Last Day Feast

Posted on Mon Aug 5th, 2024 @ 1:48am by Dante & John ("Dodger") Smith & Amythyst

2,704 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: The Road Ahead
Location: Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, Manhattan
Timeline: September 7, 2010 - 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

"We're in the middle of moving," Dante explained as he led Dodger and Amy up into the hotel. "This has been home to us. For some of us the only safety there was even before the virus. But its not as safe as it was so, we're moving and there's still a lot to do. If you don't mind cleaning, that is."

Dodger followed dutifully along when Dante waved for him and Amy to join the Infernal leader and they entered the hotel. Though he was still quiet as Dante gave Amy an explanation of what was happening and telling her she could help by cleaning. he wondered if that included him as well or did Dante have another task for him to undertake?

Dante led Amy into the hotel's industrial kitchen where most of the Infernals were busy bagging up trash and moving their food stockpile into the walk-ins. Powdered milk, cans of evaporated and condensed milk, oatmeal, canned tuna and chicken, spam, dried pasta, tomato sauce, jarred and canned, Parmesan cheese, the kind that in the cardboard canister, canned beans, canned soups, jars of applesauce and much, much more. If it didn't spoil or mold, the Infernals had been trucking it back to their home for months.

"If you want to help," Dante said, "this is what there is to do."

Amy nodded. She could do that. She watched them go and then set about helping the others clean out the area. She had lived in East Harlem, so she was not overly squeamish so she was able to lug out rotting food without complaint.

"Dodger," Dante said, "You come with me. I got something else in mind for us to do."

Dodger looked to the Infernal leader, "Sure thing Dante," he replied, wondering just what Dante had in store for them to do. Something told him it wasn't going to be a ten-minute job.

Dante walked with Dodger over toward the large bar in the hotel dining room and gestured toward the bottles of booze. "You and me, we're going to move this into the tunnels. Set up a secret cache only you and I will know about."

Dodger eyed the rows of bottles on the shelves as well those stored under the bar. There were long bottles and short one, colored bottles and clear ones. "Okay." He said agreeably. "Lots of bottles Dante maybe a couple of hundred. We'll need some boxes to help move them into the tunnels."

"Yeah," Dante said. "We can use a couple of plastic crates. They should be strong enough. But first." He hopped up on one of the bar stools as he turned his full attention on Dodger. "What's up with you?"

"Plastic crates will work." Dodger said eyeing the bottles and then stopped as Dante questioned him. Dodger thought about blowing the question off, but he wouldn't do that to Dante. He had never lied to Dante, and he wasn't about to start now. "Oh, well I figured you were disappointed in me for leaving the little ones in the bookstore when Amy showed up and I came back to help, check on you. So, after that I thought it would be better to be seen and not heard," he explained.

"Seen and not heard," Dante said, gesturing with his hand, "after ... you and her were arguing that is. Look, you know the rules as well as I do. I told you to keep the kids safe. She comes in one end, distracts, someone else comes in the other side. You were their defense and you walked away. Yeah, that bothered me."

Dodger nodded, Dante was right and that made it worse. "I do know the rules and you are right; I did walk away. I did check the front door and it was locked and I gave Henry my bat before I came to you," Dodger answered. it wasn't an excuse just an explanation. He already felt bad, and he didn't want Dante to think he just left the others. "I let you and the others down. I'm sorry Dante. It won't happen again."

"Henry's not a good in a fight but okay," Dante said. "You're on toilet cleaning tonight along with Henry who, as it turns out, I caught stealing energy bars. Now." Dante turned back toward the alcohol. "It occurred to me that this stuff could be worth something in trade. If we're careful so I want to hide it. And no one, I mean no one, is to know where we stash it." This would be the first time he had ever let anyone else in on a cache location and it was a measure of the trust he had in Dodger that he chose him. "Let's get to work."

Dodger nodded at Dante's statement of punishment. Toilet cleaning, yuck at least it was for only one night. "Those bottles can also be used for weapons. stick rags in em and light them. Could cover an escape. Maybe keep a few out for that? And no one will know about them. Just the two of us." He glanced back at the bottles. "Let's do this."

