(I was extremely upset and angry when I wrote this. I just let my mind wonder as I vented the emotions out..very bad for me to do but interesting to see what I come up with.)

Rue sat indian style on the floor at his makeshift desk; two chairs laying with their backs on the floor, a large warped board laying across the legs of the chairs for his work space. He was busy with his artwork, a mass of painting supplies scattered across the board, pencils and oil crayons rolling around. The image of his dream still fresh in his mind. The dim glow from the candle on the floor beside him giving him barely enough light to see by as he worked quickly, his fingers moving gently to shade in areas and lighten others.

The painting was taking longer than expected,his deadline quickly approaching. The buyer would soon be leaving and closing the shop for the night, whether or not he brought in his prized painting. Placing the finishing touches on the painting he carefully slide it down into an envelope, his fingers leaving black smudges across the envelop as he closed the clasp.

He sighed softly laying the envelope down on the board, his hands moving quickly out of habit before he stopped himself his hands inches from the black silk vest covering his long sleeve white silk shirt. Deciding against ruining the only pair of decent looking clothes he was finally able to afford, he looked around for his rag. Not seeing it he ran his hands down his pants, the black oil from his fingers lightly streaking them as the oil blended into the blackness of his pants.

He continued to make himself presentable, gathering up his black shoulder lenght hair pulling it back to tie the leather strap tightly around it securing it in place. His supplies were the next to be gathered, shoved hastily into his brown leather shoulder satchel. Slinging the satchel over his shoulder, the strap resting across his chest, the satchel resting against his hip he grabbed onto the envelope leaning over to blow out the candle.

Smoke curled up around his face, his emerald eyes blinked a few times in the darkness as his eyes adjusted to it. He stood slowly letting his eyes fully adjust, once he found his eyes were able to see again he made his way toward the door of his room, grabbing his black canvas bag by the door and slinging it over his back as he made his way down the long hallway and toward the stairs taking them two at a time as he ran down them.

The Innkeeper looked up as Rue quickly made his way past him toward the exit, shouting over at him, "Your room and board is due in full tonight lad, I mean it. No money, no more staying, no more free meals."

Rue nodded quickly feeling the waves of emotions from the crowded room starting to wash over him, "I know, I know. I'll have the money tonight. I promise." With that he left the building and began running down the street. He took in quick deep breaths as he ran forcing the emotions away from him, his arms placed over his chest in a cross pattern as he held onto the precious painting tucked safely into the envelope. The shoulder satchel bounced against his hip, a few peices of parcel sticking out of the flap.

He had stumbled across a patch of restlessness, finding it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Sometimes staying up through the night or sleeping for only a few hours at a time. His visions waking or otherwise were also suffering, taking longer and longer to manifest, sometimes whole weeks would go by without one. He had ran out of money quickly without the dream visions to paint and had been putting off paying the Innkeeper for his meals and room for a few days now.

He had to make it to the shop before the buyer left or this night would be for nothing and he would have to go yet another night without paying the Innkeeper. He knew the Innkeeper would probably be true to his words and not let him stay another night without paying fully for his meals or his room. He wasn't sure even if he did pay what he owed the Innkeeper if he would still let him stay there again or not. He was surprised the Innkeeper allowed him to stay this long without paying.

He promised he would pay the Innkeeper tonight and he planned on keeping that promise. He hurried down the dimmly lit street his eyes focused on the shop at the end of the street.



Halfway down the street, a few blocks from the shop, a hand came out from around the corner of a building grabbing onto the black bag across Rue's back. The bag yanked violently from him as he was pulled into the alley way beside the building and shoved forward to the ground. The envelope slid out of his grip as he placed his hands out infront of him to catch himself as he fell. The envelop slid across the gravel coming to rest at the feet of another boy who imediatly picked it up. The satchel was also pulled from Rue as a kick was delivered to his stomach making him fall over onto his side, his hands moving to his stomach at the pain. Laughter rang out from the three boys standing over him as the contents of the black bag and satchel were pulled from them and tossed onto the ground.

