The Empress' Legs

[jammi]

There was the jingle of keys and the steady tap of a holstered baton bouncing off a thigh as the two patrol officers passed the alleyway's darkened mouth. The nine children watched them pass, apprehensively. They weren't fond of the police, and as it happened, the police weren't too fond of them either.

They were sat clustered together like a colony of penguins to keep warm in the chilled night-time air. "Mam" had been on the fire water and kicked them all out of the shanty house as soon as they'd dropped the wood off, with the ominous warning that she had "guests" so they'd better not be around.

One of the younger ones sniffled to herself. "Jack, why we here again?" She mewled pitifully. There was a rustle as one of them shuffled around to look back at her, and gave her an oil rag to blow her nose on. She left a black smear across her face then gave it back.

"'Cos of that pub, remember?" There was silence for a few moments, save the shuffling of rags being reorganised into a more comfy shape. "Yeah, look. The coppers shut that place down, instant, right? Tha' means there's still food an' stuff in there. Ours for the taking. Jus' wait for the coppers to leave 'an we're good." They were all silent for a little while longer.

One of the other boys stood up, tripped over one of the others, then crawled over to Jack. "Jack, why'd Mam kick us out?" He whispered, so as to not let the others hear.

"Look, don' worry about it," he murmured back. Then he stood up. "C'mon you's lot. We're goin'." The little pack dragged itself, groaning to its feet. Tentatively, they skittered down the street for the second time, before reaching the pub's now unbarred door. They milled around aimlessly for a moment or two, before the boy with a crowbar forced his way to the front. He wedged the bar into the door frame just below and lock, and yanked. There was a loud crack, and the lock visibly shifted.

"Get'i from the other side," Jack muttered. Doing as he was told, the boy wriggled the crowbar into the space just above the lock and yanked it again, this time the lock cracked and the door juddering ajar. Jack pushed it open and looked inside. "Ok, we're good. Everyone in, then get th' door shut." The street urchins piled in, glad to have somewhere warm to spend the night.

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