Alice part 3

The cart came up a small hill where a foreboding house stood. Each window had a candle that was still lit. Old Clancy spat and muttered a curse. "Them damned witches be up t'no good."

Alice had heard the stories for as long as she had lived in town. The three sisters were said to have sold their souls to the devil in return for dark powers. But other stories said they were secretly native women who could pass for white folk and they would drink blood in secret native rituals. 

Alice had seen them on the street from time to time and they all looked like regular women. They would be dressed in dark colors and one wore a veil, but maybe she was in mourning. Alice knew how the people would spread wild tales when they didn't have any facts. 

Clancy launched into his own tale about the supposed witches. He claimed one night, much like this one, as he rode past their house the three sisters were outside. He said they were stark naked dancing around a fire. They chanted some foreign language. He said they cursed his knee when they saw him and it had been giving him trouble ever since. "Damned witches..."

Alice part 2

Alice stepped into the moonlit street. She cursed as she realized it was still muddy from the rain earlier in the day. At least the foul smell wasn't as noticeable as it had been when she came to the Old 22. 

It would be a long slog back to Elizabeth House.

A few blocks closer to Elizabeth House Alice gave out a sigh as she stepped onto one of the brick cross streets. She scraped her heels on the edge of the raised bricks cursing at her luck. She stood on the dry street for a few moments as a break from the muddy street that was the only route home. 

Alice heard a cart and horse coming down the brick street and stepped off into the mud again. As it drew closer the driver called out in an Irish accent. 

"Now who's that out at this ungodly hour?" Alice recognized the old man everyone called Clancy, she wasn't sure if that was his his first name or last name. She called out to him as the cart came to a stop in front of her. "Is that lovely Alice? You should shouldnae be out alone lass. Never know what sort ye'll meet on these streets after dark."

Alice smiled, "just look at you."

The old man laughed until he started coughing.  "Aye, I'm a right old sod. Now climb up here and I'll give ye a ride to that den of iniquity ye call home. I'll get you closer than here at least."

As she took his hand and pulled herself up, Alice smiled at her good luck.

Alice part 1

Alice awoke unsure where she was. She was seated with her head and arms on a table. She slowly realized the table was wet. She raised her head a bit and tried to focus as she scanned her surroundings. It looked like the Old 22 Saloon. 

A glass was on its side resting against her arm. The events started to come back to her now. She had been drinking with that young doctor, Jack. He had the accent from Britain and was always chatting with the working girls from Elizabeth House. 

Jack was good for a few drinks now and then but then he would try to get it for free because "I been so nice to ye, love."  The girls would slap him or tell him off and he would go back to his room to pout. At least that's what Alice would imagine. 

She put her head back on the table to piece together what happened. She felt the left arm of her dress was torn open and she realized she'd been cut.

A booming voice caused her to sit up at attention, "Alice, you can't stay here anymore. I seen you wake up now." It was Fred, the owner of the Old 22. "After what that Limey tried on you I reckoned you needed the rest."

"What'd he do? I don't remember anything." It was a struggle to get the words out.

Fred stepped over to the table and picked up the glass. He started wiping the spilled liquid with his rag. "You were lucky, that's for certain. The Limey was getting you well lubricated with my special juice and tried to talk you into servicing his needs in the alley."

"Shit..." Alice put a hand to her forehead. 

Fred continued his retelling of the events. "But you weren't having none of it and told him to piss off back to London. I don't think he's from London but who can tell, right?" He stepped over to the bar and put the glass down. 

"So there he was turning red as a mad ass when he pulls this little doctor knife and cuts your arm there." He pointed to her torn sleeve. "So I grabs my stick and before I got around the bar you'd punched his face near half a dozen times. Everybody cheered for you and the Limey ran out with a bloody face from where you hit his nose."

Fred went behind the bar tidying up some more. "So old Jeffy Heidrick bought you another drink and then a couple other boys did too."

Alice shifted in the chair. She didn't know whether to believe him or not. Although it did sound like something she'd do.

Fred coughed to get her attention. He pointed to the door, "it's been a lovely evening, dear, but it's time for you to skedaddle back home."