Esmeralda swayed her hips as she slowly moved in a circle around the raised platform. As she turned to face the crowd again she began to dance more seductively. She gave a flirty smile to everyone she made eye contact with, but was careful not to look at her friends as they each went about their business. It suddenly began pouring rain. Everyone started scurrying around. Afraid that her friends who be noticed, Esmeralda kept dancing to keep everyone distracted. She tilted her head back as the rain hit her. She slowly ran her hands down her body. Whistles rang out from in front of her and she knew she still had the majority of the crowd's attention. She went down on her knees and winked at the guards. She ran her hands back up her body and over her face, gently biting the tip of her pinky and some of the men cheered. She searched the crowd. Meg had left when the rain started. She didn't see Sadira or Flynn, but she did meet Aladdin's eyes and he gave her a small nod to signal that everyone had left. Esmeralda lied back, then did a back somersault, landing on her feet. She took a bow, then jumped off the platform and ran away. She slowed to a walk once she was no longer in sight of the men in the crowd.
Esmeralda didn't mind the rain. She had been living on the streets since she was quite young and was used to it. She decided to take the long way home to give herself a little alone time. But, as she turned down an alley she noticed someone huddled against the wall. She walked over to them. A young boy sat on the ground with his arms wrapped around his legs and his forehead resting on his knees.
"Hello," Esmeralda said to him.
The boy looked up, but didn't say anything. Esmeralda could now see he was about eighteen or nineteen years old.
"What are you doing out here in the rain?" Esmeralda asked him.
"Where else would I be?" The boy's tone was very snippy.
Esmeralda shrugged. "Home?"
The boy leaned back against the wall. "I don't have a home."
"What happened?" Esmeralda asked.
"That's none of your business," the boy said. "I don't even know you."
Esmeralda knelt down in front of him, feeling the wet dirt seeping through her skirt. "My name is Esmeralda."
"Knowing your name doesn't mean I know you," the boy said.
"You're right," Esmeralda said. "But, it's a start."
The boy stared at Esmeralda with a blank expression before finally saying, "My name is Jim."
Esmeralda smiled at him. "Jim, how does a boy like you end up alone in alley in the rain?"
Jim sighed. "My father caught me stealing and beat me. So, I ran away."
"He beat you?" Esmeralda couldn't see any evidence of physical abuse on the boy.
Jim got to his knees and lifted his shirt. Esmeralda bit her lip as she looked at the bruises on his torso. He pulled his shirt back down.
"I'm never going back there," Jim said.
Esmeralda slowly nodded. "Would you like to stay with my friends and me?"
Jim glared at her. "I don't need your charity."
"It's not charity," Esmeralda said. "My friends and I are like you. We were all living on the streets for a long time, until we found a shelter. But, we're all thieves, too."
"I'm fine on my own," Jim said.
"Well, at least stay with us for the night to get out of the rain," Esmeralda suggested.
"No," Jim snapped. "You do me this favor, and then I'll have to owe you something. Forget it. I can take care of myself."
Esmeralda shook her head. "You won't owe us anything. My friends and I aren't like that. We look out for the people who are less lucky than we are."
"So, what, you guys are like the village superheroes, swooping in to save the poor unfortunate souls on the streets?" Jim said, icily.
Esmeralda chuckled. "No. We just try to keep the people of our village out of Hercules' prison."
Jim narrowed his eyes at Esmeralda as if he was searching for something inside her.
"It's just one night," Esmeralda said. "You can leave in the morning and never see any of us again, if you want."
A bolt of lightning snaked across the sky, immediately followed by a loud boom of thunder. Esmeralda looked up at the sky, then back at Jim. He had a softer expression on his face now.
"Just one night," Jim said.
Esmeralda smiled at him and stood up. She held out her hand to help him up, but he ignored her hand and got to his feet. They hurried to the tavern as more lightning lit up the night. They walked behind the building, just as Meg was approaching from the other side. Meg looked at them, but didn't greet them before making her way up to their little apartment. Esmeralda followed her up, with Jim right behind her. Sadira and Aladdin were sitting on the floor, counting their money. Flynn was stretched out on a blanket, watching the lightning through a hole in the wall that they used as a window. The rain was coming down at a slight angle and a puddle was starting to form on the floor under the window.
"Hey, guys," Esmeralda said. "This is Jim. He ran away from home and he's going to be staying with us for the night. Jim, that's Aladdin and Sadira, that's Flynn and that's Meg."
Aladdin, Saidra and Flynn gave Jim a quick greeting. Meg ignored them and walked over to the window. She bent over the puddle and began ringing out her hair. Esmeralda noticed Jim staring at Meg.
Esmeralda leaned in closer to Jim. "Forget about it," she whispered. "Meg has sworn off love and refuses to get into a relationship. Believe me; Flynn has tried many times with her."
Jim looked a little disappointed, but he just shrugged.
"Anyways," Esmeralda said. "As you can see, we don't really have any furniture, so just pick a spot on the floor to sleep."
Jim nodded and walked over to a corner. He curled up with his back to everyone and fell right asleep. Flynn got off the blanket to let Sadira use it and he lied down next to her. Aladdin took his usual place next to the entrance of the room. He was a light sleeper, so no one would be able to get in without him knowing. Meg knelt down next to the window and just stared outside, like she did every night. She was always the last one to go to sleep. Esmeralda often wondered what Meg's story was and what she thought about while she stared out at the night. Esmeralda lied down near Jim. She closed her eyes and listened to the rain as she slowly fell asleep.
