Lost & Found

I should never have listened to Bitsy. I was all comfortable in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine and immersed in the new John Grisham novel. When the phone rang. I almost let the machine pick it up, but I was never one to ignore a ringing telephone.

"Hello?"

"Rebecca, its Bitsy, I hope I am not calling too late, but you said that if I found any special art that I should contact you. I know this wonderful female artist and her work is stunningly erotic and I thought it would be perfect for your gallery. You simply must come see these pieces immediately," Bitsy said breathlessly.

"But Bitsy it is late and you know I rarely leave my home after dark. I mean after all this is New York. Can't this wait until tomorrow? I am sure the paintings will still be there in the morning."

"Danielle is leaving for Europe tomorrow and wont be back for a month and to be honest if you come buy these paintings, she wont leave and then I can convince her to move in with me. I love her and know that if you buy her paintings she won't leave me. Besides you owe me for setting you up with your last lover."

"Oh all right, she sighed. "Give me the address and I will be there as soon as I can."

A few minutes later, "Ok let me see if I have this right, once I get on the GW Bridge, I take the first exit and go right, go about 4 blocks to the deli and make a left. It's the third building on the left. "Is that correct?"

"Yes, that's right, should take you about 30 minutes or so. We will be waiting. See you soon."

Rebecca was hopelessly lost. She had been driving for an hour and a half now. Bitsy had said it was only 30 minutes. She followed the directions that she got on the phone, but couldn't find any deli or the streets that she was suppose to turn on. She had never been in this part of town before. Heck she did not even know this part of the city existed. So here she was in her BMW lost, confused and a little scared.

She tried looking out the window to get her bearings, but all she could see was strange men huddled in doorways. She thought she saw a mother and child, but couldn't be sure since it was so dark. There were no buildings with lights on, no other cars on the streets. No street signs. She picked up her cell phone, but didn't know whom to call, no one else would be crazy enough to be down here, much less come after her. She really didn't have friends. She had customers from her gallery. She had associates from the Country Club. She knew the old lady in the penthouse the floor below. She also had the occasional one-night stand with someone from the lesbian bar that she went to once a week. But nothing serious was ever going to come from one-night stands. But she had no real friends. Bitsy was a friend only when she wanted something. So since she didn't know who to call she dialed 911. When she put the phone to her ear she didn't hear a thing. She pressed 911 again and noticed that the phone was dead.

"Damn, she yelled aloud. What the hell do I do now? I can't drive all night."

She stopped at a red light and nervously lit up another cigarette. She thought she saw movement out of the corner of her eye and when she turned to look out the back window, the glass shattered and tiny shards were flying everywhere. She ducked down but not before a large piece hit her in the forehead. She felt a hand grab the collar of the jacket and pull her through the window. The glass ripped her clothing and cut her flesh. She felt the blood pouring from the cut, down her cheek and into her mouth.

When her body hit the ground, Rebecca saw a fist coming towards her face. She screamed.

"Shut up, rich bitch, I only want your car and your money." Huge rough hands were roaming over her body, feeling for anything in her pockets. Her coat was ripped from her. Her earrings were torn from her ears. Then the fist was coming for her again and that was the last thing she saw before blackness overcame her.

Some time had passed and Rebecca found herself lying on a sidewalk with blood coming from a cut above her eye. Her mouth was cut, and she thought her nose was broken. She tried opening her eyes but found the left one swollen shut. She searched her mind to try and figure out where she was and what she was doing here, but everything was blank. She couldn't even remember her name. "Oh God, she thought what am I going to do now."

A small group of men were walking down the street toward her direction and they were grimy, and wore tattered clothes. They spotted Rebecca and started moving towards her. Rebecca was a beautiful, rich, snobby woman. Any other time she would not have given them the time of day. She still stood out in the clothes that she had on and instinctively knew that she was in serious trouble. Five men surrounded her. They were making lewd remarks. Calling her names and ogling her breasts. One even ran his hand up the inside of her leg. She pulled up her legs to her chest and tried to sink into the doorway to hide. It was too much for her to bear so she started screaming.

