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"Oh." Ginny suddenly felt incredibly foolish.She winced."I thoughtÉ What if you'd needed
me?"
Ginny's eyes begged her to understand, and to her surprise, she did.Completely.Lindsay
sighed and tucked her hands under her arms to keep from touching her friend again.She
was doing that way too much.Surely Ginny would think she was a needy, crazy person,
who couldn't keep her mitts to herself."I just didn't want you hurt," Lindsay explained with
all the patience she could muster. "Everyone's not as nice as you are, Ginny.You need to
be careful."
"I am careful." Ginny looked away. "Usually.But I got so worried," she muttered, knowing
it sounded stupid.
"I know what I'm doing.You need to trust me."
Ginny's gaze darted up to meet Lindsay's."I do," she insisted."I do."
"I know you've É umÉ you've lost a lot. So IÉ I mean I understand that.Maybe I shouldn't
have left you outside.I guess.Maybe." Lindsay rolled her eyes at her own inability to
communicate.It wasn't usually a problem with Ginny.She could, she knew intuitively, really
talk to her.But sometimes when Ginny was looking at her the way she was at this very
moment, Lindsay thought her heart might pound out of her chest.
Lindsay cast about for something to say that wouldn't make her sound like a moron.
"We're out of the snow," she blurted.Oh, that was a good choice.
Ginny's eyebrows jumped at the non sequitur.She hadn't really minded the silence, so long
as it wasn't because Lindsay was angry.She studied the other woman's face carefully,
wondering what in the world had gotten Lindsay so fidgety all of a sudden."Exactly," Ginny
agreed amiably."No more snow."
Lindsay's head bobbed gratefully and she let out a shuddering breath."This will be a good
place to stay the night.No wind.No cops who will try to kick us out." Her thoughts drifted
back to the offer they'd had to sleep in the church in Manhattan and a sliver of guilt
pierced her heart."But the church would have been nicer, huh?"
Ginny picked up their sack and untied the top.She pulled out both of the blankets, burying
her cold face in them for a moment."I dunno," she answered noncommittally, her voice
muffled.But you were uncomfortable there. And that was more than enough reason for me
to say no.She lifted her head and looked at Lindsay, wanting to convey that what made
Lindsay comfortable mattered to her."This place works too.Anyplace is fine."
Lindsay shifted uncomfortably, knowing full well Ginny was lying.
Ginny read her friend easily."This really is fine, Lindsay.C'mon, let's go to sleep.I can barely
keep my eyes open and dawn will come soon enough."
"Okay.But first, why don't you put on the clothes in this bag?They'll be warmer than what
you're wearing, and dry, and you can change tomorrow before we leave."
The thought of undressing in this strange place and in the bitter cold wasn't exactly
appealing.Just being here made her feel exposed.Ginny bit her lip."Where willÉ I meanÉ"
"I need toÉ I have to take care of some business outside," Lindsay said in a rush, sensing
Ginny's discomfort over having no place private to undress."I'll be right outside and back
in two minutes, all right?"
"Two minutes?"
"I promise."
*~*~*~*~*
Lindsay climbed back in the boxcar and was greeted by the sound of gentle snores.She
carefully laid the armful of wood she'd scavenged on the floor.She smiled affectionately at
her friend, who, much to Lindsay's distaste awoke with the chickens every morning but
could fall into a deep sleep at the drop of a hat.
Ginny was curled up into the fetal position, wearing the dry clothes and cocooned in their
blanket, her wet coat draped over her legs.She'd found some newspapers inside the
boxcar and was lying on them rather than directly on the frigid metal floor.
Lindsay arranged the smallest pieces of wood into a volcano-shaped stack just inside the
opening of the boxcar.Then she reached for their bag, from which she removed a new
flint.She picked up a few pieces of newsprint and balled them up, tucking them into the
base of the kindling.Her gaze drifted to her hand, and in a fit of temper she tore off the
bandage that was wrapped around broken fingers.Lindsay examined the braced digits with
disgust. She had been careless when it came to Albert and those French bastard
cousins.She couldn't let that happen again. Not when Ginny was depending on her.
A few failed tries and Lindsay was able to create a spark.The wood wasn't as dry as she'd
have liked, but eventually it did burn, producing a fair amount of warmth.The fire was
close enough to the door that most of the smoke was drawn outside.She tossed her
bandage into the flickering flames, wondering if she should wake Ginny and have her
move closer to the warmth.
Lindsay didn't have to wonder for long.
Ginny was in that confusing, murky space between consciousness and dreaming.She could
feel the scratchy wool of her blanket against her chilled cheek, hear every gust of wind.
But there was a vague detachment from the sensations, as though her brain knew she
was experiencing them but her body couldn't dredge up the energy it took to care.
She pulled the blanket more tightly around herself as her thoughts drifted from the wintry
scene at the railway yard to a six-story tenement on Orchard Street.Home.The sensations
here seemed more real, tangible. And the smell of old wood and dust washed over her
senses, bringing with it the security of family.She climbed into bed next to her sister, her
heart bursting with love.There was the faintest hint of smoke in the air, but she was so
happy, it didn't matter.
Lindsay poked at the fire and added a few heavier sticks to the flames. They were even
wetter than the kindling had been and they began to hiss and spit, sending a light cloud
into the boxcar as Lindsay fanned them.
Ginny wrinkled her nose at the smell. My feet are cold.But how can I be cold if there
isÉShe rolled over in bed and shook Alice's shoulder.Alice's body flopped towards Ginny,
her face shriveled and burned.Too horrified to move, her horror grew when her sister's
damaged face morphed into Lindsay's.Ginny's eyes flew open and a bloodcurdling scream
was torn from her throat."FIRE!"
Lindsay nearly jumped out of her skin and she flew to feet as the same moment Ginny did. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]