Callie

Prologue


(Callie)
...I couldn’t believe it. I, a mere human, in flight. The wind soared beneath my fingertips. My hair was all astray. My clothes would probably be severely damaged when I landed, but I didn’t care. I was flying. As I soared through the night I finally realized how stiff and unmoving I was. Not like a bird at all. So I started to relax a bit. Then I thought, “Why not do a flip?” So I started to lean forward. Only then did my brain fill with horror images of me plummeting back to earth. I started to back up but it was already to late. It was either manage a flip or die. As my body turned downward…“Hey gurlie.”

I sighed and closed my book. As I turned to face my intruder I slipped my book into my book bag. Then I turned my attention to this punk in front of me. It never fails. Every time I walk home from work someone tries to jump me. I don’t know what it is about me that makes me look so defenseless. Is it my hair? Nah, can’t be; they usually go after blonds don’t they? I am definitely not a blond. Well sure my light brown hair might be mistaken for blond but don’t they usually go after girls with straight blond hair? My hair is curly, very curly. It can’t be my blue eyes because, well, they can’t see them in the dark. And my body? Hah! I look like a stick. My chest is too average, my waist too thin, and my butt is, well, average. Definitely not worth jumping in a dark alley. But I guess these guys don’t really care. Trying to act all macho and everything. They think that right after they do their mugging or what have you, they will just walk right to their buddies and suddenly gain a higher status. Well, I try to prevent that from ever happening.

“Thank you for noticing that I am from the female species. You can move along now.” I turned around and walked a little further. I’m betting 5 minutes before his tiny pea sized, high school drop-out brain can figure out what I just said.
“What if I don’t want to move along?” I turned around, eyebrow raised. Wow. 3 minutes. A smart high school dropout.
“Well then that’s your problem, isn’t it.”
The guy smiled and said “It’s about to become your problem too.” How corny is that? I rolled my eyes and dropped my book bag to the ground. Then I walked right up to the guy and punched him in the face. Guy falls. Don’t you just love gravity?
“You done now?”
“Shit!” The guy rolled around on the street clutching his face. Not a very clean street by the way. I hate it when they just give up. It’s no fun if I don’t get to fully beat the crap out of them.
“Have fun explaining to your friends that you got beat up by a girl. A girl who only threw one punch.” That got him up. He rushed at me like a bull. I sighed and turned to the side. Went right past me. As he flew off into gravel I gave him an extra push with my foot. This guy seems to love the floor. He jumps back up and wildly swings at my face. I ducked and punched him in the stomach. He keeled over and using that to my advantage I kneed him in the face. Crunch.
“Oh, my. I think I broke something.” I said, pretending to actually care. Grabbing him by his hair, I lifted his head up. Blood streamed out from his severely damaged nose.
“Ah, well.” I said. With that I shoved him to the floor.
“You might want to fix that before you become any uglier. You might have to rape people in addition to mugging.” The guy stood up and ran down the alley. I watched after him sadly. I looked around me. Nothing.
“Ah, man. I didn’t even get to use any of the lines I had come up with at school.” Then I shrugged. I picked up my book bag and turned towards home.

I opened the door and let my book bag slide to the floor.
“Hey daddy.” My dad looked up from the couch.
“Hey honey, did you beat anyone up today?” I smiled. My dad had taught me to fight when he realized that a gang had moved in near our neighborhood.
“Actually, I did.” He shot up from his chair and rushed over to me.
“Oh my God, Callie. Are you hurt? Did you get them? Is anything broken? You didn’t fall down did you? Oh, no. You probably have a concussion…”
“Dad, I’m fine.” I said soothingly. Dad was a little paranoid. Not all the time. Just when I got all fighty or when I walked down dark alleys.
“Yeah, well you are probably only saying that because of the concussion you contracted.”
“Dad, really I’m alright. All I did was punch the guy in the face. Nothing else.” And then bash his face in, but no need to divulge that little tidbit. He still looked a little concerned.
“If it makes you feel any better, I promise I won’t go to sleep for another…” I looked at my watch. “5 hours.” That snapped him out of it.
“Oh, no you don’t. You have school tomorrow and you need to go to bed. In fact so do I, seeing as I have work tomorrow.” I stared at him.
“You have a job?” I said with hope. He smiled and nodded. I yelled congratulations and hugged him. My dad hasn’t had a job since he quit the police force. This is going to be great. Finally, we can afford real food! Not TV Dinners or anything but FOOD. Maybe, possibly, a restaurant!
“Oh dad, this is so great!” I stepped back and looked around the tiny cramped apartment.
“As soon as we have enough money we should really move.” He looked around.
“Definitely.” I smiled at him. Things were going to be all right.

