Cast: Narrator/Old Woman All the roles can be of either gender with
Mouse minor modification. References to <ACTOR>
Watchman indicate actions to that actor; substitute
Thief the appropriate character's name in place
Acknowledgements: I would like to thank Shenney Morynna for her tireless efforts. Without her...inspiration...this would have never been possible.
NARRATOR act crosses the stage slowly, hunched over and aged, until very nearly reaching the audience. She then sits.
NARRATOR ponder the words she wants to say, as though lost in a reverie.
MOUSE act , almost concealed in darkness, is carefully rolling up a bundle small enough to fit into the crook of his arm.
NARRATOR say The Crossing gives rise to many breeds. Among them are the 'gamin', which most of you would know as street urchins. Frequent wars... unsuccessful adventures... epidemics-- all these birth dozens of orphans of the city.
MOUSE act makes his way very quietly into the darkness, cradling the bundle in his arms.
NARRATOR say Urchins have names that are earned, as most have forgotten their birth-names over time or were so young they never really knew them.
NARRATOR say Mouse is one of these latter. He never knew his real name. Growing up realizing that he was small, it didn't take much to realize being quiet got one further, on the streets.
NARRATOR say /wryly Quiet as a church mouse, he is.
NARRATOR act chuckles at her own joke.
MOUSE act , in the background, eases over a low estate wall without a sound. Almost immediately, though, there is a distant hue and cry for the Watch in the distance.
MOUSE act tries to sneak off into the night, but the bobbing of an approaching lantern heralds the coming of a lone watchman.
WATCHMAN say You there! Halt!
WATCHMAN snort <WATCHMAN>
WATCHMAN say Just a street rat, then. What have you got there, little rat?
MOUSE act unconsciously steps back, hugging his package to him. His eyes flick nervously to either side of the watchman, looking for an escape.
WATCHMAN say Don't even think it, little man. Hand over the package.
MOUSE act shakes his head, then eyes the watchman's weapon apprehensively.
WATCHMAN act takes a step closer and says, "You know you can't get away, boy. Now hand it over."
MOUSE act reluctantly extends his hand with the parcel, as though to give it to the watchman, then suddenly turns on his heel and sprints off!
WATCHMAN act gives chase!
MOUSE act runs like the Void itself is at his heels, but his lead on the watchman shrinks steadily.
MOUSE act reaches a rickety fence that bars an alley and presses between two loose boards.
WATCHMAN act reaches the fence and notices the boards awry, but they are too narrow to let his larger body through.
WATCHMAN act begins kicking the boards until they splinter and crack.
MOUSE act nibbles his lip worriedly, then slips towards the deeper darkness where a sewer opening yawns. Behind him, the watchman shoulders through the gap in the fence to find an empty alley.
NARRATOR say Just as they know where all the routes are, urchins of the city are wise to those who use them as well.
MOUSE act , just inside the sewer, gazes into the darkness with some trepidation. The nearby watchman is mere paces away.
MOUSE act takes a deep breath and takes his first timid steps into the darkness, water rippling about his rag-clad feet.
NARRATOR say /wryly Indeed, they know most alleys and paths like a Moon Mage knows his stars. Doesn't promise that they'll be any safer, though.
MOUSE act sloshes around the water that comes over his ankles, trying to be quiet. One hand feels the slick walls of the sewer to guide his way, while the other protectively clutches his burden.
NARRATOR say The path of the gamin often crosses those of rogues and villains...
MOUSE act squeaks suddenly as a hand comes out of the darkness to grip his wrist!
NARRATOR say ...though they seldom owe each other any loyalty.
THIEF act pulls the hood from his jar of foxfire, letting its feeble glow stream into the tunnel.
THIEF say Wot have we got here, hey? Looks like a little church mouse!
MOUSE act blinks in the light and wriggles his wrist loose from the thief, who eyes him closely.
THIEF say Found some goodies, did ye? Get caught, hey?
MOUSE act shrugs uncertainly, then nods--a little truth goes a long way, sometimes.
THIEF say /greedily So wot ye got there, then? Jewels? Some squire's silver, hey?
THIEF say Well, whatever you got there in that bundle, you best hand it over. This here is a road, mousie, and you must pay a toll.
MOUSE act shakes his head again and turns around to walk back the way he came.
THIEF say /darkly Oh no you don't! Hand it over, you little sprat!
MOUSE act breaks into a run, footsteps splashing loudly through the otherwise silent tunnels.
WATCHMAN act perks up, hearing approaching footfalls.
MOUSE act bursts from the sewer opening, almost doubled over in his need to protect his bundle. He crashes headlong into the watchman, and both fall in a tumble of arms and legs.
WATCHMAN act swears vilely as his lantern crashes to the ground and goes out.
THIEF act emerges from the tunnel with a knife in hand.
MOUSE act hastily disentangles himself from the watchman and rolls to one side.
WATCHMAN act rises to his feet, nose-to-nose with the thief. A fight quickly ensues.
MOUSE smile quietly to himself in satisfaction as the watchman and the thief struggle. He then scurries off before they remember what led them to that spot in the first place!
NARRATOR say So, where then does an urchin sleep? Wherever they can. The whole city is their home.
MOUSE act wanders the twisting streets, cold and wet in the chill night air. His path leads him from cobbled streets of the well-to-do and onto the muddy track of the slums.
NARRATOR say In the slums, urchins that are already beneath notice in town are all but invisible.
MOUSE act walks along the muddy track, shivering and tired.
SLUM DWELLER act spies Mouse walking slowly as he tries to be inconspicuous.
SLUM DWELLER say }<MOUSE> Hey there. Is that you, Mouse?
MOUSE act pauses with a faint frown, recognizing the slum dweller as a fellow urchin, now grown up.
SLUM DWELLER say /hopeful You wouldn't happen to have a bite to eat in that package, would ye?
SLUM DWELLER nag <SLUM DWELLER>
SLUM DWELLER say /wistful Is that something you copped from a rich boy, mebbe? We could hock it for a bite to eat, hey?
MOUSE act glances at his bundle, then shakes his head sadly. No, it's not really all that valuable, his gaze seems to say.
MOUSE gaze <SLUM DWELLER> sympathetic
SLUM DWELLER smile wanly and waves half-heartedly.
SLUM DWELLER say /helplessly Well, take care of yeself, hey?
MOUSE act nods thoughtfully, looking after the young man. In not so many years, Mouse may very well be in the same shoes.
MOUSE act continues on for a short ways, then ducks through a low doorway of a hovel.
NARRATOR say /kindly Why, there you are! I wish you wouldn't go out so late!
MOUSE smile at the kindly old woman who had taken him in not all that many years ago.
MOUSE say /quiet Hush, Old Mother. I'm home. All's well.
MOUSE act unfolds his tightly wound bundle, revealing a down-filled quilt. Well-made. Expensive. But otherwise quite ordinary.
MOUSE act tucks the quilt about the aged woman tenderly, bringing it up to her chin.
NARRATOR smile contentedly, warm at last, and drifts off to sleep.
MOUSE smile to himself quietly.
MOUSE say /quiet Tomorrow night, I'll find you a new shawl....
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