Sunday 5.30 am

The day broke early it seemed, with daylight saving and the air was crisp. Sharon was just sitting having a coffee while waiting for her friend. Joanne came in to Joey�s cafe without the usual smile on her face and her ocean blue eyes lacking the joy that was so common to them.

Sharon liked this girl; she admired her not only for her friendship but also for the way she kept herself so fresh, clean and radiant. Joanne at 5�5" was an inch shorter than Sharon, slim and quite petite except for a size 36c bust. As she walked to the table in the courtyard her blonde shoulder length hair bounced and shone. Most men would be proud to have Joanne. She constantly bubbled with enthusiasm, and laughter was no stranger to her. She had a way of bringing you out of any depression you were in, and could easily persuade you to try something new. Her one flaw though, was that it was difficult for her to ever be serious and think deeply about anything.

"Hi Shazza, how�s your night been?"

"It was rather ordinary for a Saturday. Although there was one guy last night that was really nice. How was yours?"

"It was a bit of a bummer actually. I had a string of jerks. But don�t worry, I�m cool."

Sharon saw her friend turn her face away as she said it and noticed a quiver in her voice. Although she was obviously shaken up, Sharon thought to leave the questions until maybe later, when Joanne was high.

"So what plans have you got?" came another question from Joanne.

"I�d like to go for a swim down at Coogee. It�s been a tough week. I�m taking tonight off. Do you want to come?" Sharon asked.

"Sounds good." Joanne said. "I need something to get my mind off last night." Joanne�s eyes lit up and she said mischievously, "We won�t take any costumes. We�ll go starkers and give the regulars a thrill. Have you eaten yet?"

"No." Sharon replied. "If, you�re going to buy something, can you get me a croissant?"

"Yeah right." Joanne said over her shoulder, as she walked to the counter, where tired old Joey was polishing some silver. Sharon watched her walk and noticed her shoulders were slouched and the usual spring wasn�t as evident in her step. Sharon became concerned for Joanne and knew that her friend had obviously been shaken up somehow. But she knew that as a friend and fellow working girl, it was best for her to give Jo space. If she wanted to open up, she would talk when she was ready.

At six in the morning, the only people in the café had been up all night. A couple sat staring at their coffees, and sipping once in a while. A young stripper sat by herself counting through her money with what was left of bacon and eggs on her plate. Beside them, the polished wooden tables were clean and empty. Each had their four chairs neatly behind them, and the polished cork floor shone from a fresh clean. No matter what time one visited Joey�s� it was always clean, always popular and although in a seedy part of Sydney its atmosphere was prized as a haven by many of the workers. Local artists contributed paintings that hung proudly on the walls, and popular fashion magazines were supplied by some strippers and available for reading on a side bench. The furnishings, the paintings and the wide range of up-market magazines gave the cafe an arty atmosphere. And with the friendly staff Joey employed it was a home away from home.

Today, a light breeze flowed in and sunshine was starting to warm the glass frontage, only two feet away, radiating it�s heat towards the table where Sharon sat. She looked out of the window.

A window seat at Joey�s�, on the main street of the Cross provided its own form of entertainment. As she looked out on the street this morning, she watched the transition of activity from night into day. A council street sweeping truck rattled up the street, followed shortly after by a truck washing debris off the street and into the gutter with a blast of water. The dirt flowed down drains, and freshness replaced the night�s excesses.

A group of teenagers stumbled down the street, smoking, boasting and carrying on. A couple were rubbing their eyes, another rummaging through his wallet, then his pockets for a sign of money to get home with. Another couple of guys followed on their heals, and cat-whistled a couple of strippers who entered Joey�s. A strip club had just closed its doors.

"Hi Shazza," A leggy blond greeted her.

" Hi Natalie. How was your night?"

"Had a couple of bux parties in. Sent a nice businessman your way. Tall, and quite nice. Did he..."

