Dreams

ChloeCGS

Elliot cautiously made his way down the dark alley. Being that he was only a 14-year-old, orphaned kid that had no home (after he escaped the shelter), he had to fend for himself. That meant, finding shelter at night, staying away from shifty characters, and finding food and water. That might not seem too hard, but on the streets of New York City, this can be a bit challenging. Elliot is a clever kid, so he can deal with his situation quite well. Most people on the streets barely give him a second look, and even if they do, he is gone before they can do so.

"Hey, kid!" A male voice barked from the head of the alley. The police.

Small detail, Elliot pickpockets people and shoplifts. It's not like he wants to or anything, it's just that that is his only source of survival. Quick Tip: If you try stealing something from a rich business owner, you'll most likely get caught. That's exactly what happened to Elliot.

Elliot quickly threw off his light jacket, letting the cool air of the winter night prick his skin, and tossed the jacket over the golden watch and small jade statue he had stolen. He hid it behind a nearby trashcan before the police got to him. As they got closer he hurriedly ruffled his hair, showing the underside which was a darker shade of brown instead of a dirty-blonde.

The men's flashlights beamed straight into Elliots eyes, forcing him to squink and cover his eyes, trying to make out the men's faces. Oh good, he thought, These must be knew. They haven't caught me before.

"Elliot Carter, right?" The first man on the right said.

"Who?"

The second man sighed, obviously annoyed with the young teen. "Quit playin' games with us, boy. Now tell us your name."

"My name is Jonathan Nelly. I have no idea who an 'Elliot Carter' is."

"Are you sure?" The first man said.

"Yes." He continued with a straight face. "But, if you would like to know, I did see a blonde boy about my age run straight down that way and turn left. I think he might be heading to the harbor."

"Oh, thanks, and sorry for the misunderstanding." The second man said as they rushed past Elliot, down the way he 'supposedly' went.

A smirk spread across his face as he threw his jacket back on, grabbing his precious findings, and swiftly turning around on his heel. He stopped abruptly when he came face to face with a brunette with olive-colored skin. She had a small grin or smirk (he couldn't tell) playing at the corners of her lips while her hands rested on her hips. She seemed to be about Elliots age, but he couldn't be sure. Looks can be deceiving.

"That was good back there. How did you manage to fool those police for, what, the hundredth time?" A hint of laughter hinted at the back of her words.

"I don't know, they are just idiots, I guess. Now I have to go." As Elliot attempted to go around the girl, she got in front of him so he was stalled once again.

She jabbed her open hand out towards him. "Hi. My name is Gryffin Gonzales."

Elliot hesitantly shook her hand. "Elliot Carter. Now please, I have to leave." He glanced around nervously.

"Fine, but wherever you go, I am coming with you."

He thought for a moment while tapping his foot impatiently before grunting and saying, "Alright, but stay out of my way. Got it?"

"Mhmm!"

Not too far from where Elliot was, there was an old abandoned building in Manhattan that people always seem to forget about. That's where Elliot has been living. He glanced around nervously before scrambling up and over the wired fence that circled the whole building. Gryffin followed in silence as she took in the building's appearance. She was hesitant about entering it, for the condition of the building didn't look to be very... stable.

Elliot, with Gryffin following closely behind, ran up a long set of creaky stairs. In the middle of the room that they came into was a bag of packing peanuts, a large but thin blanket, and a few small stacks of different assortments of food and drinks. Elliot added his new trinkets to one of the piles that only contained a diamond encrusted ring and a silver hairclip.

Gryffin plopped down onto the blanket and raveled herself into it and laid her head on the makeshift pillow of packing peanuts.

Elliot sarcastically smiled and said, "Oh, please. Make yourself right at home." He glared at her and sat down on the hard wooden floor and turned on a small lantern. He grabbed a browning apple at sunk his teeth into it.

"So. I would like to know, how did you know that I have escaped the police before?" Elliot started off after throwing the core of his apple out of a nearby window.

"Well, I have kind of been watching you for a long time now. You're my inspiration to not give up trying to survive on the streets. Tell me, do you have any dreams? Any aspirations?"

Shocked for a moment, Elliot stuttered as he answered her. "I-I don't have any dreams."

"Are you sure?" Gryffin questioned raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. Nothing will ever change for me. I will live and die on the streets one way or another. Always alone. You shouldn't bother using me as your model of survival. I could even end up in jail just as soon as a day like tomorrow. The future is unknown."

"Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow." Gryffin says, poetically.

"Did you write that?" Elliot said.

"Of course not! Do you really think I could write something so amazing? That is my favorite poem. It's by Langston Hughes. I live by this poem. My mother used to say it to me every night before i went to sleep. Heh. That was some time ago. When my mom wasn't dead and my dad wasn't a crazed drunk..." She trailed off, laughing without humor. Then she snapped back to reality. "I think the poem's pretty accurate. Especially at this time of year. There has to be something you at least can hope or wish for."

Elliot sighs. "Fine. I wish that I was never abandoned on the doorstep of a shelter with only my birth certificate when I was an infant. I wish my parents weren't gone. I wish I knew who my parents were so I could yell at them for what they did to me. Heck, I wish I was never even born."

Gryffin's eyes turned sad. "You have to believe in something for the future, otherwise you will only stay here. Really think. What is some kind of hope that you have for the future? Just say anything."

He took a deep breath and thought for a moment. "I guess I would like to live in a nice house, and maybe even have a family for once. I always wanted to be a guitarist, so I guess I could go for that."

"Sounds like a plan." Gryffin stood up, grabbing Elliots hand in the process.

Barking dogs sounded from outside the building. Gryffin and Elliot both froze, unsure of what to do next.

"Gryffin Gonzales! Are you in there?" A man said, shining a light on the window.

"Quick! Turn off the light!" Gryffin gestures with her hands while whispering rapidly. "Stupid, stupid STUPID! I dropped my scarf! They must have found it and tracked me with those stupid dogs... Come on, we have to leave."

Elliot pulled Gryffin over to a gaping hole in the floor that she hadn't noticed before. Elliot jumped down, landing in a squatting position.

"Come on, jump. It's the fastest way, especially if the cops decide to take the stairs. It's only about 7 feet, you should hopefully be fine." Elliot gestured for her to follow.

Gryffin braced herself, closing her eyes and jumping. Thankfully she landed on her feet, her knees bending to soften her fall. Gryffin refrained from getting excited to avoid getting caught. They ran out the closest door which thankfully was on the opposite side of the building from the police.

"Well this royally sucks. That was my only food and shelter." Elliot frowned at the ground. "Why were they after you?"

"Sorry... And, you see, if you remember me mentioning earlier that my dad was a crazy drunk, I ran away. I am on the run, and that scarf my mother gave me that I spoke of earlier is the only way for them to identify me. Now that I lost it, it must be some kind of blessing in disguise because I loved that scarf. It was the only remembrance of my mother that I possess."

"Memories aren't stored in objects. They are only in your mind and heart. Those objects can only symbolize the memories." Elliot says in a monotone voice, almost like he was telling that to himself.

"On the bright side, we can continue to get your other dreams. We have one of the three already done, so what next? Guitar? House?" Gryffin smiles brilliantly.

"What do you mean?"

"You said you wanted a family. Well you already have one. I'm your family." Elliot's breath hitches before he smiles for the first time in forever. Gryffin smiles back and continues. "So, guitar then?"

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Ok so at the end of each short story, I don't want to feel like bothering, so I will just say it once now. If you want a sequel or more of a certain story, comment and hopefully we can get it to the author!

And I know.... Another story by me, but my other friend on Wattpad just submitted hers, so I should have hers up soon as well.