Harper and Gypsy

Ever since their mother died Harper and Gypsy's father had cared less and less about them, more and more about his next drink. Fridge, liquor store, bar, fridge, liquor store- the cycle seemed never ending and it was all they could do to make sure that when he finally blacked out he was at least on their property. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were a thing of the past and the two of them felt lucky they had been awarded free lunches through the school system. Everyday was the same. They muddled through school, taking care of their father and walking the streets for recyclables in hopes they would make enough money to afford dinner.
The only peace they knew was after the sun went down, when the air was cool and smelled so crisp you could taste it. At that point their father was either already in a drunken slumber, or at the bar far enough away for them to forget about him for a moment. It was then that Harper and Gypsy would jump the fence behind their dingy apartment complex and walk towards the city. Sometimes they made it all the way to 2nd street where the traffic never seemed to cease no matter the season, weather or hour. The lights shone bright neon colors and the people seemed to have personalities that matched. The two of them would find a place to sit and people watch, sometimes into the wee morning hours. Some nights they talked, sharing dreams of their future and laughing at the passerby's, other nights neither of them said a word.
It was on one of these nights that Harper and Gypsy seemed to have an unspoken agreement to just keep walking. They passed their normal sitting spot in front of the bars where people were laughing, drinking and flirting like middle schoolers. They wondered past the enormous cathedral with its pointy steeple and stained glass virgins staring down at them. They walked until their feet were sore and everything around them was unfamiliar. When they finally stopped they were in front of  what looked to be a condemned building. In its better years it may have been a convenience store, but tonight it barely resembled anything other than a shack. The siblings finally gave up walking and slumped down onto the curb.
"I can't walk back home tonight Harper. I'm tired, and it is freezing out here. What the hell were we thinking walking this far?"
"I don't know. We weren't thinking."
As they sat, quiet, both too tired to complain they heard a giggle and a rustling movement coming from behind them. They turned to see who could possibly be out here at this hour other than themselves but all they could make out was the orange glow from a cigarette.
"Don't look so nervous you two! Am I interrupting a date or something?" said the stranger.
"Ew, no, he's my brother." Gypsy replied
"Well maybe the date starts with me then!" the girls voice was high and annoying and the thought of her flirting with Harper made Gypsy cringe.
"I don't think so." Harper replied without giving Gypsy a chance to retort.
"Aw c'mon," the girl giggled. "You two are not from around here. It's late, and cold, atleast stay here for the night."
"Stay where?" asked Gypsy.
"Here," the girl pointed at the shack behind them.
"You live here?" Gypsy said without realizing how judgemental she sounded.
"Yeah, I do." the stranger replied, "And it looks to me like right now I got more goin for me than you two, so either come in or keep walking." she flicked her cigarette butt towards the two of them and turned back to the beaten old building.
Harper and Gypsy watched as the girl pushed aside a board from the front window and climbed in.
"I am not staying here Harper!" Gypsy said as she stood to start walking.
"We can't walk home Gypsy. It's hours away and it has got to be almost freezing out here. Lets just stay till dawn when the sun warms things up and then we will go." Harper replied.
"NO! That girl is weird and who knows who else is in there!"
"We don't have options." Harper grabbed Gypsy's wrist and started walking toward the building. She didn't really resist, she knew he was right.
As they pulled back the board and climbed into the window they realized the girl was not alone in her home. There were a group of kids, all about their age scattered throughout the large room. Some of them were passed out on top of boxes, some drinking out of brown bags and others pacing nervously around the place.
"You all live here? Seriously?" Gypsy said, her voice and mood changing from judgement to pity.
"Don't feel bad honey," the high pitched voice screeched. "We are here because we want to be. We live on our terms, do what we want, when we want and don't care about what you people have to say about it."
"Right. What is it that you are doing that anyone cares about exactly? Looks to me like you're all just surviving." Gypsy responded
"Candy, honey. We do candy. Lots of it." the girl snickered.
"What like, Starburst? Skittles? You don't have to live in a shack to eat candy." Gypsy said as she fell back into her judgmental and snarky way of speaking.
"What are you twelve? Candy is not candy- not like, from a gas station. Candy is a drug, little girl. The most amazing, beautiful high you ever felt and we have it right here. No cops, no parents, just us and it," the girl said in a voice that seemed like it belonged in a porno flick rather than a conversation about drugs.
The girl got up and walked over to Harper. Once she was close enough you could see how pretty she was. It seemed strange that someone in her position would be attractive, but she was certainly above average.
"What do you think handsome? You wanna try some candy? It's really sweet." she brushed her hand over Harper's forearm and pulled a little bag from her pocket.
Harper looked at Gypsy as if to say, "Might as well." Gypsy pulled Harper back from the girl and whispered, "What are you doing right now??? Have you completely lost your mind??"
"I'm tired Gypsy. Everything we do is a fight. We are out here tonight, lost and cold and why not just try something that will give us a few hours of peace? What is the worst that could happen? We can relax, try something new, get some rest and go home in the morning." Harper had made up his mind.
"I can't believe you're serious right now Harper. Do whatever you want but I will have no part in it." Gypsy turned and walked to the opposite end of the room where she found a crate, sat down and began fiddling with her jacket sleeve.

                                                                             * * * * *

That night seemed like forever ago, even though it had only been a few months Gypsy felt like years had passed. She tried not to think too much about the long walk to the shack or the fact that the weather was only getting worse as she trudged up the last hill. Every time she made this trip she convinced herself it would be the last, but here she was. Her backpack was heavy, loaded with canned food, bottled water and a blanket. She knew Harper could care less about any of it but she couldn't bring herself to stop trying.
As she approached the building she took a deep breath. The board that once needed to be pushed aside had been ripped off and you could climb in without a problem. The room reeked of urine, sweat and rotting food. It was much worse then the first time she found herself there. Everyone knew who she was by now, and none of them bothered to acknowledge her. She spotted Harper in the corner, he looked like he was sleeping but she knew he was just high. She walked over and started unloading the backpack at his feet.
"Harper!" she nudged him but received no response. "HARPER!" she pushed his shoulder harder but still with no response. He wasn't going to wake up and she didn't care.
He looked awful. His hair was greasy and matted down to his scalp, his skin looked like he had been playing in chalk and his lips were dry and cracked. Gypsy remembered the first night there, when they met W. She was so pretty. How had the same thing that overtook her and left her physically untouched run so rampant and destructive over her brother? None of it made any sense and to say she felt helpless was an absolute understatement.
As she climbed out the window back into the cold for the long walk home Gypsy knew that this would be the last time. Harper hadn't even woken up while she was there, and she hadn't bothered to check his pulse. He couldn't be her responsibility, and neither could her father. She looked both directions and turned to the right, away from home.
"You only have one life Gypsy," she said to herself. "Get on with it."
Her feet and hands were freezing, her body was sore and her head was heavy but for the first time since she could remember her spirit felt light as a feather.