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Crimson Claws

21.

" Fine, then I'll stick to cuddle tiger for now. One roommate with claws and fangs is better than 39 who want to get at me, I think. Ah, and I have to see the doc this morning, so don't wait for me for lunch."

"No one would have," Erin mumbled into her yogurt.

The assembled mutants around the table stared at Nora. The horror was a nice change from the other stares numerous denizens of the Labyrinth had thrown her way since she'd hobbled in with Claw as a guard-cat-bat-thing. They must have thought they had chased her away - ha! Even though she had now been billeted indefinitely with the big tiger mutant for fear of life and limb ( perhaps for the other idiots - pfft) - Claw was as Fred had said - a huge softie. No one liked the fact that they had no other place for Nora than Claw's room. He had survived this night without a problem, hadn't he? As if she was a threat to his chastity and physical integrity! They had discussed everything from different storerooms in the labyrinth to above-ground witness protection, and neither Nora nor Claw agreed with any of it. He really thought she needed protection from Fred AND the other inhabitants. She'd fuck those hobos up if they tried anything but okay- so his misguided protective instincts played into her hands better than she thought.

After a few seconds of meaningful discussion - just glances, admonishing throat-clearing and shoulder-shrugging between the mutants - Nora put down her cutlery and stared at Derek.

"Listen, Big Black. Am I a prisoner here or not?"

"Of course not!" said Maggie, who was nursing her baby covered in a nursing scarf with a dignity and naturalness that Nora inwardly admired and outwardly wanted to honor with a stupid remark about open milk bars.

"Aww, thanks Mags. We girls understand each other. When I come back, we'll braid each other's hair and have a PJ party," Nora purred and the cat mutant rolled her eyes in the most polite way. She was a real lady - unlike Nora. Which made Nora want to tease her all the more.

"We'll call Francine here to come down after her shift. With Fang still out there-," Derek began, grumpy as ever, and Nora cut him off simply because she liked to see him pout.

"I'm not waiting that long! I still had pills for this morning and I need the next batch at lunchtime today. It's not something where you can skip a dose. My spastic brother isn't going to launch an attack on me in broad fucking daylight. He's sitting in some rat's nest cause you're looking for him, his methaphorical tail between his legs."

"I don't think even Fang would be stupid enough to go out on the streets in daylight or fly out. I mean- people report an unknown mutant or at least it gets on social media and so he could get nailed by us or the police," Ben said, tucking a piece of cake past the mandibles that lined his mouth left and right. He chewed heartily and nodded at Nora with a mischievous twinkle in his black beetle eyes, whereupon she made a face at the sight that was too funny not to make Claw and Erin chuckle.

"Crawley's right," Nora said constipated, clearing her throat and then just looking at Derek again.

"So I'm off for the day, to see Doc Fran at her practice. Then back to my apartment to get clothes and stuff because I'm sure I'll never touch the shit your putzes desecrated - thanks."

"It was just orange juice," Erin said with a grin, perhaps regretting that she hadn't seen the intervention against Nora.

"I don't trust that," Nora deadpanned. "No shit, in case anyone here hasn't noticed, because of my pleasant character - I need to get some fresh air and have a day to myself because im spazzing out here. I need me-time and sunlight. And if anyone here thinks I'd be easier to handle without my meds ... wow, wrong idea. I'll be back here before nightfall - scout's honor." Her uninvited guest concluded sweetly and falsely.

"Why do we all doubt that you would have been let within a hundred yards of a scout troop?" Thomas muttered unusually sarcastically, making Nora chuckle. At the same time, Claw rubbed his ear so that no one noticed how his ears twitched at the beautiful sound. When he looked up carefully, he noticed Maggie's inquiring gaze.

"Claw and Thomas will accompany you," Derek ordered reluctantly.

Nora grunted in annoyance, but didn't snap, just muttered; "Oh yeah, a chick with a crutch and two six foot tall nonhuman bodyguards - it'll get us around town faster. Please let's take the freak mobile."

