Part Seven

Spot was exhausted by the time Bambi had told him they should stop searching. They had searched nearly a dozen caverns and found absolutely no sign of Norwegian writing on the walls. If not for Bambi�s ball of twine, they most definitely would have lost their way.

�Well, I guess we won�t have to worry about gaining weight.� Bambi muttered.

Spot leaned up against the stone by his sleeping area. �That�s not funny.�

She sighed. �I was never good at jokes.�

�Are ya good at poker?�

�I don�t gamble with money. Only with my life.�

�Jus� because you cin fight doesn�t mean you�re a risk-taker.�

�If you knew about my past, you would.�

Spot drew his legs up and wrapped his arms around them. �I could use a good story. Tell me.�

�What if I don�t want to?� she turned her back to him.

�Then I guess I won�t tell you mine.�

�Why would I want to know about yours? I know a good portion of it from your stepfather.�

�Then ya only know it from Wyatt�s side of th� story.�

�No, actually. I emphasized with your side. It was like mine.�

�Ya mean a junky pa who died on ya, yer mudder marryin� a greedy slob, then her dyin� �n� leavin� ya with th� tyrant?�

�Almost.� She sighed. �But you wouldn�t understand. You�re not a woman.�

�What�s that got t� do with anythin�?�

She kept her back to him. �My father died before I was five. I barely remember him. So my mother raised me. But when I turned ten her brother came to live with us to help raise money. But it wasn�t just money he wanted.�

Spot�s sympathy began to settle. �He do stuff to ya?�

�I didn�t let him. He made propositions and threats, but I wouldn�t let him. And when I tried to tell my mother, she wouldn�t believe me. She took my uncle�s side every time. It wasn�t fair.�

�So�d ya run away?�

�Yes. And I went to a friend of my grandfather�s who taught me how to fight. I wasn�t going to let anyone dominate me like my uncle tried too. And if anyone wanted to mess with me, I wanted to take them out.�

�So why�re you after th� bracelet?�

�I wanted to prove that I could do something good to myself. I wanted to prove to the world that I wasn�t going to let anyone walk over me anymore. So when I get the money for the bracelet, I�m gonna prove to my mother and my uncle and everyone that I could do it. And I can rub it in their faces.�

His eyebrow arched. �Why?�

�They made my life miserable! I want them to pay!�

�What exactly are ya gonna do?�

�Not give them a cent. I�ll keep them further than twenty miles away from me. I won�t let them come anywhere near me.�

He leaned back and chewed his lower lip. He could hear the tears choking through her voice. How could one girl hold so much hatred and spite inside of her? Couldn�t she learn to forgive and forget?

Then his own words came back to haunt him. When he left Wyatt, he told him he�d never forgive him for destroying what was left of his family. Wyatt had ruined Spot�s life. Mama was so in love with Wyatt, and he never showed her the love she deserved.

Mama�s obsession with Wyatt had caused her to care less about her son. Spot used to tell her that he loved her and comfort her when she cried, but she was so in love with the husband who cared nothing of her except for fulfilling wifely duties. All Wyatt cared about was his treasure hunting.

�Did Wyatt ever talk t� ya �bout �is wife?� Spot muttered softly.

�What was that?� Bambi questioned, not being able to hear.

�I ast if Wyatt ever tell ya �bout �is wife.�

�Your mother?�

�My mama.�

�He said she was good at being a wife, but that was all.�

�Did �e ever tell ya how pretty she was?�

�He never said anything about her looks.� She turned her head to face him, sympathy painted across her face. �Was she pretty?�

�She was real pretty. Real. There weren�t a prettier lady this side th� Atlantic.�

Bambi twisted her entire body around so she could give him her full attention. �Tell me the things about her that Wyatt didn�t.�

He pressed his lips together and nodded. �She was very independent. But she was dependant on bein� loved. My papa died b�fore I was crawlin�. An� I remember that she seemed really bent on someone lovin� �er. I guess I jus� didn�t fit th� lovin� she wanted.�

�That must have been difficult.�

�It was. I did everythin� I could t� let �er know how much I loved �er. There was times I�d skip school jus� t� stay with �er.�

�And when did she meet Wyatt?�

�When I was twelve. She married �im three weeks afta she met �im. An� she was head ova heals in love with �im. But did �e care? Not a bit. But mama would bend t� �is every need. If �e wanted �er, she�d give �erself t� him. She got so obsessed with �im that she forgot about me.�

�I�m sorry.�

�She got sick when I was fifteen. I was a newsie by then, but I doubt she even knew. T� get �er attention, I dropped out �f school, hung out with big, tough guys �n� became a newsie. Th� best newsies out there taught me everythin� I could. I fit in there.�

�But what happened when your mother got sick?�

�I stayed with �er. Wyatt was too busy messing with �is research on �is treasure t� notice. When she was dyin�, she held my hand real tight �n� started t� cry. She told me that she�d failed me as a muther �n� that she was so sorry. I wanted t� say that she din�t fail me. But I woulda been lyin�. So I said it was okay and that I could make it on my own. She died while she was still cryin� over me.�

Bambi�s head lowered. �She must�ve meant a lot to you.�

�She did. Th� next mornin�, Wyatt told me t� get �er carcass out of �is house �n� buried before she began t� stink. An� I was ready t� kill �im. I attacked �im, an� told �im what I thought of �im. I told �im �e was a lousy, stinkin�, woman-eater who cared �bout nothin� but �imself �n� worse. He hit me back.�

�You mean�he actually hit you?�

�Three times. Th� third, �e almost knocked me out. An� �e told me t� get out of �is house. He said �e�d put up with me for too long, �n� that I should jus� go join mama in hell so I�d be out �f �is way. I told �im if I did join �er, she�d be in heaven an� �e wouldn�t even get close t� the gates. An� �e grabbed me by my collar �n� threw me out.�

�Wyatt told Angus and me that you ran away.�

�He woulda. �E�d want ya t� think that it was all my fault that �e wasn�t able t� get th� bracelet. It was luck that I managed t� steal th� key.�

�You certainly made a smart move. Wyatt kept telling Angus and me that you had the key and that he wouldn�t stop till he got it.�

�So didja stay with �im till �e died?�

�Actually, no. I left him and stole most of his notes. That�s why I have all this information and Angus doesn�t.�

�Why�d ya leave?�

�Because both Wyatt and Angus were aware of the fact that I was an impressionable young woman and they wanted to take advantage of me. I didn�t give them the chance to. I won�t give anyone that chance.�

�Don�t you go thinkin� that I want that chance.�

�You�d better not!�

�Believe me, I don�t. I got my own girl.�

�What�s your girl like?�

�She reminds me of my mama. Jus� not as pretty �n� not as eager t� please. But she�s a great girl. I love �er. So ya got someone back at home?�

�No. I hate men. They�re arrogant and stubborn and only want one thing.�

�So ya think I�m like that?�

She paused. �Not completely.�

�Then why do ya hate all men? I know plenty �f guys who ain�t like that.�

�Look, I don�t care for that stuff. All I want is to be left alone. All alone. I don�t want anyone to be near me.�

�But if you�re alone, yer jus� gonna get lonely. I know it.�

�Spot, I don�t want to talk about this anymore. I�ve made up my mind, and nothing you can do or say can change it, okay? Just leave me alone.�

Bambi began setting up her bedding and Spot watched her. She seemed so angry inside. He had no doubt that she was after the bracelet to prove herself. But what if she didn�t find the bracelet? What would happen to her then?

Spot had no idea what to do about this girl. She was too complex for him to understand. Maybe if they found the bracelet, he should just let her keep all the money. He had no need for any money.

�Poor thing.� He thought. �If all that�s true, then maybe I should start to trust her. Cuz if either of us are gonna last this trip, we gotta learn to trust each other.�

* * *

�You�re acting strange.�

Spot grasped Bambi�s hand and hefted her up. �What makes ya say that?�

�We�ve been searching for the right cave all day and still haven�t found anything, and surprisingly, we�ve made it throughout the day without arguing.�

�Our arguin� got us absolutely nowhere. An� a wise newsie once told me: �if ya can�t say somethin� nice, don�t say nothin� at all.��

�Really?� she passed him. �What was his name?�

�Thumper.�

She snorted. �So you can�t find anything nice to say about me?�

�I can. But I think it�d be easier t� keep from gettin� int� an argument if I kept my mouth shut.�

�Then say something nice about me.�

�T� flatter you?�

�To convince me. I�m not convinced.�

�Okay. Have it your way.� He paused. �You�re very pretty.�

�I get that a lot.�

�You�re very intriguing. Ya got a lot of secrets, �n� lots of stuff ya keep hidden. Ya get yourself a man, you�re gonna give �im plenty �f places t� look but not necessarily find.�

She grinned. �No one�s every said that about me before.�

�An� it was meant as a compliment.�

�Thank you.�

�Yer welcome.�

�So now do you expect me to find something nice to say about you?�

�Not unless ya wanna.�

�To flatter you, then?�

�Make it t� humor me.�

�Fine. I�ll humor you.� She shoved a vine from her path. �You�re very alluring in a sort of arrogant type of way.�

�I said humor me, not insult me.�

She laughed loudly, her voice reverberating in the caves. �You are too gullible.�

He frowned. �Ya mean it was a joke?�

�Yes! But there�s a compliment. You�re gullible. And that�s cute to some girls. And you�re very interesting. But once I get to know you, you�re very easy to read.�

�Is that good?�

�Somewhat. But in some ways, you�re unpredictable.�

�Such as?�

�You�re suddenly being nice to me. I thought you had a personal vendetta against me.�

�Well, we din�t exactly meet on th� best terms. Ya attacked me.�

�It was just a precaution. But then you started making fun of my name.�

�Is that your real name?�

�You�d better believe it!�

�Okay! I believe it.�

�Good. I�ve been meaning to ask this for a long time, but why the name Spot?�

�Why?�

�Because it�s not every day you meet someone who goes by a name usually given to dogs.�

�Hey, I ain�t makin� fun of your name no more. So don�t go makin� fun of mine.�

�I�m not making fun of it. Why don�t you tell me?�

�Will ya promise not to tell?�

�Fine.�

�When mama married Wyatt, I hung �round with th� newsies. But I was followin� �em like a �sick puppy,� as one called me. So someone called me Spot cuz I was loyal like a dog. An� it stuck.�

�And how did someone like you named after a dog become an all-powerful leader of the newsies of New York?�

�Th� leader passed it off t� me. Said I got th� most potential for bein� a good leader. But I din�t really want th� job at first.�

�Why not?�

�Leadin� really wasn�t my thing.�

�Then what changed your mind?�

�Girls.�

Bambi snorted and shook her head. �Figures.�

�Hey, with my mama not payin� hardly any attention to me, I wanted any notice from girls. Is that a crime?�

�I guess not.� She pushed another vine aside. �We�re back.�

Exhausted, Spot rushed to his bedding and dropped down heavily. He grabbed his half-full canteen and swallowed half of what was left. Supplies were running low.

�Think we�ll find th� bracelet t�morrow?� Spot wondered.

�We should. We�ve explored most of these caves, so therefore we should find it tomorrow.�

�That�s good.� His cheeks puffed as he exhaled heavily. �I�ll be glad t� go home.�

�I�ll be glad to get that money.� She paused. �How much of the share do you want? Fifty-fifty?�

�I don�t want that much. How does seventy-thirty sound t� ya?�

Bambi�s eyes widened considerably. �Seventy-thirty?�

�Got a problem with that?�

�That�s�that�s nearly two-thirds the share.�

�An� you cin have it. I don�t need it.�

�Why?�

�Cuz I only want �nough t� keep me secure for a while. Then maybe me �n� Louisa cin get married.�

�You certainly talk about her a lot. If you got married, would I come to the wedding?�

�Maybe, if ya stick around.�

She shrugged. �I probably won�t. I�d like to go west.�

�More treasure out there?�

�Not that I know of. Most of the treasure I know of is at the bottom of the Caribbean.�

�The what?�

�The Caribbean Sea. It�s off the coast of Florida.�

�Whatever you say. Think ya�ll ever search for treasure there?�

�If we get this bracelet, I won�t have to.�

�If?�

�When. Sorry about that, I don�t know what I was thinking.�

She did not sound sincere the least bit, and Spot was unconvinced. �Wait a sec, you don�t jus� go sayin� if. Why�d ya say if?�

�Because�what if�oh, I don�t know.�

�Ya do. I think ya do.�

She shrugged. �Look, we don�t know if anyone has been here before. We don�t know if there were others who knew of this bracelet and got to it before us. For all we know, that Viking who hid the bracelet here could have had other relatives who got the bracelet already.�

Anger boiled in his stomach. �Why din�tcha tell me this b�fore? Ya mean we coulda done this whole trip for absolutely nothing?�

�Because if I told you in the first place, you never would have come with me.�

�Exactly! I should leave right now instead �f stickin�!�

�You wanna leave? Fine! Go ahead! If the bracelet is there, I�ll get all the goods and won�t give you any!�

�I don�t care!�

�And I�ll get the satisfaction of getting what your stepfather wanted so much.�

That last statement slammed Spot in the back of the head. What she had said was what he had told her this quest would bring him. Satisfaction. If Wyatt wouldn�t have been able to find the bracelet and Spot had, he would have rejoiced like no other. It was the ultimate score settlement for what Wyatt had done to Spot�s mother.

Would he leave like this, when the possibility was so close that he only needed to wait another day to find this bracelet? Why give up now? If the bracelet was there, then he wanted to find it just so that Wyatt would turn in his grave from knowing that his stepson had done what he had devoted his life to doing.

Spot wasn�t going to quit now. Not if he could help it. Turning to Bambi with anger still burning in his eyes, he gave her his final answer.

�I�ll stay.� He stated. �But that bracelet better be there. Cuz if it ain�t, you owe me big time.�

* * *

Part Eight

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