Young Writers Society

Sorry about this, but could someone bring Helen in?

Kaywiia: Sure! I hope this works.

Isaac

"Oy! What a darn idiotic thing to pull off," Julian growled. "You looked you wanted to kill her."

"I do!" I yelled. What pained me was that I was in no way capable of tackling the girl, let alone killing her. First off, she was in shape and had plenty of practice. Secondly, I'd never won a serious fight. My small stature and weakness had never really bothered me until now. My talent with the sling shot, and aptitude at avoiding and running away from fights usually sufficed as a great survival technique on the streets.

My murderous feelings seem to abate somewhat, but a fierce hatred and desire for revenge were still strong. Jonathan had been more than a brother, more that just a guardian. She's killed him so mercilessly. I only wished I was capable of giving her what she deserved.

"You know each other?" Julian asked.

"I told you, she killed Jonathan." I said impatiently.

"Look kid. See all these people. All of them. We're all murderers, thieves, criminals. We've all killed someone. Sorry it had to be this Jonathan kid, but you got to think straight. I won't have any of this if you want to stay here. You got to leave all that behind you. If you don't think you can control yourself, you better skedaddle. I'm sure Roland doesn't want to deal with all this bad blood."

I thought about this for a while, shooting a glance at Bet Miller. She was glaring at me. Julian had a point. And I did want to stay here. But I wouldn't leave what was done behind. I couldn't find myself to. But I looked at Julian and nodded. He was satisfied, and let go of my shirt.

"Now scat. Mouse'll be fuming doing all that work herself."

I walked away, still feeling Julian's suspicious eyes looking at me. He'd be watching me closely.

I had returned upstairs to an empty room and resumed mopping, and was engrossed in the work, when a shadow fell across the room. I looked up to see Helen standing in the doorway. She calmly walked inside, looking at me thoughtfully.

"You have it in for that red head." She stated.

"Yeah." I looked at her suspiciously. "What's it to you."

"I guess we have something in common here then."

"What she do to you?"

"I won't ask you to tell me your story, and you want ask me mine. Understood?"

I didn't particularly mind telling Helen what Bet had done to Jonathan, but I could see her story was a secret she was intent on keeping. I nodded. Fair enough.

"You're an assassin. Are you going to kill her? " I was somewhat awed by Helen every time we talked. She was a dangerous woman and you had to careful. She frightened me sometimes. Other times I felt quite comfortable around her.

She smirked. "Nothing of the sort. I need you to keep an eye on her and report to me anything you find out of the ordinary. Where she goes, who she meets, etcetera etcetera."

"Well, look, Helen," I said, leaning the mop against the wall. "The thing is, I'd love to help and be your little spy, but I what have I to gain?"

"Nothing good will come out of it for Bet, in fact quite the opposite. I hope that is enough to include you in this scheme."

I was not even sure what the scheme was. And why was Helen asking me to spy on Bet? I didn't like the thought of being used, only because our mutual hatred for Bet. I didn't trust Helen altogether either. She was no worse than Bet. An assassin.

I shrugged. "I'll think about it."

She nodded, "You've got nothing to lose Isaac." She turned around to leave.

"Helen?"

"Yes?"

"Is Roland also going to feed us, because I'm just about famished!"

(can someone help bring Reuben in? I kinda got lost. . .)

I use a wall to help get myself onto my feet. I lean against it, that was a mistake, getting up.
I'm somehow haven't collapsed back to the floor. There's a door, right next to me there is. I could leave.
But I'm not better out there then I am in here, people looking to beat me up, an' not just Tim either.

Here you, Lauren. Hope this helps!

Julian

The Ruben kid stirred and slowly picked himself up from off the floor as I approached him. “Ah, I see you’re awake...”

I handed him my water skin and a cold piece of stake for that purple slob that was his left eye. “Just about...” he replied, taking a long swig of drink before slapping the stake on his eye. "Where am I?" he asked, looking around.