All of the sudden, there was a wild cry from across the street. A woman was shrieking and shouting in some strange language Rebecca had never heard before (or at least she couldn't remember if she had).

" erhalten Sie weg von ihr Sie schmutzige Schweine, oder ich schneide Sie oben und ziehe Sie den L”wen am Zoo! " The men then shouted a few choice words and took off down the street.

The woman approached Rebecca cautiously and kneeled in front of her. Speaking softly she asked "Are you all right, did they hurt you?"

" I... I... think so, no they didn't hurt me just frightened me a little. Thank you, I am not sure what they would have done to me if you had not come along."

"What's your name sweetie and what are you doing down here?"

Rebecca searched her brain trying to remember anything she could about herself and said, "I don't remember my name or much of anything else. The only thing I know is waking up here." She shivered again more from the cold then anything else.

"Well it looks like you were beaten up. "Did your boyfriend or husband do this to you?"

"I really don't know how I got here. The last thing I remember is waking up here, bruised and bloody. Can you get me to a hospital or to a phone?"

"Well the hospital is about two miles away, and I don't have a car. The nearest phone is about 5 blocks away through some pretty rough neighborhoods. I don't go into them much during daylight much less at night. I could take you to my place beneath the subway."

"I... I... don't know, I know that you may have saved me from those men, but I don't know you. But for some reason, I think I can trust you and since I really don't have much of a choice, I guess I will go with you. But at daylight we get me to a hospital. Ok?"

"Ok that's fair. Even if you had not wanted to go to my place I would not have left you alone out here. Let's go before more trouble comes. Can you walk?"

"Yes, I think so." Rebecca stood up and immediately felt dizzy and started swaying.

The stranger took her by the elbow until the dizziness stopped.

" I can't remember anything. Why can't I remember?"

"You probably have a concussion, you also need to get a bandage on that wound. Let's get you to my place, get you cleaned up and then we can try to figure out how to get you home?"

"I guess I really don't have much of a choice, now do I"

"No you really don't, but we do need to disguise your appearance a little." The stranger took off her long coat and put it on Rebecca and then took off her baseball cap and tucked Rebecca's beautiful red hair up underneath it and pulled it low over her eyes. "Hang on to my hand and don't look at anybody directly in the eyes. I will take to my place and get you fixed up."

When Rebecca took the strangers hand, she felt a strange sensation flow between them. Rebecca felt rather than sensed that she could trust this stranger. Well she couldn't keep thinking she was a stranger.

"What's your name and what was it you said to those men to make them go away?"

"My name is Heidi and it was German for, get away from her you filthy pigs or I will slice you up and feed you to the lions at the Zoo!"

Rebecca let out a laugh. "I guess had you said that to me I probably would be running in the opposite direction too. You really don't have a knife do you?" she asked hesitantly.

"No, I don't carry a knife, but if I scream something in German, people automatically think I am crazy and run away. It is a simple and safe way of surviving out here."

They arrived at a storm drain and crawled through it to a manhole cover. Heidi reached into her backpack and withdrew a tire iron and lifted the manhole cover out of the way. She then took Rebecca's hand (she too had felt the electricity) and helped her down the ladder to the sewer. After a few minutes with Heidi guiding them they arrived at a huge cave. Heidi led Rebecca to a chair and told her to sit still for a few minutes. Heidi then went to the portable kerosene heater and turned it on and lit a few oil lamps. She brought back a bottle of water that she got from a cooler and used the camp stove to heat it up and make some tea for Rebecca.

"Why do you live down here Heidi? Don't you have a home to go to? Where's your family?"

"My you are full of questions aren't you? Well let's see my family threw me out of the house when I was 17 because I told them I was gay and was sleeping with my best friend. Then I moved in with her and she decided 6 months later that she was no longer gay and kicked me out to the streets. I called my parents hoping that they changed their attitude about their daughter or gays in general and they told me they didn't have a daughter anymore. I tried to get a job and a place to live, but never finished high school and had no money so took to sleeping on the streets. When I first got on the streets I was so scared. Men were always trying to get me to do things for money or drugs. I tried the shelter thing, but since I was underage at the time, they would try to send me to juvenile detention. One even called my parents.