.

.

Of course, they didn't take the non-existent Freak Mobile. The labyrinth had a few delivery vans and a small bus to take sicker residents to specialist appointments, but Nora didn't need to know that. Who took a car in New York if they didn't have to? Any other way would get them around faster.

Nora shot a death stare and flipped off the fifth person who'd been staring at her (not at her, but at her companions) since they'd climbed out of one of the tunnels onto the train platform. Climbing was a nice word, Claw had lifted her up faster than Nora could say Fuck off! She could still feel his large but clawless fingers on her hips and couldn't think too much about it. It was already hot enough in the subway stations.

Had it been weird sleeping in the same room as Claw? Man yes! But ... kind of nice, too. Quieter, more peaceful except for the quiet, sometimes purring snoring of the tiger mutant. He had gotten restless in the early hours of the morning, huffing and grumbling and rolling around in his sleep, but otherwise - compared to 39 women with partially poor hygiene before - clearly 8 out of 10 stars on Airbnb. It was hard to say after one night, but he was a good, almost gentlemanly roommate, she would say. And had she perhaps turned on the bedside lamp early in the morning not only to get her bearings but also to catch a glimpse of the broad back facing her through the room divider - meh, maybe. She would never admit it, but Claw had a cuddly pleasant character in addition to a freakishly hot bod. She wasn't one of those bestiality bitches who drooled over gargoyles, but aside from his general freakiness, Claw was pretty well built.

A tourist was about to take a photo of the mutants in her company and Nora got in his way with her killer look and scared him off by snarling alone. No wonder the freaks kept to themselves when they became constant fodder for rubbernecking assholes who wanted to score points with friends and family with their bizarre New York Original experience.

Nora turned around when she heard Thomas's quietly insistent words - almost like an incantation. It was addressed to Claw.

When her eyes fell on him, she forgot her own thoughts. The tiger mutant couldn't look pale, of course, because he was covered all over in fur. But he had his head down, standing upright but looking like he was trying to huddle into a little hairy ball to avoid being seen. Thomas had his hand on his back. Claw's wings, stiffly draped over his shoulders, were almost vibrating and he had his arms wrapped around himself as if to hold himself together. What was making him so nervous and jittery?

"What is wrong with you?" Nora asked, moving closer. Claw found her gaze and he huffed, shaking his head with a wry grin.

"Don't you give me that shit," Nora hissed. "You're totally miserable, don't mince it. Is it all the people? Who am I supposed to kick ass?" Nora asked, not quite seriously but with a poker face that really made Claw laugh, even if it sounded pretty weak.

"It's not the humans." Thomas said, ignoring Nora's tendency to interpret Claw's mood and her protective streak. "He ... isn't particularly fond of the idea of just walking around outside. In the daylight. He's used to walls and partitions and having one of us with him at all times. Unfamiliar surroundings are okay if one of us is with him. Hey Claw, keep your cool, man, take a deep breath - you know the drill."

Thomas and Claw breathed together like a beginner's class for women giving birth and Nora rolled her eyes in irritation. Seriously? What had she done to deserve this?

"Relax man, I'm with you. Just to Francine, we know the way. And then to Nora's apartment. I'll keep my hand on your shoulder the whole time. Are we cool?" Thomas asked gently, kneading Claw's shoulder. They needed to practise situations like this more often - much more often. He often flew out at night and the Labyrinth was so big that hardly anyone noticed that Claw hardly went out when the sun was in the sky and that just wasn't good. He was a prisoner of his own neuroses.

When they turned around, Nora had disappeared from their side. But not really. She was in one of the carriages of the trains that had just pulled in, the doors to which had just closed.

"Oh fuck," Thomas snapped.

They saw Nora grinning devilishly, waving and could read the words from her lips as she spoke just as the train started to move.

"Bye, boys, see you tonight."

