Newsies Oneshots

it's halloween, my imagination runs wild (all the newsies)

newsiestober day 6 - bat
Feel free to look up the Filipino folktale! I wrote about it because my two uncles used to give me nightmares about it. The version I'm familiar with is the Ilocos Mumu, so that'll be the one I tell here's a link to a website i used to learn more about the tale
https://www.aswangproject.com/mumu/ (imagine if i just rickrolled you all NDNDN)

"Okay, I've got a scary story for you." Romeo smirked deviously. "My uncles used to torture me with this one."

"Oh god we'll be here a while." Albert joked.

"So, there's this thing, called a Mumu."

"A Moo Moo?" Blink repeated incredulously. "What is it, a cow?"

"Shut up." Romeo silenced the taller boy. "Despite it's silly name, it was a shadowy figure, some believed to be the giant bats."

"A bat, I'm real scared!" Race laughed, elbowing Jack who send him a disapproving look (even if he thought the same thing).

"Shut up! The mumu will get you first!" Romeo snarled. "It was the shadow monster the size of you! A young child! It'll sneak behind you and swallow you whole!"

Chills creeped up Race's spine, making him freeze.

"Albert will you stop blowing air onto my neck?" Race spun around, but Albert wasn't there. "Guys, where's Albert?"

The room froze.

"The mumu ATE HIM WHOLE!" Romeo screamed abruptly, making the other newsies shriek in horror.

"Guys, calm down!" Jack waved his hands around. "Albert probably just went to use the bathroom."

"In the middle of a story!" Race cried.

"I'll go check on him, how 'bout that." Specs put a hand on the younger boy's shoulder before leaving.

"I'm scared of the mumu." Buttons admitted, curling up into a ball.

"Me too." Mush whimpered, leaning into Blink.

"Great job Romeo! Everyone's scared now!" Ike threw his hand up, the other curled around his twin.

"Now you know how I feel!" Romeo snapped back. "It's scary! People say it could actually be based on the big bats in the Philippines! The ones that grow to be the size of a ch-"

"I do not need to know that-" Race put a hand up defensively.

"You guys are scaredy cats." Crutchie threw the other newsboys a judgmental look.

"If you're not scared," Race lowered his voice. "can you hold me?"

"Course, c'mere." Crutchie let the younger boy crawl into his lap.

"Can we all just hug?" Blink mumbled.

"Alright you big babies, c'mere." Jack spread his arms out, everyone burying into a group hug.

In the moments of silence, "What's wrong with you guys?"

"Albert!" Race jumped, running up to hug his best friend. "I thought you got eaten by the mumu for being a jerk to Romeo."

"What-"

"Don't scare us like that!" Mush huffed.

"You all are weird."

"Don't let the mumu eat you." Race whimpered.

"We'll see about that."

A shadowy figure lurked in the darkness of night, watching the misbehaved street rats.

It was a long way from Iloco, Philippines.

These brats better have been worth it...