"The Roland Troupe, my freind," I smiled at the look of confusion on his face. "Don't worry, my boss will explain everything in a moment. Names Julian by the way..."

"Oh, I know who you are..." the kid replied nervously. "Your the Chameleon."

"I'm glad to see that my reputation proceeds me," I smirked, taking a seat beside him. "So, tell me...what the heck happened to you back in that alley?”

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” he mumbled.

“Well, I ain’t surprised...getting beaten up like that can’t have done much good for the ol’ ego, eh?” I joked attempting to lighten up the atmosphere.

Reuben just nodded sombrely. I felt sorry for the kid.

“I could help you, y’know...” I said, lowering my voice so only he could hear. “It would have to be between you and me, though. If Roland found out he’d probably slap me.”

The kid looked up at me confused. “Help me with what?”

“Getting your revenge of course!”

That seemed to perk him up at a little bit. I smirked as I envisioned the cogs in his brains staring to turn.

“How exactly?” he asked.

“Well, let's just say that I happen to know a lot of people who...like to take the law into their own hands...” I winked. The kid looked slightly nervous. Visibly amused, I continued, “you gimme the names of those chaps that did this to you and I could have them taken care of quicker than you can say ‘Rum’”.

Reuben looked up at me, slightly sceptical. “Y-you could really do that?”

“’Course! Like I said, all I need is the names.”

“But, why...I mean, why would do that for me, you don’t even know me...”

“Look kid,” I said seriously. “I may be a lot of things but I sure as hell ain’t cold-hearted. Contrary to what you may or may not have heard I’m actually quite a descent bloke. I like helping people...just like Roland helped me...”

The kid looked at me for a few seconds as if he was looking for any sign that I was lying. When he found none, he nodded appreciatively.

“I’ll think about your offer and let you know,” he said.

“Sure,” I replied, taking another bite from my apple before getting up to return to my previous seat.

“Hey, Julian?” he asked.

I turned around to face him, walking backwards as I talked. “Yeah, kid?”

“Thanks...you’re alright...”

“Ah, don’t mention it,” I winked before turning back around and taking my previous seat. I looked up at the stage and saw Roland still at his desk. What the heck was taking him so long? I had some essential Jessa, Houston and Isaac background digging to do.

“Hey, boss!” I called. “Are we gonna get started with the introductions, or what? I’ve got some...work...I need to be getting on with...”

Jessa

I rubbed my arms and tucked my heels in.

"Eh, I think you can manage on your own." The man -Roland- said, before striding off. I breathed out and walked in the most confident way I could, down the aisle.

"Oi, where're you goin' there, Jess?"

I turned around and smiled sweetly. "Somewhere. I'm going somewhere." I said carefully, then slipped into a spare room. Next con was already unfolding. Julian wanted to know more, hear more, have more information, than I was willing to offer. I'd have to shut him up somehow. In a fashion truly un-Jessa, I closed the door obviously and started pacing loudly inside before breaking out my tavern voice- clear and loud and carrying.

"Oh, they can't find out about the orphanage! If they do... then the whole group is in danger! They... they'll think me weak. I can't let that happen... I'll tell them I ran away from the circus. Yeah, that'll make them laugh- it'll work, definitely." With conviction still ringing in the air, I took overacted breaths to 'calm' myself, leaked some clear water from a pail onto the rims of my eyes, and smudged some soot on my skin, enhancing the gaunt shadows, darkened the dirt in my hair, and pulled the corset of my dress tighter, not enhancing, but actually showing how... skinny I'd gotten. Master of disguises, master of voices, master of lies. Yep, that was me.

I made a few sounds that sounded vaguely like shuddery breaths and then hastened to the door, acted like I had trouble with the knob (implying my hands were shaking with nerves) and finally, after three rattles, almost sprawled out of the room- directly into Julian. I fake-hiccuped, then pretended to realize my tears were spilling over. I hastened to 'discreetly' rub them away, looked up at the half-smirking Julian, then mumbled a 'I knew I should've lowered my voice' and sprinted past him, back to the stage.

