• The sweet smell of pie wafted from the house across the street. The boy’s stomach growled with hunger. Yum, apple pie. The boy was very hungry.
    But he kept walking. He must keep walking. His feet hurt; the soles of his shoes had worn out long ago. But his feet were rough and callused, so walking didn’t hurt that much. He was almost glad he didn’t have any bags to carry. Almost. He wouldn’t have minded a change of clothes, some food, and maybe a water bottle. Thinking of that reminded him of the dry ache in his throat, the thirst. He stopped and scanned the street. The only water was a puddle on the other side of the street. The boy crossed the street.
    He bent down next to the puddle. He splashed the water in his face and in his mouth. The water was dirty and disgusting, but he did not mind. The boy drank, tasting nothing but the sweet relief. He washed his face, and it cooled him. He was grateful for this small puddle, saving him from the hot Alabama’s summer sun. But then he felt a sharp blow to his side.
    “Oy! Get out of the puddle boy!” said a plump women, holding a broom. She wore a blue dress that was rather plain.
    “Sorry ma’am, but it’s all the water I got.”
    “Get up.” the women leaned the broom against the fence, yanked on his arm, and pulled him to his feet.
    “I should be goin’ now ma’am. Sorry for wastin’ your time.”
    “Not so fast. You got a name boy?”
    “I had one once. But now I ain’t got no one to call me by it, so I don’t see the use in it. You can just call me Urchin, if you must call me somethin’. But I don’t see the use in you callin’ me anythin’ cause I must be goin’ now ma’am.”
    “What’s your real name?”
    “I’ve had no one to call me it, so I’ve long since forgotten it, ma’am.” It was a lie, the boy knew his name, but it was nobody’s business. If he told some one, they might find him.
    “That’s a lie boy. That’s an obvious lie. I know you know your name boy.”
    “Well, yes it’s a lie ma’am. But my name ain’t nobody’s business. And if you don’t mind, I gotta be goin’ now ma’am.”
    “Goin’? Goin’ where? Where’s a boy like you gotta be goin’? An’ lookin’ like that?”
    “I’m just goin’. Don’t know where. But I gotta keep goin’.”
    “Well if you don’t even know where you’re goin’, you can take some time from your travel for some decent food. Come on, I got a pie coolin’. And while it cools, you can get yourself a decent bath.”
    He followed the woman into the house, and she led him to the bathroom. He slipped out of his tattered rags, and into the shower. The water was as cold as ice. Urchin stood there, frozen for a few seconds, until his body got used to it. After his teeth stopped chattering, the cold water felt good. The boy had to drag himself away from it.
    He stepped out of the shower, grabbed the towel that was hanging on the towel rod, and dried off. Then he realized, his clothes disappeared. He looked around, but they weren’t there. So he wrapped the towel around his waist, not sure if he should peek out and wait for the woman to pass by, then ask her where his clothes were, or go look for her. Then the door opened. He jumped at the noise, dropping the towel. The boy shrieked, and tried to cover himself with his hands. Then Urchin realized the girl had her eyes closed.
    “Can I open my eyes now?” she asked.
    “Uh, hold on.” He grabbed his towel, wrapped it around his waist, and held it there. “’kay, yeah.”
    “Don’t worry; I didn’t see nothing… well not much anyway… I had a bit of a delayed reaction...” She giggled.
    “Um…” The boy didn’t know what to say to that. He blushed, embarrassed.
    “Oh yeah, I brought you some clean clothes.”
    “What happened to my old ones?”
    “My ma took them. I’m pretty sure she threw ‘em out. Oh, I’m Daisy, by the way.”
    “Nice to meet you. I’m… Well, just call me Urchin.”
    “Urchin? That’s a horrible name. Well, nice to meet you Urchin.”
    He went to shake her hand, and dropped his towel again.
    She spun around and closed her eyes. “I should probably go before gravity displays it affects on your towel again.”
    “Yeah that would probably be a good idea.” He agreed. After she left, he got dressed. He opened the door and stepped into the hallway. Daisy was waiting for him.
    “Oh hi. Follow me.”
    The boy followed the girl down the hall and into the dining-room. There was a table, with four chairs around it. They sat at the table.
    “So where ya from?” Daisy asked, twirling a strand of her copper hair.
    “I’m from …somewhere.”
    “Well, everyone’s gotta be from somewhere, ain’t they? Where are ya from?”
    “I can’t tell you, it’s a secret.”
    “Well, how ‘bout this, why you here?”
    “’Cause your mother told me to come inside.”
    “I mean why are ya here, in this little town in Alabama?”
    “I’m originally from South Carolina. I’m just passin’ through. I’m lookin’ for someone.”
    “Who?”
    “Just someone. Someone who lives in somewhere in Alabama.”
    “Where?”
    “Not sure. Birmingham, last time I heard anythin’ ‘bout ‘em. I reckon it can’t be too much farther, I been walkin’ almost a year tryin’ to find them. Been goin’ in circles and gettin’ lost. Got no clue where I am now.”
    Daisy got up from the table, went into another room, and returned with a large map. She unfolded it and placed it on the table. “That’s where we are.” She pointed to the map. Her smile faded and her chocolate eyes lost a little of their spark. “Our tiny town ain’t even on the map. Not like Birmingham, where Ma’ and Pa’ and I used to live. But we moved here ’cause it was ‘a better life.’ They got better schools and a bigger house. But what do I got? I got no friends, that’s what I got. All my friends are in Birmingham. Well, I got some friends, cause I been here for a year already, but all my best friends are in Birmingham.”
    “Oh. I dunno, I think it’s quaint.”
    “Quaint? I don’t want quaint. I want exciting. I want fun. I want New York City, or Hollywood, or Los Angeles, or DC. I don’t want quaint.” She spat the word, as if it tasted bad on her tounge.
    “Well you are where you are, you might as well stop complaining.” The woman said from the doorway.
    “Good afternoon ma’am.”
    “Hi ma.”
    “The pie’s cooled and ready to eat. Would ya’ll like some?”
    “Yes please ma’am.”
    “Sure ma.”
    “Good.” The woman set the pie on the table, grabbed a knife, and began slicing it. She gave them each a piece. The boy scoffed down his food.
    “Do you want some more?”
    “Yes please ma’am.” The woman gave him another slice.
    “So, where are ya from?” the woman asked.
    “South Carolina.” The boy mumbled through a mouthful of food.
    “Don’t talk wit’ your mouth full. It’s rude boy.”
    “Sorry ma’am.”
    “I guess we’re just a halfway house for pigs then.” said Daisy.
    “Don’t be rude. He’s a guest. Show some manners…” the woman continued scolding her daughter, but the boy no longer listened.
    He was thinking about how much the woman reminded him of his mother. She looked completely different,… but there was something about her… she had the same personality… The same aura…

