Rebuilt

Chapter 9

Elmer insisted I lay in his bed again.

"Where are you'se goin' ta sleep?!" I ask.

"That ain't important right now! You'se need rest!" Elmer says motioning to my beaten and bloody body.

"I'se only sleepin' their if you'se let me wash the blood off. I'se fine with layin' on ya sheets, but I ain't washing them." This made Elmer laugh. Frowning on his face seemed to foreign and unnatural.

"Blood?" Albert asked, walking into the room. "What blood?"

I take a safe step behind Elmer. "Oh, she just had a ru-," I pinch his side. Elmer gives me a questioning look. I speak with my eyes. No.

"She just ran inta a wall." Elmer said quickly. Albert just shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

Once Albert was gone and out the door I step out from behind him and ask, "a wall? Da boys already think I'm weird now they'se just goin' to think I'm stupid."

Elmer laughs and pushed my shoulder, "go clean off. I'll try and find you'se some clothes."

I begin to walk down the hallway before I turn around. "Hey, uh Elmer. Sorry 'bout ya papes. I'se know how hard it is to get paid 'round here... so I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't worry 'bout it."

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After washing off, I realized the cuts on my stomach were not that bad. Morris just struck me in a place that wasn't completely healed from the last soaking I received (which was from him). My chest had bruises, nothing too bad.

Elmer had placed clothes on the counter for me to dress into. When finally I slipped on the pants I looked down at my legs.

The pant legs were far to large for me. Even if I rolled them up they would still be incredibly long and uncomfortable.

I tossed on the long sleeve shirt, it was late October so the weather was cooling down. Still, a little Newsies shirt would not do the justice of keeping us warm for the winter.

Scrunching my wet hair between my fingers I open the bathroom door and shimmy down the hallway. I see Elmer sitting on his bed talking to two boys. They turn when they see me.

"Oh, Mike, Ike. This is the goil I'se was talking about. Name is to be determined." I smile and wave.

Walking over to the bed I pull Elmer up off it. "You'se got a knife?" I ask. My voice slowly becoming more and more acclimated to speaking again.

"What, are you'se tryin' to kill me?" Elmer asks. Mike and Ike laugh. Turning around it looks like their twins. I don't laugh. I frown making my mouth into a thin line.

Elmer digs in his pocket pulling out a switchblade. "Don't pull a fast one."

"No promises," I say switching out the knife. Hiking my knees up to my legs, I twirl the blade in my fingers then cut away at the extra material. In no time flat the cuffs are to my ankles, and the frayed loose strings are cut away.

Knifes and blades have always been my choice in soaking's. Granted, I always would have a difficult time getting my hands on them. Though, whenever I did have one, I did not fear it. I handle it with confidence.

Twirling the knife in my hand I slam the flat edge of the blade against my palm, closing the contraption. Elmer, Mike, and Ike stare at me.

I lean against the wall, trying to hide from their gazes. "Where'd you learn to handle blades like that?" Mike asked. I said nothing. Elmer realizing he wouldn't get answers with the twins in the room shoes them off.

Once they were gone he looked at me, "like Mike said. Where'd you learn to handle like that. With such-such confidence!"

I palm the knife, "I'se always has the skill. Ever since I'se used blades." I shrugged and handed the switchblade back to Elmer.

"Blades." He said simply.

"What you talkin' 'bout?"

"Blades," he said again. "I'se got a name for you'se. Blades."

Blades? What happened to Streets?

"Blades?" I say more as reassurance then everything else. "What about Streets?" I ask.

"Forget about it, Blades is better. Mike! Ikr! Get in 'ere!" Elmer called as the twins stumbled in the room. "I'se want you to meet someone!"

"Who?" Mike, or Ike? says.

"Who do you think Mike, you'se nimrod." Ike says taking his hat off, revealing black curls at the base of his neck, and hits his brother over the head. Mike rubs his head and makes a longing "oh" sound.

"You'se can tell 'em apart by brains," Elmer muttered. "Ike is da smarter one." Laughing, Elmer points towards me. "This is Blades! That's 'er Newsie name."

"Nice to meet ya Blades," Mike said. I shake his hand.

"Yeah, nice to meet you'se," Ike repeats, shaking my hand.

After the twins left the room I look at Elmer. "Ain't no way I'se goin' to be able to tell them apart." He grins and puts a hand on my shoulder.

"I'se get 'em confused all da time. Now?" He asks. "How 'bout we'se get some food?"

I've never said yes to something so quickly in my life.