One day, when it was really cold, I was huddled in the ladies room at Grand Central and this huge black lady came in. She looked at me and reached into her pocket and pulled out a sandwich. I wouldn't take it. I learned along time ago, you trust nobody out here. She left the sandwich on the counter and walked out. A few days later, in the same bathroom she left me another sandwich. But this time it had directions and a note.

The note said, "Follow the directions on the note if you want a warm bed and hot food." It was signed Mary. It was in the prettiest handwriting I have ever seen."

I was getting pretty desperate by then so I figured what have I got to lose. I knew that people lived in the subway tunnels and whole societies lived down here, but I was also too scared to go down them.

I followed the directions in the note and after about 10 minutes a wonderful smell hit my nose, it smelled just like my mother's sauerkraut and sausage. Sure enough, that's exactly what it was. I found the sandwich lady cooking on the propane stove. She must have sensed me there because she turned around and said "Come on in child and have a seat. My name is Crazy Mary, but I ain't really crazy." She put a finger to her lips and said "Shhhhhh don't tell anyone though. I have a reputation to keep around here."

"I have been down here ever since. Going on 7 years now. Mary died about 3 years ago, she had AIDS and gotten fired from her job at the hospital. Her husband and kids disowned her, so she came down here to live and help those she could. She left a will and gave me everything she had. $200.00, and almost everything you see here. She also taught me some first aid and CPR so that I can pass on her legacy of helping people who are hurt."

Heidi brought the cup of tea and a small bucket filled with warm soapy water and a first aid kit. She set the bucket down and handed Rebecca the tea. Rebecca sipped it and looked more closely at Heidi. Even though she lived on the street her skin was flawless, her hair was short almost to the point of being manly. She guessed that Heidi was about 5'6" and 120 pounds. She had incredible deep blue eyes that any soul would want to melt into. (I bet she has a sexy body under all those clothes) I wonder why I would think something like that? Flustered a bit, Rebecca looked at the ground.

Heidi took her fingers and lifted Rebecca's chin and got a closer look at her. She took a washrag from the tub and started washing Rebecca carefully. She started with her fingers on her left hand. "Well I can see that you aren't married, there is no line from a wedding ring. Your nails are manicured and you probably recently got your hair done." Heidi stood up and bent over Rebecca to look to see if there was a label in the back of her blouse.

Rebecca was feeling strange, it was not pain or anything that frightened her but as strange as it sounded she was slightly aroused. She wished Heidi would keep touching her skin, it felt so wonderful.

"Your blouse is a from a very expensive designer." Heidi said. "So you must have some money." Heidi started to clean the wound on her head and Rebecca winced as she worked, then cried out as Heidi hit a particularly sensitive spot. Heidi looked closer and found a small shard of glass imbedded in the wound. With a pair of tweezers she took out the glass. "I wonder how you got glass in your wound? I don't think your nose is broken, but it will be swollen. I am a little worried about your eye. Can you see anything out of it?"

"No, I can't seem to even open it. My head hurts a lot though."

"You probably have a concussion, which means that I cant let you sleep for a while. Normally I would ask you your name, what date is it, things like that. But since you can't remember anything, I guess you will have to ask me the questions so I can keep you talking."

Suddenly a high pitched voice shouted, "Hey Heidi are you here?

"Beth! It so good to see you I was worried! How are you and Mary doing?"

"We are doing great." She eyed Rebecca curiously. "Who's that?

"Well that's what we were just trying to figure out. I think she got mugged and she can't remember anything."

"Well Mary and I were going to head over to Dianna's place for some cards and I was going to ask you if you wanted to come, but I see your busy being a nurse maid."

Heidi glanced at Rebecca and then looked back at Beth, "Maybe another time." I think we should stay put for a while."

Beth looked a little more closely and Rebecca was feeling a little self conscious all of the sudden.

"You know, you look familiar, I think I have seen your picture somewhere, but I can't remember where. If I think of it I will come back and tell you." Then she left the two of them alone again.

