A challange for you all!

[Yellie]

Please work with me here if you feel like it, I will begin a story and then you can continuou it...don't end it but leave it open for the next person to continuo!




Days of rust.



We are like weeds, blooming through the concrete every where.

I ran away from home when I was nine years old, and two years later I lived permanently under the bridge with my gang on the borderline between Mexico and the states as a permanent member of: ‘The free rebels’.
Lolo took me under her protection after I had lived the first half a year in the back of an old car behind the main station.
I can still smell the rust from the corroded metal on my body. In the months I spend living in the metal skeleton of ‘Princess Velma, (as I named the almost decomposed Volvo,) it was as if the car sank into my skin together with the street, and my colour turned somewhat orange. Hence the free rebels named me Rusty.
Lolo is only fourteen, but she is the leader of our gang, though her boyfriend, Shade, pretends that he is. She is also my best friend. She has dark brown eyes like most of us kid’s, but a taint of yellow madness moves through her gaze when we go out to fight another gang or rob the people trying to cross through the boarder zone.
We all sniff pink and purple cans of paint at night under the bridge while watching the sun burn out on the sky. Then we head out.
#nosmileys

[aj]

But where do we go? Nowhere, for we have no place of our own. We skulk around in the midnight air like a pack of scavengers sifting through the refuse of the real world. We scrape our knuckles under heavy shoulders through the thick part of town. We are refuse ourselves; the abandoned, unwanted children of dreamers long dead.

[Yellie]

Most of my memories from back then, are confused and hazy, the smell of gasoline, paint, sweet, illness and wild roses transcending the pictures rolling through my mind,
Filling me with fear and anger.
But for two weeks or so, we lived another life all together.
For two weeks we lived like human beings.
I and crazy, beautiful Lolo.
Lolo woke me up just as the sun was burning through the twilight clouds at dawn. Her eyes full of morning stars and madness.
Rusty…Rusty…come.
I followed her, shaking dirt and dew of my hair, sleep from my eyes. Sharp pain, moving like ballet dancers, through my mind.
The night before we had battled for our lives against another group of kids.
I am not sure who won, but they left. The free rebels, our brothers and sisters were badly wounded though. Three of the kids were caught by the police and Mysterious King, a boy of eleven years like me, had been left with a deep cut to his belly at the mercy of the local hospital. I never saw King again.
I had taken a blow to my head and Lolos hands were smeared in cuts and blood. I sedated the pain while the moon rose like an orange on the sky, by sniffing half a can of blue spray paint, leaving cobalt smears like lipstick on my mouth.
Lolo was one of a small number of girls in our community, her face the mask of an angel. She could have asked me to go anywhere, and I would. Shade was left under the bridge, in deep spray paint dreams.
The town was still half asleep, prostitutes, pimps, druggies and thief’s drifting through the turquoise light breathing through the polluted clouds on the sky.
She moved like a flickering shadow close to the walls, holding my hand without noticing that her blood glued our palms together.
She took a turn up a street that I had never been up before. I stopped confused; she pulled me so that I almost fell, Lolo…
Shh, she cast a fast gaze up the slumbering cobblestones. We were entering the golden part of the city, where the rich lived. Tall, lovely trees and gilded gates stretching in front of me.
I did not fear many things, but the guards on these streets were well known for their cruelty.
She smiled vaguely and I followed her on, my heart beating like mad.
We hid behind cars and corners, dancing from shadow to shadow, all the time playing a deadly tango close to the perception of the rich people’s guards.
She brought me to a house similar to a castle.
Rusty, she laughed with her wild eyes, welcome home.
She opened her hand and revealed a key.
#nosmileys

[aj]

"Don't you want a little normal?"she said with an impish grin across her dirty face. "Don't you want a little food and warm water?"she added. The thoughts of comfort smoothed over my painful head. An eagerness tightened my skin. "It's too dangerous!"I said. "Where did you get a key?" I asked, but she gave no answer. She just waved me on and told me to hush. Right before the entrance she grabbed my arms tightly and brought me close to her face and said, "Now stay close, and try to be quiet." Tears welled in her eyes as she waited for my agreement. I nodded and followed her to the door. I was both thrilled and scared beyond belief and dying of curiosity.

[Char]

Slowly she inserted the key turning her head towards the door, listening to any movement from inside. She looked at me with a look of sadness that I couldn't identify, as she cautiously opened that heavy door... Lolo stuck her head inside making sure the coast was clear while I stood there nervous as all hell wondering what in blue blazers we were doing there in the first place! As she took a step inside she turned and grabbed my arm pulling me with her giving me the "shsh" sign. After closing the door behind us, I just couldn't help but to l@@k around with growing amazment! The "house" was enormous with it's gold-gilted picures, marbled floors and a chandelier that just about blinded me with its sparkling brilliance! And that stairway! It curved all the way up to the next floor! Why at least four people could probably stand side by side and walk up together... "It's beautiful" I mouthed to Lolo, my eyes as big as saucers. I continued to look around but Lolo just stood there in the entrance-way with tears shimmering in her eyes. "What's wrong?" I whispered to her. But she said not a word or acknowledged that she even heard me... As I turned away to look at the pictures that stood upon the mantle-top, my jaw just about fell to my chest! There, in one of the family portraits, and there in another picture with a boy who looked just like her except that his hair was shorter and here a couple more although obviously from when she was younger~was Lolo!!! I turned to Lolo, our eyes met and she gave a rueful smile. Just then a noise from above caused us both to look towards the top of the stairs...