And while Dodger and Dante did the heavy lifting, lugging crates of alcohol into the tunnels and a particular location that would be very hard to find. Work continued in the hotel's kitchen and in Track 61 as well.

Amy worked alongside other children and didn't speak much, just did the lifting so the younger ones did not have to. She then used her longer arms to reach the higher spots lifting things down as needed. When she was asked to do things, she did them without complaint or issue.

[Much Later]

Amid the giggles and bad jokes, the work got done. When the last of the trash bags had been hauled away from the hotel and left in a spot where the tunnel rats could eat and the Infernals wouldn't be disturbed, Dante signaled an end to the day. The mood changed all at once, going from serious and intent to youthful and exuberant in a heartbeat. Feast days were generally a mashup of their favorites including, at least that was what the kids were saying, was enough boxed macaroni and cheese with the canned cheese that lasted for everyone and gummy bears.

And after carrying what felt like a million crates of booze, the majority of it was now safety squirreled away as a future bargaining chip. "What do you, Dodger," Dante said. "Let's get everyone out of here and get cleaned up. Time to start the party, eh?"

Dodger gave Dante a grin. They had moved the liquor from the hotel and secreted it away that would be extremely difficult to find. He had to admit it made a good future bargaining chip. When Dante said to get everyone out and cleaned up, Dodger gave an even bigger smile. "An idea I can definitely get behind."

As the Infernals ran, walked and hopped their way out of the kitchen, whispering excitedly amongst themselves, Dante came and found Amy. "So, tonight is our last-night feast and everyone gets cleaned up first. One of the boxcars was set up as a bathroom with a girls and boys side and there are buckets of hot water down there with soap, rags, and towels. If it runs out, you give a shout and someone will bring more. C'mon, I'll show you."

Amy had been surprised at this. "Oh ok..Thank you" She grabbed her backpack as they passed the sleeping area.

Dante showed Amy the bathroom indicating the girls' side and the meager curtain that marked the boundary between. "Crossing the boundary means punishment detail for a month so you won't be bothered. And all the Infernals will let me know if anyone does, so no need to worry about 'ratting' someone out." He smiled gently, the empathy and compassion he had for every street kid shining through for a moment. "But enough of that. Get ready and then, join us at the camp fire."

Amy nodded. "Thank you Dante" she said as she vanished into the girls section. She was not sure how this would go, but she was safe for one night at least.

[Later, At the Feast]

None of them knew a lot about cooking but there were favorites among the Infernals that showed up whenever they could. A small bowl of 'candy salad' made up of whatever hard candies, gummy bears and the like they could find and squirrel away for special occasions. Boxed macaroni and cheese (the kind with the ready made cheese in a can), enough to make one giant bowlful, Chicken noodle soup with crackers, red sauce with canned chicken over tortellini ... that sort of thing. The kids lined up in order of age, youngest to oldest, which meant Dante was always last. He didn't mind though; they'd all been through tough times and none of them took food for granted.

Dodger had cleaned up and put on a clean shirt and pants. He stood next to Dante as the Infernal lined up to eat. "Last night here Dante. A nice sendoff. Don't you think? Tomorrow baring anything unforeseen, we'll be in the hotel as will Auntie and a few of her friends," he commented as the line inched forward to receive some of the feast. "After I eat, I'll go and change clothes, I don't want to ruin or dirty these. Then, I'll get to my punishment."

"Everyone sure seems to be enjoying themselves." Like the others, Dante had cleaned up, even taking the time to wash his shaggy black hair. His hair was always straight, no wave, no curl, just straight, which meant he didn't mourn the loss of hair dryers the way some of the others he'd spoken to did. He wore a fresh pair of jeans and a soft white, long-sleeved Henley. "Later, I have a little present for everyone. You should wait for that before you go change."

Dodger tilted his head to better look at Dante. "A present?" He repeated as the line inched long. "Okay Dante. I'll wait for whatever you got everyone, and you have me curious as to what it could be. However, someone once said patience was a virtue, so I'll wait," Dodger finished grinning at his friend.

The Internals took seats around the fire but the food remained untouched. When someone went to sneak a taste, the others would look at him and chant, nearly in unison, "Rule Four. Rule Four."

