(no subject)

That night, as the group lay in the crawl space they used to sleep in these days, Bean did his best to keep watch for something out of the ordinary. Something was wrong, he could tell that. He just didn't know what.

Eventually, he drifted off to sleep.

When he awoke, he was immediately aware of three things. One, he was scared. Two, he was too scared to get back to sleep tonight. Three, he didn't know what was making him feel like this.

So, he got up and went into the alley to pee.

Except, he wasn't alone in the alley.

He nearly froze in place, before he recognised that it was Poke.

This was the first time the two of them had been alone together since that day when they had first talked. Poke, of course, insisted that he turn his back as she went for her pee. Of course preventing lines of sight doesn't stop ears hearing things.

They converse at some length about fears and what Bean might be scared of. Bean isn't really paying attention to most of the things coming out of his mouth, let alone what Poke is saying and he throws out a whole load of (he will admit) crazy ideas. The one thing he's certain of, though, is that Poke's lying to him. About something. About why she's outside. About who she hopes to meet.

When she tells him to go back to sleep, something he knows is not going to come, he studies her for a long while, before he obeys.

Or rather, appears to obey. He duly entered the crawlspace where they slept, but immediately left via a back route onto the rooftops. He got to the edge of the flat roof just in time to see Poke slip out of the alley. So, he was right. Poke was going to meet someone. The only question that remained was, would it be Achilles or Ulysses that she was meeting?

Bean tracked her to the dock at Scheepmakershaven where she stops and looks around. Sure enough, someone else was there. A boy. But still, it could be Achilles or Ulysses. A boy who wrapped his arms round Poke and kissed her.

What? This is odd. Really odd. That's something adults do, not children.

From his hiding place deep in the shadows where the Posthoornstraat meets Scheepmakershaven, he could hear the two of them talking, but the noise of the city meant he needed to be closer, if he wanted to hear what they were actually saying.

He crept around in the shadows, working his way closer to the pair, careful to keep deep in the shadows, so there was no way they would see him there. He could hear snatches of their conversation now.

"You promised." Poke said.

All Bean could hear as a reply, was a low mumble.

Then, a spotlight scanned across the riverside, throwing light onto the face of the boy Poke was with.

Achilles.

He slipped away up the Posthoornstraat. He now had all the answers. He didn't understand how it could happen, but it had. And yet, still his heart leapt with fear that something was wrong about all of this.

Poke had been lying. But she wasn't the only one. Achilles had been too. He'd been hiding something. Was it as simple as this? Achilles could do this openly, other bullies did. So why the bluster? Why the concealment? It didn't make sense. And, Achilles promised something. What did he promise? What could he give her that he wasn't already? What was he holding back? Nothing, as far as Bean could tell, so it wasn't a promise to give something or do something. Maybe it was a promise not to do something. Not to kill her? If it's that, then going off alone with Achilles would be too stupid, even for Poke.

Not to kill me, Bean realised. That must be the promise.

Except, I'm not the one in danger. Not in the most danger, anyway.

I said 'kill him', but Poke was the one who knocked him down, who stood over him with a stone in her hand. Who was about to wipe out his life at my provoking, until I stayed her hand.

Achilles was tough. Even with his gimp leg, he made it to the ranks of bullies, though always last, always mocked and jeered. And then, he was set upon by a group of little kids, and a nine year old threatened to kill him. That, surely must have been the lowest moment of his life. And who does he have to prove his superiority over, if he's to wipe that out? Poke.

Now, the depth of Achilles lies and scheming became clear to Bean. No doubt he'd face Ulysses tomorrow. But, he'd have a far greater grievance to throw at him than mere threats. He killed Poke! And Achilles would strike Ulysses down. And none would blame him if he killed him. Because it would be self-defence, the defence of his family.

Bean ran. As fast as he could, back to the docks.

Achilles was much smarter than he seemed, as well as being patient enough to wait for someone to blame it on.

There was no one there at the dock, and Bean began to doubt his instincts. Maybe he was wrong?

Then, he walked right up to the edge of the docks. There was something in the water, bumping against the wharf.