Jessamine Rogers, you are a sly, sly dog.

Helen

"Is Roland also going to feed us, because I'm just about famished!" Issac demanded.

"Aren't we all?" I retorted. He threw me a look, and mumbled something under his breath. "Come on, lets go find the others."

"So you think this Rowland guy is telling the truth?" He asked.

"If he's not, he's in for it. I have never failed a mission. You can take that as a warning."

"Consider me warned," I could picture him rolling his eyes behind my back.

"I will," I said, and strode off towards where I thought the group was.

Reuben

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as the Chameleon walked away.
My eye was beginning to feel better, thank God.

I hold back a chuckle, as I had just put on an act.
When Julian had approached, I just put on my innocent, scared kid face. I was kinda afraid he'd see through it, but it didn't look like it, surprisingly. One thing you learn when you enter into the world of crime, is that you need to be able to act, cover how you feel, who you are.

He thinks I'm younger than him, he called me a kid. That's amusing.
If I'm correct, he's 20. I'm 21. Damn my height.

Now about Julian's 'offer'. . . I don't know. . .
Where am I again? Oh, right, the 'Roland Troupe'. Wait, what?

Houston

Jessa stumbled onto the stage, looking, if it were possible, even scruffier than she had mere minutes ago. There were new smudges and tear stains on her face.

"You all right there, Miss Jessa?" Houston asked in his London drawl, taking a tentative step towards the ragged girl. Was it only him, or was she somehow skinnier than she had been a moment ago? She shook her head.

"No, I'm fine," she said in a shaky voice. Houston raised an eyebrow. He was good at spotting liars. It was what had kept him alive all of those years. He had this unerring knack for detecting lies in people. To the best of his knowledge, he had only been deceived once, and then he had been blinded by emotion, and had paid for it, in more than one way.

Jessa was unarguably a brilliant liar. And perhaps if Houston wasn't suspicious of women from experience, he wouldn't have noticed the glimmer of satisfaction in Jessa's eyes when she emerged on stage. But he was, and he had.

"Really?" He said, reaching into his pocket for a cigar he had salvaged. He lit it, then continued after taking a deep pull, setting the end crackling. "Because the way I see it, there is something wrong." He blew out a puff of smoke, and took a step closer to Jessa. She wrinkled her nose.

"Could you not smoke that in here?" She asked. Houston ignored her.

"Now, I won't ask you what you're up to," he said in a low voice, so only she could hear. "That's your business. But I will say, watch your step. Whoever this Roland chap is, and whatever we signed up for, we have to be careful. And know that I'll be keeping an eye out for you," he straitened up took another pull on his cigar, and shot her a wink. "Just in case."

Jessa

He was good. And I hadn't ruined him. I smiled sweetly and nodded.

"Of course, Mr. Houston. I'd keep an eye on me too." I said. He nodded back.

"So... how did you do that?"

I glanced over my shoulder. If Cham heard this was faked, that my sob story wasn't a real one, I was deader than dead.

"Soot, pail water, and tightening my corset," I said softly. He nodded, glancing at waist.

"That's still pretty thin, even with the corset."

I shrug. "I'm small." I don't elaborate that all I've eaten in the past week is a piece of bread, four inches long, or that I haven't had a warm place to sleep since the Ropes. Doesn't matter. He grunts.

I tie my hair back with a piece of twine that I'd swiped from the doorway and rubbed one leg with the opposite foot. It was cold in here, which was not making me look healthy and robust. Good.

All the better to avoid past victims who want to know exactly where I come from... with.

Phantom: I hope this introduction was okay, I honestly didn't know how else to write this!

Julian

“But-” I wanted to protest.

“Do what you’re told, Julian. It's not hard,” muttered Roland, handing me the introduction sheets.

“Unbelievable...” I muttered, shaking my head as I watched him stride off. That man was supposed to be the one giving the damn introductions, not me! I heard Mouse snigger slightly.

