Return to New York

Sunset Situatuon

Racetrack and I were sitting on the roof of the Lodging house, sharing a bag of sunflower seeds racetrack managed to snatch from a man at Sheepshead. Every time somebody walked by on their way home from work, we would spit the seed shells out at them in attempt to hit them.
"You gotta spit it at 'em before they get right under ya!" Racetrack told me in a hushed whisper and we giggled. This time, I waited like Racetrack had said before I spit out the shells. They landed right on top of this fancy man's hat. We both fell back in a fit of laughter.
There was a loud bang behind our heads and everything moved in slow motion. I saw a shadowed figure standing there holding out their arm. I watched the bullet travel right for Racetracks Head.

•••

I jolt awake in a cold sweat and frantically look around the room. Before I have time to react to anything a pair of hands grabbed my arm gently.
My head snapped to my right and I met a familiar face with soft, kind brown eyes.
"Hey." Mush said softly.

All I could do was slowly wrap myself in his arms and cry. I didn't realize how much I had missed him until I was next to him again. He wrapped his arms around me and gently stroked my back. He didn't say anything, he was just there for me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked pulling back with a sniffle. Mush kept his hands on mind and gently rubbed on them with his thumbs. "I live here."
His pitiful attempt to make a joke actually made me choke out a laugh. "No, I mean in my room watching me sleep like a creep."

Mush smiled softly. "Jack wanted to do it, but he hasn't slept since.." he paused, His voice trailing. I noticed his eyes get cloudy as he looked down, but he quickly shook it away.
"I offered ta watch after ya. Jack said you'd probably get some bad dreams or sum."

I sighed and tucked my knees to my chest, getting myself into the fetal position. "Well, he was right, as usual. But don't tell him I said that."
Mush chuckled gently then paused for a second. "You don't really got an accent no more." I simply shrugged. "Living around posh and proper people changed how I speak. You wouldn't believe the looks I got when I said "outta my way, ya bum!" I mimicked the accent that I used to have which caused mush to actually laugh.

"It's great to have you back, really. It's just- really poor timing."
I frowned at his comment and chewed the inside of my lip. "Yeah," I looked in the ruffled covers beside me and noticed something grey. I picked up Racetracks hat and tucked it against my chest. My attention turns back to Mush as I see him getting up from his knees off the ground and crawling into the bed beside me. I make room for him and he puts an arm around the back of my head. I rest my head into his shoulder and just stare at the hat in my hands.

Neither of us knew what to say, it was still so fresh for both of us that we just needed each others company. Honestly, I didn't care if it were mush or not. It could have been Blink, Skittery, hell even Les. I just needed the comfort right now.

I eventually looked out the window, it was just starting to get dark, or was it just starting to get light?
"What Time is it?" I asked.
Mush sucked his teeth. "Oh, late. Suns about to go down."
I simply nodded in response.

Mush patted my shoulder and sat up in my bed. "Let's go for a sunset walk, huh?"
I smiled softly and sat up too. "Yeah, I would like that."
"I figured so, let's go!"

I smiled as we climbed down the fire escape. I dropped down to the ground and waited for Mush to join me. We began to walk together through the familiar streets of Manhattan. I took a deep breath in and let it slide out of my mouth, "It feels so good to be back." I smiled while looking around.

"Lot different from England?" Mush asked casually.
"Oh yeah, a lot different." I started to explain my journey to and while I was in England, Mush listened intently to every word that I said. I told him about the waitress job i had and how different yet similar it was to being a newsie. We had talked and walked around for so long we hardly noticed how dark it was getting.

"Well," I finished, "In conclusion, England was fun but I am really glad to be home."
"So no more traveling?" Mush asked me, cocking an eyebrow. I let out a gentle chuckle.
"Not for a while at least."

Mush stopped us under a dimly lit street lamp and looked around. "We should head back, Jack'll have my head."
I let out a giggle and nodded. "Oh I know."

Mush smiled wildly and nodded. We started to head back in the direction of the Lodging house. A large bang came from an alley way and I hear Mush gasp in pain from behind me. I Quickly turn around and looked at him but he was all over me in a second.

"Go, come on!" He shouted in my ear, he had his arms wrapped around me and pushed me to take off running. We took multiple corners to get away from the place we were at and finally stopped.

"What the hell was that?" I questioned, slicking my hair out of my eyes. I looked back at mush and he was bent over his knees clutching his arm.
"You're bleeding! Are you okay?" I hustled over to him quickly and tried to look at the wound in the dark. It was on his upper arm, almost on his shoulder. Mush nodded in response to my question.

"We need to get you home, come on." I helped him apply pressure to his arm as we kept a quick pace back towards the lodge.
I had realized that I had come within the circle of the murderer who killed my best friend, and now attempted to kill someone who I cared for, or maybe even me. I was determined to put a stop to this. Whoever this was, and why they haven't been caught yet, I don't know. But I am going to find them, and they'll be sorry.