Street Runner

Chapter 3: A New Friend

Chapter 3

A New Friend

When I woke up early the next morning the little girl was still bundled inside of my sleeping bag. I really wanted to wake her up and take my sleeping bag back so that I could move on with my day. I considered going on about my day, spanging a bit, and then coming back to get my sleeping bag from her. I shook my head of the stupid thought. That sleeping bag was all that I had besides the clothes on my back and I wasn't about to loose it to some kid.

"Wake up," I said gruffly, nudging the sleeping girl with my foot. When she didn't move I nudged her harder. "Time for you to wake up. I need my stuff back," I said once she was woke. She sat up and her head swayed as she blinked a couple of times. She still looked extremely exhausted and I kinda felt guilty for waking her up.

Forget her, I thought, I need my sleeping bag.

Once she had moved off of it I hurried to roll it up tightly before deciding if I should put it back in its former hiding spot. I stole a quick glance at the girl who was sitting along the wall watching me with deer like eyes. "This," I said patting my sleeping bag, "is mines. So if I find you curled up in it tonight Ima snatch it off of you. Got it?" I know it was pretty harsh to say to a little girl but I wanted her to understand that it was mines. Besides, if she was gonna live on the streets she better start learning what to do and what not to do.

Instead of her looking scared and nodding she said, "You're coming back here tonight?" Her voice held a bit of hopefulness in it. I just looked at her and put my sleeping bag back behind the trash can before leaving her in the alley.

Just let me find her in my sleeping bag tonight and she'll learn, I thought as I began to walk the streets.

***

I came back to the alley later that night with a plate of take out fries by someone who was nice enough to buy them for me. The first thing I did was check on my sleeping bag. I let out a sigh of relief when I saw it in its place. I then looked back to the spot the girl had been sitting when I had left her earlier and to my surprise she was still there.

"You've stayed here all this time?" I asked, voicing my thought.

"Yes," she said quietly, with her knees pulled to her chest.

I walked closer to her so that I could see her better in the dim light. Whenever I talked to someone I liked to see their face. Or eyes at least, I silently added as I thought about the Muslim lady from the day before.

I stared at the girl hard. Her eyes remind me of....

I stopped myself. It was like everyone I met reminded me of someone. Maya. The Muslim woman. And now this kid. What the hell was wrong with me? Was I that desperate and lonely that I made any and every connection possible to people that where in my life prior to this?

"Aye, what's your name?" I asked the girl curiously.

"My name is Zaylee," the girl replied with the same meekness. Strange name, I thought.

"Have you eaten?" What the hell are you doing? I angrily asked myself. She shook her head no. "I've got some fries. Want some?" I asked. Nooo, one side of me screamed, look at all the meat on her bones! She probably weighs more than you!

The other side of me was more like, come on now. Look at the poor, lost little girl. She's all alone and hungry looking. Spare a fry or two.

The girl stood up. "I'm really hungry," she announced speaking loudly which made me cringe, "I haven't eaten all day." She walked up to me and I realized that she wasn't exactly little at all like I had thought the night before. She looked kind of tall for the age I had guessed her to be which was around 9 through 12 years old. She was just a few inches shorter than me.