[IC] On the Streets

[KatherinWinter]

Roxy sat on the edge of the roof of one of the taller buildings. She had been on her own for almost a year. And all and all she didn't think that she was doing too badly but she thought she could do better. She had a couple of ideas of how to do that. But first she had to get herself something to eat. She headed to the fire escape ladder.

[Rusalka]

Chapter 1: An Odd Friend

"Your sorry eyes
They cut through the bone
They make it hard
To leave you alone..."

The city was rather quiet this time of day, no car alarms and sirens blaring off in the distance, no horns honking and raucous shouts of road rage sounding from the nearby interstate, nothing. It was weird to her to hear such things, to be able to hear the cool autumn breeze whip through the abandoned alleyway, the soft, gentle whisper of impending winter, the little chirps and chimes of songbirds and pigeons flocking to their nests to prepare for the cold snap ever encroaching. And of course...there was the other sound she loved to hear so much... She strummed her guitar softly with her pick, her fingers gracefully moving up the frets and playing every chord precisely, closing her eyes and singing to herself, letting the music take her...elsewhere.

"Leave you here
Wearing your wounds
Waving your guns
At somebody new..."

The man sitting beside her in the alley, a grizzled looking thirty-year old with tired, bloodshot eyes and five o clock shadow, only a pair of dirty, ripped up Arizona blue jeans, a dull gray beanie atop his head, and an M-65 olive green field jacket to shield him from the brisk air, sighed listening to her melody in peace. He seemed to enjoy the music quite a bit, given the gentle smile etching across his hard, dry features. The second verse though...his eyes misted over a bit upon hearing hit, his calloused, rugged hand reaching into his jacket to caress a pair of old, rusty dog tags, but a piece of his dismal past. Two bits of metal that read: MICHAEL J. WINTERBOURNE, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS. AFGHANISTAN; 2006

"Baby you're lost
Baby you're lost
Baby you're a lost cause.

I'm tired of fighting, yeah
I'm tired of fighting
Fighting for a lost cause..."

And with a last, resonating strum of the strings, her last lyric sung, she sighed and set her guitar aside. "...Wow." Was all Mike had to say. He stood up, giving a nice applause clapping his hands together, his smile a bit wider now than his usual wry expression. "Not bad, kid. So that's how you scored fifteen easy. Here I was thinking you were hooking or slinging dope."

"What? Fuck no." Liz chuckled pulling the hood of her jacket up over her head. "I ain't that fucking desperate. I just started playing my guitar and then...people just gave me money. I didn't really think it was that good."

"You kidding?" Mike laughed, his hand falling hard on her shoulder, though he meant well. "You got some talent, kid. Don't sell yourself short. People like music. It keeps their mind off things, or...it helps them remember..." His voice trailed off somewhat, his smile fading slightly. Liz furrowed her brows, her eyes filling a tad with concern. "Shit. Hey man, I didn't mean to..."

Mike shook his head. "It's all good, Liz." He murmured wringing his hands together to keep them warm. "My time in the Corps, Afghanistan...it's part of who I am now. Can't change that, even if I wanted to." He looked over at Liz, his smile starting to return. Liz smiled as well. "Hey, I'm gonna go grab something to eat. You want anything?" She said staggering to her feet and dusting herself off.

"Just a cup of coffee and a few donuts." He replied. "Watch your back out there, kid. Gangs have been getting bad lately. Some poor ass got his head blown off just the other day for walking on their turf."

"I'll be alright."

"I mean it, kid. You be careful."

"And you lay off the booze." Liz smarted back, but in good spirits. Mike, of course he knew he killed a bottle of Jack every day, so he just shrugged it off. Liz was one to always poke his sides. The girl ambled away down the alley, disappearing from his sight behind a brick wall.

The city, only 8:30 in the morning and it was just starting to come alive. The laughter of children, about the only shred of innocence left in the dingy ghetto, could be heard as buses pulled up to take them to school, a stark contrast to the sounds of distant gunshots, police sirens, and heavy bass speakers blasting hip-hop's finest throughout the city streets. Not to mention the average drone of a jet flying over about to land at the nearby airport. Twas a dangerous place, the city, but still...she would rather be here than where she was before.

[LiegeLord]

Jared
*Jared watches a lot the rooftops of one of the buildings, staying relatively close to the nearby abandoned and forgotten about shack of a house just outside the city. It was the only place that wouldn't be suspected or torn down in his eyes, didn't have much choice either. It wasn't that big, a couple rooms. But with the circumstances being what they are, he couldn't do better. Rebecca is sick with a fever and he didn't know exactly what it was she was sick with.

