A Usual Haunt

[Fabel]

"Get your hands off my wife, ya bum!"

It was one of the strangest things Fabel had ever heard. It wasn't everyday she was called someones wife... Fabel was relieved that he decided to play along, and the very large man seemed slightly surprised.

"Ees you 'usband? Ee can't be more n' 12 yea's.." he scoffed, laughing at Race Tracks attempts at injuring him. As another blow got him in the nose however, he felt quite a bit of pain as blood came pouring out and he slackened his grip around Fabel. Fabel took advantage of the loosening and wriggled her way free. She hopped quickly over to Race and stood behind him.

At the sight of his own blood, The walrus man cowered and actually whimpered a bit. Fabel found this quite amusing. The sight of the blood and the beer he had engulfed mixed together must have done the trick, as the large man soon collapsed. The other animals looked at each other, with looks on there faces that seemed to say the same thing; Whoever this girls husband was, had just beat the largest one of them to the ground. They didn't even take into consideration that it was compensated with a hangover brewing - since they all had consumed about the same amount of Alcohol.

Fabel leaned forward and whispered, "Thanks.." into Race's ear. Apparently it gave off the effect that she had, in fact, been telling the truth about him being her husband, and the other animals backed away, slowly. They still looked questioningly at the two, the thought that all of them against the boy would gain them their prize.

[Anthony Higgins]

"Thanks.."

Race gave Fabel a curt nod before turning back on the fat man's friends. "Don't even think about it, ya fat slobs. I'll soak you all..." With a death glare in their direction he hoped looked convincing in their drunken state, he hooked arms with Fabel. "We're gettin' outta here..." he said. He began to lead her away from the drunken men, playing up the lie a little more. Once they were reasonably out of earshot, he muttered, "Twelve years old, my foot. What a moron. I'll show 'im twelve years old..."

He scowled and looked at Fabel. "You seem to get y'self inna a lot of trouble, huh?" he observed. First almost getting flattened by the horses, and then this whole ordeal...he was half glad that he was there to help her out, but also wondered exactly how he got mixed up in all this. But a quick glance over his shoulder at the drunken men told him their troubles weren't quite over yet...

[Fabel]

"We're gettin' outta here..."

Fabel was slightly startled when he took her arm, but hid her surprised expression quickly as the men still looked on at them.

"Twelve years old, my foot. What a moron. I'll show 'im twelve years old..."

Fabel bit back a small bubble of laughter. He was obviously older than twelve. He looked a lot like a grown man, as most newsies did because they were forced to grow up so fast, but still had boyish features about him. "So I take it your older?" she asked casually. She didn't want to admit to herself that she found him even remotely attractive - He was after all, a Manhattan Newsie, and probably had more than one girl after him from what Fabel saw in his charming manner. Or perhaps she was merely attracted to her polar opposite. She really wasn't sure, but him having her arm and saving her seemed to have triggered some fondness for him.

"You seem to get y'self inna a lot of trouble, huh?"

Fabel blushed, partly from her previous thoughts and partly from the fact that it was true - She did get herself into quite a bit of trouble. She nodded, "You seem to have a bit of experience in the whole saving damsels in distress Ideal yourself." she said and then followed his gaze back to the drunken primates. They were blundering there way over to them once more. It appeared as though they had made there decision of wanting Fabel for the evening.

It was understandable, as she had a Very girlish figure and a bust larger than most female newsies. She was a Texan, so it was understandable, but she did get rather tired from the stares it gave her, and from the constant pestering from fellow Male newsies, or drunken men off the streets such as these.

[Anthony Higgins]

"So I take it your older?"

He nodded. "Course I am. I been comin' here since I was that age. If one more person tells me I'm younger'n I am cause of my heighth, I'll..." he shook his head. His temper made up for his size for the most part, but there was always some ignorant bum who didn't think Race would soak him as soon as look at them.

"You seem to have a bit of experience in the whole saving damsels in distress Ideal yourself."

He shrugged, and grinned a little. "It ain't nothin'..." he said, almost sheepishly. "I'm not about to leave ya when you're in trouble or somethin'..." Even if he didn't find Fabel an okay kid, he would probably help her out nonetheless. But the last lie was something else. He had never felt more awkward in saying any other lie...he almost chuckled at the thought.