"Let's keep fixing your wounds and keep you talking." Heidi continued to clean the wounds and pick the glass from the cut in her head. "I have some pain medication, but I don't want to give you anything until we know for a fact that you don't have a concussion. But I did give you some herbal tea and that should help you relax a little."

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life down here Heidi"

"I have been down here so long, I don't think I could live on the surface again. I did think about trying to go back to school and become a real nurse, but I have a lot of patients down here that need my help more."

"Do you miss you parents?"

"I did at first. I would go to the neighborhood and watch them sitting on the porch. But they made their choice and I made mine. We live with our choices good or bad."

"Do you like being a lesbian?"

"I like who I am and I like the life I lead down here. I have love and respect and friends."

"Do you have a girlfriend down here? Sorry you don't have to answer that. It is a personal question and none of my business."

"There hasn't been anyone since my best friend dumped me. Too afraid of getting hurt and besides that the pickings are a little slim down here."

Heidi was so busy concentrating on cleaning the wounds on Rebecca that she didn't notice that she had fallen asleep. She took a few minutes to look more closely at her. This lady has class, she thought. On the surface, she wouldn't even have given me the time of day. But now she is just as helpless as I was when I first got down here. I can see that she gets a manicure and probably facials too. Her skin is so soft and smooth. Her red hair is like fire. I hope that the damage to her face heals properly but with the money she probably has, she can afford the best plastic surgeon. It's a shame really, she has money to burn and people down here are starving and dying. Oh well I can't change the way the world works. She took off a few layers of her clothing since it was getting quite warm from the heater in the small place.

She gently shook Rebecca awake, but Rebecca was startled and screamed.

"Easy there, it's just me, Heidi. You were asleep. Do you remember where you are?

"I... I... I am in the subway. I was hurt and you rescued me. Your name is H... Heidi right?"

"That is right, I know your tired and want to sleep, but if you have a concussion I have to keep you awake until we get you to a hospital. But I can let you lay down if that would make you more comfortable."

"I would like that, you won't leave me will you?"

"No darling I won't leave you. But I do need to check the rest of you for any injuries and to see if you are bleeding anywhere else. I have a robe and some spare clothes around here and I can help you clean up a little. I won't do anything that you don't want me too though. You are safe with me. I promise."

Rebecca hesitated for a second, then she rose and removed the coat that Heidi had loaned her. In the light of the lamp Heidi saw that Rebecca was absolutely stunning. She had long red hair, legs that could reach heaven, lovely green eyes and could have been a supermodel with that body. Heidi found she was getting aroused, she hadn't had sex with anyone since her best friend dumped her and found she was getting quite turned on by this beauty standing before her.

Heidi started looking at Rebecca in a different light and Rebecca sensed the atmosphere in the room had changed dramatically although she didn't understand why. She started to unbutton her silk blouse, one button at a time. Heidi walked up to Rebecca and slowly ran her fingers up and down her arms, (looking for glass-yeah right), then walked behind her and ran her fingers up and down her spine, ever so slightly in case she touched some glass. Rebecca shivered and Heidi asked, "Are you cold?"

"No, I am not cold"

"I need to check you for other injuries. So I am going to undo your pants, if you are uncomfortable with anything, tell me to stop and I will. I don't want to scare you more than you already are."

"I am not scared, for some reason I trust you. You make me feel safe."

Heidi bent down and picked up Rebecca and carried her to the mattress on the floor that had a sleeping bag on it. She unbuttoned Rebecca's pants and slowly slid them down her legs carefully and gently. Her skin was so soft and smooth. This lady had class and any other time she would not have even noticed Heidi existed, much less be vulnerable to her as she was now. She ran her fingers down the outside of her left leg, taking delight in watching goose bumps appear at each touch, she looked at Rebecca and saw that Rebecca had her eyes closed and her lips partly open. She was flushed and looked to be totally relaxed with the things that Heidi was doing to her skin. She ran her fingers along the inside of each leg and brushed ever so gently against Rebecca's clit, causing her to jump and sit up.

"Did that hurt, did I hit another piece of glass?" (Heidi knew darn well what caused her to react that way.)