It’s Not Really An RV
Beckie Furrow Casey
Chapter 1 : Street Living
“I don’t know what we’re going to do, Dani. We can’t sleep in an alley again. It’s too dangerous,” twelve year old Sam told his eight year old sister.
He felt awful. He was the one who decided to run away so they wouldn’t be split up in foster care. They made it to LA, but Aunt Kari wasn’t at her address. She was in rehab, the landlady told them. Six weeks.
Last night they’d gone to a runaway shelter, but a girl standing outside said they’d take Dani away because the shelter was only for teens. Sam was tall enough to pass. She helped them find a spot where she’d slept before, behind a museum, and even gave them a blanket.
“I’m so hungry,” Dani whispered. She was a skinny little thing anyway. She’d be a skeleton if they couldn’t get some food. They were out of money, though.
“We’ll have to ask people for money until we can find some place that gives away food to poor people.”
“Talk to strangers?” She sounded shocked and her blue eyes were wide and round.
“Might have to.”
He took her hand and they wandered for a while until they found the fast food restaurant where Marisa, the girl who gave them the blanket, worked. Maybe she’d be able to sneak them something. She wasn’t at the counter and for a moment disappointment made him freeze.
Sam had an idea. He took Dani to the back of the restaurant, where no one was sitting. Quickly he grabbed a handful of napkins and opened the trash. Someone had thrown away a plate of pancakes and he found a muffin. A half carton of milk. It would have to do for now. He took the food to Dani, who was wiping tears away. She was only eight.
“Do you children need food?” The voice made him jump and Sam turned around to face a tiny woman. “ Is that why you took the refuse? Where are your caregivers?” The woman with a mass of dull black curls wasn’t even as tall as Sam. Two children, holding trays full of food practically towered over her.
“Um.” Sam didn’t know what to say. They needed help, but could this small woman help?
“We didn’t get any dinner last night. Or breakfast.” Dani said. “Our mom died.”
So much for not talking to strangers
“I see. Here, let's go get you some real food.” The small woman swept up the napkin, tossed it away and took Dani by the hand.
Food. Real food. She ordered them lots of food. For a while none of them talked as they ate.
“I like the food here,” the girl said. “My designation is Lona. What is yours?”
“I’m Sam Goodman. This is my sister Dani.”
“I am Trex, kinsman to Lona.” The boy was big but Sam wondered if he wasn’t a little younger. He had a round, baby faced look.
“And I am their tutor Anjanshay.” The small woman sipped a coffee and wrinkled her nose. A tiny bit of powder cracked off. She wore heavy makeup.
“You have no responsible care giver? I thought this was a civilized society. How can that be?”
“They were going to put me in a home with other boys, and Dani would have to go to a foster home.”
“They would split kin up? How barbaric!” Lona said. She seemed to be around his age.
“That’s what we thought. So we came here to stay with Aunt Kari, but she is in rehab.”
Anjanshay wrinkled her forehead and more makeup cracked off. Looked like she had a purple birthmark or bruise under the makeup.
“What is rehab?”
Sam was surprised a grown up didn’t know. “You know. The court sends them there so they stop drinking and doing drugs.”
“Ahh. Primitive intoxicant treatment.” She nodded and more makeup drifted off.
“You should come with us,” Lona said. “We have room, Anjanshay.”
Anjanshay raised her eyebrows and a small cloud of tan powder cracked off. “You would have to share your quarters, both of you.”
Suddenly there was a yip from Dani’s back pack.
“That’s Aunt Kari’s dog. Smidge. The landlady gave it to us.” She unzipped her backpack and took out the dog, a teacup Yorkiechi in a pink sweater.
Sam jumped up. “I’ll take Smidge for a walk. And think about it.”
“We are travelers. You’ll see many sights,” Anjanshay said.
The boy Trex joined him. He had brown skin and eyes, all one color, but his hair was almost white.Lona looked like him except her hair was bright yellow.
“So you live in an RV?” Sam asked.
Trex stared at him with a blank expression.
“Recreational Vehicle?” Sam tried again
“Ahh. We do more than recreation. We study. Work. Uncle is concerned with our education.”
“He wouldn’t mind if we came to stay with you? Most adults would turn us in to Child Services.”
“Oh. Not Uncle. He does not care for bureaucracies. He was forced to teach at the Academy, you know.”
“Well, we don’t have much stuff. Clothes. Just what is in our backpacks.”
Trex grinned. “We have plenty.”
Dani, Lona and Anjanshay joined them. Dani was holding Anjanshay’s hand. Anjanshay reached out and smoothed Dani’s messy red hair. Seemed like she’d be nice to Dani.
“All right. We’ll go with you.”
Sam stuck the dog inside his hoodie and they walked toward the beach. “Oh, it’s a boat then?” he asked.
“Sort of,” Lona said. “Kreeyipyipyip!”She screeched.
Smidge whimpered and dove into Sam’s hoodie. There was a bright flash of light and he was floating.