Another quick glance over his shoulder told him the fat men were meandering towards them again. "What's these guys problem?" Racetrack muttered. He glanced around and pulled Fabel into the crowd, pushing his way through. "Keep up with me..." he told her, holding on to her arm a little tighter through the estatic, pressing crowd. "If they follow us we'll see it...just look for the gaping hole in the crowd..."

Racetrack knew this track like the back of his hand. The upper bleachers was the worst place to watch the race and where all the well-to-do people chose to sit to be away from the raucous, but it would do for the purpose of evading the drunken men. He led Fabel up the stairs to the top bleachers. He got to the section and glanced behind them. He didn't see their pursuers, and sighed. "I think we lost 'em for now..." he said hopefully.

[Fabel]

"Course I am. I been comin' here since I was that age. If one more person tells me I'm younger'n I am cause of my heighth, I'll..."

Fabel truthfully hadn't even noticed his height, as she was shorter than him. She laughed lightly at his threatening look.

"It ain't nothin'..." he said, almost sheepishly. "I'm not about to leave ya when you're in trouble or somethin'..."

Fabel turned suddenly and looked at him, "I have a question." she stated firmly. She didn't wait for him to answer but went on, "If you hadn't seen that I was a girl, would you have hit me?" she asked curiously. She was always one to pick up small details such as those and bring them to front. It was normally what got her into trouble.

"What's these guys problem?" "Keep up with me..." "If they follow us we'll see it...just look for the gaping hole in the crowd..."

Despite the situation, Fabel laughed at the last remark. She stayed as close as humanly possible to him, which was quite close when you put the crowd into the picture, and tried her best to keep up with him. It was a bit more difficult when they went up the stairs because she was wearing a dress, and she had to pick up the hem lest she trip and send them both tumbling down.

"I think we lost 'em for now..."

Fabel almost ran into him when he stopped. She sighed a deep sigh of relief, and then after a few moments, noticed that she was still very close to him and clinging onto his arm. She pulled quickly away, blushing furiously, and sat down on the top step, bringing her knees up to her chin.

"Thanks...Again..." she managed to state with a weak smile.

[Anthony Higgins]

"If you hadn't seen that I was a girl, would you have hit me?"

It was an odd question, and it caught Racetrack a little off guard. "Huh? Well...ya mean if you'd been a boy? Well...maybe not right away. I'd let a fella either back up or get his fists up 'fore I took a swing at him." Racetrack had always fought fair, so long as the other guy did. But once it became more than just a fistfight (for example, the other guy pulled out a chain or a wood board) then everything turned into fair play.

They got to the top of the steps, and Fabel seemed to notice about the same time Racetrack did that they still had their arms hooked. She pulled away, her cheeks turning pink. Race glanced away, grinning in spite of himself. He cleared his throat and turned back to Fabel, slightly composed. He hoped he wasn't blushing like she was. Blushing wasn't something he usually did...

"Thanks...Again..."

He shook his head and took a seat beside her. "No problem," he said with a nod. "I wouldnt've left ya with 'em..." he added, his eyes returning to the track again. He squinted at it; he had never been this far up. "I can't tell...who's winnin'?" Everyone, especially Specs and Dutchy, told him he was nearsighted, but he refused to get glasses. He said he could read the headlines just fine and that was all he needed to do.

[Fabel]

"Huh? Well...ya mean if you'd been a boy? Well...maybe not right away. I'd let a fella either back up or get his fists up 'fore I took a swing at him."

Fabel smiled briefly. A fair fighter was something hard to come by.

"No problem," "I wouldnt've left ya with 'em..." "I can't tell...who's winnin'?"

Fabel looked back to him and noticed he seemed slightly flushed, or perplexed in a way. She hoped it wasn't something she had done. She was indeed glad that he hadn't left her with the drunken animals, otherwise who knew where she would be or what she would be doing right now. She squinted down at the track. She scowled, "Number 13 just took the lead." the anger and frustration was evident in her voice.

Fabel was far from interested in the race now, though. Out of the corner of her eye she looked at Race Track. She wondered what his real name was. She thought she might should wait for some other time to ask him about it. Hopefully she would see him again. She wondered why it was always when she was getting into trouble that she would meet nice young men.

[Anthony Higgins]

"Number 13 just took the lead."

He glanced at her, and noticed her disdain. "You, ah...have your money on somebody else?" He couldn't imagine her betting, but he couldn't think of a reason why she would be angry about a horse winning otherwise. Once they got to the third race, Racetrack would probably follow the race more closely. He hoped the guy who had given him the tip hadn't suckered him...