2 days later…

Bang, Bang, Bang! I groaned and rolled over on the bed.
“Dad, can you get that?” Bang, Bang, Bang! Oh yeah, he’s at work. I smiled. Then I happened to read my alarm clock. 9:03.
“Uggh.” Bang, Bang, Bang!
“Alright, I’m coming.” I rolled off the bed and surveyed myself. Sweatpants and a big T-shirt. It will do. Not that it matters. As I walked to the door I mumbled,
“Let’s just hope this isn’t the President.

I opened the door and was immediately shoved back into the room. By my dad.
“Oh thank God you’re all right. Quick, close all the windows and lock them. Now!” I hurried to do just that. When I was done I saw my dad looking out the peephole frantically.
“Dad, what’s going on?”
“Shhh!” he whispered. “I think there is someone following me.” Oh, no. Not another panic attack. Ever since mom… well… ever since she died my dad has never been the same. He is always looking behind him on the street. Thinking someone is after him.
“Dad, it’s nothing. No one is following you. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be at work?” He glanced at me, mouth open to explain when all of the sudden his eyes widened.
I turned to see what he was looking at but before I could he pushed me outside and yelled, “Run!” I backed away from the door. Wow, he really has gotten out of it. Then out of nowhere I heard two shots ring out. Two very close shots. It was then that I listened to my dad’s advice. I ran.

I came back when it was dark. Anybody who was there already should have left by now. I crept up to my door and slid my key into the lock. I winced as it turned. Too loud. Then I opened the door and walked in slowly and quietly. Not even two steps and I tripped.
“Oof!” I landed on the ground and immediately jumped back up. Then I looked at what had tripped me. A body. My father’s body. I knelt and looked at him, touching his arm. It looked like he had been shot twice. Once in the leg and once in the shoulder. There was tons of blood coating the cheap rug of our apartment.

I stared in shock. Just as I was about to cry, His arm moved.
“Dad?” I said. Leaning closer to him. He opened his eyes just a slit. Then he closed them and breathed
“Hey honey. Did you beat anyone up today?” That was what triggered it. I collapsed next to him and just started crying.
“Daddy, are you ok? We got to get you to the hospital.” I started to standup but he weakly grabbed at my arm. He missed but it was enough to catch my attention. I stayed. After a few seconds when he regained his energy, he opened his eyes and whispered
“No…It’s too late… Nothing they can do…” his eyes started to flutter closed. Alarmed, I cried out
“Dad! Please don’t leave me! I don’t know anyone else, I don’t have anyone else!” He opened his eyes a little wider and said
“Yes…you do…go to…New York City…find…Jack Warer…old…friend.”
“But…” He shook his head slightly.
"Go…Money in…bottom of…last drawer. Tell Jack…” He closed his eyes briefly, “Tell Jack…that Shunick…is free.” I cried bitterly.
“Daddy…”
“Shhh…”he said, “ I love you…always. You look…just like her…you know.” I smiled a tiny smile, meaningless and crumbling as soon as it was placed.
“Daddy, I love you, too.” He smiled a weakly. And with that he closed his eyes.

I cried forever that night, holding his cold hand. When dawn arrived I somehow managed to carry my father to the bed. I searched his drawers and found the money, $800, dollars. I cried when I saw it. It was the money he was saving for our new place. The place we’ll never live at. Then I quickly packed my things and put it in my black book bag. Then I walked back to the bed and shaking, I kissed my dad on the forehead.
“Goodbye, dad. I’ll see you later.” With that I walked out and closed the door to my apartment. I walked with a heavy weight in my chest. Somehow I knew that the weight wasn’t going to come of anytime soon.