[aj]

A tall, slender shadow grew upon the white walls and stretched on down the length of the staircase. My heart was a pound of pulp within my chest as I grabbed Lolo's arm. "Let's get out of here!" I whispered sharply. She turned her gaze to me, her eyes full of tears. She brought her finger to her mouth and whispered softly, "Shhh. Don't be afraid." We slipped into the dark alcove as someone appeared.
"Is someone there?" a soft, sweet voice sang. "Hello?"
Wafting in the air was the heavy aroma of potatoes and spices. My mouth nearly spilled over with water and my knees were buckling weak from hunger. It had been so long since I smelled good food; real food. Fresh food; not the rotten discards of the fat fortunate world. I could feel my legs give way. They melted from under me and my head swam deliriously on my shoulders. My hands firmly gripped Lolo's shoulders. But even they loosened and released her. I managed to take a breath before feeling my eyes roll back into my head. Above me I could see a mural on the ceiling. It looked familiar to me. I remembered seeing it in a book when I was little. There was an old man dressed in linens reaching for a nearly naked younger man. Their fingers were nearly touching and they rode two white fluffy clouds. There were little angels too flanking the old man. It looked like something from heaven. Blues, whites and bold faces, spinning gloriously above me. Was that the face of God? Was that Adam? I raised my arms to touch them. I looked up high to be with them. I felt as though my body was rising over the slick marble floor. When the thin rubber soles on my feet squeaked sharply and I landed hard, and my breath flew immediately out of me.

[Char]

"Oh no!" I thought for just a brief second as I frantically tried to draw in a breath. Panic struck me as my lungs fought for air that wasn't happening right at that particular moment, until with a gasp I was finally able to inhale jerky breaths instantly relieving that panicky feeling when you think you'll never catch your breath again! Meanwhile, as I laid on the white marble floor streaked with gold, Lolo was desparately trying to keep my thrashing limbs from knocking over an expensive (looking) vase that stood not even two feet from my body, while also trying to keep my gasping to a minimum... Which turned out to do no good because as I looked up towards the staircase, in my confusion what I saw was an angel flowing down the stairs in a white silky robe that rippled and carressed her as she neared the bottom stair...Her hair was golden... With subtle shades of red that fell in soft, gentle waves down her back. Her eyes were a deep brown that I knew so well...

[aj]

Her face was framed by a mist as if we were in the clouds above us in the mural. She seemed to be as one of the cherubs embracing God in that picture. And she brought with her the scent of flowers and spice. I felt my arms raise toward her for her to embrace me. Her voice spoke softly, "Maria? Is that you, querida?" Lolo knelt down and looked at me, and she tried to help me up. "Rusty, are you okay? Mama he's fainted." she said before I saw the walls on either side of my vision quickly close in and leave me in darkness.

[Char]

"Rusty! Rusty! Wake up Rusty!" I could hear the concern in Lolo's voice... "Don't worry my Maria, your friend just has fainted. Look, he's coming 'round. Poor thing! Look at you both, so thin! Oh Maria, where have you been we've been so worried!" This I could hear as my vision and hearing slowly returned. Lolo's arms cradled my head as she sat on the floor combing my hair back from my face with her long slender fingers."What happened?" was my first response although I already knew what had happened. I was totally unsure about why. And did Lolo actually call this angel Mama??? And who's Maria??? I closed my eyes and drifted off into the clouds with the aroma of jasmine wafting in the air...#nosmileys

[aj]

I woke up surrounded by white linens and plush pillows. I could hear a guitar playing outside the window. Light laughter and chatter floated above the music. Where the sun sat in the clearest sky I had seen in years told me it was midday. So that heavenly aroma hanging in the smooth warm breezes was lunch perhaps? I took a deep breath and closed my eyes and fell back into the mountain of pillows and stared at the ceiling. What was going on here? I thought for sure I'd be staring at some desperate criminal in a dank prison cell by now. I brought my hand to my face and I realized I was clean! My hands washed, nails trimmed, I even smelled good; like clean laundry and soap! That fine layer of rust was gone! I shot around the room to find my clothes, but they weren't there. I looked under the sheets and saw that I was wearing some large pajama bottoms. I felt a tear come to my eye. It had been so long that someone cared after me. I wanted to cry hard. I wanted to let out the last few years out in a bawling fit! But I composed myself to deal with a more pressing matter; my hunger. A sharp stab to my empty stomach and the welling of my mouth with water won over my need to vent. I could hear the clinking of flatware against porcelain just under my window. I leaned over to catch a glimpse of the diners...

