Klempner

“Here…” Juliana places something in the ground… a flat something… “I'm not giving you a cushion, but you can have that.”

On the end of her shoe, she toes it toward me and across the white line. A fragment of paint breaks from the edge of the line.

Stiff-jointed, I stand. It’s not easy. Every movement scrapes flesh and bone against the concrete and I resist the urge to simply roll forward and crawl towards whatever-it-is.

So, I stand: unravelling myself: piece by piece, joint-by-joint, unfolding my body until I’m upright. Then I take the three or four steps to what has become the edge of my world.

Stooping with exaggerated care for my stiff spine, I examine her flat-packed offering. “A cardboard box?”

“It'll get your ass off the concrete.”

“In this damp, It won't last long.”

She shrugs. “Then, I might give you another. If you behave yourself.”

“You mean if I grovel and entertain you.”

She gives me a hyena grin. “That’s the spirit.”

*****

“Can I ask you something?”

Her eyes narrow. “You can ask.”

“How did you come to be in my hands in the first place? Most of the kids were shipped in from the third world or Eastern Europe. How did you come to be in Blessingmoors?”

Her jaw drops. “You don't know?”

ran the show. I didn't make personal collections. I had

floundering. “You really don't know why I

but if

“My parents sold me to

in me tightens.

was never there. And when he was, he was usually drunk. If he

“We?”

lips. The eyes slit further. “Are you really interested in this? Or is this your

interested. I’d like

looks away. “It’s

childhood? Tell me. I’ll

screws up,

at her.“ I’ll show you mine if you show

a decision. “There were eight of us. One day, my mother said we were going out, just her and me… That she was taking me for a special treat. She made me wear my best dress. My older sister's actually. And she took me to meet a man. He gave her money…” She gulps, looking away… “She said I was to go with him. She said he'd take me to my new home. It would be a

Christ…

My belly tightens…

do understand how that makes you feel.

liquid eyes to me. “But

when I was small. But, at the

is dull. “Who killed

“My father.”

“And what happened

end,

is bleak.

What goes

eyes me. “And

say. Here

Time to move on…

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