Marvel owns the characters that you recognize, Kaleidopy and Missy Red are
not making any money or profit off this story in any shape or form. Why?
because we do not want to be sued.

Devil Days
Part Three
MissyRed and Kaleidopy

Early the next morning, Therese came into the guest bedroom the find
Jean-Luc sitting in a lazy boy chair rocking the small boy, who lays asleep
in his arms. He glances up to greet her, "You startin' a lil' early dis
mornin'?" He asks her by whispering the question. "It's not even daylight
outside an' yet you ready t' work."

"Got a lot to do today, Mr. LeBeau. And you know I have only three more
weeks left before I go back to Washington to finish my schooling." Therese
walks over to the man, looking down at the child, she whispers. "Do you
want me to put the boy back in the bed?"

"Non, de boy is fine where he is," Jean-Luc continues to rock in the chair.
He manages to pull the blanket up a little closer to cover the boy
completely. "De chile woke up screamin' from a nightmare several hours ago,
took me an' Henri both t' calm him down b'fore he fell back t' sleep."

"There's no telling what things have been done to this little one," She
stoops down and softly touches the little boy's hair before she sighs. "You
wouldn't believe the horrible stories I have heard about what happens to
these kids, and this one is so young to be placed in that kind of
environment."

"Henri's been tellin' me dem stories most of de night." He gets to his feet
and carries the boy back to the bed, covering him up with the sheets and
blankets, he waves Therese out of the room. Closing the door behind him,
Jean-Luc walks down the stairs. "You best start down here so not t' wake de
boy. Tante should be here soon, tell her t' keep de boy here as long as he
wants t' stay."

"When should I tell Tante Mattie when you are returning, Sir?"

"Late tonight, Dere's business wit' de guild t' do an' anot'er matter dat's
more important at de moment." His voice trails off as he glances upstairs.
"Tell Henri, t' cancel his plans for de next few weeks an' t' invite a few
very close friends over." Jean-Luc smiles slightly noticing her confusing
look. "Therese, mon fils will know what I mean just make sure you deliver
dis message t' Henri, caprice?"

"He will get the message and should I tell Tante Mattie as well?"

"Oui!" He answers quickly before leaving.

________________________________________________________

Several hours later, the little boy opens his eyes and looks around his
surroundings. He remembers his stash under the bed, quickly getting out of
bed he reaches under the bed and pulls out the shirt and the merchandise he
had stolen. He puts the shirt back on and places his stash inside the
shirt, he opens the door and looks both ways down the long hall, seeing nothing or
anyone, he takes off for the stairs. Before he can take three steps down
the stairs, a wonderful aroma catches his senses. He follows the smell
downstairs and into the kitchen.

"You ready for breakfast, chile?" Tante Mattie greets him at the doorway
entrance with a smile.

"Oui!" The boy answers quickly and runs to the table. He watches her cook,
finding the courage to strike up a conversation, he begins. "Where's M'sier
LeBeau?"

"In town." Tante answers quickly as she adds several spices in with the
eggs. Pulling down two plates from the cabinet, she walks over to the table
and places them down on the table, one in front of the boy and the other
one directly across the table from him.

"You tell me 'bout M'sier LeBeau, non?" The boy flashes her a huge grin.

"Chile, you tryin' t' con Tante?" Tante lifts the iron skillet from the
stove and brings it over to the table and begins to fill both plates with
eggs. "With a smile like dat one, you gonna be breakin' a lot of hearts
when you grow up."She returns to the kitchen and gets another skillet and puts
bacon on the plates. " Jean-Luc is a very kind and honorable man an' dat's
just de beginnin'." She sits down at the table and puts salt over her eggs.
"Tell you what, you ask Jean-Luc y'self all dese questions if you want t'
know more."

"Non, just wanna t'ank M'sier LeBeau for his hospitality, b' I got t' be
goin'."

"You goin' t' eat b'fore you walk out dis door, chile." Tante motions with
her folk for him to eat. She watches as he obeys her. "Jean will b' back
late tonight. You want t' stay here an' spend de day with Tante?"

"Non, mais, merci beau coup."

"You more dan welcome t' come back again." Tante lets him out of the house
and watches as he runs off down the street. Sighing deeply, she shakes her
head. She knew the little boy had managed to touch everyone's heart in the
house, but the problem facing everyone was getting the boy to open up to
them. Trust, she knew did not come easy for him. He had been hurt deeply
and what ever had scared him in his sleep out there was still waiting for him
in the streets.
________________________________________________________________

In town, the boy was searching for his hiding place to add his new treasure
to his other collection. The streets were unusually quiet for a Sunday
morning. Maybe he would not see his tormenters today. Turning a street
corner, he suddenly realizes his dream just turned into a nightmare.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here, boys." The leader of the group
speaks up as he walks in front of the boy. "Whatcha got in your shirt,
devil boy?"

"Yeah brat, you think you can escape us?" The second teenager replies as he
grabs one of the trinkets out of the boy's shirt and studies it. "Hey
Jarod, he's been holding out on us again."

"Give me that, Paul." Jarod, the leader, grabs the item from the second boy
and holds the trinket in front of the boy. "I thought that last beating I
gave you smarten you up some." He throws the trinket down on the ground and
breaks it. "I can see you need to be punished for not listening to me." He
starts beating his fist into his other open palm. "And this time you will
not be so lucky." Turning to his two companions.

"Paul, you and Wayne hold him good. He screams just once, cut him and give
him a reason to scream."

The boy suddenly ducks in between Jarod's legs, grabs the broken trinket
and takes off running. He turns around and laughs. "You be not'in' but idiots,
you couldn't catch me even if I let you try." He runs down the streets as
fast as his legs can carry him, he dodges down several streets, knocking
over several people who got in his way. Hearing but not paying attention to
their curse words they yell at him, he finds his hideout, an old abandon
shack. Opening and closing the door behind him, he quickly puts the old
rusty office chair next to the door knob to keep anyone out that might hurt
him. Catching his breath, he slowly lays down on the dirty mattress that he
uses as his bed. He watches for several minutes and begins to pull out all
the things that was in his shirt including the broken trinket. A slight
noise catches his attention as he sees a huge rat crawling across the floor
moving towards him, he picks up a rock from the pile he keeps by his bed
and throws it at the rat, making it disappear into the darkest part of the
shack. Remembering all the warm food and clothes that the people from the
huge house had given him, was making him regret stealing from them in the
first place. He gets back to his feet and quickly stuffs the trinkets back
down his shirt. He waits until it gets dark before he leaves the safety of
his shack.

Around eleven the same night, the door bell rings. Opening the door, Henri
LeBeau glances down at his visitor. " 'ello petite, we were hopin' you come
back. You want t' come inside?"

"Is M'sier LeBeau home?"

"Oui, just wait in de livin' room," Henri answers while grabbing his car
keys. "I got an errand t' attent t', you can wait for pere in dere if you
want."

"Merci," The boy nods and walks into the living room. Hearing the door slam
behind him, he quickly looks around to see if anyone was watching him.
Satisfied that the coast was clear, he quickly puts back the things he had
stolen the night before. Unknown to him, the owner of the house stood in
the shadows watching his every move.

The boy finishes and sits down on the couch waiting.

A few minutes later, Jean-Luc enters the room and pretends to act surprised
that the boy was back.