Page 8 of Salvation

My house is quiet as I sit in the study and sip on my bourbon from the crystal snuff glass that was a gift from Hope two Christmases ago. It’s eight twenty and Davey just called to let me know that Hope is finally heading to my house.

I called him an hour ago to have him herd her out the door. She tends to forget time when she’s working. She took over as CEO of the shelter four years ago after volunteering there since she was sixteen. I’ve always known that Hope has wanted to save the world. Since we were children, she’s been the tiny protector… the fierce warrior pixie. She may be slight in stature, but she’s one of the toughest people I’ve ever met. She will fight to the death for what she believes in and will go head-to-head with a lion if something needs protecting from it. A chuckle escapes me as a picture of my beautiful Hope staring down a lion in the wild pops into my head.

Her strength and willingness to fight for those unable to fight for themselves is one of the things I love about her the most. That and the fact that she’s one of the only people in the world who has ever looked at me and seen something other than a burden, a mistake… something to be hated. Something to be feared.

Hope sees me. Sometimes I’m sorry she does. Sorry that I’ve involved her in my life. But that feeling always passes just as swiftly as it arrives. I know damn well I’m far too selfish to give her up.

Leaning my head on the back of my elegant couch, I cradle my glass in my hand and remember the day I met Hope Delayne…

I was dirty… I was always dirty. It’s not like I had anyone to take care of me. I was six years old and had walked out of the house to head in the direction of the church down the street. I could hear the children playing and the smell of food from the kitchen was wafting on the wind.

It had been a few days since I’d eaten. I’d consumed the last of the stale crackers that I had to fight the roaches for a few days before. I was scared to leave the house because SHE told me if I ever left, they would take me away from her and though she hated me, at least with her I had somewhere to live.

She was always screaming at me that she hated me… that no one would ever want me… no one could ever love me… I was evil… the Devil’s child. But she had been gone for a few days and I knew that she would probably be gone a few more, if she even came back.

I was so hungry. So, I left the house and trudged over to the church down the road, willing to risk the brutal beating I was sure to get if she found out I’d disobeyed her.

The church had seen far better days. It wasn’t anything special, but nothing in this neighborhood was. It was an old church in an even older neighborhood. But it had a playground with well-maintained, though worn, equipment and swings and a lot of kids were always laughing and running while they played out there. I wanted to play, too. And eat… I smelled the food again and my stomach cramped so hard I almost fell over. I needed to eat.

At first, I stayed near the trees and just watched the children while my palms sweated, and my stomach twisted from nerves and hunger. There were so many of them. Some white. Some black. Some Hispanic. And some that looked like their parents could be a mixture of any of the three. They all seemed happy. They all seemed like friends.

I was scared to walk over to them.

What if she was right? What if they didn’t want to play with me? Or worse, what if the adults called the police and they took me away? Home was terrifying. Pure hell on Earth but at least it was home.

I should just go home.

I was about to sneak back through the trees and go back to my house when a sharp, excruciating pain shot through my stomach. I fell against the tree and cried out as the pain consumed me.

It was hunger. I was so hungry. It felt like my stomach was eating itself.

Closing my eyes, I tried to stop the tears escaping from the crippling pain. SHE always said that crying makes you weak and pathetic, but I couldn’t stop. It hurt so bad. I thought I was going to die and then the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard reached my ears through the fog. A little girl’s voice.

She said, “Little boy, are you okay? I can get my daddy if you’re lost, or you need help.”

My eyes cracked open, and I saw her. I instantly fell in love. She was an angel. Her hair was almost white it was so blonde and fell down her back in a mess of waves that had come free from her braid. She had a wilted pink ribbon at the end of the braid and her eyes were this strange brown, yellow color. She was wearing a pink and white dress that was covered in dirt, her knees had grass stains, and she had scuffed and muddy sneakers on her feet. She was leaning over me and her face was full of concern.

I blinked and she asked again, “You okay?”

I nodded and just then my stomach growled long and loud. She looked at me and then at my stomach before holding her hand out without a second thought. “Come on. Your belly is hungry. They have good food here. Come eat some.”

My hand found its way into hers and she pulled me up. I started to fall from being so weak from hunger and she yelled out, “Luke, help. This little boy is hungry.”

Turning my head, I saw a brown-haired boy about my age look up as she called to him. He straightened and immediately ran over. He wrapped his skinny arms around me and helped me stand and together they linked their arms around my waist and carefully walked me toward the church.

I was slow, but they stayed with me. She talked non-stop as we walked together. “I’m Hope. I’m five years old. That’s Luke. He’s seven. He’s my friend. My daddy runs the mission here. We help people who need it, and the food is good. What’s your name?”

Just like that… everything changed. Hope was being kind to me. SHE was wrong… everyone didn’t hate me. I found myself answering her. “I’m G— Gabrial. My n— name is Gabrial.”

She nodded and as we got to the kitchen, she sat me down at a table and told Luke to stay with me. She left, and just as she ran away, she turned back and yelled to me, “I’ll get you a plate. Stay there with Luke. He’s nice. We’re all friends now, Gabrial.”

Then she raced away from me, and I found myself smiling for the first time in a long time at the tiny whirlwind that was my new friend Hope… the girl who stole my heart in that instant.

* * *

The light knockon the door wakes me from where I apparently dozed off on the couch while waiting for Hope. Sighing as the haze of sleep starts to fade, I sit up and smile as I shake off the last of the sleep. Chuckling, I head to the door to let her into the house. She has a key, but she never uses it. Stubborn ass woman.

Glancing in the foyer mirror as I reach it, I notice my sleep rumpled hair and the wrinkles in my dress shirt along with the fact that it’s rolled to my elbows and the tails are untucked from my trousers.

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