Trapped Where There Ain't No Future

3

"Liam." I whispered.
"Eva." He whispered back, his voice thick with emotion. I looked up at his face. A single tear slid down my face, the first I had shed in years.

I pulled away. It was time to come clean.

***************************************************************************

"I've been working for Calico." I said. I cleared my throat. "For four years. The night of the fire..." As I explained the events of that night, my voice shook a little. No, this wasn't good. I couldn't show emotion. Remember? Never show you're afraid Eva. Never show it. With difficulty I drove the quaver from my voice. I explained what had happened over the past four years. The things I had done. When I had finished, I looked at the ground, not wanting to meet anybody's gaze. I hadn't told anybody any of this. The ones I could've told in the past already knew. As I spoke the words I realized how crazy I had been. How crazy Calico had been to send me on these missions. I had become a machine. A robot. But no more. I had an outlet now, someone to escape to.

"I'm not going back." I said as firmly as I could. "I can't."

My brother nodded. "And youse don't have to." he said. "Youse can come back wit' me an' Race, stay in da Lodgin' House-"

The other boy-Race- was shaking his head. "We can't do dat, Blink. You know there's no space. We's already doubled up in da bunks. Heck, wes had ta turn away 3 newsies in da past week alone. Da Lodgin' House is completely full."

"Well what else'm I s'pposed ta do, Race? She's me sistah. I ain't gonna make her go back ta Queens. Whaddaya think Calico'd do if he knew she'd failed?"

I watched the exchange nervously, anxiety building up in my throat. Liam-Blink, I supposed now- noticed.

"Eva, you just sit heah for a second, a'right? I'll figuah dis out." he said gently, helping me to a seat on a box. He pulled the other two boys away, and their conversation continued in tones too low for me to hear. It lasted a couple minutes, my brother becoming increasingly agitated, until Spot Conlon stepped in.

"She can stay heah."

What? Did I hear that right? Did I even want to stay here with that insufferable boy?

"Until youse have space ova deah, she can stay wit' me." Spot said.

"Eva?" My brother came back over to me. "Ah youse okay wit' dat? Stayin' heah? Just foah a li'l bit, until Ise can find space wheah we can be togetha'..."

My choices were either going back to Queens a failure or staying here in Brooklyn. I had no choice, really.

"I... I guess I'll stay." I whispered. Suddenly a thought occurred to me. "No. I can't stay. Calico'll come looking when I don't come back."

"I'll say you're dead." Spot shrugged. My eyes widened. He noticed and smirked. "Nobody messes wit' da King o' Brooklyn, doll."

"Don't call me doll." I replied automatically. And then I thought about what he was saying for a second. "But... that could work."

"What?" Liam said. "How?"

"Listen, if I stay here, nobody knows me, right? I stay away from Queens, stop dying my hair, get a job somewhere, and the old me is dead!" It was happening. I was going to get away from Queens. And if I had to put up with the arrogant Spot Conlon for a little to do so, so be it.

"What job?" My brother asked.

"I could be a newsie with you!" I said, but Spot shook his head.

"Nah. Calico suspects somethin's up he'll check 'round da newsies foist. We's gotta find ya somethin' else."