*He sighs and leans against the railing, looking around hard. Being new to this city he didn't know what to expect, new territory and he didn't have her help right now with figuring out any of it* "Damn it Rebecca. Just when you are needed as well..." *He had her rest a few days after their travel, spending time cleaning the place up at least. Dusting off what was needed, and stealing a bit of money to afford some bug repellent for a small store not far. He tried to make due with what he had, but he knows right now that she may need medicine. Or at least find someone that can see to her out of the goodness of their hearts. Jared isn't a people's person, in fact he is quite the opposite. He doesn't mind but right now she needs him to be*

"Let's see what there is in this place... I've always hated cities." *He quickly makes his way down a nearby ladder or fire escape. Nobody here knew him yet so it was fine to walk the streets, but once he starts getting noticed or whatnot, he'll have to deal with going along the rooftops or finding craftier ways to move. Not every building is connected afterall, but he's done well thus far. He now journeys deeper into the city on his "Quest" to find medicine for his sick comrade who he hopes is deep asleep right now*

Rebecca
*In fact she wouldn't be asleep, she would be still awake as he is out there. Holding her sheets as she takes a meager sip from the small canister that he got in the past for them, just incase they had to make longer trips. But most of all she is seems worried, looking at the door before covering herself back up in the blanket that she knew Jared cleaned for her, though it's been here for a while. Seems fresh somehow for it looking old, she doesn't mind. Coughing hard suddenly as she lays her head down. Speaking slowly before closing her eyes to rest* "Please be careful..."

[Carlsberg]

Jen shivered a little as she got out of the bed, glancing back at the still sleeping figure. She smiled a little as she remembered the events of last night.
'And I got paid,' she said, grinning as she felt the cash in her pocket as she pulled up her skinny jeans. She slipped her bra and tank top back on, trying to cover up in the cool morning breeze flowing in the half opened window. It had seemed like a good idea at the time to open it up, letting some cold in to counter the warmth of body heat. She finally slipped her hoodie on, zipping it up. Though last night had been fun, today was a new day, and that meant moving forwards, as always. She quickly headed out of the womans apartment, quietly closing he door behind her.

She finally emerged outside, blinking a little at the morning sun. She decided to go and find food, walking towards the nearest supermarket or coffee shop or whatever. Just as long as she kept moving.

[Rusalka]

@Carlsberg

youtube.com/watch?v=3UWIN_MI7Bw

Just down the block from the alley she and Mike always hung out at, either bullshitting or passing around a spliff and a fifth of Jack, there was a little convenience store owned by a Middle Eastern man in his early seventies. He had left his native Kuwait back in the 1990s when Saddam's Republican Guard came storming in, and moved he and his family to America to start a new life. His wife, Aisha, died in 2004 after complications due to psoriasis of the liver and his two kids, one a doctor and the other a respected Wall Street banker, moved away to attend college in New York, leaving him to his own. Since then, his store had been robbed nearly three times, the last attempt getting him a bullet in his left shoulder.

Ahmed, the store's owner, once caught her trying to shoplift there as well. She was sure the moment she was caught trying to stuff bags of potato chips and whatever else into her duffel, he was gonna call the police. He didn't however, strangely enough. Liz just had to pay him back for the stolen goods. It wasn't easy scrounging up twenty bucks, but she somehow managed it.

"Eyy back again ah?" He said to her as she entered the place, his native dialect ever thick. Liz just smiled wryly to the old Muslim at his counter and continued on to the back to the coffee machine, her smile fading into a displeasing frown when she saw a piece of paper taped over it reading OUT OF ORDER scrawled rather crude in black sharpie. "I fix it tomorrow. Need new part." Ahmed hollered. Merely Liz sighed. Fuck, and I was hoping for at least my usual. At least there were donuts left, two glazed and one chocolate covered. That should be enough. She grabbed two cokes out of the freezer as well. "$5.79" He said ringing it all up. 'You need sack?"

"Nah, I'm good." Liz replied. "Later." And out the door she went, just as the sun was cresting over the tall shadows of the nearby apartment complexes. A speeding police cruiser caught her off guard somewhat, lights blazing and sirens belting out the battle cry of justice, or...some sort of justice since half the cops in this city were dirty badges. She wondered where they were off to in such a hurry, a wreck? a domestic dispute gone to Hell? An overdose? Another gang shooting or homicide? Either way, she watched it pass on as she kept walking...unfortunately not noticing she was about to crash into someone.

"Fuck!" She bumbled into the girl at full force, knocking one of the coke bottles loose and shattering it against the cracked and filthy concrete below her. "Dammit! Fucking cereal?"" She muttered to herself, already to her knees picking up broken glass, some of it cutting her fingers a little, not that it bothered her.