He looked away from the track as the whistle blew again, signaling that Number 13 had won. A cheer erupted through the crowd, mixed with cries of outrage. Race said to Fabel, "So ya never told me...how come they call you Fabel?" he had asked her before, but with the fat man hanging on to her and the subsequent chase, there obviously wasn't much time for an answer.

Racetrack glanced around the stands. He couldn't see the crowd of men yet. He thought hopefully that they had forgotten about Fabel with the race ended, and they could be either leaving or arguing among themselves. Still, he resolved to keep an eye out, and be ready to take Fabel away if necessary.

[Fabel]

"You, ah...have your money on somebody else?"

Fabel shook her head. How could she explain her reasoning behind it? "I just, ah...Don't like that one." she lied. She did like the horse very much, it was the number on it that got under her skin.

"So ya never told me...how come they call you Fabel?"

She had nearly forgotten about his question to her name and she chuckled faintly. "Well, I'm not a bad story teller.." she said smiling. "In both senses.." she added quietly. She was quite good at lying and making it rather convincing, while at the same time her head was filled with stories and it was what made her living.

"What's your real name?" she asked before thinking. She immediately regretted saying so and quickly added, "I mean, you don't have to tell - not if you don't want to..But if you do - well - I'll listen..I mean..Erm.." she stuttered, her face takingo n a darker shade. She bit her lip and looked up at the sky. Her mouth always got her into trouble.

[Anthony Higgins]

"I just, ah...Don't like that one."

Race nodded. But he couldn't imagine not liking a certain horse. All of the horses were some of the best, and he always took careful consideration of the skill and speed rather than judge them right away. Race looked at his race card. "Number Thirteen...wow, that was a 10:1 shot. Talk about upsettin' the odds..." He made a note of the horse for tomorrow's races.

"In both senses.."

He laughed. "I guess you ain't. I know a lotta people who can lie. But can ya really tell stories?" Race didn't have much of a creative mind, and he didn't read much aside from the newspaper, but he used to read a lot of books when he was younger.

"I mean, you don't have to tell - not if you don't want to..But if you do - well - I'll listen..I mean..Erm.."

He chuckled, and gave her a warm smile. "It's okay, really. It ain't a big secret or nothin'." Well, it wasn't a secret, he thought, but not many people knew about it. It wasn't something that was normally asked of you. Race thought for a moment, and realized that only Jack and a few other of his closest friends knew his real name, and even then, they never called him anything but Racetrack.

What surprised Race the most was that he had to think about it for a second. Even if a copper or a judge asked him for his name, he was apt to say Racetrack without thinking. But he told Fabel, "Anthony. My real name's Anthony." He paused for a moment befor asking, "What's yours?"

[Fabel]

"I guess you ain't. I know a lotta people who can lie. But can ya really tell stories?"

Fabel shook her head grinning. Now this was one topic she enjoyed. If he asked, she would readily go into a story - but she didn't want to bore him.

"It's okay, really. It ain't a big secret or nothin'.""Anthony. My real name's Anthony." "What's yours?"

Fabel almost melted at his smile, but she kept her emotion well hidden. It was a talent of hers, hiding what she felt. When her family shunned her, She defended herself the only way she could; She shut herself down. She would let no one in. She thought about his name for a moment, dissecting it and exploring its meaning. It sounded Italian, and if she recalled correctly it was one of the great Roman Emperors. Or, at least, it was in one of her stories.

She cleared her throat before replying to his question. It wasn't often people asked her real name - they figured she would just lie about it, which in some cases she did, but in this case she would tell him. What harm could it do?

"Evelyn. Evelyn Monroe." she said, startled at the sound of her own voice making the words. It had been so long since she had heard her name, and even then, it had been said in anger.

[Anthony Higgins]

"Evelyn. Evelyn Monroe."

He smiled at her name. It suited her, he thought to himself. Sometimes the name just suited a person, and if Race hadn't been told that was her name, he actually might have guessed it. "Evelyn," he echoed. "That's a nice name..."

Now he wasn't sure whether to call her Evelyn or Fabel. Both of the names were for some reason pleasing to him. He looked from her to the track. The second race would be starting in a few minutes. Race had bets later on in the day, and he didn't want to miss them.

But he heard a yell from below, and the sound of heavy footfalls coming from the staricase on the other side of the stands. His brow furrowed. "You hear that...?" he said, cautiously rising to his feet and peering over to the opposite staircase.

