Creatures of Kindness

CHAPTER FOUR: OUTING

At the end of the run of this show, after the final performance, when the other actors were gone and only a few crew members remained, Vincent came down to the stage as the creature was finishing his rounds.

"Caliban! Go and spiff yourself up, my good man – I'm taking you to dinner!" Vincent's voice preceded him as he entered.

The creature peered down from the loft, where he was tying off some ropes. "You don't wish me to strike the set?"

"Tomorrow, dear Caliban!" Vincent waved a dismissive hand, then went on jovially. "Tonight, we celebrate! Come, come!" he urged the creature, who scrambled, smiling, to climb down the ladder. "Oh, and you don't mind," he paused to take the creature by the shoulders, leaning close and lowering his voice, "if I've asked Miss Hargrave to join us, do you?" Vincent winked, and the creature beamed even as he grew nervous. "I thought not. Then go – there's not a moment to waste, dear boy!" And he spun the creature and pushed him toward the backstage area.

Soon, with his face and hands scrubbed clean and his hair smoothed down to the best of his meager ability, the creature walked beside Eloise and Vincent, his hands stuffed deep in his pockets and his head ducked low into the collar of his enormous black coat. He was practiced at avoiding attention on his own, but it was a difficult matter with Vincent, whose voice was loud and jolly, and with Eloise, whose shapely beauty, it seemed, could not be ignored by passersby. If anyone noticed the trio long enough to size up all three of them, the creature dreaded their eyes falling upon him, for inevitably a quizzical or disgusted expression followed. For what was this merry older man, and this beautiful young woman, doing with that bedraggled, freakish thing? And yet Eloise walked, one arm through the creature's, the other through Vincent's, accepting people's gaze bravely, glancing often up at the creature to give him a reassuring grin or a squeeze on his arm.

She was a remarkable thing.

When they arrived at the pub he and Vincent sometimes visited, and came to a booth, Eloise glanced at the creature, and knowingly allowed him to slide in toward the wall before her, placing herself between him and the rest of the room. Vincent sat across from them, more or less oblivious. And a merry event commenced.

The food, as usual, was an incredible treat, as the creature, usually spending any meager money he might have on books, dedicated very little resources to his repast. The conversation, mostly provided by the loquacious Vincent, was entertaining and jovial, full of talk of the show they had just closed, and his reminiscences on former runs, and the like. And of course, the company was hardly within the realm of belief for the poor, lonely creature, who at one time could not have imagined he would ever have one friend to show him such care and kindness, let alone two. But here they sat, the two people in all the swirling universe most precious to him. And with them, and a glowing heart, dinner passed, and drinks were had – almost entirely by Vincent – and the conversation continued.

The creature relished the opportunity to watch and listen to these two dear people, and took great efforts not to stare exclusively at Eloise, whose nearness beside him on the bench thrilled, terrified, comforted, and utterly enthralled him. So gently did her eye fall upon him when she turned his way! So comfortable did she seem to be, sat there beside him, in plain view of all the world, should they happen to look! This all set the creature's head spinning to distraction.

Until the creature noticed Eloise stiffen, staring at the table, and saw her raise a hand casually to shield her face. His eyes peered past her and landed on a man whose gaze had zeroed in on their table. The man, nondescript, common, was frowning as if trying to puzzle something out, then a slow grin formed on his mouth. He prodded his friend next to him, pointing, but the friend ignored him, conversing with another. The creature sensed trouble. The man crossed the room, tankard in his hand, his gaze fixed on Eloise, who closed her eyes and sighed as he neared.