Blue Flowers, Chapter 3.

3

The VooDoo Shack


The keys were on the table, I locked up shop, picked up my stuff and left, not knowing what to do for the rest of the day. I had a really strict schedule, weekdays working, and weekends looking for cheap apartments, I didn't plan on living on the streets all my life. I decided to start my search for a house early. I looked at my watch, 8:30; I could probably catch the subway if I was quick.

I jogged down the sidewalk, passing a street performer, a man dressed as a hotdog, and a group of teenagers setting fire to a post box. Knowing this city, nothing out of the ordinary, just New York as it is. I turned the corner, rushing past a biker, almost knocking him over. The last corner, it was almost 8:40, I could make it. Suddenly, to no surprise, my tatty sneakers failed on me, and I slid and fell to the ground. I rolled to my side, the fall wasn't that bad, just a graze.

As I looked up, a car was at a stop light, and in the open window, a boy, so familiar, I knew I had seen him before. His hair, wavy and brown, his skin, light and soft, he had rosy cheeks, and his eyes, so familiar. He was only about 7 or 8, but I still recognised him. He looked at me, then his eyes widened, and he turned to the driver, pulling out an old wrinkled picture, that I couldn't make out, and rapidly pointing at it, whilst the driver, an annoyed, sinister looking woman, irritatedly, ignored him. He turned back to me, looked closer, then I felt it, the pain I felt after having a dream during one of the 5 days, my heart ached, I started to sweat, it was like this boy was erased from my memory, but parts of him was still there. The car drove away, and I saw the boy still looking at me, eyes locked on my face. When the car drove away, I had the strongest urge to run after it, like that boy was of a great deal of importance to me.

I leaped up form the ground and ran, following that car through the busy sidewalk. I was fast, but I was no machine, the car sped up as the roads cleared, and I lost it. Just at that moment, I felt a deep pain, like I had lost something dear to me. I tried forgetting about it but it just kept coming up in my mind. I tried to think of something or someone who could keep my mind occupied, and then I remembered the perfect person to call, Zoë.

I walked to a pay phone, inserted 50 cents, and dialled the number. "Hello?" a voice went on the line. "Hey, yeah, is Zoë there?" I asked, drumming my fingers on the glass window. I was put on hold for about 30 seconds while some smooth jazz played until the line was picked up again. "Hello. Zoë speaking, who is calling?" a voice said. "Hey Zee, its Penelope!" I sang in a joyful tone. "Penny! Hey, you haven't called in ages! Where have you been?" the voice said merrily. "Not much, I'm free, can you come pick me up, I'm by Boutique Beauty." I asked. "Sure, sure, let me get someone there, can't wait to see you again!" I smiled then replied "Yeah, great, see you later!" I answered in a flat tone. The line went dead.

I strode out the phone box and leaned against it, trying to think about that boy. His features, similar to mine, but with the features that reminded me of someone, one who I had a great deal of emotion towards. I looked into the shop windows, looking at myself. Scruffy, torn up, I did look like that kind of person you would want to take a look at, like the crazy man on the bus, you always wanted to look and see things about him, like the bloodshot eyes, of his yellow teeth, it was it either curiosity, or disgust. I wouldn't be surprised if the boy was looking at me in disgust or curiosity, I did look like a nasty person, the way I walked, talked, acted, it's a wonder how Marshall and Arthur didn't see me as crazy.

I glanced at my watch, 10:22. I hated waiting, I always went to get something when I needed it, but when I had to wait for it, it just made me boil inside with annoyance, the same with not getting it quickly, which is why not remembering that boy annoyed me so much.

