𝚁𝚄𝙽𝙰𝚆𝙰𝚈 ° racetrack higgins

The Theater

We ran down the streets, none of us daring to look back. Not like we really had to; Synder would yell at us ever now and then to remind us of his presence.

Jack, meanwhile, was yelling directions at Davey, who was leading us down the streets, Les following close behind him. I instantly recognized the directions; Jack was taking us to Medda's.

"I'm here!" Jack yelled as he took a hard right into an alley, causing the brothers to turn around and follow. He opened a door and ushered us in.

Our group quickly piled in before Jack shut the door tightly. We were backstage of the theater, where we usually came in. "This way." My brother said as he started walking towards the front.

Davey grabbed his wrist and turned him around. "I'm not running any further. I want some answers." When Jack didn't answer, he continued. "Who was he and why was he chasing you two?"

Jack sighed before answering. "That there was Synder the Spider; a real sweetie. He runs a jail for underaged kids called the Refuge. The more kids he brings in, the more the city pays out. The problem is, all the money goes straight into his own pocket. Do yourself a favor and stay clear of Snyder and the Refuge, alright?" With that, Jack climbed up the stairs, heading to the balcony above the stage, the rest of us following after him.

Les spoke up once we got off the stairs. "You were in jail?" Jack and I nodded. "Why?"

"Well, Tate and I was starvin', so I stole some food."

"Food?" Davey asked, seeming unconvinced.

"Yeah, food." Jack replied, getting defensive.

There was a moment of silence before David spoke up again. "He called you guys Sullivan."

I thought about it for a minute and realized he did call us that. Now that I really thought about it, he always did. I wasn't really sure why, but I figured Jack knew the answer. Turning to him, I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it.

"Well, my name's Kelly. Jack Kelly. And dat right dere is my little sister, Tatum Kelly." When the new kid didn't speak, Jack spoke up again. "You think I'm lyin'?

"Well, you have the way of improving the truth. You never answered my other question; why was he chasing you guys?"

"Cause we escaped." I said, speaking for the first time since we got to the theater.

Before anything else could be said, a very familiar voice sounded from down below. "Hey, you up there! Shoo! No kids allowed in the theater!"

A smile came to my face as I turned around and looked over the railing at my motherly figure. "Not even us, Ms Medda?"

Her face lit up as she realized who it was. "Kellys! The children of mystery. Get yourselves down here and give me a hug!"

Jack and I both turned and hurried down the stairs that led onto the main floor. We both ran into the open backstage and engulfed Medda in a hug.

When she pulled away from us, she kept a hand on both of our shoulders. "Where you been keeping yourselves, kids?"

"Never too far from you, Ms Medda." I said with a loving smile.

Jack turned to face the siblings standing a little ways away. "Boys, may I present Miss Medda Larkin, the greatest star in the bowery today."

"She also owns the joint." I added.

"Oh, the only thing I own is the mortgage." Medda said with a smile. "Pleasure gents."

"A pleasure." Davey replied, tipping his hat slightly. He glanced over at his brother, who was leaned over staring at two show girls. "What's wrong with you?"

"Are you blind? She's got no clothes on." Les exclaimed, causing a soft laugh to escape my mouth.

"That's her costume."

"But I can see her legs!"

Medda found amusement in the brothers' conversation and decided to chip in. "Step out of his way so he can get a better look. Theater is not only entertaining, it's educational." The two show girls blew Les kisses before they rushed off. "Got your picture, kid?"

Les nodded and Jack spoke up. "Miss Medda, we got a little situation on da street. You mind if wes hide out here a while?"

"Where better to escape trouble than a theater? Is Synder after you two again?"

I nodded to her as Les called out to my brother. "Hey, Jack, did you really escape jail on the back of Teddy Roosevelt's carriage?"

"What would the governor be doing at a juvenile jail?" Davey said to his little brother, crossing his arms.

This annoyed me. Davey didn't know anything about what really happened. "Just so happens he was running for office and he wanted to show he cared about orphans and such." I told him, irritation clear in my voice.

"Yeah." Jack said, backing me up. "So while he got his mug in the pape, I got my butt in the backseat and we rode off together. Tate would 'ave been dere too, but....thing happened."

"Do you really know the governor?" Les asked.

"He don't. But I do." Medda said with a dreamy look in her eyes before she snapped out of it and turned to Jack. "Say, Jack, when you got time, I want you to paint me some more of these backdrops. The last one you did is a doozy. Folks love it! And things have been going so well I can actually pay."

"Hey, I couldn't take your money, Miss Medda." Jack protested.

"You pictured that?" The youngest of our group asked, looking over at the backdrop Jack had painted a while back.

"You're friend is quite an artist." Medda bragged.

"Don't get carried away." Jack sighed. "It's a bunch of trees."

"You're really good." Davey said politely.

"The boy's got natural aptitude." Medda told him, losing me at the last word; I had no idea what it meant.

"Jeez, I never knew no one with an aptitude." Les said.

"Miss Medda, you're on." A stage manager said as he poked his head around the corner.

"Oh yeah? How am I doing?" She asked, laughing while no one else did. "Kids, lock the door, and stay all night. You're with Medda now." With that said, she headed off to the main stage.

If I was being completely honest, I didn't feel up to the theater at the moment; I just wanted to head home. Tugging on Jack's sleeve, I waited for him to look at me before I spoke. "Listen, I think imma head back to da lodgin' house."

"No way." He protested. "Snyda's still out dere."

"I'll be careful. I just don't feel like being here right now."

"Everythin' ok?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired." I told him, backing towards the door. "I'll see ya later, Jacky." Before he could answer, I opened the outside door and headed outside, the music of the show getting softer and softer as I walked away.

Word Count: 1175