7 –Tragic Revelation

"Christi?" Kid Blink shouted shoving all the boys out of the way. Skittery shoved Blink as he, too, pushed through the crowd of boys. Skittery got to the stairs first, and knelt down next to Estha, who was thoroughly confused. Who was Shellie, and why had Christi called her that?

"What happened to her, Estha?" he asked looking into her dark eyes.

"She... she said 'It's happening again Shellie...' then she fainted!"

"Shellie?"

"That's what she called me! I don't know who it is!" Estha said, almost panicked. Christi continued to sob as she half sat, half lay on the stairs.

"Oh. So she finally broke," Skittery murmured to himself as he picked up the sobbing girl into his arms. Kid Blink pushed through to help.

"Here, let me carry her," he said shortly.

"Thanks, but no thanks. You can help me if you want though." Skittery returned, just as quickly. Together, the two boys carried Christi upstairs, past Estha who looked lost and bewildered. Estha looked through the crowd of very confused boys to Jack and Racetrack, who were standing side by side at the end of the stair well.... staring oddly at her. She’d better go check on Christi. Things were getting oddly uncomfortable down here.

Upstairs, Kid Blink was sitting on the bed next to Christi, who was face down on the pillow, letting out little sniffling sounds. Skittery was looking out the window with an expressionless face. Below, the sounds of a card game and boys laughing had just started up again and the noise travelled throughout the Lodging House...

Estha walked quietly up the stairs away from Jack and Racetrack. She had to get away from all the noise and people. She had to know why Christi had called her Shellie. Something about the immensely sad expression on Christi's face made Estha practically break down and cry herself. It felt like she was looking into a mirror when she had seen that expression on Christi’s face. But she had NEVER let anyone see it before.

Estha swung the door open, startling Skittery who was at the window, and making Kid Blink look up from his sitting position on the bed, where he was gently rubbing Christi's back, talking to her in a gentle voice. Christi lay motionless on the bed.

"I think she's asleep," Skittery said quietly to Estha, giving her a small nod. He cast one last look over to the Christi and left the room.

Estha watched him walk down the stairs, unable to figure out why Skittery acted so strangely around Christi. Then again… she knew what it was…yes…she knew. But then… she could always be wrong, after all she had only been here for this one day. This thought practically floored her. Already, in one day, so much had happened that is was almost overwhelming. It boggled her mind that just that morning, she had awaken in an alley to find a battered girl lying on the dusty ground... Estha shook her head as if to shake all the thoughts loose. She crossed the wooden floor to Kid Blink, who looked up at her again.

"She won't talk to me, so don't expect a warm welcome," he said standing up. Estha knew that Kid realized that she wanted to be alone with Christi, to talk to her. When he reached the door, he looked back to Christi. Estha gave him a small smile. He returned it with his wide heart-winning grin, then turned and headed out the door.

"Christi?" Estha asked quietly. No answer.

"I know you're awake, I used to pull the sleeping trick all the time," Estha said, actively trying to make her voice sound nonchalant, which was off course very difficult as she was somewhat confused. No answer.

"Christi. Please?" No answer. Estha decided to try one last time.

"Who's Shellie?" She asked firmly. She had to get her to talk. On the bed, Christi quickly drew her breath. She turned over suddenly and gave Estha the strangest look Estha had ever seen.

"What do you mean?" Christi's voice sounded strange, like she had seen a ghost.

"You called me Shellie... downstairs," Estha said, feeling very detached.

"I did? Oh. Oh my God, sweet God... my Shellie," Christi said with distant glaze cloaking her eyes.

"Christi! Please! Who's Shellie?" Estha reached out suddenly and grabbed Christi's shoulders. Christi looked straight into Estha's brown eyes with her piercing brown-green ones.

"Shellie…my best friend. She's dead, Estha, she's dead! An accident... at the factory! She shouldn't have died, but she did! I wanted to be with her that day, but I was sick! And the machine caught her right up! She didn't weigh a lot… No wonder... they never even found her, Estha! My God! They never took her out of that machine!" Christi had tears running down her face, but she spoke in a steady voice, twisting the bed sheet around in her hands.

"Oh…” and that was all she could urge out of her mouth. She was shocked, YES, shocked. She could not believe that Christi had had those memories and emotions pent up inside her all that time. All the smiles and laughter had hidden it so well. Christi then grabbed anxiously at her hand. For a moment she could not think. Then she responded by slowly and gently squeezing her hand, as if to urge her on to talk.

After a few moments, Christi's voice broke the silence. The word began to rush out of her mouth all at once, as if relieved at the chance they now had to be freed from her mind

"We moved here… well, ran away is more like it. Shellie and me…we were best friends. We just had to get away, away from Texas. Boy, we were the closest friends," Christi said. Her eyes brightened. And then she added almost excitedly, "I have a picture of her too! It's her and me! We got it taken when we both turned 16! Our birthdays’ were even the same day... Her papa was friends with mine!" Christi jumped out of the bed quickly and grabbed her tattered bag, which was lying on the ground. Shuffling around, she produced a wrinkled black and white photograph. Christi handed it to Estha. After taking one look, all Estha could do was stare wide eyed at the figure in the photo. The photo seemed to have been taken outside a small home in the country. On the left was Christi, smiling brightly, her joy evident in her face. One of her arms was draped loosely over another figure. Immediately, Estha froze. The figure appeared tall, almost as tall as she was. She had dark skin, like she did and a short curly mess of hair like she did. But one thing that made this girl distinctive was the proud quality in her eyes. Her chin was up, head straight back, and she stood tall. She looked like… Yes she had to admit there was resemblance…she looked like her.

"I know what you're thinkin'" Christi said smiling oblivious to what had just passed thorough Estha’s mind, "Her black, and me being white... it's just not something that usually happens down in the south, and I can completely testify to that! People hated us being friends..." Christi sounded bitter. "My daddy and hers, they didn't care. They'd always been friends, buddies. My daddy was pretty tolerant. Well. With most things..." Christi trailed off.

"You miss her a lot?" Estha said still staring at the picture.

"More than you know," Christi said looking out the window.

Estha glanced over at Christi. She sighed heavily. Then she whispered softly under her breath, “You have no idea how much I might understand you.” And with that she left the room and proceeded to waddle back down the stairs. With a glance towards Kid, she sent him scampering back up the stairs. Then Jack approached her. He reached out to her and for a second, she froze. Then his hand dropped to her shoulder and lay there, comfortingly. He looked into her hazel eyes with his own, searching her face. Estha still had no idea why these guys kept looking at her like that. No that was a lie...she just hoped that the idea she had was somewhat unfounded. She sighed again. And before he could open his mouth to say a word she had slipped out of his grasp and was headed towards the door. He looked after he forlornly, then realised how it must look and tried to put a disinterested mask on his face. But no one in the room was fooled. They had just decided, for once, to keep their big mouths shut.

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6 / Bulma’s Hideout / 8