    ...A boy sits on his cot, crying. He cries for all the sadness in his soul. He cries for all the sadness this world has given him. He cries for the bruises on his back, a purplish yellow. He cries for his pain, physical and mental. He cries for his losses. He cries for no reason, and he cries for many. He cries. Tears stream down his cheeks.
    But nothing good can come from crying. You just get wet. For the boy, it didn’t even make him feel any better. He had cried too many times. Whenever the boy cried, the man would call him weak. The man would taunt him. The man would beat him. Being beaten made the boy cry more. Then a woman would come and comfort him.
    “Why are you crying? Don’t cry. Everything will be okay.” She would say. She would hug him tight to her. She would make him feel safe. She But now there was no woman to comfort him. Now he wished that he was somewhere else.
    “Why are you crying?” a familiar voice asked. But it wasn’t the woman. The man stood there. He looked as if he had been crying himself. At first the boy thought the man might try and comfort him. Then he remembered the bruises…

    … “Urchin?”
    “Huh?”
    “I asked if you wanted to go for a walk.” Daisy said.
    “Oh. Uh, sure.”
    “’Kay. I’ll show you around town. Not much of a sight though.” She led the way outside. The boy followed, blinking as if he had just woken up. She said nothing as she walked past house after house. Finally, when the houses became stores, she spoke. “This is the dollar store. And this is the grocery store. And this is the deli. And this is the…” she continued speaking, but once again, the boy stopped listening. He was watching a car.
    It was a little red Hyundai. The paint was chipping. It was beat up and rusty. It reminded him of a car he had seen a long time ago…