"Oh yes. Thanks Natt. He said someone had sent him. Tell Joey I�ll pick up breakfast."

"Oh thanks Sharon. You�re too good."

"Get outta here." She slapped Natalie on her bottom.

A siren wailed in the distance and grew progressively louder as an ambulance flew around the corner and stopped across the road. It aroused interest from visitors to the area. A police car followed shortly after and following on the heels of the ambulance attendants, police ran up the stairs to a private residence above some shops.

Joanne returned to the table with a curious look on her face and asked, "What�s going on?"

Sharon looked up at her, "Someone�s in trouble."

Joanne put a croissant and coffee in front of Sharon and said, "I thought you could do with another coffee."

"Thank you. Yes I could." Sharon replied, pleased.

Across the street, two ambulance officers came out with a man on a stretcher. At the same time, both of the police officers appeared. One of them had a man in cuffs and was throwing him into the police car. Strangely, the police officer�s partner, a younger female, came out with her arm around the shoulders of a distraught lady and instead of getting into the police car, she followed the lady into the ambulance. Sharon thought it was very thoughtful of the officer to accompany the distressed woman into the ambulance, rather than assisting her partner who now had the offender under control. It surprised Sharon to witness the compassion shown by the policewoman.

So much was the surprise that the girls talked casually about it for a while. They recognized police as the enemy, but also knew them to be companions in a way. It was often the police who hassled the girls and rightly so they admitted. But the girls also knew that you could count on these local cops to be there for you, should you need them.

Sharon started to speak just as Joanne did and they both hesitated.

"Go ahead," Sharon, said as she placed the last piece of croissant into her mouth.

"I had a frightful visitor last night." Joanne started. Her eyes began to fill with tears and Sharon placed her hand on Joanne. The act of which gave Joanne the courage to go on. "I had a man yesterday, a stranger, ring up and book a time for seven thirty. When I left you, I decided to make him my first client, and not push myself. I had only been home minutes, when I heard a knock on the door. Not thinking anything of it, I assumed it must have been you and I opened it."

Joanne�s eyes filled up and her voice wavered. She just sat there with her mouth open; memory seizing her had stopped her from speaking.

Sharon turned Jo�s hand over in her own and gave it a squeeze. She held it, not saying a word, leaving Joanne to continue. As she looked into Joanne�s eyes, she saw they had changed from the eyes she knew and were now filled with panic. Fear and dread were there and she knew something-horrible must have happened. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Joey. He was looking at them with concern on his face. Sharon motioned for him to come over and he did. Seeing the tears in Joanne�s eyes made his heart melt, as he wrapped his arm around her in a big bear hug. Joanne looked up at him and tried to smile, but when she saw the sympathy in his eyes, she started to sob again.

Like a father, Joey picked her up in his arms and sat down, with Jo on his lap, Stroking her hair, he let her cry a little longer, telling her to let it all out, while he soothed her with his comforting presence. Sharon sat opposite watching the scene. It was so great in a town that flowed with broken people; to see and have love expressed

Joanne wept and snuggled into his chest, protected by his arms, comforted and safe. Joey meanwhile mouthed a question to Sharon. "What�s wrong with her?"

"A bad client."

As Joey heard the response, you could see in the light his eyes a burning hate. It quickly subsided though, as he looked with compassion, at the girl in his arms. His anger could wait for another time. He knew Joanne needed to feel loved and protected at the moment.

 

*******

 

Tony awoke in an alley. Blood had congealed in his underpants and as he stretched, he could feel it. He looked around the alley into which he�d stumbled in pain last night, and seeing there was no one around he removed the offending garment. His whole body hurt. As he began to walk, his arse screamed in pain. He clenched his teeth against it. Twenty-four hours in Kings Cross brought pain to many children. As a resident, he struggled to come to terms with its twists in fate.

 

*******

 

Tracy awoke in a squat. A couple of other kids were awake. They both crouched over a bong drawing in the smoke of some sweet smelling marijuana. The wrappers of a couple of McDonald�s burgers lay at their feet. A typical breakfast, food in the stomach and a clouded head. Facing a new day with gusto.

