fox waiting for a chicken but she didnt give in to it you couldnt get too comfortable that was the trick the comfortable way was usually wherever the current was going and beatrice rarely found her self wanting to go in that direction when the headmistress at miss nightingale's school had told her there was no money left for the last semester's tuition beatrice had been stunned that was all we sent several notices to your father miss nightingale said we received no reply stepfather beatrice mentlly corrected her no i dont suppose you would have she gussed this might happen she knew how much her mother'sinheritance was and how much miss nightingale school cost math was one of her best subjects and she'd been aware from the start that she was just a litte short but shed worked so hard in his farm every summer and paid for a train ticket wheever he wrote and demanded her help even when she had that bad attack of gout right before midterms when he said theyd make up the difference in the end as long as she did her share well she assumed that was the truth shed believe in a lie because the alternative was too hard and perhaps miss nightingale had suggested gently in the face of beatrice steely expression you may complete your schooling on the fall should the remainder of your tuition be paid beatrice had nodded thered been nothing else to do so it felt but pack her things allowing herself to be helped into a winter coat and her trunk and suitcase hauled in a taxi to grand central station and so the current pulled she stepped onto the sidewalk exhaust fumes spiked by the scent of grilled sausages, weaved through the jannuary air she stared at the one way ticket between her gloved fingertips if she left the city now she would never return a poters furious case brought her attention back oh no the young man stuttered then glanced at her with a bluch begging your pardon miss its just what you got in this thing? a dead body he hauled her trunk out of taxis back seat parts of one beatrice said the porter snorted and dragged the trunk the rest of the way onto the luggage cart though beatrice had not been joking he secured her suitcase on top and asked where to miss beatrice said nothing miss which terminal if youll let me see your ticket we can find it no trouble in reply beatrice let the ticket go the rush of a passing car caught it and swirled away from them it landed several yards away in the gutter and soaked instantly in oily slush the porter cursed oh no that wasnt your ticket was it excuse me may i see this for a oment beatrice tried to push the porters hands off the luggage caart his grip tightened around the handle bar and he frowned what for? look we will go to the ticket office and get you sorted ow what the hell beatrice snaked her boot around the back of his heel as she gae him a hard shove in the chest which sent him wheeling back and then toppling over the curb thanks for your help she called over her shoulder and threw her weight into the pushing cart forward it took a few seconds to gain momentum but at a rattling jog she hit the intersection where a milk truck nearly plowed her over the driver swereved and called her dumb out of his window with his fist shaking sorry beatrice gasped hand out but she kept going pushing against the current of her life running block after exhausting block her breathe clouding in the january afternoon she was quite firm with herself whenever she felt like stopping when she finally didstop angry that her trembling body couldn't get any step farther she half wilted onto an apartment building stoop but made herself stand out loud, she said hold it right there beatrice clark and a few minutes satisfied she had control of her fear again, she sat on the lowest step of course the sun went down and it didnt take long for the landlord to call the police about a girl shivering in his stoop when asked for her name, she refused to give it and she ended somewhere