I sighed and took a final bite from my apple before throwing it over my shoulder and turning to address them all. The quicker I got this stupid thing over and done with, the quicker I could begin with the information digging. “Alright, ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please...Before we begin with the introductions, I think you should have something to eat first. Considering the state we found most of you lot in you must be starving...”

Their faces did look a little pale and that Isaac kid looked as though he could just about eat a horse.

“Mouse, here, who I’m sure you lot have had the pleasure of meeting...” I said smirking slightly as I turned to face her, “will be more than happy to bring you all some food. Ain’t that right, sweetheart?”

Mouse’s lip curled in anger.

“C’mon, Mouse, chop, chop, we wouldn’t want to keep our guests waiting now, would we?”

She threw me one of her infamous death stares before scurrying out of the auditorium and returning a few minutes later with a sack of bread, a packet of crackers, some cheese and six water skins. She gave me a snarl before begrudgingly handing each recruit their water skin and some food.

I watched them all eat with a mixture of intrigue and amusement. Isaac was scoffing down his bread and crackers simultaneously and shoving slices of cheese whenever his mouth had some space for it. Mouse stood there staring at the kid as though he she'd never seen something so disgusting. Houston, Reuben, Bet and Helen, on the other hand, were eating with a lot more dignity, choosing to just stick with a few slices of bread and some water. Then my eyes fell on Jess, who seemed to be eyeing the food in front of her with a mixture of surprise and guilt. I saw her sneakily tuck several slices of bread and cheese into a loose rag from her dress, if you could even call what she was wearing a dress. It looked to me more like different pieces of tatters sewed together by a blind woman. I hated to admit it, but I almost felt sorry for the girl.

I shook my head in dismay. Being in this Troupe was definitely starting to make me go soft.

Once the meal was over and Isaac’s belly seemed to have finally had enough, I approached the centre of the stage and rubbed my hands together before addressing them all. “Okay, ladies and gentlemen, now that you’re all fed, I'll begin. On behalf of Richard Roland I’d like to welcome you all to the Roland Acting Troupe. Now, Mr. Roland – and from this day forward you will call him Mr. Roland – is aware that all of you are currently on the run from the law, some for small petty crimes, others for more serious ones. Regardless, Mr. Roland is willing to not only show you clemency, but he is also offering a roof above your head and three square meals every day.”

“What’s the catch?” came Bet’s voice. Isaac threw her a look.

“Well, my redheaded friend, it’s only fair that Mr. Roland should be given something in return for all the kindness he’s shown you.”

“Like what, exactly?” Houston asked.

“He demands that you all enlist into his Acting Troupe.”

Isaac’s eyes looked as though they’d burst in excitement. The others, however, didn’t seem to share the kid's enthusiasm. Reuben, in particular, still looked a little dazed.

“You all have very little choice in the matter...” I said matter-of-factly, walking down the stage steps and handing each new recruit an introduction sheet. “On this sheet you'll find the basic rules of The Troupe which must be followed at all times and when I say must, I bloody well mean it. Mr. Roland is a man who doesn't tolerate disobedience of any kind, so it will be in your best interests to memorise the information on this paper word for word.”

They all looked at the sheets of paper in their hands as though it was written in a foreign language. I sighed impatiently. This was going to be a long LONG day...

Jessa

I could barely take in the words. I felt heavy. I was full -actually full- and I didn't think Cham or the nasty little piece of work they called Mouse would let me dash out to Marty's. I felt a lump in my throat. Those kids depended on me to bring food home, and I was here, all cozy and full, reading rules for an acting troupe. I promised myself I'd sneak out. I'd bring Cham if I had to.

I gave up trying to figure out the implications of the rules and dropped down to the orchestra pit. We'd definitely have to clean this place up; that was proven by the cobweb that caught in the stitching of my dress. I batted it away, then tied up my makeshift pocket inconspicuously.