"Want some Tracy? One of the kids offered as she rose.

"Why not." She sat down next to another that was packing a cone. He finished and passed it to her. When she brought the mouthpiece to her mouth, he lit the drug.

"Mmm, nice. Its smooth," she smiled. "Whose is this?"

"Sheryl got it last night at work. A guy wanted more then a lap dance. Gave her a bag for a bit of a touch up." He laughed." I don�t have a bag to give her when I give her one."

"Yeah, Tracy replied rolling her eyes. Typical looser living off a sex worker. "Tell her thanks. I�ll get her some soon." She got up and looked around the other rooms and then returned. "Have either of you seen Tony?"

"Na" they replied while fixing another cone.

She expected to see Tony this morning, yet as she searched through the filthy bedrooms strewn with the bodies of sleeping kids, she couldn�t see him. Worried, she walked out into the street and up to the park in the Cross. He wasn�t there either.

She was sore this morning. A couple of guys had booked her for a private get together. She�d had a line or two of cocaine when offered and a couple of glasses of wine. This morning she felt the damage.

She looked in her bra and retrieved her money, four hundred and fifty dollars. At least that brought a smile to her face. That would be enough to pay a bond for a one-bedroom apartment. Two more clients and rent, food and bills could be paid, and Tony and she could live like kings. Now if she could just find him.

 

*******

 

"How was your night boys?" Slater asked his fellow work mates.

"Better than Tony�s I�d imagine, Geoff replied.

"Why? What did Tony get up too?"

Rodney and Colin, the younger pair looked down at their feet. Slater looked back at Geoff. Thinking it was something really bad he asked. "What did he go up to the wall to sell himself?"

"Let�s just say he got an official welcome to the place. We showed him around a little. Introduced him to life on the streets in a manner of speaking."

"Yes?" Slater asked. He waited and looked around. "Who did you introduce him to? Come on."

"We introduced him to Cyril." Geoff admitted, then began to laugh.

"What?"

"You heard. Cyril needed a little lover. We set him up with Tony. We thought Tony had something he might be looking for."

"Hey man, what do you mean? Don�t you know we�re supposed to make him happy? Not sick him onto a nervous defenseless kid. You weak bastard." Slater was furious.

Geoff, insulted and humiliated by Slater, angrily responded "What! So we can become Cyril�s little boyfriend, like you?"

Geoff had turned to see the laughter of the other two, when something hit his face harder than he�d felt anything for a long time. There, standing in front of him with his fists raised ready to belt him again, was Slater.

"Come on big boy, show your mates you�re a man!"

Geoff bit his lip and went in with a charge. Slater met his charge with a well-timed left hook. The momentum Geoff had was short lived. Before he�d shook the pain from his chin Slater had hit him with a perfect combination of a left and right.

Geoff stumbled backward. His knees started giving way and yet his pride wouldn�t allow it. He corrected his posture somewhat groggily and shaped up.

Slater moved in once again. The other two boys were eagerly looking on. Slater let loose with flying left that glazed Geoff�s cheek. He followed with a right, which Geoff ducked. Geoff quickly took advantage and hit Slater�s jaw with a solid uppercut.

As Slater backed up and rubbed his chin, he felt his mouth filling with blood. He knew that he�d had a couple of teeth loosened, but that was to be expected. He gathered a mouthful of blood and spat it on the ground. As he opened his mouth again to draw in a breath, the others saw a rich crimson river filling his mouth.

Both guys were hurt, yet now was �show and tell time�. Geoff shaped up again and moved slowly, this time toward his opponent.

Slater raised his guard. He edged forward and crouched. He shook his legs a couple of times, and began to spring on them like a boxer.

Geoff, who�d had no training, really couldn�t care what Slater was doing. Instead he moved in, relying on stamina and sheer strength to carry him through.