Amy who had been watching and following the moves of everyone else listened to the chant, not sure what was going on. She gave Dante, who was sitting a short distance away, a quizzical look.

"Fifty rules," Dante said, leaning over from where he was standing, to speak quietly, "that we live by. Rule #4 is 'no one eats until everyone has food' And rule #1 is that we get served in reverse order to age, so the youngest get theirs first. As the oldest, I'm last. Breaking the rule means you end up cleaning toilets for a week."

Amy nodded in silence. She watched the rest carefully. 50 rules? that was a lot. She had not had rules as such in the past few years.

Dodger heard Dante tell Amy that there were fifty rules all Infernals followed. He simply nodded in agreement, electing to stay quiet rather than risk an argument. He wanted to enjoy the feast before he had to pull his punishment for the night.

Once everyone had eaten, Dante pulled out a bunch of gift bags that he had liberated from a store once upon a time. Each of them was filled with small treats, candy bars, a card game, a t-shirt (from a shop catering to bands and computer games), and a thermal beanie for the winter. For the littlest one, the card game was replaced by a stuffed tiger which elicited a squeal of delight. As the gifts were being passed out, Dante dropped one in Amy's lap as well and moved onto Dodger without waiting for thanks.

Dodger looked at the gift bag Dante handed to him. Once again, the Infernal leader had surprised him with his care and concern for all under his guidance and leadership. Dodger didn't open the bag. He would do so when he was alone. He was more touched by Dante's compassion as he silently swore to himself to never disappoint or let Dante down., "Thank you, Dante. Thank you very much." Then in a surprise to himself he quickly hugged Dante and stepped back. "I owe you," he said quietly with a smile.

"Not a bit," Dante said, smiling slightly in return. "You've done your share and then some. Enjoy the gift." He moved on, making sure that everyone got fed, and that final chores were assigned. There was cleanup to do and bathroom detail for Dodger and Henry and then, time to sleep.

Dodger just nodded, "You didn't have to Dante but thank you man," he said as he grew quiet.

Dante walked over to Amy last. "As I said, one night in peace. I'll wake up up bright and early and show you the way out."

"Thank you Dante. I will make sure I keep clear of your area as well," she said thinking it was what he would expect.

"That's good," Dante said, "but not for the reasons you'd think. The safety of the Infernals lies in our ability to get to and from places without being noticed ... as much as that's possible. While I've no objection to visitors, sooner or later, if you aren't careful you'll get noticed and that puts everyone at risk."

Amethyst understood that. "I fully understand that," she replied.

Dodger watched Dante and the girl talk. He'd wait a moment to see if there was anything Dante wanted or needed to tell him, before he went and got changed and went to fulfill his punishment of toilet duty. It was a lousy, stinking job but he had brought it on himself even though his motives were good.

Time wound down as it did and Dante, who worked pretty much from the moment he got up until the moment he went to bed, said his good-nights and headed for the boxcar that had been reserved for his use. It had been his home back when it was just him against the world. A patchwork of rugs covered the floor, a hammock strung between two hooks with a pillow and a heavy blanket served as his bed, a beat-up coffee table acted as his work space, a plastic crate, set up on its side and packed with books acted as an end table. His clothes were hung from cord strung along one wall and there were a couple of lanterns for light.

Yawning, Dante slipped into a loose-fitting pair of pajama pants, cheaper at the thrift store because there was no top, and a long-sleeved, worn white Henley, and climbed into the hammock, bundled up in the blankets, and settled in to read "Endurance".

After leaving the feast and Dante, Dodger had gone to the boxcar he called home and removed and neatly hung up his clothes before he put on older clothes for his toilet cleaning duty. He had taken the gift bag Dante had given him and placed it on a milk crate he used for a nightstand. He still hadn't opened it as he wanted to remember the moment, freeze it in his memory and opening the bag would ruin the moment. Satisfied everything was as it should be, he headed for the toilets and what was going to be a long night.

Amethyst sat on the bed she had been given for the night but she didn't lay down or sleep. She knew what she had found here, people who worked together like family, but she was not one for family, she never had been, if she asked to stay, how long would it be before they saw whatever her mother had seen and kicked her out? No it was better for her to leave when Dante sent her on her way.

 

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