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Rated: E · Novel · Drama · #2093325
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After 10 minutes of uncomfortable small talk and uncertainty of where she was being taken, Lyn showed her to a quiet bridge near the train station. It was small and already filled with others trying to escape the streets that lie above. The graffiti on the greyish bricks added a bit of colour to an otherwise plain tunnel. It was a well known homeless hotspot, avoided by most of the city's residents. She looked at the others, frightened, unsure if they would welcome her or see her as an intruder to their territory.
"Don't worry" Lyn said, reassuringly "They're cool."
One of the men nodded and showed a faint smile. He looked middle-aged, however his long straggly hair and full beard meant she couldn't see much of his face. In the corner of her eye, she saw another man rise to his feet. He was 6 feet of sheer muscle and not the type you'd want to piss off on a good day.
"Are we? Can't say I'm very cool with a stranger like her camping here!"
"Ken, we are all outsiders here! I can vouch, just lay off, ok?" She said, her voice still soft but managed to convey the seriousness of the statement. Ken sat back down and started speaking to the others.
"Sorry, I don't even know your name." Lyn asked.
Damn, think fast!
"Dina. My name is Dina."
Of all the names you could have said!
"Yeah...Dina isn't a name that will get you far here. Sounds too posh."
I knew it!
"Hows about D? It sounds a bit more like a name an outsider would have."
"Sure. D, it is. By the way, why do you call each other outsiders?"
"Just a name we like."
She didn't want to push on the subject so she sat in silence for a few seconds to gather herself. Her leg was still throbbing from her embarrassing fall earlier so she tried to straighten it, hoping it would soon heal.
"Right, down to business." Lyn looked seriously, her face straight and stern. "We have codes. Several but 3 that are vital if you want ot survive here."
"I'm listening" D replied, cautious to take it all in.
"Number 1: We are a pack. A family of sorts. Don't mess with us or turn against us. We fight for each other and stand as one. You are as much a part of us as we are of you. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Number 2: We share around here. Not hard to understand, right?"
"Right."
"Number 3: If you are ever arrested, you do not mention any of us, the word outsider or anything that will jeopardise the group. You clear?"
"Crystal."
"Right then. You are officially an outsider. Get some sleep and I will fill you in on the rest tomorrow. You can share my blanket."
The blanket was dirty and had a dozen tiny tears in it but looked like it would do the job. She lay on the cold hard concrete and pretended she was somewhere else other than there. Lyn's back pressed against hers and although it rubbed against the dressing stuck to her back, it left nice to feel the warmth of another person on her skin. As she drifted off to sleep , she couldn't help but think
How the hell am I gonna keep this secret?
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