Read Cry For Tomorrow for Free Online Page B

Ben O’Malley, that he could fix anything that man could build, and that he was now the new building super . He further informed us that we were not to bother him unless it was a matter of life or death. He’d also repaired the defects in our security system.
    We weren’t real happy about his presence at first, but when he proved to be useful in maintaining the ancient building, we began leaving packages of food and clothes we’d scavenged near his door. The packages disappeared without complaint or thanks.
    The elevator jerked to a stop at the top floor of the building and the doors crashed open to let us, and a very frightened spotted dog, out.
     
    “Hey, where have you two been? We were really beginning to worry,” the girl with the long, brown pony tail said by way of greeting as she bobbed past us. Expertly maneuvering the large box she was carrying through the open doorway to our left, she led the way into one of the two penthouse apartments that filled the top floor.
    “Yeah, I was beginning to worry about me, too,” I told her as I followed. “I made the very big mistake of letting Dear Ole Mom lure me back to her place. But I guess it wasn’t a total waste, because it let me see that my little sister needed help.”
    “Oh wow, is the kid okay?” Jennie turned large brown eyes filled with concern on me. She dropped the box of food packs she was carrying on the edge of a big dining table beside several other similar boxes and wrapped her arms around me. “Are you okay?”
    “Yeah, I’m okay, and so is Kelly. I took her over to stay with Rosa and Jack and their brood.” I hugged her back before stepping away so that I could remove my pack. I hung it by a strap over one of the coat-hooks lining the foyer walls. As I shed my jacket I paused in front of the row of security monitors and let my eyes wander across the green-tinted screens. When nothing unusual showed, I joined Jennie in the big central room of the apartment
    “How did you ever get across town at this hour?” she queried in concern. “It’s pretty late and I know the buses stopped running a long time ago. And…” she paused to stare at the dog clinging to my side, “where did you find your new friend here?”
    “Well, as you know, the bus dropped me at the edge of downtown. I was able to use one of the auto-walks for a space but it only took me as far as Maple Street—from there, I pretty much had to walk. When I cut across the alley near Elm, I found this poor dog hiding in the trash. She was really frightened and she’s very sweet and, well, I couldn’t just leave her there,” I told her. I was still deciding whether I should tell my friends about my encounter with the bikers and reaper.
    “You should have spent the night at Rosa’s where it was safe,” rumbled a deep masculine voice.
    I spun about and smiled up at the young man entering the apartment behind me. Tall, blond and very handsome, Carl was what made my world turn and my heart beat faster. He was also the biggest reason I had risked the streets to come home tonight.
    “Hi, Baby,” I purred as I kissed his chin and snuggled into the big arms holding me. “And yes, I know it was dangerous, but I also knew that everyone would be worrying about me. Besides, if I’d taken the bus, I never would have found my new friend, here.” I stooped to pet the dog.
    “Well, if Mr. Paranoia here would let us use the telephones, you could have just called in and there wouldn’t have been any problem,” complained the tall, dark-skinned teen that had followed Carl into the room.
    “Right Zack, and tomorrow morning, nice and early, there’d be agents swarming all over this place!” growled Carl. “And besides, we all wear our alarms, and I don’t recall Halie or Jake setting off theirs!”
    “Yeah, right,” Jake interrupted scornfully. “Trouble with that plan is that if we’d called for help tonight, we’d just have gotten all of us killed!” His ominous tone