"Nora!" shouted Thomas, causing the remaining people on the platform to jump out of the way and Claw pressed the button to open the doors again. But it was too late. Thomas ran to one of the cabs where one of the MTA conductors had just stuck his head out to check if everything was okay. Everything had been okay - then! But the train was already moving too fast.

"Nora! Get off at the next stop and wait for us." Thomas shouted and was very sure she didn't hear him. And would she have listened to him? They both looked incredulously at the rear lights of the train and Thomas rejoined Claw.

"She's not going to get off and wait for us, is she?"

Claw shook her head with a displeased but not really surprised expression.

"Do you know where she lives?"

Claw grumbled in annoyance. Why was Nora making it so difficult for them all? Why was she making it so difficult for HIM?

.

.

Nora limped down the street in the best mood she had been in for weeks. She was free! Only for half a day and a few hours, but by God, she needed those hours. It wasn't a lie that her head was spinning in the Labyrinth with King Derek's snitches and snakes, but mostly her thoughts of Claw ... and his adorable pouting kitty face when he realized she'd given them the slip - that called for some serious Nora-time. Fast. She'd skip her appointment with Doc Fran, still had a buttload of pills at home.

Her cell phone buzzed in response to the question she had asked the recipient earlier.

To her text: Mr. Lannister, regarding your request. I could be available for lunch to discuss the matter.

Came the reply. Unfortunately, I already have other commitments. But let's agree on next Monday.'

Nora wasn't even really disappointed. So home immediately - she still had one, after all. She limped down the stairs to her small and quite shabby basement apartment, unlocked the door ... and paused, irritated.

"Uhg, I forgot all about you."

Fred turned around to where he was lounging on the couch like he owned the place. He had probably already heard her outside with his freaky feline hearing because he wasn't surprised at all.

"I love you too, sister of mine. Do you have the card?"

Nora narrowed her eyes at the dozen or so take-out bags and pizza boxes scattered around the couch, the empty Chef Boyardee cans, beer cans and Pepsi bottles, and general chaos that came with a gross fraternal squatter. He just lounged around in crappy fitting boxers and shed hair all over her couch, where she still had the cast and was walking with a crutch he looked healed and like - well like a cat-shaped maggot in the bacon.

"Nah, I don't have your fucking card! Asshole."

"What have you been doing for the last two weeks?"

"Mostly eating shit down there in the surveillance state with the Samaritans."

"'Told ya they suck. Did you buy anything to eat? Your fridge is empty, so are your supplies."

"Miss my foot in your furry asshole?"

Fred lifted his paws and rolled his eyes.

"Man, we're bitchy again today. All right. I'll just order a delivery from Whole Foods or something. By the way, is your last paycheck coming or ... because your debit card is about to run out."

"I'm going to kill you, seriously Fred. I'm going to strangle you and enjoy the fuck out of it," Nora growled with a rather serious, low murderous lust she hadn't felt towards him since her youth. Her mutant brother threw his arms in the air as if this was her fault and whined.

"Why are you taking so long anyway? Do you like it down there?"

"Certainly not! Good things take time. I'm not some kind of brain-amputated skidmark like you who would screw everything up in the first three days. I have a plan and I'm pretty well on track. And you keep your head down, brother mine," Nora said sarcastically fondly.

"Yeah-Mean-Queen. You know you're asking a guy with wings to stay on the ground. I thought you were so much smarter than me. That's your plan, then what's taking you so long? I'm not built to be limited to this rat's nest. Hey where are you going?"

Nora hobbled through her living room/kitchen/dining room combo.

"I'll leave you to whine on your own. Need a new bag, new clothes, new everything. Were you in my room while I was gone?"

"Nah, stank too much of middle-aged despair and unfulfilled dreams."

"Good, I was afraid you'd drained the batteries. Because I need them now in my me-time." The door slammed behind her.

"What? What batteries should I-"

Fred fell silent as he heard humming from behind the door.

"And I'm loud, so turn up the TV," Nora shouted with an audible glee in her voice. That's when the penny dropped for Fred and he had to hold back the urge to puke.

