Description: My take on Nancy's thoughts during the song 'My Name.'
The sounds of bottles clinking and drunken laughter filled the Three Cripples Tavern. And Nancy laughed breathlessly as she hopped off of the long wooden table she had been dancing on, her red and mauve dress swishing as she did so.
'Oom Pah Pah' was always her favourite song to sing. She loved seeing the happy and jubilant looks on the customer's faces. It was always a nice change in atmosphere to be around such enthusiasm.
She looked through the wide masses of people to search for Bill. He had promised her he would be here by eleven, and casting a quick glance to the clock on the back wall, it already quarter-past. She Slumped down on a chair next to Bet, who was trying to fend off a new customer who tugging roughly at her skirt.
"Oui! Clear off!" Bet said, ripping her skirt back from the man's grasp, her blonde hair swishing at the movement.
The man looked at Bet, annoyed, "Hey! That's not-" but then he stopped, his face mirroring the complexion of a ghost's. The rest of the Tavern seemed to go deathly quiet as well. All too knowing, both of the girls turned to face the cause of the disturbance.
It was, of course, Bill. His large, burly form was leaning casually against the front door's frame, his expression showing through a lopsided grin. He then spoke, his loud, rough voice echoing through the whole Tavern.
"Strong men tremble when they hear it!
They've got cause enough to fear it!
It's much blacker than they smear it!
Nobody mentions...
My name!"
He stepped forward, his intimidating presence causing the customers to move fearfully out of his way. Nancy rolled her eyes, he always loved to let new casualties know their place.
"Rich men hold their five-pound notes out -"He said, approaching the most well dressed man in the bar, snapping his fingers at the man to give him money. The man, eyes wide, reached inside his coat and produced a wad of bills.
"Saves me emptying their coats out…"Bill continued, tilting his head, sporting humorous tone as he shoved the money into his coat. Then he turned back to the man, a despicable grin skimming across his unshaven features.
"They know I could tear their throats out!" He continued, and the man backed away, tripping over something and falling flat on his behind. Bill let out a chuckle, "Just to live up to… My name!"
"Wiv me
Jemmy in me hand,
Lemme see the man who dares
Stop me."
Nancy looked on casually as Bill turned to face a group of men who dared not to look intimidated, although that changed as soon as they laid eyes on her Bill, their eyes widened and backed away.
"...Taking what I may. He can start to say his prayers!" He continued, his voice deep, threatening. Even she couldn't even help a slight shiver at his tone.
Everyone watched, frozen, as Bill reproached the centre of the room, his heavy footsteps echoing off of the old wooden floorboards.
"Biceps like an iron girder,
Fit for doing of a murder,
If I just so much as heard a
Bloke even whisper...
My name!"
"Bill Sikes…" He whispered, but it was enough, everyone seemed to have heard. It seemed as though they were all hanging off of his every word. And why wouldn't they? No one would dare not to.
Nancy cast a quick glance around the Tavern, Bill was certainly good at scaring the wits out of a crowd. She then looked back at Bill, he was looking around the room, almost challenging anyone to take him on.
"Some Toff, slumming wiv his valet,
Bumped into me in the alley
Now is eyes'll never tally
He'd never heard of ...
My name!"
He then walked over to one man, who was leaning against one of the tables, a bottle of gin clutched in his hand carelessly. He had a very calm, and slightly playful expression on his ragged face. He was obviously drunk, she thought, and Bill seemed to find the sight amusing.
"One bloke
Used to boast the claim
He could take my name in vain…"
He reached out, tore the man's bottle easily from his grasp and took a swig. The man reached out in an attempt to take it back, eyes flashing in annoyance. Gasps were heard through the whole crowd, including Nancy and Bet.
"Poor bloke…" Bill said, reminiscent, looking over the man almost casually.
"Shame 'e was so green…"He continued, shrugging his shoulders.
Nancy was pondering what he was going to do, but her question was answered when Bill threw the bottle at the wall, causing it to smash into pieces, and picked up the man by the collar and shouted, "Never was 'e seen again!"
He dropped the man then, causing him to hit the floor with a smack. The crowd was dead silent again as Bill walked once more to the centre of the room.
"Once bad - What's the good of turning?
In Hell, I'll be there-a-burning
Meanwhile, thing of what I'm earning
All on account of...
My name!"
Bill then looked around, eyes glinting with a challenge as he faced the fearful audience.
"What is it?"He said, scanning the crowd, his dark eyes searching for the possible victim.
"WHAT IS IT?"He yelled this time, growing impatient with the silence. Nancy smiled, couldn't help a chuckle at his games. When she looked up she saw that everyone at the Tavern was staring at her wide-eyed, obviously so confused why anyone, especially a woman,would dare take on this man.
She caught Bill's eyes, he was shaking his head at her, a little annoyed that his illusion was shattered by a woman in front of all these people.
But Nancy just smiled again, her dark eyes sparkling with humour at her lover, "Bill Sikes…"