The Grave Digger

Chapter 24: Time's Up

   As time went by, school became increasingly easier for Bones, and Race came by once a week to see her. Jack would sometimes come as well, to see Sarah. Finally, it was near the end of the school year. As May wrapped up, and school exams began, Bones, for some reason, became more paranoid. She hadn't heard any word about the people after her, but she sensed it wasn't over yet. She knew something was going to go wrong.
   The night before their last exam, she talked to David about how paranoid she was, but he thought she was just nervous for the exam, and he assured her, she would be fine. After all, it was a math exam, and that was her best subject. Finally, she believed him, she probably was just nervous, and she went to sleep.
   The exam was brutal. At least, it was for David. He had been waiting for Bones after the exam, she had been talking to another student, and said she'd be right back, and to wait for her. But David had been waiting for 30 minutes. Sarah found him, and asked where she was. "I don't know, she was talking to someone, and she told me to wait by the front of the school, I've been waiting for half an hour." Sarah thought that was weird, but suggested they go see if she was where she had been talking to the student. When they didn't find her, they figured she might have thought they left her anyway, so they went to pick up Les, and see if she had walked back to their apartment.
   But she wasn't there. David thought she might have been right about something going wrong, and he was scared it was his fault. But his mother thought she would come back soon. When she wasn't back by supper, they thought they should tell the police. David's dad thought they should wait until morning, and David agreed. He thought she might have been with Race, since for one, they didn't have school the next day, and two, it had been long enough that, maybe she thought she wouldn't have to worry about anyone anymore. So they waited.
   She couldn't believe him. The bastard lured her into talking to another student, who had been working for him, and saw right through her disguise, and then he took her. But why? Why did he care anymore? It had been almost ten years since she ran away from him. She didn't even have her ring. And it wasn't like she was really of value to anyone but Race, and Race was just a street kid. She knew it wasn't because of her intelligence, because it was the same man who had beaten her when she was a kid, before she could even read, and before she knew she was good at math. So why her?
   It wasn't until they got to their destination that she found out. They had been moving for hours, and she was cramped in the back of a carriage. It was really uncomfortable, and she was sort of glad when they finally stopped. When they first started moving, he had to gag her with a dirty cloth to keep her from yelling at him, or for help, and drawing too much attention to them. So when he finally stopped, and took her out of the carriage, she was happy. He pulled down her gag, and she snarled at him. "That's no way to treat your uncle," he jeered at her. She stopped. How had she not remembered that? She forgot he had always called her his niece, and she wished she had thought of it when she learned to read. She started to feel sick. "Oh, does my new bride not feel well?" New bride? Since when? She was going to vomit. "I would never marry you, son of a bitch!" She screamed at him, hoping somebody, anybody would hear. But they were in the middle of... nowhere. She tried looking around, but he kept pulling her head back to him. She glared at him, and writhed around, trying to get free of his grip. "Oh, come on, it's what your parents would have wanted, isn't it?" She glared at him even more. "How do I know you didn't kill them and take me?" "Because then... I wouldn't get the money." She stopped. What money? She had lived on the streets most of her life with not even a crumb to eat. "What are you talking about?" He smiled. "Oh, Nessa, dear, you're a Vanderbilt."
   Her heart stopped, or, she thought it did. A Vanderbilt? They were some of the richest people in the country. This man had to be mistaken. She, Bones, could not have been a Vanderbilt. And what was that name he had called her? Nessa? Was that even a real name? "I think you've got the wrong girl." "Oh, but darling, I haven't. You see, when I took you from your parents, they had been terribly heartbroken. But now, because you would be turning 17 soon, they said if anyone finds her, they can have her hand in marriage, and whoever marries a Vanderbilt is rich. Just as my whore sister had done when she married your father, and had you." Bones prayed she could get out of there. The only person she wanted to marry was Race. They were even talking about it the other day, and were thinking about starting a family. She was not marrying this man. "Why would I agree to marry you?" She couldn't wrap her head around the thought that she might never see Race again. "Oh, you don't have to agree. But your parents will when I bring you back to them. And what a joyous reunion that will be." Bones couldn't believe this man. He was insane if he thought she would marry him, or that her parents would make her. If they even were her parents, how did he know he had the right person? But then she thought about it. If he had taken her right from wherever her parents lived, and this was the same man, then they had to be her parents. She was terrified. She was going to have to marry the bastard who kidnapped her. But something was strange. "How did you find me?" He smiled, and motioned to somebody. When he stepped out, she couldn't believe it.
   "Skittery? How could you, I trusted you!" she screamed at him. But then she realized how much he looked like Race. "No, no. You... you were... you helped me escape! For what? To bring me back to him? I can't believe you, you jerk!" How had she never noticed? But he looked... scared. As if he didn't want to betray her. And maybe he didn't. Maybe he was forced to. Then she realized how similar he looked to the man holding on to her, the one who said he was her uncle. She looked between the two, realizing something. "Oh God, Skittery, you didn't have a choice, did you? Oh God." She felt sick. She was terrible. She'd never even thought of that. "You're his son, aren't you?"