"Urrrrgh! Sis! Who wants to know? TMI! Fuck."

"EXACTLY!"

.

.

Apart from two good rounds of masturbation to the overloud sounds of MTV music from the living room and an inelegant but at least private shower because of the cast, Nora didn't feel the need to hang out in her own apartment with her annoying brother. After packing a rucksack with the essentials, she left. Fred couldn't even look at her - which she appreciated and enjoyed. But she announced that she would be back in the next few days because she was sure that Big Black and his henchmen would be more likely to leave her out of sight now that nothing had happened to her ( at the hands of a danger that wasn't a danger) on her first excursion. Only one thing would make her day even better, and quite content, Nora made her way to her favorite store in the glaring afternoon sunlight. She felt good, relaxed and not in much pain or handicap because of her leg, she had even become really fast with the crutch and chuckled about the fact that when she pushed herself she was even faster with the walking aid than without it and people on the street actually gave her space without her having to bark at them. Just then, a familiar face ran past on the corner and Nora bared her teeth at it. The boy didn't notice her, however, and a few seconds later Nora knew why. He had other problems at the moment.

.

This time Michael didn't even know how he had got into this. Oh, yes, basically he did. He had dared to be the last one in the locker room after PE. And he had dared to be. Besides, this was probably how his pursuers celebrated the last week of school - with a rabbit hunt. It wasn't a short-circuit action like his juice spree whereupon that lunatic Nora had almost beaten him up. This had been building up for months where Michael had only marginally had the backup of his friends from the Labyrinth who had transferred to the parallel classes. If Naomi, Calvin and Diego had been his constant companions, Danika and her friends would never have started bullying him.

How often had they stolen and torn up his homework? Or hounded him to one of the restrooms where he had had to wait until the first bell to get to his classes safely (but late)? How many times had they lurked around pushing him and insulting him and his family? This semester, other than eating with his fellow Labyrinth friends in the cafeteria a few times, Michael had had no cover, no backup, no one to show that he wasn't a sitting duck for such bullies.

Danika herself didn't even have a reason except inherited prejudices! She proudly stated that her parents were still gargoyle haters, wrote lots of letters to the city council whenever mutants or gargoyles broke something or disturbed public order (as if they were rampaging bears that should be shot down). Her parents used to be Quarrymen and her dad's hammer still hung on her living room wall. Her parents had allegedly destroyed a dozen gargoyles. Not killed - destroyed. Because they were obviously PC enough in their racism not to speak of killing. Not only Fish Tales but even blanc lies. Michaels dad has told him never was one gargoyle slayed trough Quarrymen. That "organisation" had wreaked havoc around the city and destroyed a lot of historical architecture with their rampaging, but they had failed to kill even one real gargoyle.

Michael was known as a friend of Gargoyles. His family consisted of mutants. And he lived in a homeless shelter! The coolest one in town, but that didn't matter. For people like Danika, her like-minded friends and their parents, you had to put everyone Michael surrounded himself with in a bag and hit it - you'd always get the right one. Worthless scum, freaks and monsters. And her friends joined in because she was the queen bee and they enjoyed pushing the mutant kid around.

Much worse than what they did to his homework, worse than when they tripped him in the hallways and feigned sympathy when adults were watching, worse than when they stole his backpack and dumped the contents in the trash can. Worse than all of that were the words. Michael got SO angry when these kids started ranting about his loved ones without knowing them. He couldn't take it to the teachers because a whole group would testify against him. Besides, Danika did well in school and with most classmates, was on the junior cheerleading squad and had great grades. The adults liked her and her parents were on the PTA. Then HE would be the boy who just had to be asocial because he was on a first-name basis with monsters and bums.