    …A man rode up to the tiny house in a red car. It was beat up and rusty. The man stepped out. He was short and plump. He seemed an incredibly nervous, and was sweating a lot. He walked up to the front door and knocked.
    “Who’s there?” a shout comes from inside.
    “It’s me, Mr. Green.”
    The man inside answered the door. “Come on in.”
    Mr. Green did as he was told, and entered the house. It was spotless. The man who stood before him was wearing a suit, as was the child who stood beside him. The woman who stood on his other side wore a dress.
    “Welcome to our home.” she said. She led him to the dining room. “I know you just wanted to check out our home, and make sure it’s a good one to raise our little boy in. I can assure you that it is. While we talked, I thought maybe it would be nice to treat you to a fine, home cooked, southern meal.”
    They sat down to eat, chatting about the little boy…

    …Urchin started listening again when the car had passed.
    “…And this is the school,” she said, pointing to a brick building, “An annoying place where they make us listen to our teachers babble on about nothing.”
    “Hmm. School is actually one of the things I miss. It was the one time I got to be away from-” The boy stopped midsentence.
    “From what?”
    “…Nothing…Never-mind.”
    “Oh come on, you can tell me.”
    “It’s not important… It’s nothing…”
    “Whatever…Oh, this is the park.” She gestured towards the park. It was medium sized, and full of trees. There was a little cobble stone walkway, leading into the trees. She led him down the winding path. After walking for a few minutes in silence they sat down on a bench.
    “What’s your real name?” the girl asked.
    “I…I can’t tell you…”
    “Why not?”
    “’Cause I can’t.”
    “Do ya got a real reason?”
    “If I tell you, I might get found.”
    “Found by who?”
    “You ask too many questions.”
    “Okay, then just answer one for now. What’s your real name?”
    “If I tell you… you have to promise never to tell anyone, ‘cause some day people might come looking for me.”
    “I swear I won’t tell.”
    “Neil Gummoe.”
    “Weird name.”
    “Yeah. I know.”
    “So, why are you here?”
    “I can’t tell you that. No matter what happens I can’t tell anyone.”
    “Why not?”
    “You would hate me if I told you.”
    “No I won’t. I swear I won’t.”
    “You would hate me. And you would tell your parents. And they would hate me too.”
    “No. They’re very understanding people.”
    “I can’t tell you!”
    “Okay, there’s no need to shout. Calm down.”
    “Sorry, but I really cant tell you. I wish I could, but I can’t.”
    “It’s okay.” Daisy said. Then she did something very unexpected. She kissed Neil. He pressed his body up against hers. He had one hand in her hair, and one on her lower back, keeping their bodies pressed together, so that even if Daisy wanted to move away from him, their was no way she could. Daisy had her arms around his waist. Her right hand slowly slid up to his shoulder, then down his chest. She felt like she was on fire, but in a very satisfying way. She kicked off her shoes and undid his belt, and tossed it to the side. He started to unbutton her blouse as she unzipped his pants. He yearned for her, as she did for him. Her skin prickled with intensity as Neil pulled off her shirt. She slipped his pants off. He pulled off her pants and she pulled off his shirt. Neil was fiddling with her bra when they heard footsteps.
    “Quick, follow me!” Daisy whispered. Neil grabbed their pile of clothes and they dove behind the trees. They waited as two little kids skipped past. Their mom walked after them.
    “Ooo! A frog! The littler of the two boys said. The frog hopped in Neil and Daisy’s direction. The little boys chased after it. It hopped into the bush in front of them. If the boys came after it, they would see Neil and Daisy.
    Please don’t let them come any closer. Neil said a silent prayer in his head.
    “Boys! Come away from there! Ya’all know better than to chase the poor frog!” the woman shouted. They followed their mother, smiling sheepishly.
    “That was close.” Daisy said.
    “Yeah.” Neil agreed.
    “Oh crap, it’s almost dark, we have to get back.”
    “Damn. I was hoping we could pick up where we left off.”
    “Me too, but we gotta be getting back.” And with that, she put her bra back on, and her pants.
    She was buttoning her blouse when Neil looked over at her. “You know, that was one hell of a first kiss.”
    “Yeah.” She giggled.
    Neil put his shirt on and took a few steps toward her. He covered her in little kisses, starting at her lips, and slowly down her left cheek and the side of her neck, and playfully fiddled with the collar on her shirt. “But I guess if you really have to go…”
    “Come on, before someone comes lookin’ for us.”
    “Okay.” Neil and Daisy walked back to the blue house. The sun’s rays had completely left the sky when the got there. Stars were beginning to twinkle above their heads.
    “You’re late.” A man said from the table.
    “Sorry sir.”
    “Sorry dad. This is Ne-…This is Urchin.”
    “Yeah, I figured. My wife told me ‘bout you.”
    “Pleasure to meet you sir.”
    “Nice to meet you too. Come on in and sit down. We’re about to eat dinner.”
    They ate dinner, making small talk. Neil complimented the woman’s cooking many times. After dinner, Neil said, “Well thank you for your hospitality, but I must be goin’ now.”
    “Goin’ where?” the man asked.
    “Well, I figured I’ve overstayed my welcome by now.”
    “Oh, no, not at all. We aint ‘bout to make a boy of fifteen sleep outside!” the woman shouted.
    “I don’t mind sleepin’ under the stars.”
    But this was an argument Neil lost. He slept on the couch in the living-room. He tossed and turned throughout the night…