   But if he was already married, why would he want her to marry him? Wouldn't the obvious answer be to have her marry Skittery? Apparently, he could read her mind, too. "You see, my first wife died right after he was born, and I knew I needed someone rich. And of course my first thought would be my sister's daughter, but you were too young, and, since you were the oldest, I knew I'd have to wait. I would have had him marry you, of course," he pointed to Skittery, who was looking at his feet, "but he had not always been respectful to me, and I thought he might run off with you and the money." It was so much for Bones to take in. But he already a plan. "Of course, if we want to make it to Asheville in two days, we must get going." He gagged her again, and threw her back into the back of the carriage.
   She guessed it had been two days already, and she was really thirsty. She hadn't had any water in a while, and she desperately needed some. When the man walked away from the carriage for a bit, Skittery un-gagged her. "I'm so sorry, Ness, I know you don't trust me right now, but I am your cousin. I have no control over any of this. I wish I could be more helpful." He had genuine worry in his eyes, and she could see it. But her throat was so dry, she couldn't say anything. Skittery gave her some water from a canteen he found. "I believe you, Skitts. Is my real name Nessa?" He nodded. "Yeah. I can't believe he's doing this to you. God, you and Race were so in love. He's a jerk, my dad is. But I do have to say, you're acting skills are great. I genuinely thought you had died, until I saw you at Tibby's." She smiled. "Thank you." But she heard something. "God, I'm so sorry." Skittery said, as he re-gagged her and ran back to where he had been before.
   The next thing Bones knew, she was in front of a huge mansion. It had so much more land than the ones in New York, but the house was just as big. She would have been amazed, if she hadn't been kidnapped. The man un-gagged her again, and told her to "behave." Yeah right. Like she wasn't going to tell them he had kidnapped her. They went inside, and he went straight up to a woman, who seemed in her late 30's to early 40's. She gasped, and rushed to them. "Nessa, it's really you. You found her, Sean." No. His name was Sean? Had he ever told her that? That must have been why Spot's name had freaked her out so much when she met him. "Yes, she was in New York. She had run away from whoever had taken her." He got one thing right, at least. "Oh, Sean, if you don't mind, I would like to speak to her in a separate room." Nessa was grateful this lady, her mom, had said that. She saw Sean crumble for a slight moment before he agreed. Bones smirked to herself. When he left the room, she spilled. "It was him who took me, he took me when I was little, and I ran away when I was seven. Please help me." Her mother's eyes widened. "He did? Oh, Nessa, I wish I had known! We looked all over for you, but could never find you." She put her hand on Nessa's cheek. "I'm so sorry... mom," the word felt awkward on her tongue, "I wish I had known, too. It's actually funny, I never learned to read up until a few months ago, but now I'm top of my class, which I started in January." Bones, Nessa smirked. Her mother laughed, although there were still tears in her eyes. "But now you're here, and you can finish your studies, and get married. We found this man who would just be so lovely. He was so intent on find-" Nessa interrupted her. "Mom, I'm already in a relationship. And, I love him. I can't just leave him." They looked into each other's eyes, and Nessa's mother knew Nessa was right, and they couldn't make her leave the one she loved.
   As soon as Nessa stepped out of the room with her mom, she saw how angry Sean was. He must have heard. "You little bitch, how dare you!" he yelled at Nessa. He grabbed her, and tried to take off, but Skittery did the unthinkable. He took out a pocketknife he had acquired from being a newsie, and he stabbed his father. Nessa stood in shock horror, as the man bled, but that was not the end of it. He took a knife from the near drawer, and stabbed Nessa under the ribs, and Skittery in the stomach.
   She woke up in a hospital bed. To think, she now had enough money to afford a stay in the hospital. Where was that when she got hit by a streetcar? She looked around, and saw Skittery. But not in a hospital bed, he was standing next to hers. She squinted in the bright light. "Skitts?" She asked. He nodded a stupid nod, and she laughed. It didn't hurt, she thought it would. Then she vaguely remembered waking up before, and she had been fine. "So, I guess you healed well?" She asked him. "Yeah, I guess. But we need to get you back with Race. Seriously. You guys were great." She smiled. "And what about you? Do you got a goil?" She asked, pulling out the old New York accent again. "I don't swing dat way, bu' don't tell no one." He raised his eyebrows, as if daring her to contest him. She lightly scoffed. "Wow," was all she could manage.
   Eventually, she was let out, but she begged her parents to let her get back to New York. After two weeks of pleading, they relented, and she was on a train, on her way back. She was glad her parents didn't make her wear dresses or fancy shoes, and let her just wear her regular "work clothes." When they finally arrived, she stood on the train station platform, and breathed in the air. It was good to be home. She looked to her left, and apparently, Skittery thought the same. Smiling, she started walking the familiar path back to the lodging house. She walked in, up the stairs, and right on Race's lap. "BONES!" Everyone screamed at the same time, except Race, who was crying. She laughed, and said, "dat's me!" She shifted to face Race, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him. But he pulled away, and stood up. Then he took one of her hands, took out her ring, and said, "will you marry me?" Everyone in the room clapped and cheered as she said yes.
   One year later, and she and Race were in North Carolina at the Vanderbilt mansion. She was wearing a white gown, and he was wearing a nice suit. Most of the Manhattan newsies were there, as well as Spot, Chuckles, David, Les, and Sarah. Finally, when they sealed it with a kiss, everyone cheered, the Newsies the loudest of the bunch.