It was about then that Tony wandered aimlessly back up the street and happened upon them. Seeing the fight, and still incensed with what had happened to him the night before, he approached the other two boys. He didn�t know what the fight was about, but as Slater caught his eye, he quickly told him.

"Tony, I�m giving your mate a punch in the mouth. The one that set you up. I suggest you teach his mates a lesson."

Tony had lived for a moment like this. He was a good kid. He forgave people easily. In the foster homes he learnt how to defend himself. Never the aggressor, but quite often the victim. Most times he had just taken the floggin, whilst trying the best to protect himself. But from time to time, he would do more then defend himself.

Today there was more at stake. This was his new home and he had a girl to look out for. He was sore from the rape, and he was angry. He�d suffered abuse for a lifetime, and those memories flashed up now as he decided to stand against it. He approached Rodney with fury burning in his fists.

Slater copped a couple of quick hits Geoff threw one in the arm and one on the chin getting through his block. He shifted to one side and as Geoff followed with his eyes, Slater hit him with a left hook so powerful it made him weak at the knees himself.

Slater quickly grabbed him by the scruff of the collar and brought his knee to Geoff�s face splitting his nose and sending blood everywhere. Geoff dropped almost unconscious to the ground, and Slater turned to see Tony land a punch into Rodney�s kidneys.

Rodney doubled over in pain, he was a good fighter, yet no match for Tony, who was totally obsessed with revenge and payback. Tony hit him hard in the jaw, which sent his opponent to the ground. But Tony wasn�t finished. He kicked Rodney in the head again and again. He bent down and pummeled the guy�s ribs with his fists. Slater pulled him off Rodney and released him.

Tony ran over to Geoff and began to kick him. This caught Slater by surprise; more so Geoff who lay helpless against the attack. Slater pulled at Tony. This time Tony wouldn�t be pulled away so easily. He drove his knee into Geoff's stomach so hard, that Geoff began to vomit. Tony stood up. He turned and looked at Colin.

Colin started to back away.

Slater put his arm around Tony as he begun to cry. Not because he had been hit. Rather the emotion of it all had got to him. He was shaking terribly and Slater rubbed his shoulders.

"Come on guys. Let�s clean up," Slater said. "Don�t worry Colin. You�re not to blame. But let this be a lesson. Don�t cross your mates."

"Thanks Slater," Tony managed, taking Slater's arm from around him away.

"It�s the least I could do," Slater said. He gathered some blood in his mouth and spat it on the grass of the park. "Anyway, I didn�t like Geoff. He was on a power trip. Trying all the time to big note himself. He was liable to slip up bragging about a hoist some time, and get us all busted."

"What about Rodney, he seemed okay."

"Okay to a point. Yet he needs to know where his loyalties lie. Down here in the Cross we all need to be careful. We�ve all run away from home. We haven�t got much. We can�t afford to lose respect. We all have bad stories from back home. Some have had worse experiences back at home than others have. But, we�re all here for a reason. We get along because we�re in the same boat. Got that!" Slater had blood running down his chin. He was tough that was for sure.

"Now let�s get cleaned up. We�ll go to McDonalds, and grab some breakfast while we�re there.

The three of them set off. Tony wondered where Tracy was. Punching the guys up hadn�t relieved the pain he felt. The bruises he had were more than physical. Whilst amongst friends, he found himself desperately lonely. He wondered when he�d see Tracy.

Within a couple of minutes they were entering the restaurant. Slater left the other two to clean up. A few minutes later, with the help of a couple of sashes of salt and some fresh cold water Slater had his bleeding contained. He returned to meet the other two.

"Why haven�t you ordered?"

"No money," Tony admitted embarrassed.

"Well wait here then," Slater said.

Slater returned with a mountain of food and the boy�s eyes lit up. He unwrapped a burger, took a bite and said, "Help yourself."

