Spot Conlon: A New Adventure [2]

Chapter 16

"He escaped?!" Ise roared. Ise mad, madda then Ise eva been. Ise stomped ova to da door. 

"Wait, where are youse goin'?" Spot asked, gettin' outta bed and limpin' towards me. 

"Ta get me fadda. Ise can't let 'im hoit youse and Race." Ise say. Spot comes up to me. 

"Don't go, Jazzer. He's dangerous. Youse saw what he did to me and Race, Ise ain't gonna let 'im hoit youse." 

"Ise won't either." Race says. He hobbles up to us. Ise roll me eyes, grab their hands and pull them back to da bed. Ise shove them down, makin' them sit. 

"Fine. If youse both stay in bed until Ise say youse bedda, Ise won't go afta fadda." Ise lie. 

"Deal." Race and Spot say at da same time. Ise smile and leave da room ta get some food and wadda. When Ise come back, Ace and Caleb and talkin' wit Spot. When they see me, the race from da room as fast as they can. 

"What was dat 'bout?" Ise ask, lookin' afta dem. 

"Nutin'." Spot says hurriedly. Ise look at him supiciously, but don't say anythin'. Ise set da food on da beds. 

"Ise gonna go out to da docks." Ise say. 

"Hey, take Mush or Blink wit youse." Race orders. Ise mock a low bow and laugh, wavin' at both o' dem ta come wit me. Ise run out to da docks and climb up to the top of Spot's thrown, scannin' da wadda.

"What is it wit youse and wadda?" Mush calls. Ise ignore him. Ise ain't neva seen wadda, not until Ise came ta Brooklyn when wese started da strike. It's beautiful. When Ise was at da orphanages, they neva encouraged swimmin' or anythin' wadda related, so Ise ain't neva been taught to swim. 

"Jazzer?" Mush called up. "Youse gonna answa me?" 

"Yea, sorry. Ise guess is jus' fell like Ise was left out. Ise ain't neva seen wadda until Ise came ta Brooklyn. Neva been even to a lake, not at da orphanages. They neva wanted us ta go." Ise say, climbin' down. 

"Is dat why youse can't swim?" Blink asks.

"What? How did youse find da out?"

"Jack told us when youse came back soakin' wet dat day." Mush shrugged. Ise sighed and looked out ova da wadda. That's when Ise rememba me dream. 

"Actually.... Ise think Ise wanna go ova to Medda's. Youse wanna come?" Ise ask. 

"Yes." Both bois say quickly. 

"Don't tell Race. 'E's gonna kill me if 'e finds out Ise gone ta Medda's witout 'im." Ise say, smirkin'. Mush and Blink agree and wese race ta Medda's. Ise beat da bois by thirty seconds. 

"Slow pokes." Ise tease, walkin' into da buildin'. 

"Medda? Are ya here?" Ise call. 

"Jazzer! So good to see you again. Hello, boys." Medda comes out from the dressin' room.

"Heya, Medda." Ise say. 

"Hey, Medda, youse gotta show in a few minutes right?" Mush asks. Medda laughs. She knows me bois too well. 

"Yes, I do. Come along and I can get you a few front row seats. Coming, Jazzer?" 

"No, Ise think I'll stay in da dressin' room if youse don't mind." Ise say. Medda nods. 

Da only reason Ise wanna stay in da dressin' room is because it has instruments. Ise got plenty o' musical talents, but one of me favorites is da Ise play da flute. Medda has plenty of those, but they haven't been used in a long time. It'll take a while ta find one in good condition. Ise begin me search and find on an hour later. It is white with golden keys. Ise slowly put da instrument together and lift it to me lips. It has a good quality sound.

Ise begin ta play a lullaby Ise rememba me modda used ta play foi me on her flute. (Note from the author: The lullaby is the Narnian lullaby, but just pretend her mom made it up.)

When Ise finish, Ise realise Medda ain't singin' no more. Me back is to da doorway, but Ise know people are there. Ise turn around slowly ta see Mush, Blink and Medda standin' there, da bois mouths hangin' open. 

"Uh... hi." Ise say puttin' da flute on a table. "Sorry, Medda. Ise know Ise shoulda asked foist, but it's jus' been so long since Ise played and..." Me voice trailed off. 

"No, no, that is perfectly all right! Those flutes haven't been touched in ages. Please, take it if you want. It's my gift." 

"Really! Oh, thank you so much, Medda!" Ise laugh and hug her. 

"So... what odda secrets do youse got up youse sleeve?" Mush asks, smirkin' and crossin' his arms. 

"Well, Ise can play da piano, too, and da violin. One of da orphanages Ise was at wanted ta teach da goils music. It was all they taught us there, seven hours a day." Ise say. 

"Is dat where youse learned to sing?" Blink wanted to know. Ise shook me head. 

"Ise always been able ta sing. So has Race. Our modda was a singa and played da flute, too. She taught me when Ise was five. Ise practiced a lot at da orphanage. Ise guess Ise neva lost da talent." Ise say, lookin' at me new treasure. Ise packed it up and smiled. 

"Thanks, Medda. Wese bedda get back to da lodge. Race and Spot are waitin'." Ise say. 

"Mush and Blink told me what happened. I'm sorry, dear." Medda said sympathetically. 

Ise glance at da bois who avert they eyes. 

How much did they tell 'er? Ise think. Wese say good bye and head back to da lodge. When Ise come up to da room, Race stares at da case.

"Wese went ta Medda's." Mush explains. "Turns out, youse sista can do almost anythin' music related."

"A flute?" Race asks. Ise nod. 

"Youse can play da flute?!" Spot asks, surprised. "Youse neva cease ta surprise me, Jazzer." He shook his head. 

"Will youse play us somethin'?" Race asks. Ise nod and assemble da flute. 

"It looks jus' like da one mom had." Race says quietly. Ise stop and look at it. He's right. Ise shake me head and begin to play. Half way through I realise what it is. Da lullaby. When Ise done, Ise look at Race. He has tears streamin' down his cheeks. 

"Youse still rememba dat?" He asks unbelievingly. 

"Yea, Ise guess Ise do." Ise say. Ise turn to Spot. "It was a lullaby our mom used ta play when wese was little, every night before bed. Neva made us sleepy, but she still did it." 

Blink noticed the sad atmosphere of da room and decided ta take da wheel. 

"She can also play da piano and da violin." He says. 

"Seriously?" Spot asks, wide eyed. 

"Ise dat so surprisin'?" Ise laugh. "Youse eyes got wide." 

"Da only person Ise know dat plays da piano is Medda. Did she teach youse?" 

"No, Ise learned at da orphanage." Ise say. Wese continue ta talke until Jack enters da room. 

"Jazzer, can youse leave da room for a minute?" He asks. 

"Shore." Ise say, confused. Ise study his face befoi leavin'. He looks troubled. Ise walk through da Brooklyn streets, alone at night. Jack wanted Mush and Blink ta stay behind, too. 

"Hello, girly." Ise hear. Ise whip around. "It's awfully late to be outside this late, especially in Brooklyn." A man says. 

"Ise can take care of me-self." Ise say, steppin' back. 

"Oh, I'm sure you can." The man says. Before Ise know what is happenin' everythin' goes black.