Misty Morning - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Em Snyder
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 1

He walked along the sidewalk, in the cool mist just before the sun rose. He felt the lightest touch of tiny, bony fingers in his pocket. Snatching the little wrist, he whirled around to see a dirty little boy, not more than six. He winced, trying not to show his discomfort. He became acutely aware of the wrist he held in his large hand, and felt the delicate, almost birdlike bones under the meagre flesh. The boy was thin, and painfully so.

He realized also that the child was crying.

Jean-Luc knew he was causing the boy pain by holding his wrist so tightly, but the man refused to back off.

"Why were y' hands in m' pocket?" he asked firmly.

The boy just looked at him, and he noticed the child's bright eyes glowing slightly in the mist. Shock caused Jean-Luc to drop the tiny wrist he had been gripping so tightly, and the owner of it started to run away. Jean-Luc snatched him from behind and dragged him back.

"Why were y' reachin' in m' pocket?" he asked again, a little more gently.

The child began sobbing, obviously terrified. The tears made small rivers in the dirt on his face, revealing baby skin. Jean-Luc bit his lip, almost crying himself. He cursed softly, and the boy looked up at him. Finally, he spoke.

"I was hungry."

Jean-Luc looked down at the small figure before him. He could believe that, so he bent down to the boy's eye level and looked straight at the disquieting red-on-black orbs.

"Where's y' maman?"

"Don' got one."

"How 'bout y' papa?"

"Don' got one.

"No fam'ly?"

"Uh-uh."

He sighed to himself. He was gonna have to bleed in the heart and take this one home, wasn't he? *%@&. He absently kicked the side of a building. The child shivered. "Cold?"

"Uh-huh."

He took off his jacket and draped it around the little boy. "What's y' name?"

"Don' got one."

He sighed again. No family, no name. His heart ached. His wife was gonna kill him for bringing a kid home for her to take care of...but how could he leave this child, this child who so obviously needed someone? The answer, this time, was simple. He could not.

"C'mon, kid. We gonna get y' some food."

Trustingly, the little boy held out a tiny, bony hand. Jean-Luc took it, and lead the child to his home.