His breath caught in his throat. The fat men, five in total, stood on the opposite staricase, pushing each other and laughing thickly. One of them turned, and seemed to spot Race. He hit one his his companions (Race recognized him as the first lug, the one he bloodied a little) and pointed.

Race ducked quickly to conceal himself. He cursed and took Fabel's hand. "We gotta move..." he said. "They're comin' up..." He pulled Fabel to her feet, glanced at the fat men, and led her quickly back down the stairs.

[Fabel]

"That's a nice name..."

Fabel nodded sheepishly. The name was pretty, when used in good context. "You can call me either." she said looking at him for a moment. "I do miss Evelyn though.." she added shyly.

She had never actually told anyone but the old story teller her real name, and he was now dead. A wave of grief passed over her at the memory. The old story teller had been more of a family to her than her family ever had.

"You hear that...?"

Fabel glanced up as Race Track stood, but did not stand herself. She listened closely, and to her horror, heard the stupendous shouts and bullying's of the Walrus and his many animal companions. She was about to stand up to see for herself, but was unable to do so as Race quickly dropped back down.

"We gotta move..." he said. "They're comin' up..."

Fabel nodded and silently agreed. She squeezed his hand and quickly, silently, followed him down the stairs. She could hear the heavy footfalls of the men above, who were desperately trying to "Run" with their many rolls through the spectators and to the other side in hopes to get to them.

Even as the two ran hand in hand through the heavy crowd with very large men at their heels, Fabel felt a sense of happiness and security. It was as if telling someone her name had humanized her, and made her feel like a real person again. She looked over her shoulder and saw to her horror that they were actually gaining on them. Apparently when two street rats wanted to get through a crowd, no one cared, but when many Fat men did, the waters parted. Fabel nudged Race, to tell him that they should either go faster or hide.

[Anthony Higgins]

"I do miss Evelyn though.."

His smile widened. "Ya want Evelyn? I'll call ya Evelyn." It was one of the nicer names he had heard. A lot of girls' names conjured images of snooty girls, either that or some swine that had worse table manners than some of the newsies. Evelyn suited Fabel, he thought. To him it sounded like a name someone who told stories would have.

As soon as Fabel was on her feet, Racetrack led her through the crowd, pushing and shoving his way through so she wouldn't have to shove too much. Men yelled at them, women shrieked indignantly, drunkards slurred insults and bookies told them off for making a scene. When she squeezed his hand, Race was assured that she would hang on.

Suddenly she nudged him, and he turned to see the fat men gaining on them. He cried out in surprise and turned front again. A gunshot went off, signaling the start of the second race. Racetrack thought quickly. During the races most people were in the stands. He didn't know if going through the crowd would slow them down or make the fat men lose them. He didn't want to take that chance.

The only thing they could really do was keep running. He hoped that Fabel could run for long distances without copping out on him. Though he doubted those men could run as such a speed for much longer, he staggered a little so that Fabel was beside him. "Keep up with me!" he called to her, and held her hand tighter. Thinking on his feet, he ducked towards the tracks again, thinking the men might lose them in the crowd.

[Fabel]

"Keep up with me!"

How could she not? He had a death grip on her hand and she on his, and there were men chasing them. One reason was to beat Race to a pulp and the other was take Fabel for their own personal reasons.

"It's - a bit - difficult - in a dress!" She yelled haltingly as she sped up to match his speed. She wasn't one to get wimpy on someone though. She had a bit of stamina with her legs from having to walk along next to the wagon when it broke down with the Story Teller. Sometimes they would end up having to walk all the way to the next state before it could be fixed. She had also learned to sprint away from people and find a decent place to hide - normally from her family.

The thought came into her mind when Race pulled her in the direction of the stands. Stands normally had small open spaces underneath, didn't they? It was hard to discern through the crowd, but as they drew nearer, Fabel spotted a small, rather cramped looking opening. She was elated. It was just big enough for the two of them to crawl in, yet just too small for the large men to come in after them. It was like a small tunnel that went all the way through the stands, so if they crawled straight to the middle, the men would not be able to reach them.

"I've got an Idea.." she muttered just loud enough for Race to hear. She pulled him to the opening and quickly hunched down. She let go of his hand, picked up her skirt and hurriedly ran, hunched over, through the small tunnel to the center. Once she got there, she dropped her skirt and plopped down onto the hard ground, exhausted.