[Carlsberg]

@Rusalka

Jen let out a grunt as the girl walked into her, the force making her fall backwards and land on her butt. She stood up and winced a little.
"Not the usual way that girls make my butt sore," She said, stretching her back, before noticing what the girl was doing, "Hey, are you ok?"
She knelt down and saw the blood on the girls hands. She quickly grabbed the hands and held them up.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Can't you see your bleeding?" She gasped, her eyes wide.

[Rusalka]

@Carlsberg

A bit cold, Liz shrugged her away pulling her hands back, little nicks here and there, some stinging. "I'm fine." She grumbled wiping blood on her coat, not yet a good look at the girl she bumped into, at least not until her eyes met her face ripe with concern. "I'll uh...I'll watch where I'm going next time. Sorry." She mumbled, stammering her words a little. This girl was kinda cute Liz thought.

[LiegeLord]

Jared
*He continues walking along the path, looking around at the sights the city had. It was nice, he'll admit that. But every nice place has a sinister side to it, as he found out with gunshots and sirens here and there. This place is just like the others he's been to. But he wasn't talking to many people, he just didn't trust any of them. For all he knew, any of them could be lying to him or calling the cops behind his back. With his outfit he could easily be mistaken for some thug*

"I have to get that medicine somehow... but where..." *He continues on till he came across an alleyway, looking into it he saw a grizzled looking man. He sighed and finally just wanted to get it over with, he needed answers. He walked into the alleyway expecting a couple thugs to come out and try to beat him for money. Not common but he was used to that stuff by now, and he was more then willing and ready if they do. He walked up to the man, stopping a short distance away. Looking around a bit before calling out to him*

"Hey! You know where the nearest pharmacy is? Or a store that sells medicine?" *He was still cautious, but that coldness to his eyes never leaves as he keeps his emotionless face up. He didn't want a fight right now with Rebecca sick, but he was ready for if it happened. But if this is a guy that he thinks he might be, he'll have a couple dollars in his pocket as a small bribe. He'll have to find out how to get the money later anyway, but the information is more important*

[Carlsberg]

@Rusalka

"Hey, let me buy you another drink for the one I made you break. It's only fair," Jen said, smiling at the cute girl.
'She is a stunner,' She thought to herself, 'Though by the looks of her, probably not a potential client. Not that I wouldn't mind having some fun outside the job.

[Rusalka]

@Carlsberg

"Huh? Oh, nah, it's cool." Liz replied rubbing the back of her head, an awkward grin. Mike wouldn't have minded it. He was chill like that. Besides, he probably still had a few drops of whiskey left to down. Also, Liz didn't want to make this girl think it was her fault. "You uh...you live around here?" She asked her.

---------------------------

@LiegeLord

Michael was about half asleep, his eyes drooping shut almost and a half empty bottle of Jack barely clasped in his grubby hand. He stared at the ground aimlessly, his expression just a blank slate. His mind...it began to drift, began to fade away from reality as he heard it overhead.

Distant first the sound, like the galloping of a hundred horses across barren plains, the beating wings of a helicopter soaring above him. Then the shouts, the screams, the gunfire...it filled his ears and flooded his rapidly beating heart with such...horror.

He gripped his chest suddenly, feeling as if he was shot, literally feeling the searing torture of a bullet piercing into his flesh. And just as it had begun, it ended, leaving the grizzled vet in a chilling sweat.

"Hey! You know where the nearest pharmacy is? Or a store that sells medicine?"

"Huh?" His tired eyes followed the voice to the young man's face. A bit of a hoodlum he looked, but then again he looked like some washed up hobo. "Kinda looking in the wrong place, ain't ya, friend?" Michael chuckled heartily. "There's a pharmacy about a couple of blocks on East Avenue. Ain't far from here. Everything okay?"

[LiegeLord]

Jared
*He waited for the man, seeing him suddenly jump out of shock as if he was shot. He was patient about it all. But when the man asked if anything was fine, he just shook his head. He doesn't like people asking the questions*

"Friend is sick, so was going to see if I would be able to find medicine for them. Won't say anything else." *He didn't quite trust the guy, nor did he want to give away much about Rebecca. He can take a fight, but he hasn't seen her throw a punch in her life let alone trying to beat someone up. He looks out of the alleyway and nods* "Which way to get to East Avenue?" *Feeling stranger as he asks the questions, that one though made it look like he was new around these parts. It also makes him feel vulnerable, which he does not like at all*

[Carlsberg]

@Rusalka

Jen shrugged.
"Live is a relative term. I dont have anywhere I can call home. I usually sleep in an alley or in someone else's bed, when business is good. Why do you ask?" She said.
She really hoped that this girl actually was a client. A) she was hot and B) Jen hadn't had time to take a shower.