    … A man stands in the doorway. He stares at Neil with angry eyes and a scowl on his face. He says nothing, but walks over to Neil’s cot.
    Neil opens his mouth to speak, but thinks better of it.
    “I’m sorry. I lost my temper. I didn’t mean it.”
    “When, this morning, or every other day for the past 3 years?! You can’t just decide you didn’t mean it! So you can just say sorry and everything is all better?! Sorry won’t do a damn thing! It won’t heal my bruises!” Neil stands up as he speaks, almost eye to eye with his father.
    “Damn it! I apologize, and this is the thanks I get?! I’m saying I’m sorry, because that’s what your mother always wanted, for me to apologize!”
    “You don’t know s**t about what she wanted! You probably don’t even care that she’s dead! And she’s dead because of you! She said something you didn’t want to hear, so you pushed her into the ******** stove!”
    “And that b***h deserved it!”
    “Don’t you dare insult my mother!”
    “And just what do you think you can do about it?!” The man shoved Neil. Neil stumbled backwards. He fell back onto the cot, and shrunk into the far corner. He quivered with fear as the punches came, blow after blow.
    “That’s what I thought. You cant do anything you pathetic waste of air!”
    But as the man said that, Neil snapped. He lost it. He shoved the man. He started punching, and he just couldn’t stop. The man screamed for him to stop. But that just fed Neil’s fury. It was like he was possessed. By the time he finally realized what he had done, it was too late. There wasn’t even a pulse. He picked up the phone and dialed.
    “I’d like to report a dead body.”…

    …Neil blinked away his sleep. He was used to the ghost of his past following him in his dreams. It was nothing to him. Now, he had to leave before dawn. He grabbed a piece of paper and a pen.

    ’I’m sorry to leave without saying goodbye, but I can’t stay in one place too long. Thank you for your hospitality, it is much appreciated.’

    Then he grabbed another piece of paper.

    ‘I’m sorry to leave without saying goodbye, but I must go. I have to find some one. I’ll never forget you. I know I’ve only known you for a day, but I feel like we really connected. I’ll miss you. Maybe, if it’s what the world wants for us, I’ll see you again someday.’

    He put the first note on the couch. He slipped the second one under Daisy’s bedroom door. And then he walked out the front door…

    … When Daisy woke up, she sluggishly trudged to her dresser. She grabbed clothes and went into the bathroom. She got changed and then she went back to her room, stepping over the note and not even realizing it was there. She brushed her hair until it was just-so.
    Then she went into the living room, to see if Neil was awake yet. But he wasn’t there.
    “Neil? Where are you?”
    Then she saw the note. She read it over and over, not wanting to believe. Tears came to her eyes, and she fought to keep them back. She ran into her room, and slammed the door behind her. In the solitude of her room, tears did come. She sobbed quietly. Then she noticed the note on the floor. She picked it up and read it. She sobbed even harder…

    …Meanwhile, Neil was in Birmingham. He hitchhiked his way there. Now all he had to do was find the address that he had long ago memorized. Then, finally, his journey would be over…

    … “What’s wrong?” the woman asked Daisy.
    “He left. He’s gone. He didn’t even say goodbye.” Daisy had stopped crying, but she still looked obviously and incredibly sad. She handed the woman the first letter, from the couch. She put her letter in her pocket. She felt numb…