As they did he continued like a big brother. "You see Tony, us kids of the Cross are a special breed. Our olds have let us down, whether that�s been a lack of love, raping us, bashing us up or whatever. We leave home once, then twice, then after a while we find ourselves here. We�ve no one that cares. All we got is ourselves. Now we�re here, we have to eat, right? Otherwise we�ll die. We have to survive somehow, so we got some choices. How do we eat? We steal food. We steal money and buy food. We beg for food, or we work to get it. Now we can sell our arse to the poofters, child molesters and pedophiles.

Or we steal. When we steal we got choices. We can steal off people personally, that�s mugging. Or we can raid their homes when they�re out. But here�s another problem. If we steal a television or video recorder, the pawnshops are on to us. It�s hard to unload, so, that�s where Cyril comes in. The guy who picked you up last night."

"I�m gunna get him back, the jerk!" Hatred flashed in Tony�s eyes. .

"I understand Tony, and I agree. He�s a pervert and he makes me sick. I throw up every time he sticks it to me. The whole thing makes me want to die. But listen!" He grabbed Tony�s wrists and jerked them, so Tony was looking up into his face. "Where do you think I got the money for the food you�re eating? I hate it man, I hate it." Slater said angrily gritting his teeth as he said so. "But we gotta live Tony. We gotta live."

 

*******

 

Mike woke up. Was it a dream? He looked over and he saw it wasn�t. Lying in bed next to him was Loran. He�d met her the night before at the club and she was so happy to see him.

Building on a friendship that they had had before it seemed a natural progression for them to become lovers, yet try as he might he couldn�t believe his luck. She stirred as he rose out of bed and looked out at the surf from her Queenscliff apartment. She lived on the eighth floor and, as the crow flies, about 500 meters from Queenscliff beach. Queenscliff was a beach situated around one headland, the northern most extension of Manly.

As he looked at the beach he rubbed his shoulder. It was aching this morning, a memory of an injury; he�d suffered surfing here one morning. It had been a sunny day. A perfect set of left-hand waves had been rolling around the headland. Plenty of surfers were out, and as he�d walked down the road from his flat in Queenscliff, he�d been excited to see that the swell had picked up. The view from his apartment wasn�t as flash as Loran�s, he had to walk down the hill and around the shoulder in the road to see the waves in their full glory. This particular morning, with sleepy eyes and dressed only in his boardshorts, his pulse raced when he�d seen what the recent south easterly had brought to the beach.

He had run back to the flat, woken his flatmate and they had gone down to the beach. Darren, his best friend at the time, couldn�t surf, but was content to swim and read while Mike took his board out. After an hour or so Mike came back. They had chatted for a few minutes when Mike suggested Darren have a try at bodysurfing. Darren took him up on the offer to learn. Unfortunately, the wave on which Mike chose to demonstrate was too big, and the concentration he exerted in forming the perfect arch in his back, left him little time to recover as the wave dumped him. Within fifteen minutes he was in Manly hospital with a minor concussion and a broken collarbone.

As he stood there, rubbing his collarbone and his stiff neck, the sound of Loran�s voice brought him back to reality. What a reality she was, sitting up in bed, naked, beckoning him to come and be with her. He turned on his heel, dismissed the beach with it�s storybook of memories, and jumped into Loran�s bed to write another.

 

*******

 

After about half an hour, Joanne had finally opened up. Joey had the Chef serve the customers, much to the Chef�s annoyance and both Sharon and he had comforted Joanne. Sharon supported her friend by hugging her. She knew something disgusting had taken place and she was at a loss as to how to help her friend any further.

"I opened the door and my stepfather was standing there."

Sharon�s eyes filled with shock and she put her hand over her mouth.

"I screamed and tried to close the door but he jammed the door with his foot. I told him I would never sleep with him and he produced a knife as big as the one in Crocodile Dundee. He told me he would have pleasure using it on me. I spat curses at him.