And he couldn't go to his parents or anyone in the Labyrinth. Everyone would just give him stupid adult advice. They all loved him and would want to help but cuddling him didn't help solve the problem! Calling a crisis meeting with him as a case conference or pep talk how to walk in each other's shoes wouldn't help him. NOBODY had to walk in his shoes like he did. And the ironic thing today was - he wasn't even wearing shoes! His feet hurt because the boys had practically dragged him out of the changing room after gym class while he was changing without him being able to put his shoes on. Running through New York was already quite a dangerous thing. Without shoes, it was also unhygienic, icky and painful even without shards of glass and stones lying around. Maybe that's why they had been able to chase him so successfully and even catch up, because Michael was actually one of the fastest in the class. Good at running away.

He was a freak to them and the more Dani and her hyenas drove him into a corner, the harder it was for him not ... to lose control. And then - he really would be the freak of middle school, high school and beyond for all eternity. Apart from that - today - today was probably the day he was going to get his ass kicked for real - and hard. Something had been in the air all week. Dani and her team had held back on other actions - maybe to lull him into a sense of security or to make plans. But he had seen the looks. Surveying. Waiting. And though he'd tried to avoid them as he usually did - because that was what he did, what he'd always done because that was who he was and he didn't want to cast a bad light on his clan and family and community - now here he was. Backed into a literal, very real corner.

Michael was intercepted by Bobby, who must have run around the block like a greyhound to do so. He turned like lightning on his heel to find Dani and Homer already running towards him, both grinning like wolves. He wanted to run across the street with the very real threat of being run over, but instead someone grabbed him by the handle of his backpack, knocking the air out of him, and shoved him down a flight of stairs. Thank goodness it wasn't deep, but he fell to his knees and the pain made him cry out. Glaring, Michael looked up, a door next to him. Five steps and no way out because that way out had just been cut off by four 12 year olds who were all willing to make him pay for existing alone.

"Ha, there's the mutant in the trap." He heard Danika say, sweetly and highly satisfied, reveling in the laughter of her friends where Michael was all alone. As if to taunt him, he was also blinded by a reflection of light from the neon sign dangling above them at the top of the stairs. "Leaky Liqueur Pub." He jumped to his feet, almost buckling because of his throbbing knees, and panicked, tore at the door handle to the bar, but they were still closed at this time of night and even if there was an adult in there - someone banging like mad on the door was not an invitation to open it.

"He's about to shit himself!" laughed Dani's friend, who Michael didn't know her name and didn't give a shit about. She'd had to repeat the last grade and was a head taller than him - did he need to know more? He was probably in for a real beating. Although it wasn't really the prospect of a beating and pain that panicked him, but rather the side effects. He took a deep breath but knew his heartbeat was too panicked, his nerves too much on the edge. His body felt like it was electrified and he wasn't allowed to - he couldn't.

"Just leave me alone! The school year is almost over!" he gritted through clenched teeth

"Yes, reason for us to give you lasting memories. Feel free to tattle on us to your freak parents or the gargoyles. My daddy's hammer is waiting for them," Danika hummed. Everyone looked up as the neon sign flickered above them. Michael squeezed his eyes shut and dug his fingernails into his palms. Except they weren't fingernails. Not right now. He could feel the blood rushing out of his skin and hoped it was enough. He wasn't allowed to. He had to keep control of himself. He could do this. He always had. Just the look on his mom's face when something happened and she found out. She had been so happy when he had been born human, he couldn't mess this up. Human-human-human, Michael chanted in his head, trying to push down that feeling of static twitching over his body. The electric hum above them faded away.

"Awww look at that kitten!" giggled Danika and someone came down the steps to him and grabbed him by the collar. Michael kept his eyes squeezed tightly shut. He knew he couldn't look up because his eyes would have given him away. It would have surprised everyone- but not really, would it? And if he had come back the next year - or even just to a different school - everyone would have known. Everyone.

The rapidly increasing clacking sound told him nothing at first.