    …Knock! Knock! Neil knocked on the door. Finally, almost 2 hours after reaching Birmingham, he had found the house.
    “Hello?” a woman answered the door. She couldn’t have been more than 20 years old.
    “Hi, I’m Neil. I believe you know my mother. Her name was Anne Gummoe.”
    “Umm… No. I don’t think I know anyone with that name.”
    “Actually when you knew her, her name was Anne Gray.”
    “No.”
    “Really, this is definitely the right address.”
    “Oh, my family and I just moved in a year ago.”
    “Do you know where the other people moved too?”
    “No, sorry I can’t help you.”
    “Okay. Well, thank you for your time.”…

    … “I’m gonna go for a walk, I’ll be back in a little while.” Daisy said.
    “Okay.” Her mother answered.
    “I’ll be back in a little while, bye.”
    “Bye.”
    Daisy slipped out the door and headed for the highway. He said he was going to Birmingham, to find someone. He said ‘Maybe I’ll see you again.’ I have to go to Birmingham. It was a long shot, Daisy knew that, but she had to try…

    …There were no words to describe what Neil felt. Simply, it could be described as bitter disappointment. But these words didn’t even come close. Even amplified tenfold, they were far less than substantial. This was supposed to be the end of his journey. He was supposed to be safe now. He was supposed to confess his secret, and have them not care. And now he found out they weren’t even there! But deep down Neil knew that even if they were there, they wouldn’t accept him. Not with what he had done…

    …Daisy re-read the note a thousand times on the bus. Until the man across from her asked her what she was reading. She simply said “Oh, nothing.” and slipped the back into her pocket.
    Finally, she reached Birmingham. She knew her way around here. But she didn’t know where to look. She wandered around for an hour. Finally, she found herself in front of her old house. There was 2 little kids outside.
    “Hi!” the little girl said.
    “Hi. You know, I used to live here.”
    “Really?” the other little girl seemed amazed.
    “Yup. But ya’ll were probably too young to remember moving here.”
    “Who are you?” a woman called from the doorway.
    “Oh, I’m Daisy. I used to live here. I was lookin’ for some one, and I was daydreamin’ and I guess my feet took me here.”
    “Oh, ‘bout an hour ago there was a boy come lookin’ for ya’ll and whoever else used to live here.”
    “Really? What’d he look like?”
    “’Bout 15, tall, brown hair, green eyes. Said his name was…Nick or somethin’ like that.”
    “Neil! Oh my god! Which way did he go?”
    “He went that way.”
    “Thanks.” Daisy called over her shoulder, running in that direction…

    … Neil wandered around, lost. He didn’t know what to do now. He wished he had stayed where he was. He should have staid with Daisy and her parents. At least he had food. And he really liked Daisy. That kiss had been amazing. And he wondered what she had thought about the note. Would she cry? Would she even miss him? They had only known each other for a day, after all. But they, connected. On some higher plain of being, they seemed to connect. Maybe they had known each other in a past life.
    “Neil?!” a voiced called from behind.
    Neil spun around. “Daisy?” he asked bewildered. Yes it was her, with her beautiful copper curls, chocolate eyes, sweet smile, and that slight but sexy sway in her step. But what was she doing here?
    “I know you left and you probably didn’t want me to follow you and I’m sorry but I just couldn’t let you leave without sayin’ goodbye, cause even though I only met you yesterday, I feel like I’ve known you forever and-” She would have kept going, but Neil interrupted her with a kiss.
    “I found the address I was lookin’ for. They moved. Now I don’t know what to do.”
    “I know. I ran into the woman that lives there now. We used to live there. She said you were looking for us.”
    “Really? That’s ironic.”
    “Yeah.” Daisy giggled.

    Epilogue

    Neil confessed about his past. Daisy and her family accepted him anyway. But the social worker, Mr. Green, found him. He had to go to court, but was found Not Guilty.
    So he lived with Daisy and her family. They didn’t want Daisy and Neil in the same room, so they converted the basement into a bedroom.
    Neil was enrolled in the school. He was a straight A student. He got a full scholarship to a nearby college. Daisy and Neil went to the same college.
    Daisy and Neil got married right out of college. They had three kids, a boy and twin girls. Daisy was a homemaker.
    In her spare time, she liked to paint. She decided to sell her paintings. It became a career and another source of income. She worked from home.
    Neil became a social worker to help children like he was. It didn’t pay much, but he wrote several books on the topic, and was very successful.
    Neil and Daisy lived a long and happy life. They made a nice life for their children. Not to sound corny or cliché, but they lived happily ever after…