[KatherinWinter]

Roxy made her way casually down the street. She looked like just another teenager heading to school. Which was exactly what she wanted. She was blending in as she scoped out the morning crowd. She was very picky about her targets. They had to be rich enough that they wouldn't suffer from the loss of what she took. She refused to make some suffer. She slowly made her way downtown where more of the rich people would be.

[Dmessenger]

Leonardo woke up nearly jumping off the mattress when his alarm went off. "shit, I slept in." He then got up and grabbed his cloths smacking the his roommate on the way out "hey Asshole I'm leaving you should get up soon" He then ran out the door and jumped into his car and started it up. He then drove out of the parking garage and went down the street to a body shop where he pulled in. One of the mechanics shouted "hey Leo sleep in did we?" Leo shouted back, "yeah the race last night went on longer than expected." He then pulled his car into a bay and began to work on it. He knew that he needed it ready by tonight.

[Rusalka]

@Carlsberg

Her eyebrow rose a little at the girl mentioning she slept in other people's beds...when business was good. What business? Like she had to ask. It still didn't change her thoughts about this random stranger she bumped into. She was cute, beautiful Liz would say. Even if she was a whore, Liz would still like to maybe...get to know her a bit more. "Eh, no reason." She shrugged, a wry smile across her lips. "I just thought you did. Kinda feels like I've seen you around here before. Weird huh? Anyways, I don't really have a home either. I'm either sleeping at the bus stop or under the old bridge in the park. Then again, that's where I play alot."

@LiegeLord

A little strange this boy, acting so secretive about something. Again he wasn't one to judge, yet the man's bushy eyebrows furrowed slightly towards the kid. "Well, been a while since I've been down that way." He said scratching the stubble of his broad chin, rough even against his worn hands, like sand paper. "If you start walking north of here and go left on Milhurst. You should hit East Avenue. It's not hard to find the pharmacy either. Same old brick building and everything." A bit nostalgic Mike felt as he chuckled heartily, but his tone returned serious. "But kid, if your friend's sick, you might wanna take 'em to a doctor."

[LiegeLord]

@Rusalka

Jerad
*He nods and takes note of the directions, North and go left on Milhurst till he hit East Avenue. And he said it was an old brick building? Well his best bet to find what he needed. He didn't really pay attention to him after, trying to figure the directions until he asked that question. Take her to a doctor, wouldn't they fine him for at least looking at her? He turned to the man with the same face as usual* "Wouldn't they charge heavily for just looking at her on short notice...?"

[Carlsberg]

@Rusalka

"A lot of my regular clients live around here," Jen explained, making a general hand motion, "You play an instrument? What type?"
Jen was never against music. It was fun to listen to, and could be relaxing at times. Though she didn't think she had ever fooled around with a musician. Not yet anyway.

[Rusalka]

@Carlsberg

"Guitar mostly." Liz answered, her face feeling slightly warm, again at the mention of this girl's...profession. If she had the money, she probably would pay this girl for a bit of fun...and maybe some other things. But sadly she needed to save every penny she earned for the necessities of homeless life, food mostly. Still...part of her would have liked to spend some time with her. "So...you have a name?"

@LiegeLord

"Yeah, you're probably right there, the rich shitheads." His answer cynical and kind of gruff. "Well...if you want, I can take a look at her." He sighed with a soft smile, one last swig of his booze before tossing the bottle aside without a care in the world. "I was a doctor at one time...sort of." Not in the sense of a hospital, unless that hospital was a sandy, scorpion infested tent in the middle of the fucking deserts of Kandahar. True, if things had gone better for him, if life didn't decide to take a turn for the worst, he would have made something out of it....he would have had...the life he deserved.

[Carlsberg]

@Rusalka

"My name is Jennifer, but you can call me Jen," she said smiling at the girl.
She paused for a second, before her smile grew a little more devious.
"You know, I can play an instrument as well," she mentioned, before leaning in and whispering in the girls ear, "I can touch women in ways that make them sing."

[Rusalka]

@Carlsberg ((*internal nosebleed*))

If she thought her face was red before, it was a cherry tomato when Jen leaned in and whispered...that in her ear. "Re-e-eally..." She chuckled with a nervous stammer. The girl was dropping hints left and right, and just by one it was obvious she was into the ladies, but damn, she never thought Jen was into her. Still, Jen, it was a cute name, for a cute girl no less. Liz could sing pretty good, but if anything, this chick would probably make her hit a high note. "Jen huh?" She bit her lip a little. "I'm uh...Liz, by the way. Well, Elizabeth, but...you know." Again a stupid grin.