Brooklyn *Spot Conlon Love Story*

Chapter 12: Naturally and Unnaturally

My feet seem to fly, pounding so hard on the cobblestone streets, it sends jolts of pain up through my heels and into my shins. But, I don't slow down. I have to get to Kamden. I just have to.

Then, I reach the alley where I hear some taking quick, shallow breaths of air and know that it's Kamden. I'm just hoping she can stay alive long enough for me to get her back to the lodging house and doctor her up.

Just as I'm about to enter the alley way, a hooded figure slips out and I almost gasp, but stop myself, slapping a hand over my mouth. I slam my back against the wall, trying to flatten myself as much as possible. My hand that's not covering my mouth fumbles for my slingshot in my back pocket. My other hand abandons my mouth and reaches for a shooter in my back pocket. I try to load my only weapon, but my hands are shaking too badly and I can't get the shooter in the pouch for the life of me. If the murderer saw me and came after me, all I'd have is my fists in means of self defense. But, even then, with the way my hands are shaking, I'm not sure that would do much anyway.

I look up and notice the murderer gone. He could've either left or gone back into the alley. I fiddle with my slingshot for a little bit longer and finally get the shooter into the pouch and quietly proceed into the alley way. Even if the slingshot doesn't look like a very good weapon, I could still shoot him in the eye and make a narrow escape. It would slow him down at least.

I enter the alley way, poised to shoot if anything or anyone startled me, but nothing materializes. Then, in the dark, I can barely make out Kamden, both hands grasping her stomach and her chest heaving up and down at a rapid pace, gasping for air. I dive to her side.

"Kamden," I whisper. She flinches slightly and I know I startled her a little bit. "It's me, Jay. Take deep breaths."

Kamden tries to stop breathing as quickly as she is, but she can't stop. This either means she got a puncture wound in her lung or she's just having a bit shock. I'm desperately hoping it's the latter.

"I'm going to take you back to the lodging house now, okay?" I ask her. She begins to vigorously shake her head no, but even if she didn't want me to, I don't think she has much of a say.

I scoop Kamden up and stumble back down the street, back to the lodging house. When I get there, I know I can't knock, so I just kick the door several times as hard as I can. Then, much to my dismay, Spot opens it, the smile immediately leaving his face once he sees Kamden.

"What the hell?" he asks. I nod at him, feeling guilty.

"I know. I can't talk right now. Ya have ta lemme in," I tell him. He nods and moves to the side, but then, sees I'm struggling.

"I can carry her," he offers. I nod and pass Kamden off to Spot, who carries her upstairs into the closet room she has. The younger boys are sort of oblivious to what's happening, but some of the older boys notice the blood seeping through Kamden's hands and gasp, but try not to let on too much. They don't want to scare the younger ones. Jack and Race stay back to corral the kids and keep them occupied while Cruchty insists on staying with Kamden.

"Whadda we do? Whadda we do?" Mush starts to panic. So, I do what any sensible person would do. I reach up and slap him in the face, leaving an angry red hand print.

"Mush, get a grip!" I scold him. He snaps out of it. "Go downstairs, get me a needle, some thread, some hydrogen peroxide, some disinfectant ointment, and some bandages, the cloth kind."

Mush nods and scurries away to go get my stuff. I turn to see Crutchy grasping one of Kamden's bloody hands. She's still conscious, so her stab sound must hurt like hell. She still covers it with the other hand, the blood seeping through her hand, so thick it appears to be black.