"Chameleon!" I shouted.

"What is it, Jessa?"

"I need you to come with me someplace!"

"Where?"

I shrugged. "I'd have to show you."

"Jessa, I'm sort of nee-"

"Oh, hush up. I will-"

I climbed up to the stage and knotted another string of twine around his wrist, the other end around mine. He could cut it at any time, but I was hoping he'd forget that.

"tie you to me. Now, come on."

There was no way I'd let these kids starve.

Julian

“What the hell d’you think you’re doing?” I raged as Jessa began tugging me along with her. “Untie me, woman!” I demanded.

She wasn’t listening. The crazy girl just continued to walk out of the auditorium with me in tow. I turned to see Mouse. She’d knock some sense into this girl, right?

“Have fun, Julian,” Mouse cooed, a huge grin plastered across her face. “When Roland gets back, I’ll be sure to tell him how instead of keeping an eye on the new recruits, you decided to go out frolicking.”

Her comment earned her several chuckles from the rest of the recruits who were watching all this with an air of amusement.

Before I could respond, Jessa already had me out of the theatre and down the market square. The sight of her dragging me along earned us suspicious glares from the elder women and smirks from the much younger ones.

This was just embarrassing. If any of my ol' mates saw this - the infamous Chameleon being dragged around the market square by a woman (the same woman who managed to rob me)...let's just say they wouldn't be too impressed. In fact I’d probably never be able to show my face in public again...my real face, that is.

“D'you know how many rules you've just broken? It hasn't even been an hour since you've joined-”

“Rules may work where you come from, Julian, but they don't really hold much stock where I live.”

“I’m not being funny, but I couldn't give a shit. Now untie me this instant!”

“No,” she said simply.

I shook my head in disbelief. “Unbelievable...” I said, before pulling out a pocketknife and snapping the twine of string that she had tied me with. Why the heck didn't I think of doing that earlier?

"You, young lady..." I said, putting the pocketknife back, "are gonna be in some serious trouble when you get back..."

Just before I turned to leave she came up in front of me and stopped me in my tracks.

"Please, don't leave," she begged. "Look, I know I’m going to get in trouble for this, it's just that I can't sit in that theatre and fill my belly while my family starve...and I thought that maybe if I took you with me, Roland wouldn't be so angry."

I raised my eyebrows in a bemused expression. "So you thought you'd just tie me up and drag me along with you? You could've just bloody asked me!"

"Would you have come if I had?"

"Course not!" I scoffed. "But it would've been a lot less embarrassing for me if you had. I have my reputation to think about, y'know..."

I continued to advance back towards the theatre, but again Jessa stood in front of me blocking my path.

"Look, if you go back, Roland won't let me come back to the Troupe. My only hope of a better life and some income for my family will be out the window.”

“Not my problem, now if you'll excuse me...”

She looked like she wanted to continue to protest but several seconds later she reluctantly stepped aside for me to pass, which I did. However, my feet came to a halt after just a few short steps.

“For the love of Pete...” I muttered to myself, rolling my eyes in annoyance before turning back to walk towards her. I knew I’d regret this. Not to mention the fact that I’d never hear the end of it from Mouse.

"Five minutes, tops," I said to her, sternly, "and just so you know, you owe me...big time!"

Jessa

I nodded, feeling very business like. "It'll be enough time. The kids should still be at Marty's."

I sort of tuned out his voice and kept walking briskly. I stopped once or twice as some of the shop owners handed me cakes and pies that I dropped in my pocket. Cham wrinkled his nose. A turn here, double back here, right down this way, and before me lay Marty's Alley, the haven of all kids like me.

"Jessa!" Several voices shouted it at once, and then Richie was helping the little kids get up, and Marissa was hugging my knees, and tiny little Corkscrew was climbing up my side to hug my neck. I hugged all -was it?- one and a half dozen of them, smoothed their hair, cleaned their faces and hands with my water skin.

