New Kid on the Block
Posted on Tue Aug 6th, 2024 @ 6:04pm by Dante & George Brooks
1,523 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
The Road Ahead
Location: Between Track 61 Hideout and the Strand Bookstore, Manhattan
Timeline: September 8, 2010 -6:00 .am.
George was hungry. It had been a day since he last ate anything. Everything he had, aside from what he currently possessed, had been lost in the fire that was still consuming the block that his aunt's apartment had been on. He had slept very little over the first long night alone. The world had quickly changed from what he was used to.
He had been trapped up in New York City, when the virus had shut everything down. Then, in the chaos that ensued, he had been separated from his team and coaches. So, he made the decision to head to his aunt's apartment, which he knew was only a few blocks north of Madison Square. When he reached her home, he found that she had left for work, as she was an ER Nurse. So, using the key he had been given by his mother before his team flew up from Orlando, he let himself in.
As his aunt had nit been expecting company, there had not been much food in the fridge. However, George was respectful of her home, and had made sure that he cleaned up after himself.
Now, out in the cold of the streets, he took a few minutes to huddle behind a dumpster, as he tried to get warm.
The city was just coming awake when Dante left the Infernals to their slumber. Today being Moving Day, everyone was excited and maybe a little nervous. It had been a minute since they'd slept above ground in actual beds with windows that let in light. Old Auntie and her friends would be over soon, bringing clothes and other essential in a car that would be parked in the hotel's underground garage. Safe enough, and they insisted on doing it themselves, but still .. Dante felt the need to check the route they would take. Make sure it was safe.
He traveled along a driveway that ran behind the stores and crept up toward the main street, using one of several alleys. So far, nothing worrisome. The occasional 'adult' shuffling along as though they still had a purpose to their 'lives' if you could call it that. Dante stopped just past a couple of dumpsters, full to overflowing with trash, to check the route map in his journal when he heard a noise and whipped around.
George was huddled under a pile of garbage bags, trying to keep the northern chill out of his bones. When the other teen walked by, he was startled. He stood up on his roller blades, and held his goalie stick out defensively. "Who are you?!"
"Dante," he replied as he closed his journal and tucked it into his backpack with a smooth, practiced motion that did not require him to take his eyes off the boy in front of him. "And you are?"
George looked at the way Dante was watching him. He got the feeling that he was dangerous. Of course, the whole world had become dangerous, so did it really matter?
"I'm George. George Brooks." He turned his head slightly, listening for anyone sneaking up behind him. If he had been in shoes, he'd feel more confident. However, all he had left, was what he was wearing, and he had never fought anyone while wearing his blades. Still he was a great skater, and could wield his goalie stick similarly to the bo he used to train with in Karate.
"Pleasure to meet you, George," Dante said, miming a tip of an imaginary hat. "Now, unless you intend to mug me, in which case, it's a very poor start to identify yourself, I'll be on my way. Got things to do, you know."
"Wait!" George replied urgently, as he lowered the stick. "Forgive me. I've been alone the last few days, and I just lost the only safe place I had in the city, due to a fire. Do..do you know where I could get some food?" He moved his blades some, "maybe a pair of shoes?"
Dante considered the request for a moment before nodding his agreement. "I do," he said. "And I'll help you under two conditions. First, you don't raise that stick toward me or mine again and second, you agree to give lessons," he gestured toward George's blades, "to my Infernals."
George considered it, then nodded. "I'll go one better, Dante. Before all of this, I studied Okinawan-style Karate, both open hand and weapons. While I never made my black belt -only reached brown belt a couple months ago, and thus am no true sensai, I'll show your Infernals everything I know."
"For that," Dante said, "I"ll throw in a safe place to sleep and a whole new family if you want one."
The idea of safety, especially in the world as they knew it now, had George nodding, as he tucked the goalie stick into the elbow of his left arm, while extending his right hand to Dante. "You have a deal!"
"This will make all of us safer," Dante said as he shook George's hand. "There are rules though. Maybe 50 altogether and I'll teach them to you. Make sure you know. Breaking the rules comes with punishment, usually cleaning out the compost toilets."
This made George chuckle. "Then I'll just have to make sure I don't break any rules." Suddenly, his stomach growled loudly. Blushing slightly, he apologized. "I haven't eaten anything since yesterday morning."
Dante rummaged in his backpack and pulled out a couple of energy bars which he passed over. "Always keep a couple on hand," he said as he gestured for George to join him. "C'mon, we'll go get you something to eat." He grinned cheerfully. "And wait till you see our kitchen."
George took the bars and, after slipping one into his pocket, he opened the wrapper on the second and ate it. He then skated along with Dante as he followed him to the promised safety. "Thank you, Dante. For both the energy bars and the home. You have my word that I won't ever do anything to make you doubt your decision."
Dante planned the route so that it would take them past one of the thrift shops because those were often overlooked. Still, he knew that this one had been run by one of the local churches and had a good supply of clothes and shoes. They'd been in the middle of a back to school push when the world fell apart.
He was a talented thief, well on his way toward becoming a master thief when the world fell apart which meant that most locks held no challenge for him. His policy, as far as the Infernals went, was to let everyone help and he often taught what he knew to those interested in learning. They had, in fact, a large pile of practice locks back 'home'. He opened the rear door and gestured for George to slip inside. "Shoes, clothes," he said. "Take what you need."
George nodded, then carefully rolled into the store. The first thing he found was an old military duffel bag, on a shelf with some second and third-hand luggage. He could use it to carry his gear in easily. Next, he rolled over to where the boy's and men's clothes were. He found two pairs of jeans that were his size. One was a black, button fly pair of Levi's, and the second was a pair of khaki cargo pants.
Next, he found a few t-shirts, with varied graphic designs on them, a blue Oxford, and a black and yellow flannel long-sleeve button up. There was a single package of unopened boxer briefs that were his size and two packages of socks. He took one package of socks, and left the other for someone else. Finally, he came to the shoe aisle. The only pair that were his size, were a pair of black leather combat boots. The soles looked like they had been recently replaced, though the leather of the boots showed many years of use and care.
Changing out of his current clothing, he pulled on the cargo pants and one of the tees, one with the logo of the Autobots on the front. Once he was dressed, he packed the duffel with his pads, gloves and helmet first, then put in his old clothes, before picking up the bag and put it on his back, then grabbed his stick before heading back to where Dante was waiting. He stopped by the coats and grabbed a navy blue pea coat and black Stetson.
Stepping back to Dante, he said, "Thanks for this. Even if nothing else good happens to me, today has helped more than you know."
"If you think that's good," Dante said, as he stuffed a few t-shirts, sized way too small for him, into his backpack, "wait till you see what's coming next." He grinned cheerfully. "We move quietly now. The less attention we attract, the better, understand?"
George nodding in understanding. He then followed Dante in silence, his eyes and ears open for any danger.
Continued in the Post, "Moving Day"
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