This Dark Disposition

Chapter 2 - Growing Pains

3 Days Later - Birmingham

Danielle was a smart woman. She was intelligent, educated in two professions, and had survived the bloodiest, most devastating and violent conflict in human history. That is why it was so frustrating for her when the headmaster at the local school in Small Heath, the only area of the city in which Danielle could afford to live, looked Danielle up and down and said "We are not looking to hire anyone else here" in his breathy, snobbish tone.

Frankly, Danielle was pissed off as she walked home, down the cobblestone steps, when she decided that she desperately needed a drink. As she approached the Garrison, Danielle muttered to herself that there had to be plenty of jobs in Birmingham since the place seemed to be such a train-wreck: coal dust, filth, and the smell of sweat from factory men in ample abundance.

Danielle stepped through the doors of the Garrison rather aggressively when to her shock she ran into someone on the other side. Danielle seemed to bounce right off the man as she stumbled back into the door she had just walked though.

"I didn't see you there" Danielle said.

"Don't worry Angel" the man said, clearly drunk "you are forgiven" he slurred, while making a bowing motion towards her, bottle of rum in hand.

Not thinking much of this, Danielle turned her eyes away from the man, and towards the bar, when she noticed that everyone was looking at her. She thought perhaps they were looking at her because she had never been here before, but then she realized they weren't looking at her in a curious, or even in the creepy way that men often do, rather they were all looking at her as though they were scared to death. When the man walked out of the bar, the looks went away from her, and half the bar let out a sigh of relief. Walking over to the bar, Danielle muttered "That was weird" and sat down on a barstool at the counter.

The bartender, though somewhat apprehensive, walked over to her and said "Out of all the people you could pick, you pick to run into you pick that one" he said, "You're lucky he let it go."

Danielle didn't respond. She didn't know what to think about what the bartender had said. "I'll take a glass of gin" she said, dismissing it.

She sat and drank her drink in silence while listening to the bar around her. That was until a man who smelt of sweat and beer came over and sat uncomfortably close to her. "You must not be from around here, sweetheart," the man said.

"Something like that," Danielle replied coldly, sipping her drink.

"Where are you from" he said, not like he was asking, but rather, as though he was demanding.

Danielle didn't respond, she continued drinking.

"Listen lady, I asked where you're from" he stated boldly.

Danielle continued to ignore him.

The man got out of his chair and stood beside her.

"I asked you a question," He shouted.

Danielle finished her drink, put it on the counter, and then flipped a coin onto the bartop. She stood and walked out of the bar without saying a word. It was now dark, and the man had followed her out. The man cut in front of Danielle and said "You know I haven't had the company of a woman for a while." Danielle went to move around him and he grabbed her wrist. "Listen Lady," the man started. Then without thinking Danielle wretched her wrist away and punched the man square in the jaw. He then fell back, and dropped to the cobblestone. "You bitch!" The man called, "I won't forget this" He yelled as Danielle stepped over him and continued walking.

As she took a few more steps Danielle saw the man she ran into sitting on the cobblestones against a building. He was clearly intoxicated, Danielle thought that he must be too drunk to make it home. She wondered how many people must have walked by him without helping.

She decided to go over to the man and see if she could help him. "Hello Sir, do you need help?" she asked.

"Angel!" He exclaimed, "That's a mighty right hook you got. Did you enjoy the pub?"

"Yes, although clearly not as much as you," Danielle said. Her tendencies as a nurse began to kick in and it was clear to her that if she did not help this man home, no one would. "What is your name?" She asked.

"Arthur," He said in his jubilant tone.

"Do you have a home, Arthur?" She asked.

"Just down Watery Lane" he stated, as he motioned down the street.

"Alright then, up you get" she said as she helped the man up. She put his arm over her shoulders to steady him, as she had done with so many men in France. They began to walk down the lane to a long line of row homes.

"This is my stop, Angel," Arthur said, stumbling towards the door. Danielle knocked on the door and a middle aged woman answered.

"Arthur" She stated, as though she was not surprised to see him. Arthur then walked inside the home, revealing Danielle standing behind. "Who are you?" the woman asked.

"Danielle"

"Well girl, you must have some balls if you're willing to help a blinder off the street, much less a Shelby. It's nice to meet you, I'm Polly"

"I'm sorry, did you say 'a blinder'?" Danielle asked. She peaked through the door into the house. Whether it be because of the war, or simply because it was Danielle's nature, Danielle was observant; she noticed two peculiar things about this house. The first being the handgun on the kitchen table. The second, being a room that was separated from the kitchen by a double set of doors. To Danielle, it looked like a gambling ring.

"Yes, you must not be from around here," Polly said.

"No, I'm from Manchester, I just moved here to find work"

"Were you a nurse?"

"Ay"

"Well I guess that explains why you were willing to walk a drunk stranger home. I will see what I can do about getting you work, Danielle..." Polly pondered.

"Danielle Virtue"

"Have a goodnight, Miss Virtue" Polly said, and with that Danielle turned to walk home a few streets away. As she walked, she couldn't help but think about what Polly had said, and what she had seen in the house. She wasn't sure what was going on with this family, or what they were involved in, but she knew it must have been illegal.

The next day, around noon Danielle was awoken by a knock at the door. Much to her surprise, it was Polly.

"I've got you a job at our pub" She stated, without even saying hello.

"When do I start"

"Now, so you had better grab your coat"

"Thanks for the job, Polly"

"You had better not thank me yet" She said, as both women began to walk towards Watery Lane and to the Garrison.