EYES LIKE RAZORS

(133) Nunnery

"You're one of them Shelbys, ain't you?"

Madison confusedly looks around for the high pitched voice she'd just heard, before she found a group of kids huddled in small alcove down a side lane. They had bruises all over them, and looked like they had no flesh on their bones.

"I am," Madison confirms, going down the side lane so she was now stood in front of them. If she had to guess they were between the ages of 6 and 14.

The kids all look at each other, before one of the older looking girls steps forwards, holding her arm out, "I'm Alannah, everybody calls me Ally."

The huddle of kids watch nervously as Madison throws her cigarette to the floor, putting it out so she could shake the young black girls hand, "I'm Madison, can I help you?"

"Yes... please help us." Ally nods, "my sister, Natalie, she was laughing and the nuns weren't, she's not in a good place."

The group parts, and Madison can see a bloodied little body laying on the floor, one boy crouched beside her, softly speaking to her.

"Nuns?"

"We are the children of the nuns." Ally replies, watching the woman slowly walk towards her sister, kneeling down on one knee beside Natalie and gently pressing two of her fingers into the crook of her neck.

Madison could only feel a faint heartbeat against her fingertips, and began to cautiously feel around the crown of the young girls head until she found the cause of the blood loss. There was a large gash at the side of her head.

She reached into her pocket, retrieving her pocket square to gently press to the wound.

There was a shuffle of feet and Madi looked up to see the five children all staring at her waist with wide eyes, only to realise her gun was now on show.

"Really Miss Shelby, we mean no harm," one of the younger boys speaks, shivering slightly.

"I know," Madison responds, removing her jacket and throwing it towards him, "put it on, don't make me tell you twice."

Madi rolls her sleeves up to her elbows, gently picking Natalie up off the floor, resting her on her hip, Natalies head now resting against her shoulder.

"Where are you taking her?" Alannah asks worriedly.

"She needs medical attention and I can't do that here. We need to go back to my house." Madison explains.

"What sort of medical attention? Is she going to be okay?" the boy wearing her jacket was tugging on her free hand.

"She'll be just fine." Madison assures, "now all of you, come on."

"All of us?"

"Yes." Madison states, beginning to walk away, the small scurry of feet following behind her as she lead them towards Watery Lane.

Hugo and Millie are walking down the stairs when they see his mum enter the house with a gaggle of kids following nervously behind her, and a frail body in her arms.

"How can I help?" Hugo questions, following them into the kitchen.

"How can we help?" Millie corrects.

"Cold water, rum and a cloth." Madison instructs, "one of you get Ed."

Hugo was at the sink, filling a bowl with water and Millie rushed into the betting den, making a beeline for Edmunds desk, customers moving out of the way as she walks by, well aware of her connections to the family.

"Here, anything else?" Hugo asks.

"Make some food, please." Madison says and he nods, "thank you," she smiles at him, standing behind the chair Natalie was sat on, soaking the cloth in rum and starting to clean the gash.