl, Cora tackled him to the ground, pulling on his long, messy, shaggy blonde hair.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, HUH?!?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?! HURTING A HELPLESS LITTLE GIRL LIKE THAT!! YOU SHOULD DIE!! YOU BIG, FAT MEANIE!!" Cora screamed out in pure rage as she landed punches on the top of the kid's head and back, the kid's screams and cries of pain and fear carrying through the autumn wind.

"RUN!!!" Cora yelled at the little redheaded shy girl, and she nodded, running far away.

Cora threw the kid she was attacking into a garbage bin. The other 2 kids charged at her, landing punches and kicks on her as she struggled to hold off the older, stronger kids. Her small fists were surprisingly strong, though, and she managed to punch one in the stomach, sending him flying into the schoolhouse's brick wall. The other kid's jaw drops open in shock.

"Leave. Now." Cora threatened menacingly. The kid nodded, sweating nervously before rushing off.

The little redheaded shy girl had tripped and fallen in her attempt to escape, so Cora ran over and helped her up.

"You okay?" She asked.

The little redheaded shy girl's eyes were bloodshot, and her nose and lip were bleeding. She had a black eye and the once beautiful white lace dress she was wearing was tattered and dirty. Her braids were undone and her once silky red hair hung heavy with filth and was scraggly and messy. Her pearl necklace was snapped in half and hung loosely around her neck, and her two front teeth were chipped.

The girl didn't answer.

Cora sighed.

"C'mon. I'll take you down to a meat seller I saw earlier. I don't have much, as you can tell by my not-the-greatest clothes, but I have a cent or 2 in my pocket. One slab only costs a cent, so I could buy you some if you'd like." She offered. Cora was right. Her family was poor as hell. They had barely anything. But the least she could do was take this little girl out for lunch after the way those bullies treated her.

For the first time, the little redheaded not-so-shy-anymore girl smiled. "Yes, please. I'd like that."

"Alright! Let's go, now. It'll get dark soon." Cora took the girl's hand.

"Oh!" Cora gasped. "I never got your name."

"I'm Jane..." The girl smiled.

"That's a very simple yet pretty name, Jane. I wish I had pretty clothes like yours." Cora complimented sweetly. Jane blushed a bit.

"My mommy makes them."

Cora smiled wide. "That's so awesome!" Jane laughed. "Yeah, it is...hey, do you wanna know a secret...?" She said lowly. Cora nodded.

"Sure. What is it?"

Jane whispered in Cora's ear. "I was on the Titanic just like you. Me and my mommy and my daddy travelled in second class. I think I saw you on the lifeboat when we rescued you and your friends. I also saw the horsey. She was so cute!" Jane said, smiling softly.

Cora's eyes widened. "That's crazy! You know, I think I saw you, too. I knew you looked familiar."

Jane laughed. "Sorry I'm so shy..."

Cora laughed, as well, and the girls walked off, laughing and talking with each other.

End