Ch.1

(Chris)
A month earlier…

“I’m sorry sir but we’re going to have to escort you out.” I glared at the security man. Then I looked at the old lady who calmly sat at the desk, ignoring me as if security had already kicked me out.
“I don’t understand, why don’t I qualify for a loan.”
She simply looked at me and said, “There is really nothing to it. You do not qualify because the bank does not believe you will ever return the loan.” I slowly counted to 5 while trying to stop myself from grinding this person’s head into the desk.
“And why does the bank believe that I will not return you loan?” She just looked at me as if I had crawled out of a sewer.
“We know not to waste time with people like you.” she said. How can this person just sit there and say that and still think she is perfectly human. The degrading bitch.
“What! People like me! You mean people who actually need money!” I yelled enraged.
“Excuse me sir, but you are going to have to leave now.” I glared at the guard and then took one last look at the lady.
“I am going to get this money. I’m warning you.” With that I turned to lave shrugging off the guard’s hand. I stopped outside the doors and tried to calm myself. Then I looked at the name printed on the office walls. Warer Financial. I am going to get that money. Whatever it takes.

A month later…
(Callie)
“Um, hello. Can I speak to Mr. Jack Warer please?” I asked tentatively.
“Of course. One moment please.” Some cheesy music started playing. I surprisingly it didn’t take that long to find Jack in New York City. As opposed to my dad, Jack made it big. The minute I opened the phone book at the telephone booth, there he was. Warer Hospital. Warer Hotel. Warer Bank. He had a bank! My God this guy was rolling it in! But just in case I turned to the directory and dialed him up. I wonder if he even remembers Dad…
”Hello, Jack Warer. How may I help you?” I jumped and then said nervously
“Um…hi. This is Calypso Renners. Phil’s daughter.”
“Phil! Oh this is so great! He’s here? That’s perfect! Oh I’m sorry, I very rude. It’s nice to meet you Calypso. I remember you when you were just a tiny little thing. How are your parents?” I blinked back sudden tears.
“Um, that’s what I needed to talk to you about. Do you think I could see you in person?”
“Oh sure, no problem. Why? Is everything okay?” I shifted around the telephone booth.
“Not exactly.”
“Ok, just tell me where you are and I’ll come get you.” I did and we hung up.

After a few minutes a limo pulled up beside me. I, of course didn’t pay it much attention. I don’t know why but I think I was expecting some slightly normal car. No such luck.
“Calypso?” a voice said. I turned around and looked at the face behind the rolled down windows.
“Mr. Warer?” He nodded and opened the door. He gestured for me to get in and we drove away. He was about the same age as my dad, around forty. His hair was this salt and pepper mix and he was semi-built. His eyes looked concerned and worried.
“So…” he started. “You’re Callie? You look a lot like your mother.” I gave him a tiny smile.
“So they tell me.” He edged closer to the end of his seat.
“Callie, what happened?”

I took in a deep breath and said “My mother…, she died about a year ago…” I broke off. Don’t cry. Just keep it steady.
“Ally? But, how?” I gave a tiny shake of my head.
“Oh. You don’t want to talk about it? Oh, this is so terrible. I can’t imagine how Phil…” I gave the tiniest squeak when he said this and he looked up at me.
“Daddy…Well, he quit the force after that. We were dependant on my after-school job at the café. Lots of TV dinners.” He gave a small smile at that.
“Then he got a job. I was so happy for him. He was going to be a construction worker. We were going to bet a bigger apartment when he got his paycheck.” My voice broke a bit. I had to look up in order to maintain my face of calm. “A few days later I was in bed. He came running up to the door. Started banging on it. He lost his keys I guess. I opened the door and rushed in and started asking me if I was alright. He told me to start closing windows and locking doors. I don’t think I ever finished. ‘Cause al of the sudden he started staring at a window behind me and he pushed me out the door. He told me to run. I thought he was crazy…” A tear ran down my cheek. “Then I heard 2 shots. I ran and came back after dark. He was still there! On the floor. With a shot on his leg and in his shoulder.” Jack looked horrified and he looked as if he were about to cry himself. “He told me to…to come here and find you. Cause you were all I had left.” Jack opened his mouth to speak but I shook my head.
“No. I have to give you a message.” I thought back for a minute and said, “He told me to say that Shunite, no wait Shunick was free.” If Jack hadn’t gotten pale when I told him about my parents, he sure did when I told him the message.