But it tickled a very fresh memory in his head of WHAT sounded like that and he opened his eyes the second he saw, with a groaning grunt, a foot kicked between Danika's legs with full force. The girl had a horrified, ridiculous look on her face for a milisecond, then her eyes went wide with pain and she shrieked like a banshee and fell over. Or she was pushed to the side and couldn't stay on her feet anyway. Bobby let go of Michael and ran with a "HEY!" to Nora, who was now standing on her healthy leg again but raised her crutch to greet him. The rubber-padded foot of the crutch dug into his stomach so hard that Michael thought for a second that the end would go through him and come out of his back. But Bobby only fell backwards, Michael caught him unintentionally but dropped him again as he loudly emptied the contents of his stomach at the foot of the stairs. Michael ignored him and ran up the steps just as Nora was giving Danika's friend, who was hitting her with the flat of her hands, a resounding smack, the fourth of Bev's friends already lying on the floor whimpering with both hands over his nose.

An adult came running up to stop the maniac who was beating up kids in the street and grabbed Nora. Michael didn't even think about it, he grabbed the guy and forced the charge that was still simmering under his skin into the guy. And it wasn't enough to knock him out but he let go screaming and Nora whirled around and rammed the arm stabilizing hard plastic clip of the crutch against him. The man stumbled backwards, down the stairs and landed on the still puking Bobby, hitting his head on the door and passing out. Hopefully only unconscious, Michael thought as his eyes found Nora's. They stared at each other for a few moments, both sweaty and panting heavily, and it would have gotten very awkward very quickly if Danika hadn't started.

She was howling and had her hands pressed very uncomfortably against her crotch but was still a spitfire. All the fake niceness she usually displayed for grown-ups was kicked out of her.

"You bitch! Adults are not allowed to hit children! Do you know who my daddy is! He'll finish you off. He'll put you in jail! The-"

Nora leaned over and put the foot of the crutch on Danika's back so that she gasped but really - oh wonder - shut up.

"I don't give a shit who your daddy is!" Nora hissed in a tone so vicious that even Dani's remaining friends fell silent and Nora's voice could be heard over the general labored breathing. She grinned maliciously as Danika rolled her eyes to look up in fear.

"But YOU should care who his daddy is. Who his family is. His friends."

"We know-"

"NO! Obviously not! Wow, you guys are really stupid, aren't you? Let's ignore the clusterfuck of Gargoyles and mutants with fangs and claws. You're messing with someone who has more backup than the next generation of crime syndicates combined. Think about it. There are more than 300,000 homeless people in New York. And those are just the official numbers. A good portion of them are mentally ill- simply put, completely bananas and insane like me and a good percentage of them are really acutely dangerous. Also like me - I'm actually one of the nicer of Michael's aunts. Man, they're all protective of Michael - I've noticed. And where are his fucking shoes?" Nora ended only the last sentence frosty and threatening instead of casually amused.

No one dared to answer her.

"Take yours off, dickface."

"What?" whined Danika's devotee, nasal and moist because of the smashed nose.

"Your shoes ... are his now," Nora said, staring at him, wide-eyed and unblinking, emotionless. Even Michael cringed at this psychopathic glare and obeyed Nora's instruction to put the shoes on. After a few seconds, Michael had the rather expensive, almost new sneakers on his feet. They even fit.

"You're not allowed to do this!" whined Danika's female buddy shrilly, still lying on the floor and taking trembling hands from her face. "You're an adult! Nothing about this -"

Nora looked really indignant for a moment before sarcasm broke out, which was simply a delight.

"OH SORRY not sorry if your bullying my little buddy is giving me a tude, Asshole! Does this look like a situation where it matters if I'm a friggin adult? I have more the mindset of a twelve year old anyway. I've been told that before and I think even if the fuzz get me for this - although I hope you're not stupid enough to send cops into the labyrinth - I'd rather plead insanity and get some nice community service in a nursing home where I can gorge on all the jello I want. Win for me, huh turds?" Nora rambled with a laugh and Michael started laughing too and this was terrifying but somehow divine justice and he enjoyed every other word from this nutcase who probably enjoyed hearing herself talk at the moment.