"Stop it!" Rue shouted angrily getting to his feet. The bags were dropped quickly, the two boys grabbing onto Rue shoving him forcibly up against the side of the building holding onto his arms pinning him to the building with their weight against him.

" 'Stop it!' " the boy with the envelope mocked laughing as he quickly slashed the envelope into peices with his dagger.

"No!" Rue yelled struggling against the two boys that held him, "Don't". His words came too late, the three peices of the envelope floated down to the ground coming to rest at his feet. The two boys continued holding onto Rue as the third searched the belongings on the ground.

"Why did you do that? What I ever do to you." Rue asked trying to pull away from the boys. Not finding what he was searching for, the boy stepped up between the other two to face Rue, raising the edge of the dagger up under Rue's chin to barely touch his skin, " Where is it thief?"

"Where is what? I don't have anything." Rue replied watching the boy with the dagger.

"The necklace you stole from my sister. Ruby pendent on a gold chain." The boy replied pressing the edge of the blade into Rue's throat drawing just enough blood to show he was serious.

"I don't have it. I sold it." Rue replied feeling the sharp sting of the blade as he talked.

"Well you better get it back." The boy said with a grin.

"I can't. I don't remember who I sold it to." Rue replied.

The boy narrowed his eyes at Rue lowering the blade down to his stomach. "Maybe this will help jog your memory," he replied, giving a quick thrust into Rue's stomach with the blade.

Rue screamed in pain as the blade went into his flesh, his eyes closing at the burning pain, his body pitching forward slightly as the boys maintained their hold. "Remember yet?," the boy asked slowly twisting the blade around inside Rue's stomach making the wound bigger and deeper, blood running down from the wound soaking through his shirt and vest before finally dripping onto the gravel at their feet. The boy listened to Rue's increased screams of pain making two full turns of the blade before finally pulling the blade out.

Rue opened his eyes taking in deep gasping painfilled breaths feeling the boy wipe the blade off onto his cheeks, bloody streaks being left down either side of his face. "I'm sorry I.." A right hook was landed across the side of Rue's face, blood covering his lip as the boys let go of him letting him fall to the ground amongst his scattered belongings. "Wrong answer," replied the boy placing his dagger back into his boot as a series of kicks were brutually delivered to Rue's stomach and sides, forcing him to stay down on the ground. "I'll..find it," Rue screamed through the pain as they continued to kick him harder.

"Good answer. I think he's had enough..for now." The boys finally stopped their attacks with a smile as Rue's hands moved to cover the bleeding wound as he rolled over onto his back on the ground groaning in pain. "Meet us back here tomorrow night with the necklace. You try and run out on us and this will only be the beginning of your pain. You ever steal from us again and you won't be walking away from us. Understood?" the boy asked stepping back to stand beside the other boys.

Rue nodded slowly staring at the boys standing over him, "Understood," he repeated softly. The boy smiled at the blood covering Rue's clothes and hands, "Good. I suggust getting that looked at," the boy replied motioning for the others to follow him as he took a few steps backwards from Rue," don't need you bleeding to death before we get the necklace back," he added with a laugh turning around walking down the alleyway. The other boys laughed following after their freind leaving Rue bleeding on the ground. Their laughter fading as they got out of hearing range.

He groaned painfully rolling over onto his side, one hand placed over the wound in his stomach as he slowly got to his hands and knees. As the wound bled more his eyes fell down to the blood soaking into his pants before coming to rest on the blood dripping down onto the gravel from between his fingers. He groaned softly and began gathering up his belongings and supplies with his other hand putting them back into their containers. Grabbing onto the satchel he shoved it down into the black bag slinging it over his shoulder with a soft groan. The painting peices collected in one hand as he stood up leaning against the building trying to shut out the pain in his body, the other hand remaining firmly placed over his wound trying to lessen the blood loss as a light headed feeling started to develop.

He stared at the remains of his painting in his hand, the envelope was torn, the painting in three peices. All that work for nothing he thought to himself, and he was so close to turning it in. He shook the thoughts away staring at the blood seeping from between his fingers. He pushed off the building and began walking back out into the street making his way toward the shop determined to still turn in the painting for whatever cash it would give him, for right now he was in desperate need of it.