I charged at him, knowing I�d rather die, than have him abuse me any further. I must have caught him off guard as he was admiring his knife and sent the old bastard flying. I hit him a couple of times in rage, then turned and crawled over to pick up the knife. I reached for it, and as I did I felt his shoe connect with the side of my head. I fell onto my back and saw stars momentarily.

"He came at me with his belt raised in the air and his fly undone with a look in his eyes I�ll never forget. I felt sick in the gut and because of the blasted heroin I didn�t have the energy to fight him. After he�d slapped me a couple of times I didn�t even have the strength to push him off. So I just lay there and didn�t fight and made myself think it was just another client. But it wasn�t another client! It was my stepfather. But he wasn�t content with just raping me."

As she spoke, Sharon could see her changing. It started in her eyes then in her raised voice, until her tone gave it away. She hated him and the delightful cheery Joanne had taken leave.

"He took his penis out, wrapped the belt around my neck and made me take it in my mouth. I felt it grow as the knife played on the side of my neck. I choked on him. I struggled with my emotion. I couldn�t do it. But he noticed by hesitancy. He shouted at me and pressed the knife into my neck. See?"

Sharon and Joey looked as Joanne pulled her hair from the side of her face, to reveal about four cuts to her neck.

"He moaned. He told me how it felt. He told me how he longed for me. That we were meant to be together and all that shit. It was hard doing it to him. But these little personal touches were the worst. The prick.

He finished in my mouth. No warning. �Now swallow you slut�, he said. I choked on it. I coughed in disgust. I had no time to recover. He pulled me back roughly. Pushed me onto my back and ripped my clothes off. He ripped that new blouse I bought new last week. But he wasn�t content with just ripping. He smiled and ran the knife through it as I shrieked."

Sharon lost control of herself. Her hands shook as she held Joanne�s and tears streamed down her face. It was every workers worst nightmare. And it was alive.

"He ran his mouth over my body. Like he was my fuckin� lover. He fondled me. Told me how he�s missed me. He put his mouth to my pussy and began to try and pleasure me. It repulsed me. But I had a thought. If I could convince him I was enjoying myself, I could strangle him with my legs and grab the knife. Then I�d kill the bastard. I wrapped my legs around his head and began to moan. This went on for a couple of minutes and I did my best to convince him it was pleasuring me. I was just about to squeeze tight and pull the knife from his hand, when he said, "Don�t even think about it, you stupid bitch."

"How did he know? Bastard. I lay back. God I was angry. I didn�t want to give him the pleasure of seeing me cry. I didn�t. ..." She looked up into Sharon�s eyes. But I couldn�t help it Shaz. I just couldn�t help it."

Sharon was balling with tears. She stroked Joanne�s. "It�s okay. It�s okay."

"He shoved himself in me. No condom. The prick. Rode me like a cowboy and I bucked for him like a goddamn bull. He hit me with the belt. I tried to push him off. Put welts all over my legs and belly. I couldn�t get him off Shaz. I couldn�t get him off. The fucking heroin."

The pain coming out of her mouth became hot as the fires of hell. Indeed that�s where she�d lived all those years before. Now a part of that abyss had come back. Her eyes flashed as she continued her story of torture and Sharon came face to face with a look she never wished to see again.

"He hit me. When he�d finished on top he turned me around. He�d exhausted himself. So this time he didn�t use his penis. He shoved three fingers up my arse. God it hurt. He pushed harder and harder. I pulled away. He hit me hard with the belt. But the belt didn�t hurt as much as his hand. So I pulled away again. Every time he tried to begin again I pulled away. It sent him into frenzy. He started hitting me. Thrashing like the fuckin' madman he is. And amongst it all I found myself laughing. �You sick bastard,� I screamed.

He pushed me away and grabbed the knife and came at me again. I said, Go on you weak bastard. Go on. You won�t touch me again. Go on. Kill me you pervert. Go on. Go on. Go on. Go on,� I began to chant. This must have played with his head. Because the weak bastard growled and retreated. He dressed and left slamming the door without a word."