"Jeah, and where I come from there are 500 others-or, three hundred thousand and counting. Man, and you guys are dumb enough to mess with someone like that? Who's like the little prince of the Kingdom with contacts like that? Man, it's like you're messing with the kingpin. Pied Piper of human rats. Do you know that rats are everywhere in New York? Right now beneath you, above you, beside you- oh are we still talking about humans? I'm not sure myself anymore- all the drugs u know and wow, if I can do this to you with a crutch - what will the others do to you when Michael tells them what you did."

Danika's eyes landed on Michael for the first time with an expression of sheer terror. Michael smiled, crossed his arms and for the first time in his life, for the first time consciously, forcibly and with pleasure, he let some mutation creep into his eyes, saw for a second distorted colors and sharp as no human could, knew his pupil was slit and his eyes iridescent gold. Only two seconds, then he smelled Danika pissing herself.

Nora stood up and lifted her crutch. Her two friends crawled out of her way as if she had the plague while Nora moved away with the clickclack of her crutch. "So fuck off and leave the boy alone. Before I get any more frisky than I already am. And don't forget ... our eyes are everywhere. On you. On your parents. Where you live."

.

.

"You were messing with them SO hard arrrgh that was ... WOW." gushed the boy who had just followed her.

"Thanks. I appreciate the feedback," Nora mumbled and hobbled hurriedly onto the train as it pulled in the nearest metro station.

"Hey, where are you goin'?" Michael asked, just getting on and sitting next to her in one of the empty seats.

"You're shitting on something or someone , put some distance between you and the shit," Nora said, taking a deep breath. Man, she had really just covered herself in glory again. It had felt SO good while she was doing it. Like always. But damn even if the vile asshole nazi-brats deserved it- hopefully it didn't bite her in the ass.

"What did you do to turn them against you, Golden Boy? Orange juice terrorism again?"

"No," Michael snapped sharply before sinking deeper into his seat. "Just ... live. I guess."

"Mhmm," Nora grumbled.

"What? No smart adult advice like- always turn to them the other cheek. Or: If you're good to others, they'll be good to you."

"Fuck no. Do I make such a mushy impression?" the adult next to him asked in horror, her upper lip curled up in disgust.

Michael giggled. "No! Really not."

"Well, they'll never see a bum again and won't feel haunted. They'll probably have enough dough for a lifelong therapist. And I've given them good fodder for the shrink - they should be grateful to me for that," Nora said ironically.

"I can't believe it! You kicked her in her girl bits," Michael whispered in a hushed voice and a somewhat reverent tone. Nora grinned and stood up again as the train stopped at the station where she wanted to get off anyway.

"I'm very unsexist in my thrashing habits," she said when she realized that the boy had followed her again. Like a straying kitten. This had never happened to her before. That someone voluntarily came with her after she'd gone Full Wacko.

"And I think you broke Homer's nose!"

"His name is Homer? As in the Simpsons? Gosh, that kid has worse problems than a broken sniffer."

"That was so brutal and sick and nasty and god, it was CRAZY awesome in a really bad way."

"Better than if you'd barbecued someone, I guess," Nora said, stopping when she realized Michael had stayed behind. The child stared at her with a frightened expression. He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"Please-" he began in a broken voice. Nora cut him off. She was too hungry for identity crisis drama.

"Are you hungry?"

"What?"

"Hungry. Food. You know, the shit you shove between your gills. Nomnom?"

The boy stared at her for a moment. Then smiled gratefully and Nora realized she didn't find the kid so horrible anymore. "I'm starving," he admitted.

For all of you who were wondering if Nora is a guest in the labyrinth because Fang forced her physically - no. He was able to persuade her but only with her own plan. AND Nora can be nice - after she has brutally beaten up children. I don't think it's good that she did it ... but I understand such urges. Some kids are just- arrrrgh. Walking abortion commercials. Like here, is probably more the fault of lousy parenting.

But some asshole kids get nicer as adults ... I've certainly become 10% kinder. So never lose hope - i guess.

Thanks for reading Q.T.