Secrets Lead to Suffering

Log Archive » Logs for November 2008 » Secrets Lead to Suffering

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Scene Title	Secrets Lead to Suffering
Synopsis	In where Abby helps Mary, Abby meets Niki, Niki meets Mary and someone dies. Not Abby.
Date	November 30 2008

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is located on the westernmost point of Long Island and shares its only land boundary with Queens. The East river borders and defines the borough's northern coast, Coney Island, Brighton Beach, and Manhattan beach are to the south, and the Narrows separate it from Staten Island to the southwest.

Downtown Brooklyn is one of the NYC's largest business districts. Between the Bridge and Prospect Park, brownstones, townhouses, and high-end restaurants are dominant. The culturally diverse communities of Williamsburg and Greenpoint are snugged against the East River to the far north. Close by are far more criminally active neighborhoods such as Brownsville, Crown Heights, and Bushwick. Regardless of the social situation, the so-called Borough of Neighborhoods is packed to the gills in post-bomb NYC.

Nothing looks to oddly out of place to the passer by this evening in Brooklyn. One of the side streets, close to the action. The little baby blue scooter, pope mobile as some might call it, however, is out of place as it sits near the entrance of an alley. The matching helmet sits on the seat, keys nowhere to be seen as is owner. A painted gold cross on the back end of the blue scooter. Either the owner is nearby, or there's someone with alot of guts and stones to leave something just sitting there for anyone to steal.

The blonde pulls up in a car, not that far from the scooter. She's got a job of her own tonight, and though she starts that way, she's surprised to see the scooter there with the helmet. Especially with the little paint-job there. Out of place for this part of town, and as likely to get vandalized as not. She walks up next to it, giving it a good visual once-over.

Older scooter, nothing new, Helmets new looking. But when the blonde approachs, one can hear the low voices in the alley, a couple of people standing there, female voice. "Almost done Mary, then you should be good for a bit. I should have come around sooner but things happened. Stuff happens. You really should go somewhere else. It's not good for you here" a southern drawl lilts across the air. "They'll just keep it up and then what'll you do? Keep waiting for me to come and fix you up all the time?"

That voice makes her curious. Not for the voice, so much, but for the words. Niki moves over closer to the entrance of the alleyway, catlike and quiet, sticking to the edge. The better to listen to you with, my dear.

"But my stuff is here" an older woman. The two people turn out to be what could pass for a homeless woman, and a young redhead, dressed in blue that matches the scooter. The younger, holding the older ones hand and chafing it between them. "Yes Mary, I told you, I could find some people to help you. The church, I saw that there was places to get a good meal there, and you won't need me to come out and fix you when stan decides he wants your alcohol or your smokes, or one of the others wants your spot" No more, no less, just someone holding another persons hands. "I brought you a new pack anyways. Just, try and hide it good hmm? All I can spare this week. There, all better. Knee's better?" Abby's oblivious to niki, not hearing any other sounds than the shuffling of the older more decrepit woman. "Much better Abigail" Woman of few words it seems. "Good. Brought you some hot food too, new gloves, and wool blanket. I think it's going to be cold this winter. You and the other worry me you know that. really, the church would be better than your box" Mary's hands are dropped and abby's own gloves dug from out of her pocket.

Interesting. Social do-gooder, that's rare enough down at this part of town, but the earlier comment about "fix you up all the time" has her curious. She waits, silently…this has enough of her interest that it might be worth pursuing.

Next few minutes pass, doling out of blanket, thermos of hot liquids, brown bag of presumably food, sturdy polyester bag with other supplies. Things that someone who's homeless might need throughout the week and the season. "Coming next week Abigail?" "I'll do my best Mary. I promise that. Any requests? I got a job again, so I can indulge" Whatever is spoken is too low to hear but Abby's laughs isn't. 'Romance novel it is. I'll find you one. God bless mary and stay away from stand for heavens sake. You leave me so tired all the time" Exchange of hugs, hold of hands and the redhead turns away, starting to pick her way back to her scooter, canvas bag and bungee cord in hand, humming a church song under her breath to herself.

