A DARKER CITY

chapter six, anagrams

Athena was fuming, not at Ramona, surprisingly, she was mad at Morgan. "a party? Are you kidding me?"

"it'll be good for us. Just because our parents died doesn't mean we did. We have to continue living."

"they'll think we're-"

"I want to have the party." Ramona cut in. Athena scowled. Morgan clapped happily.

"yes. We have to start decorating. And of course, inviting guests."

"I invited a few." Ramona said.

"who?"

"I have no clue." Ramona confessed.

"don't think that this gets you off the hook for not coming back last night." Morgan said, seriously. "I was worried sick."

"oops."

"don't 'oops' me! I fell asleep on the couch waiting for you! What even kept you out so- that boy? You stayed over? with him?" Morgan raged.

"no, we were walking. Then we sat on a bench."

"and?" Morgan asked, impatiently. Ramona decided not to admit to the few kisses they'd shared that night. That was a story for another time.

"nothing, we looked at stars."

"I find that hard to believe." Morgan said.

"well, it's the truth." Ramona said, then stomped her foot, and ran off to the garden. It was here favorite place, and sometime, she'd take crutchie there. She tripped over her own house shoe, and then scraped her knee on the dirt. "damn."

Birds sung in the tree, happily watching her pick herself out of the dirt. Athena came out.

"go away."

"it's my garden too, you know." Athena countered, but her voice was gentle. "just, be nice to her. Morgan's going through a lot."

"so are we." Ramona said.

"I suppose we are. But she's got it worse." Athena said. She looked older now, as if in the past few weeks she'd grown more than she had in her entire sixteen years of existence.

Ramona and Athena sat in the yard for a long time, sitting in silence and watching the day pass.

"oh, Athena. I invited David to come to the party. I thought you might like that."

She stood up fast, her face was red and she looked angrier than she'd been in a long time. "no, that isn't something I'd like! I don't want him here! He'll know just how low we've sunk, my old rival, forced upon me again!" she screeched. Her dramatics could have rivaled Shakespeare.

Ramona met up with crutchie later in that week to help sell papers, but somehow, she felt that she wasn't meant to be at the lodging building all the newsies stayed in. it was like invading his personal life, even though this was technically just his life, and she was his personal life.

The door opened before she even had to knock. There stood a boy much taller than herself, wearing the typical newsie attire, but he was smiling and he welcomed her in.

"who's that, jack?" asked a younger boy from his bunk.

"ramona!" crutchie said, standing up fast enough that his crutch almost slipped out of his grasp entirely.

"you got a girlfriend?" a different boy teased.

"Ramona, this is jack," curtchie gestured at the man who'd let her in. "and that's finch," a small boy with curly hair waved shyly. "and that was race." The teasing boy gave a head nod. Ramona mimicked it back, she'd never done it before but it seemed like a sort of friendly thing.

There were beds for about thirty boys, each bed being a twin attached to a bunk bed. Most of which were still clearing out because it was so early.

"sorry to come unannounced." She said, trying not to look around enough to be considered rude. But it was so strange to know they all lived so close together. most of the boys didn't have much, just some spare clothes strewn about and blankets and various papers and small Knick knack type things.

The boy above crutchie's bed was playing with a ball, throwing it up and catching it. Eventually he dropped it, and without thinking Ramona went to catch it.

"thanks." He said, his voice was soft and high. Like a little girl's.

Ramona noticed crutchie's bunk was covered in various blankets and quilts, and he had her drawing pinned up on the wall space by his headboard. When he realized she'd noticed he blushed slightly.

"have you figured out the anagram yet?" she asked. Crutchie shook his head 'no'.

"gimme a hint?" he asked.

"it's two words, and um, ones a title."

"lemme see!" finch said, grabbing for the paper. Jack snatched it away fast.

"c'mon," crutchie tapped her shoulder, "let's get going. They'll only get worse." The happiness and lightness of his tone was enough to make ramona want to kiss him right there, as if in kissing him she could share the bright outlook for a small moment. But she didn't kiss him and instead she left with him to sell papers, or as he'd say papes.

It was weird working. Ramona loved it, to have something to do and to know if you were good or bad. She was bad at selling, or course, but it was still fun. She'd never been allowed to shout and now that she could it was more fun than she could say.

"the anagram, is one of the words Mr?'' crutchei asked. She nodded, smiling. "ok, mr... you'll tell me another hint, right?"

"it's a word, not a name."

"that was more confusing than helpful." He laughed.

"I'll have to keep finding puzzles for you then, because I cant say no to giving you hints when you give me that hopeful smile."

He shot her another smile as if to apologize for a crime with another crime.

Their joy was enough to make them unaware of the papers they were selling, and the headline the front page advertised.

BLACK FAMILY MURDERS SOLVED? YOUNGEST DAUGHTER ACCUSED