[Char]

I couldn't exactly see who was down there in the patio eating, 'cause there was some wooden structure with open sides but a criss-cross pattern for the top. And it had flowers and vines growing all through it, but I could tell that Lolo was there. I could hear her talking softly so I couldn't make out what she was saying. Just then I heard "Maria! You could have been hurt very badly! Promise me you'll never live like that again...Such filth and not enough food to eat! Promise me Maria, that I won't have to pray for your safety and your return again... I'm too old, my heart isn't strong enough..."

[aj]

There was some murmuring and the clinking stopped all together. I thought to myself as I gazed out the window at the rolling green hills of this estate, 'Her name is really Maria!' I said softly, "Maria!" How sweetly that name rolled off my tongue. Thoughts of her played my head and I forgot my air-filled stomach was aching for food.
The door swung wide open and there they stood like two shining angels. Maria and her mother with their arms full. I could barely stand and the pajamas were too big to stay up without my help.
"Rusty? Are you feeling better?" Lolo asked with a smile brighter than a copper kettle. "I-I'm hungry." I said.
"Of course you are!" her mother said sharply.

[Char]

I stood there with growing anticipation while holding up my pajamas watching Maria and her mother bustle about moving things here and there making room for all the food that they had brought. The aromas that wafted under my nose left me weak with longing, and Maria's Mom must have seen me falter, so she took my arm real gently and brought me to the make-shift table, and I sat down before I fell down! "Here", she said. "there are lots of good things here to eat. I know it will be difficult, but try to eat slowly." I looked up at Maria's mother, but to me she was still an Angel... She smiled then she turned and left. Lolo~no not Lolo, but Maria said, "Come on silly, look at all this food Mama cooked for you!" as she started taking the covers off of the plates. "Here, look... There are fried bananas in syrup, linguisa, and tamales. Chicken enchiladas, cinnamon crisps, and tortilla triangles, and for dessert..." Maria stopped talking just as suddenly as she had started. I just sat there with tears rolling down my gaunt cheeks. " What is wrong Rusty? Aren't you hungry? Are you sad?" Maria reached over and put her soft hand over mine. My heart skipped a beat and I looked up at her and smiled. "No, I'm not sad Maria. I just don't know where to start! Everything looks and smells so delicious, and I never even heard of some of these things yet I want to taste them all... And this is your home... And the Angel, she is your mother, and I'm very confused..." "I know and I'm sorry. But for now you must eat and get your strength up and then we'll talk some more." Maria watched me as I ate a little bit of everything. Soon I was so full I thought my stomache would explode! Just then Maria's mom came into the room exclaiming her pleasure at all the food I had consumed.
"Now Maria, I think that we should let Rusty rest a bit after his big feast. You both can talk when he's woken up and rested." "Yes, Mama. " she said with a chuckle. "I can see that he's falling asleep already in his chair!" Maria and her mother got on either side of Rusty and helped him back to bed where they tucked him in as his eyes lazily started to close. Rusty could hear them murmering as they settled him in. "Maria, do you not know his real name? Rusty does not fit him at all." "No, Mama, I never asked him" she said as they turned to leave the room. They sounded so far away as if in a dream. "It's Matthew," I mumbled. "My name is Matthew..." There was silence and then I heard my Angel say softly, "Sleep tight Mateo," then Maria's voice whispering my name, "Mateo..."

[aj]

At last my hunger pangs were quelled. Slowly I slipped, sweetly and quietly to sleep. It felt as though I was dying with my tense stomach girgling and moaning as if it didn't recognize its' contents! I fell into a sleep eagerly. I wanted to rush to my dreams like one would rush to see a lover. I thought, 'If I am dying I am so glad this is my death.' I couldn't think of a sweeter way to go as I drifted deeper and deeper into that orange night, the night behind my eyelids as they closed slowly in the midday sun. 'Maria...Maria...Maria...'

[Char]

When I finally awoke and opened my eyes there was Maria sitting in a huge chair that was beside my bed. She was sleeping still which gave me a chance to really check out the room in which I slept. It was a big room and it had three huge windows that had silky soft curtains that draped over a golden rod across the top of the window and flowed all the way to the floor where it "pooled" gently. On the left wall was a fireplace with an ornate wooden mantel that continued and reached all the way to the ceiling, which made it look as if it was a huge picture frame. In the middle of this "frame" was a mirror so beautiful... It had a gold frame around it with roses and their petals that looked as though they had been dipped in gold and placed all around the edges... There were some large pictures on the walls too, that looked much like the pictures that were downstairs. Clouds and cherubs...and Angels... The bed that I slept in was white as was the rest of the furniture. The bed also had a canopy that had the same white, silk material as the windows that flowed across the top of the canopy and wrapped around the bedposts to the floor... Maria awoke but said nothing as she watched "Mateo's" face as he took in the beautifully decorated room. When his gaze finally took him to Maria, she was smiling. "Good morning Mateo! You must have gotten enough rest, for you've slept right through the day yesterday and all of the night!" "Oh yes!" I said as I quickly sat up. I could feel my face redden and wondered just how long Maria was awake and watching me!