That night was the night the rumors about the town of Babylon would begin.
There were dozens of stories, ways in which the truth had been twisted and warped. In one, it was a few unnamed rousties. In another, it was a bearded woman. And then there were the stories- a handfull of stories about a man named Freddie Nells or Freddie Neff or Freddie Niv, of every occupation and with all sorts of companions going down with him.
The stories were all the same in only two respects:
The victims were always killed for no apparent reason. And they were always hanged.
These ain't the ones, said James.
Stangler felt like he was going to jump right out of his skin. Ever since the miners had entered... Well, they'd begun mingling with the carnies, chatting, asking questions. Not in a friendly, conversational way, but in those same lowered voices and icy tones that they seemed to carry around with them ever since the cave-in.
It wasn't just their tones that were icy, either. In the light of the room their faces were pale and drawn even after the consumption of alcohol... And when Lucius took the empty glasses back from their hands, he found the glasses chilled.
James Harker had been standing near Lucius of some time now. Lucius could feel the cold radiating off of him.
That so? he asked, daring to meet the eyes of the miner.
James only nodded.
Lucius picked up a glass; began cleaning it absent-mindedly. Thas' too bad, he said.
Suddenly from a corner near the back, there arose a ruckus. There were scuffling noises, and a woman cried out. James' head turned quickly, like a snake's, toward the source of the noise. Lucius took more time to look, and by the time he'd turned his head he saw a swarm of miners and carnies, shouting, struggling, scuffling and grappling with each other.
Looks like the boys are restless, James drawled.
Lucius set down the glass; threw the cloth on the bartop. He headed around to meet the crowd.
he shouted, trying to get their attention. He latched onto a struggling match between a miner and a roustie and pulled them apart, But he stopped and stared at the miner who glared at him, as the roustie, thankfully not trying to bowl Lucius down, simply growled and grumbled. The miner's clothes were frigid- Lucius' forearm was pressed to the shirt over his chest, and the barkeep felt as if his skin was about to freeze right off.
he finished, pushing the miner away, still staring him down, Break it up.
The miner did nothing.
Break it up! Lucius exclaimed, and hastened to the fray. Luckily, there weren't that many of them, and the miners let go easily enough when Lucius pushed them away. Somewhere in the crowd, a woman was still screaming.
And then Lucius found her.
A hush fell through the room and the last of the fighting died down as the sobs of this poor girl pierced through the crowd. She was on her knees, her face red with fresh tears, holding the torn sleeves of her dress up to her shoulders. She turned her face up to look at Lucius, and he saw that a scraggly beard graced her chin. She was a freak.
What happened here? Lucius asked, grateful that he felt somewhat in charge of the situation.
A roustie was the first to speak up, I saw that sonofabitch touchin' Sally, he said, pointing an accusing finger at one of the miners. Other carnies grumbled their agreement. The miners said nothing.
You all right? Lucius asked the girl. Didn' hurt you or nothin', did they?
The bearded girl shook her head.
Lucius nodded. All right, he said. He turned to the miner nearest him and again felt that irradiating coldness.
I think... he said, and his bravado faltered a bit under the miner's gaze; he choked on his words but then went on: I think you boys better leave.Ain't leavin', said the miner, Them's outsiders. S'our place.
Lucius took a deep breath, his courage sinking. Was that his own breath he saw suspended in the air? He wasn't sure...
All the miners turned. James had emerged from behind the bar.
You heard the man.
Without another word, the miners all turned to leave.
As soon as the miners began filtering out, Lucius felt as if he could breathe again. He nodded to the carnies around him, signaling that everything would be all right, and headed back towards his post behind the bar.
These ain't the ones, Lucy, James said as Lucius passed him.
Lucius answered vaguely.
Though you oughta know... James muttered, and Lucius stopped and turned to listen: ...somebody gotta die for him.
And he turned on his heel, and walked out with the rest of them.