Niki waits. She'll keep waiting till Abby makes it to the entrance of the alley, and it's only then she'll speak. "Kind of a dangerous thing, doing social work down here at this hour." she says, looking over to Abby.

Not what she expected, not in the least. She had thought that she'd just get on her bike and drive off to meet the next of her regulars. Instead, there's someone suddenly talking. Automatically she looks to the source of the voice. "I got, fifty bucks on me, that's yours, and whatever's in my bag, if you'll just let me drive off" Abby's blue eyes wide, the layer of blue, black, yellow and green across her cheek and nose. "I have a watch too, if you want that, should get you some more money" please let it be a mugger….

Niki's in a nice suit and heels. Neither is de rigeur for a mugger. "Actually, I'm more curious than anything. What did you mean when you talked about "fixing" her." It was mentioned twice, and it has the blonde's interest.

Shit, double shit. Abby reaches into the canvas backpack, slowly, and pulls couple packs of cigarettes. "I come once a week, bring her come cigarette's, some food, occasionally something else that she needs. What did you think I meant by fixing here?" Not getting mugged. She studied the other woman though, comparing her to the list Teo gave her. Not a brunette, the rest fit. Shit. One of them? Maybe, if she'd dyed her hair blonde instead of brunette.

The blonde smiles. "Mmm. I don't think bringing cigarettes counts as "fixing". Getting a fix maybe. But not fixing. In fact, given the context, it sounded a lot like you "fixing" her after someone beat the crap out of her."

"It's fixing her up for the week, I've been coming here for a long time. Third carboard box in, she has a picture of her daughter on the inside wall" 'Abigail? Is that Stan?" Comes the other voice from within. "No Mary, not Stan, your safe, go back to what you were doing" Abby eyes Niki. "I am safe, yes? Your not.. in need of help as well?" The redheads on edge, the southern drawl deepening. The little gold cross pokes out from beneath the cross and Abby holds onto the bag and jumper cable tight. Mental prayers running through her mind that this please please not be one of the not so nice guys hell bent on doing something like.. oh… killing people for fun.

Niki looks thoughtful. "mmm-hmm." She doesn't sound like she believes it. "Maybe I need to go talk to her about what it is you've been doing." she says, voice hardening a little.

Staring match, Abby's not even deigning to look Mary's way. "Why do you care? I'm helping homeless people, i've helped them for a few years now. I don't know who you are, and I just want to go on my way so I can check on my others. I'm just a good christian girl on her night off, helping those less fortunate. There's nothing wrong with that.

Niki says "Call me curious. And if that's all it is, then I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about. I'll just have to talk to her till she gives me some answers I like." And she starts to head for the alley.

'Answers you like" Abby sighs softly. "As opposed to the truth" Right now, would be the perfect time to run like hell. Possibly, maybe. Instead, Abby just turns and walks to her bike to start securing the bag to it. Whether it's good day for Mary, or a bad day, determines what the woman will say. She's told her before not to tell what Abby does for her. Staving off the ache in the woman's bones, the bruises that another homeless man gives her. Niki can't be part of the group Teo's warned her about. She'd have been dead on the spot. Turmoil in her mind, as the bag is strapped down, bungee's run over it so that it's secure and Abby goes about picking up her helmet and waiting, palming her keys. Praying.

The question, of course, is whether Mary's going to keep silent when interrogated. Niki walks down the alley…and there's a loud -smack-, as if of someone getting hit. Pretty hard, too.

And que getting the hell out of there. Abby's on her scooter in a heartbeat, glad that she secured the bag, and trying to do her best to get the scooter going, gas hit and making it the hell away from the blonde. Shit. It could be anyone. Fed? DId felix have someone trailing her? Coudl be, makes sense. She's in panic mode, priority one, is to just get away.

News: Death in Brooklyn

It'll only rate an entry in the paper because of the violent nature of the crime. A woman was found dead in an alley in Brooklyn, beaten so severely that some of her bones were literally crushed to powder.