Read Online Between Heaven and Earth by Eric Walters - Free Book Online Page B

trying to see if they had been the ones. But really, all that I’d seen was the backs of their heads. Maybe I could ask them to turn around. Okay, that was stupid.
    Sarah and the first boy spoke to the other two, who also seemed to be perturbed, probably upset about my being here. They exchanged anxious bursts of conversation and shot nervous glances in my direction. It gave me a strange sort of satisfaction that I was at least causing them some distress. If they tried to leave, I was still going to grab my boots and my bag and whatever else of mine I could find.
    Sarah returned from speaking to the boys. “They say that they would be most pleased to sell you some merchandise.”
    â€œThey want to sell me my own stuff,” I hissed. “How big of them.”
    â€œYes, they will sell to you if you meet their price.”
    â€œTheir price? Those are my things! The things that were—”
    â€œKeep your voice down. Do not get them excited.”
    â€œI don’t care if they’re excited.”
    â€œOh, you should care, very much. We want everything to be friendly.”
    â€œYou want me to be friends with the people who ripped me off?” I asked quietly.
    â€œI want you to be friendly with them, not become friends. We want to remain friendly while you purchase back the items you need.”
    â€œI can’t believe you want me to buy back my own things.”
    â€œThey were your things. Now they are their things.”
    â€œBut that’s not right,” I protested.
    Sarah turned around to face the three boys. “He is just deciding what things he wishes to purchase,” she called out. “He says you have very fine merchandise!”
    The three boys nodded and waved and smiled.
    She turned back toward me. “It does not matter if it is right or wrong, this is what must be done.”
    â€œLook, what if I just grabbed my stuff? They couldn’t stop us. I’m bigger than all of them combined, and there are two of us and only three of them.”
    â€œThere are only three that you can see ,” she said. “All around are many, many more members of their street families. Besides, if there was to be a fight, there are not two of us; there is only you.”
    â€œI know you’re just a girl, but still you could—”
    â€œOh, no, you don’t understand,” she said, cutting me off. “If there is a fight, I would join them. Never is it wise to be on the side of a crazy person, and you would be crazy to risk our lives for a few shillings.”
    â€œBut what about the principle of the thing? You’re asking me to buy my own things.”
    â€œAs I said, your things now belong to these people. You have the money to buy them, so just buy them so we can leave,” she whispered. “Be grateful that you can have your things back.”
    â€œWhat if we went and got the police to come and arrest them?” I suggested.
    â€œYou do not understand. The minute we go they will leave, and along with them would go your things, never to be seen again. And even if you could find the police they would not come with you tonight. You have to understand that the police do not like to come in here at night. They think it is too dangerous.”
    It suddenly dawned on me where I was and what we were doing. I wasn’t standing in line at Walmart. I was in a place that was too dangerous for the police to come.
    â€œOkay, fine. Let’s go shopping for my things.”
    I went to the first stall and picked up my pack, which was going to hold my things on the climb to the top of the mountain. Now it would hold the things I needed to reclaim. I sifted through some more items. There were my cargo pants and five pairs of socks—two of them special “toe” socks designed to keep each toe separate and cushioned—and my shirts and running shoes and of course my hiking boots. Item by item I put them into the pack until I