“Are you sure?” He didn’t wait for me to answer.
“It must be.” He mumbled. “Nothing else could have brought Phil down.” He finally turned to me and said, “So I guess that means that my duty as your godfather are in need. You'll be living with me.” I looked at him confused.
“You are my godfather?”
“Of course. Your parents and I were good friends.” He looked very sad. They must have been very good friends.



Ch.2



The limo pulled up to this huge mansion. You'd think that by now I would not be shocked when I saw the enormity of it. But I think that it just slipped my mind that Jack was some kind of billionaire. He seemed so...human.

Anyways, the mansion looked like is was torn out of England. It's walls were covered with ivy and it had that beige sort of color houses that look that old have. From what I could see there were three floors, but the top floor was probably used for attic space. There were about 14 rooms on each floor. In other words, Wow. It was colassal.
Some guy opened my door and I stepped out of the limo. They also seemed to have an enormous backyard. Lucky little creatures.

"Come on Callie." says Jack softly. I didn't even notice him get out of the car. "I want you to meet my family." He lead me to the door where this guy opened it from the inside. He has a butler. Oh. My. God.

If you thought the outside was huge, the inside was humongus. It was all, well, pretty! I know, i know. Pretty is a caveman type of word, but when you see the inside of this house you lose control of your mind. It was beatiful. Clean and osphisticated. But not so sophisticated that you would start to get nervous that you might accidently break something of great importance. No this place had a homey feel to it. I almost smilied. I just might like it here.

"Jack!" A middle-aged woman almost ran down the stairs to meet him.
"Martha." He said as he embraced her. I watched them with amusement. Well at least some couples aren't getting divorced in this country. These two seemed connected at the hip.

Jack noticed me and steped back from Martha. "Uh honey, you remember Ally and Phil Renners right?" she nodded. Then she squinted at me. Suddenly she let out a squeal of delight. "Is that Calypso?" She ran up to me and hugged me so tight I could barely breath. For a slim woman she has a lot of strength! "Oh you look so grown up! Of course I last sawyou when you were just a couple ofmoths old but still, wow! Are you coming over to visit?"

I looked nevously in Jack's direction. Do I have to do this again? Jack must have understood my expression because he told her gently what happened. Her face fell. "Oh! That is so horrible! Oh you poor thing!" she hugged me again in her still tight embrace. After awhile she let go and allowed me to breath once more. She looked at Jack and said,"She is staying here with us, right?" He nodded. "Of course." She nodded to. Then she gave me a watery smile. "Well you must be exhausted coming from Miami to New Yourk City. How 'bout we fix up a room for you." I gave her a tiny nod and she looked at me sadly. "You poor thing." she mummered while she tucked one of my curls behind me ear. Then she said, "You come with me. We'll set something up and then get you some dinner." I nodded while I followed her up one of the humongous staircases. One thing's for sure, life is certainly going to be different.

"Oh God." I opened one of my two walk-in closets and what did I find? Dresses. Well, dresses and shoes. And fancy blouses and slacks. These people really lack in taste. Okay, so they are really rich. But does that give them the right to be so...ughh? I was supposed to go down to dinner in a few min. and Martha had hinted that I had clothing inside my closets. Giving a slight shudder I closed the closet and opened the other one.

Wow. If closet 1 was the moon, closet 2 was the sun. Inside it was, well, slut clothes. I don't think I am being harsh. some of these things looked like rubber band yet were disguised as halter tops. Extremely low cut jeans were set were next to the shortest skirt on the planet. I gave yet another shudder and walked in. I was determined. I would find clothes that were not slutty but then again not royal princessie.

