Murder Alley

Gisele hated the walk home from work. It gave her too much time to reflect on the pervs of the day, and the demanding patrons she had waited on who treated her like a second class citizen. It was those she skimmed from the most. She patted the visible coin pouch at her hip and grimaced. All she could smell on her clothes and hair were cooking grease and food. And the sounds of chair legs scraping against the wood floor of the tavern was a constant noise in her head for the first couple hours she was off work.

The dark-haired woman hefted a loaf of acorn bread and some curd cheese in a sack beneath her arm. They would eat well tonight, and that thought filled her with a sense of comfort. Gisele had offered assistance to the nymph with her other arm, and they had taken the ferry to the main docks where the two women disembarked and made their way to the Crescent Moon. “Have you a room,” the apparent barmaid queried of the innkeeper as she peered at her companion. “Just one room so my friend here can sleep it off.”

“Sure. We’re pretty open tonight,” the tiny woman confirmed.

“Ok, let me drop her off and I’ll come back and pay,” Gisele said as she looked toward the stairs in the next room.

“Second room on the left then,” the innkeep said as the two women started to enter the lounge and climb the stairs. Gisele had her arm wrapped about Coraline’s waist as she opened the door and saw her to the bed. “Ok,” she softly said, “Get some sleep, Coraline.” She watched the beautiful nymph for a moment more before closing the door behind her quietly. The nymph was passed out and probably would not wake until the morning. Gisele decided to kneel down by the keyhole, pulling a pin from the pouch hidden at her thigh, and worked it into the lock, listening for the tumblers to fall into place. 

Satisfied that the nymph girl would be safe, she made her way down to the main room and retrieved some coins from a pouch beneath her skirt, leaving them on the counter. “For a meal in the morning too, and put a raw egg in her juice to aid with her hangover,” she stated. 

“Sure,” the fiery-maned woman replied.

Gisele gave a nod and left the Crescent Moon, her eyes surveying the east and west ends of the strip before she stepped out onto it and made her way toward home. She continued her walk until she entered the underbelly of the city. She tossed a coin to the old guy who had boated her many times to and from the slaves quarters.

Before actually going home, Gisele walked down the dank alley sometimes referred to as “murder alley”. She would not go in too far deep, but her eyes scanned the dark shadows until she found who she was looking for. “Ah, Johnis, there you are,” the barmaid said as she tore a third of the loaf apart and handed the unkempt man his meal. “Got some cheese for you too,” she added as she reached into the bag. She held it cupped in her hand, dropping the curds into his dirty palms as he turned them up to her.

“Yer en angel,” he said over rotten teeth. 

“Enjoy it, my friend.” She glanced around again. “Now where is that Aben?”

“Dunno, ent seen him in days,” he said as he tore into his meal.

“Johnis, we just saw him last night, remember?” she chided, her tone light as she swept her gaze around them once more before turning back.

“Oh,” he said, shrugging and muttering something incoherent over a mouthful of bread.

“Ok, well, here. I’ll leave this with you, but make sure you give it to him. Alright?” She portioned out the food for his friend and knelt down beside him, placing the extra meal there. 

“See you tomorrow, Johnis,” she said as she stood. “Oh, almost forgot,” she whispered and reached for the coin at her hip. It was the “extra” coin she collected from her shift earlier. She took it all discreetly into her hand and placed it into the beggar’s. “Share it with Aben as well, ok?” Gisele squeezed at the empty bag as she watched him for a moment.

Johnis looked down at the coin, his hands trembling from his excitement. “Now don’t go spending it all in one place, you hear? Still have what I gave you last night?” Gisele knew he probably did not, but she did all she could do. The rest was up to him. She turned, making her way back to her dumpy little rental. She would grab a fresh change of clothes and head to the pub where she would purchase a bath as she did every night, then sit in her tiny place she called home and enjoy a meal before heading out.