I slid to the ground, my back to the window of the phone booth, when a man dropped some spare change in front of me. Angered enough, someone had to go and give me spare change, like I was a beggar. I stood up, picked up the money and threw it at the man. "I don't need your stinkin' money, do I look like a tramp to you?!" The man swore at me under his breath, and filled with fury as it was, without realisation, I began to sprint towards the man. The man saw and ran away, keeping his head down. Hot on his tail, I leap onto his back. We fell to the ground, and I grabbed his collar with both hands. "What did you call me?! How dare you even assume I was a tramp?! Watch your mouth next time!" It was Marshall, his face covered in dirt from the ground, and his eyes wide with shock. "Gee, sorry officer?" I looked at him, my eyes even wider with shock, how could I have mistaken Marshall for a cretin of a man? I got off the ground, and helped Marshall up. "Oh my, I'm so sorry! I swear, I didn't know!" he looked at me, sniggering. "Wow, knew you were crazy, but not full on maniac, well your strong, I'll give you that" I smiled, wiping dirt of my cap. "For a girl" he said in a sly tone. I punched him in the arm light-heartedly then we began to walk.

"So, what happened back at the bar?" Marshall didn't answer, he just looked down, hands in his baggy jeans. "Okay, so you don't want to talk, that's cool, so, do you want to tell me where you went, or are you going to stay quite all day?" I looked at him, my eyes pleading. "I...I just needed to get out of there, I couldn't be there with him." Arthur and Marshalls relationship was never the best, but when Arthur bought the bar, he and Marshall stopped fighting and worked together to get the bar up and running. "What is it? What did he say?" He looked up. "He...she's…" he didn't finish, he just broke down shouting. "I don't want to talk about it! Just… just leave me alone." He sat against the wall, face in hands. I stood by him. "Okay, you don't want to tell me, I never said that you had to, just trying to be a friend." I said softly. "I don't need a friend; I just need to be alone!" That hurt, in all those years being with Marshall, things never got as intense as this. "Ah, I see, well have fun" And I walked away. I was hurt, but I've had deeper wounds, that still didn't stop tears running down my cheeks.

I began to jog, holding the wave of tears. He called out to me. "P, P! Penelope! Urgh." He moaned, and then ran his hands through his hair. I turned the corner, and sat. I had to think, I couldn't let Marshall stop my focus. I took a breath and got up. Looking at my watch, I saw it was 11. Great. I started to run back to the phone booth, I could already see Zoë's chauffeur, William, and his fancy limousine, his irritated eyes glaring into mine. "Master Zoë has been waiting for you, Miss Penelope; I shall be escorting you to her home." He said a tone of disgust as he looked me up and down. He reached for the backseat door, but I pulled it, I had a habit of doing things for myself, and they weren't going to change, not even for someone who was as disgusted as William at the very sight of me.

I sat down on the lavish leather seats, sprawled over all 3 seats. I closed my eyes for a second, just to relax, my feet were sore and my back ached from sleeping at a 90 degree angle. The smell of leather and seat freshener intoxicated me. I began to sleep, pictures forming in my mind, I was remembering all the boys I had abandoned in my years, young and old.

One was a small blond haired boy, I met him in Paris, his name was Thomas. He was around the same age as me, 12 I remember. He showed me the ropes in scavenging for food. We were friends for about 8 months, until one night, we were being mugged, we ran, but I tripped, and he risked his life for me, jumping in front of me, giving me time to run,  but they got him, I had two choices, take my chances with the thugs, or run, I ran. I can still see that last look of despair he gave me when I looked back. I had nightmares for the next 3 months, and then I learnt that there were loses to be made, eat, or be eaten. There was another one, in Baltimore, a boy called Rodney, he was 4, and I had just turned 16, trying not to think about what my mother would say to me on the day of my 16th, how proud she would be of me. We met in a park, I was on the swings and he saw me, offering to play with me. We played, and it was happiest I had been in a while. When he had to leave, we promised to meet again, but the next day, I kept on moving. I didn't forget, in fact, playing with him was the most fun I had in years, but I knew, if I wasn't planning on staying,  I'm not going to. I was woken up by William, his stern voice ringing in my ears. "Miss Penelope, we have arrived." I was lying on my side, drooling on the seats. "Worry not Miss Penelope, I shall clean that up." He said, sound more annoyed at me then he meant to. I rolled out the limousine and looked upon the grand mansion. "Oh Boy.." I whispered under my breath. I never got any less amazed at the sight.