I fially managed to get normal looking jeans and t-shirts from the two hell dimensions. It was enoguh to last me a year. Which is good because I really hate shopping.

"Miss? Dinner is served." said a voice from behind my door. I shrugged into one of my new outfits and walked out the door. There stood a maid. A maid. My god these people are rolling it in! "Come with me." she said slightly smiling. If she knew where the food was then I would follow her anywhere.

I found myself on the bottom floor, left wing. I know, they have wings! Anyways, there was this girl at the table. I stood there for a moment, not sure if I should announce my prescence or what. Suddenly the girl saw me and shrieked. I mean shrieked. you would think she never saw a human before. "Daddy! There is a stranger in the house!" Jack turned to look at me. "Oh, it's just Callie. Sorry, I haven't introduced you two yet. Callie this is my daughter Veronica. Veronica this is Callie. She'll be staying with us for awhile."

This girl(my age) was a snob. also a slut. It looked like she owned that last closet. She kept looking at me like I was the scum on the bottom of her shoe. I couldn't care less. I was just wondering what was going to happen to me. And who the hell was Shunick!

"Callie. You'll be going to Veronica's school tommorow, ok?"said Martha. "Sure." I mumbled. Great. School. Just what I need. At least I have a great coversation piece. 'So why did you transfer here?' 'My dad got shot twice and died.' I'm going to have zilch friends. Ah well. That's nothing new.

After dinner, Veronica cornered me. Well she didn't actually corner me. It was more like she squealed for me to stop and go talk to her. "If you think that I'm going to let you tag along you've got another thing coming. I don't want you to even mention that you are living with me. I've got a reputation to keep and I'm not letting a trailer trash like you ruin it. got that?" I wonder what it qould be like to smash her face into that wall. Fun, I imagine but i think she would scream. So I just raised my eyebrow and turned. Queen Bitch wasn't going to know what hit her.



Ch.3



Stonyfield High was not a normal public school. Of course it wasn't. The slut wouldn't go there if it was. It was a rich kid public school. Oh sure, there were a couple of middle classed kids. I think there were about ten of them. This was the school rich kids went to, to pretend they were tough, gangster.What morons.

The minute I stepped in the halls I was sick of the place. It was all clean and nice looking. No graffiti or anything. Yet it was filled to the brim with guys whose pants were about to fall off their ass and girls whose tight skirt just might be up her ass. Wannabes.

I headed straight for the principle's office and got my classes. As I left I asked the receptionist where the school library was. She gave me directions and I memorized them. Then I headed for my first class of hell.

The minute I stepped in you could tell I wasn't going to be very popular at this school. The guys were staring at me like the couldn't believe I wasn't dressed like the other girls:slutty. My clothes by the way, were a pair of faded blue jeans and a blue Yale sweatshirt. Not that I cared what they thought. They were all obnoxious dorks and they all looked kind of...I don't know, oily. Sleazy. Dirtbags. whatever. The girls were just snickering and giving me evil looks. I plopped down in a chair. I hated highschool.

When school was over I flew out of there with my new library books. I couldn't stand it. At lunch it was the worst. A guy actually came up to me. and started hitting on me. Is this guy out of his mind?"Are you deranged?" He just smiled and leaned closer. "Whatever helps you sleep at night. Although I hope that would be me." I took one look at him and started cracking up. This guy was so unbelievable! He wanted me to be hot for him when he had his pants pulled down below his ass? He was soo a punk or at least a wannabe.

He look suprised by my laughter. "What's so funny?" I tried to breathe but it was very hard to control the hilarity of the situation. A punk is hitting on me. HAH!"You...actually think... I would sleep...with you?!Hah,hah hah..." He looked a little pissed off. He started to get up. He looked shocked. "I would never...sleep with a guy...who is soo wannabe gangster...hah...his ass is falling out of his pants! hahaha..." He started to steam up a little bit. "Why you little bitch..."This could only make me laugh harder. Who did he think he is? And did he really think I gave a rat's ass that he called me a bitch?