"Food, food here, enough for everyone, no seconds," I called, splitting apart parcels and tossing half of it to Richie, who passed it around. "Eat, eat, I don't know when I can come back," I said, casting a look at the Chameleon. He was just impatiently hanging back on the corner. Richie was sending him all sorts of dirty looks, and Corkscrew was giving him the odd, intent, burning stare he'd nearly patented.

I only kept looking for half a second. "Alright, hush up now, I've got an announcement." Silence. "I might not be able to come back." My voice cracked, and I winced. Cham still may not know my past, but he'd now heard me wounded.

My announcement was being torn apart by the kids. "Jessa, you can't!" "Jessa, what if we can't find food?" "Jessa, you know they respond better to you." The last voice was Richie's, and I almost cried right there.

"Just try and take care of each of their needs, not human needs in general," I whispered in his ear. He nodded, and quicker than most people could blink, he had me in a hug.

"Take care of yourself, Jessamine Rogers."

"You too, Richard Brownsson."

Richie herded the kids back into the old warehouse, and with one last look at me, closed the door. I wiped away my tears -real this time- before Chameleon could see, and then nodded back to the theater.

"We can go back now. I'm sorry I tied you to me."

He grunted. I took a breath. We walked back to the theater.

Julian

I had to admit, that was a pretty sorry sight. Marty’s Alley stank of god knows what and those scrawny kids looked like they regularly bathed in mud.

As Jessa and I headed back towards the theatre I couldn’t help but notice that she looked rather sad.

“There’s no need to look so depressed,” I told her. “It’s not like you ain’t never gonna get to see them again.”

She nodded and attempted to hide her emotions by fiddling with the hem of her dress.

“Why do you wear that?” I asked her, not really caring that it probably sounded a little rude.

She looked down. “It’s all I have...”

And she wasn’t lying about that. It was only after I really stared at her clothes that I realised she was wearing the same dress I had seen her in when she robbed me all those years ago. That wasn’t right.

“Come with me,” I said, steering her towards the opposite direction.

“What? Where are we going?” she asked, baffled.

“We’re going to visit Esmeralda’s,” I replied, trying not to contemplate on how much trouble I’d get into when I got back.

“Why?”

“To get you some proper clothes...no offence...”

“B-but we don’t have any money...” she said, torn between surprise and confusion.

“You’re right, we don’t.”

My eyes suddenly fell on a particularly stout gentleman who at that moment stepped out of a horse and carriage before paying the driver handsomely. He was dressed in an expensive looking three-piece suit made from the finest material in town, and in his hand he carried a cane that looked as though it would be worth at least a grand.

“But that gentleman over there certainly does...” I said, a scoundrel’s grin appearing across my face.

Jessa

"Stay here, Jess," he mumbles, and then the pale boy is off. I'm left hanging in the shadow of the roof above me. I watch the Lizard (oh, nice name, Jessa!) slink up behind him. He's swift and precise- in two seconds, he's trotting back, holding a velvet pouch that jingles nicely. The cord it was hanging on is sawed into frays. I'm impressed.

"I'd say that'll buy you a nice dress," he said, smirking.

"Lizard, no!"

"What?"

"Lizard. Shorter than Chameleon. But, no! You'll get into trouble, loads!"

"So? That dress is..."

"Functional! It does what it needs to!"

"No, it doesn't! If it did, you wouldn't be shivering!" He gestures to me accusingly. I glower.

"Fine. You buy it, I put it in the pocket. I'll change at the theater, tell people I found it in an old room. Deal?"

He doesn't seem thrilled about putting the dress in my old pocket, but he nods. "Fine."

I thought I heard him mutter "you owe me, Jess" under his breath. I ignore it. We're even, by my count. Right? Oh, hush, you don't know anything.

"Come on, then." he says, jerking his head down the street. I swallow. I've never tried my art down on Rich Street.

But Lizard really wanted to buy me a new dress. It was the first time I even had the opportunity to get anything new- think I was passing it up?