Sharon couldn�t believe what she heard. Joey was openly weeping. Both felt helpless in being able to reach down and communicate their sorrow to Joanne. They just wept. Joanne looked at them and continued.

"They say time heals all wounds." Joanne spat and laughed when she repeated the well-meaning phrase. "It doesn�t heal anything," she told Sharon. "All it does is numbs them."

An INXS song called "A New Sensation" was playing in the background. The singer was blasting out the words, "Hate baby hate, when there�s nothing left for you. You�re only human, what can you do? It will soon be over..."

Well hate is certainly what Joanne was doing. Who could blame a girl for killing her father? Who could blame someone?

"That bastard. It wasn�t enough to molest me all those years. It wasn�t enough to drive me away from home. It wasn�t enough. The sick bastard. Fuckin' destroyed me. Now he has to come back and start again. Left money on the floor. So he reckons. He�s paying now. Gives him the right. Now I�m a slut. Yeah now I�m a slut. Well he saw to that didn�t he. Every slut start�s with her father. Sick bastard. God I hate him. Why me? Why. Aren�t his pornos good enough? No they never have been. Bastard. Bastard. Bastard."

"Where does he live?" Joey asked in the silence.

"Don�t know, I wish I did."

"Have you a picture?"

"You kidding. I�d burn it"

"What�s his birthday?"

"A bloody bad day in history. God fucked up that day."

Joey looked at Sharon as she was wiping the tears away. Her face was wet, her eyes swollen. She blew her nose and mouthed. "Leave it," to Joey.

As Joanne sat in silence she contemplated having someone chase her mother up. She knew Joey was serious. She knew what his questions were all about. But first, there was something she wanted to tell her mother about her husband.

 

*******

After Tony finished his meal, he excused himself. He set off down Bayswater road, passed the waffle shop, passed the park, the squat, and continued down toward the water.

He came upon a park, near the Harbour where he was alone. He was used to his own company, and without getting away from time to time he went a little crazy. The park was a welcome oasis.

Birds flew in the air squawking. The flowers in a park nearby looked bright and healthy. Suddenly nature in its splendor had him relaxing and thinking back to a time in his life where things were normal. Back when his family where alive. He remembered a Bible verse he had read years ago. Where Jesus had said something like "Look at the birds of the sky, they want for nothing, and the lilies of the field, King Solomon in all his splendor wasn�t arrayed in such clothing. If the Father cares for the birds and the lilies; won�t he look after you as well?"

The verse seemed to come from an eternity ago. The hope promised in the scripture was like a bright flash. It punched its way through the cloud of grief Tony had around his soul. As the light broke through, the hope sparked a little fire in his soul. The fire had been out in there for a long time. A little of the warm contentedness returned. This hope made Tony cry. He wanted to believe the promise.

Tony wept that morning, a sorrow filled weeping. He asked God, hoping that there was one and if he were listening, would he please look after him. He didn�t want to steal. He didn�t want to ever see that fat man again. Yet as Slater had said, "How was he to eat?"

 

*******

 

Geoff and Rodney had washed themselves up. They could wash the blood away but the pain lingered. Geoff�s nose had finally stopped bleeding. They knew they had blown it and returned in their anger to a house they had burgled a few days before. The house was still deserted; the occupants still on holidays. They entered and Geoff went to a drawer to retrieve something he�d wished he had had the guts to steal in the first place. He pulled out a gun and said to a wide-eyed Rodney "Now we�ll show them who has guts."

Rodney pleaded, "No Geoff don�t. It�s not worth it. Haven�t you learnt there are rules here in the Cross. What�s fair is fair. Come on, put it away."

"Now who�s the wimp? Shut up" he said, loading the pistol with enough bullets for his purposes.

They left, Rodney with a worried look on his face and Geoff with a crazed expression. He had only one thing on his mind, and that was to save face.