His friends had to hold him back when he started lunging at me. I stood up and tried to regin in my laughter. I always liked a fight. "O come on boys. Let him try and hit me. Or are you just scared he is going to hurt himself?" That did it. The guys let him go and swung at me. I ducked quickly and punched him in the face. I was dissapointed to hear that little crunching noise and nose makes when it breaks. Not because I was sad it was broken. Hell no. HE came after ME. But usually when they break their noses they don't want to play anymore. Which was to bad because I really needed to vent.

Sure enough he quit and two of his friends started helping him to the nurse.
"How could you do that!" screamed Veronica flanked by all the people in her little clique. All sluts. You could just tell that what they had wan't real. Some obviously got a boob job or stuffed. and you could so tell becasue they were waring these itty bitty tops.
"Do what?" I asked bored. The fight was over. If Miss Slut wasn't going to throw a punch or suddenly gain a personality what else was she good for? She looked like she was going to an annuerism.
"Punch Joey in the face!" I just blankly stared at her. His name was Joey? I had to fight to contain my laughter.
"Is there a point to this conversation?" Veronica just fumed. Then she stocked off with her entourage following her.

So as you can see, I had to get out of there. I could not stand one more second in the flaming hell hole. Once I cleared the building I began to walk at a normal pace. I sighed. There probably were going to be punks here too. The only good thing about punks is that I can beat them up. It's like a training session. My real goal though, was to meet a gang member. I'm not talking about those stupid little rapper people or anything like that. No I'm talking about a real gang. The kind that can actually beat the crap out of you. See, punks are really...just punks. They don't really know how to fight. And while it's really fun to kick their asses it's not really a challenge. I want a challenge. I want a tough fight. At least one. I want to know what it feels like to be uncertain about who will come out on top. Because there was no doubt about it. I can beat down any punk I ever come across. Punks were very stupid.

I was thinking all of this as I walked along the sidewalk towards Jack's home. I had just a tiny bit of hope that maybe there was a real gang in New York. And maybe I would get to fight them. That's when a hand came out from behind me and slapped a cloth on my face. That's when my world went dark.



Ch.4



I woke up in a dark room. From the musty smell of it, it seemed like a basement. All of the sudden i had a pounding headache. I groaned and held my head. It's not everyday you get a chlorophorm cloth over you face.

I sat up and took a look at my surroundings. I was on a brown, old, but very comfy couch. Acrosss from me was a medium sized TV. There was a fridge in one corner of the room. And a small table with little foldup chairs. The walls were bare and had acouple holes in it. The floor looked just like the walls but a darker color. It was like being home again.

Suddenly I heard a noise. I quickly ducked behind the door that was the only entrance into this room. After a couple of seconds the door opened and when I got a clear view of the back of the person walking through, I jumped.



(Chris)
I opened the door to the basement where the girl was. She's been asleep for awhile. I walked in and then fell to the floor. Someone was on top of me. Whoever it was, was trying to pin me down. A good effort but it takes alot to pin me down. I quickly rolled over and stood up. The person on the floor was not more then a half-second behind me. It was the girl.

Before I had time to ponder this she delivered a huge punch to my solar plexus. I knew from experinence not to bend over with the sudden pain I was feeling but to nistead use this time to attack your opponent. So I did. I pushed her into the conveinently located wall. But once I got there she managed to sweep my legs from under me. I tripped but leaned forward so I pressed her into the wall. I pressed my knees into thighs so that she would stay still. Then I gripped her wrists and held them a safe distance away. She reared her head back and I pressed my forehead to hers, so I could avoid the head butt she was trying to do. She was good.

I stared at her for a few seconds while we both caught our breaths. She had these deep blue eyes, like crystals, framed by her slightly dark golden hair. Her hair was temptingly curly. I say tmepting because i was just so tempted to plunge my hands inside it and feel it's texture which I just knew had to be butter soft, like silk.

I quickly closed my eyes and removed these thoughts. She's a hostage. Nothing more. But thjat didn't help me as I was pressed against her soft but full body. I quickly got rid of these thoughts as she gasped for air.

"Who..." she had to take another breath."Who are you?"