“You know they’s gonna smoke ya,” Bobby drawls.
Janny grins, surveying the large face in front of her. “What they gonna say? Marc tol’ me keep my trap shut. I keep my trap shut.”
“Don’t think this gonna fall in his ‘trap shut’ reckonin’ books,” Bobby says.
“C’mon, gemme in da shot!” Janny says, fiddling with the camera on her cellphone.
“Sure.” Bobby lifts it, taking a few steps back so the mural is fully displayed on the tiny cracked screen. “Say, I’m a dead w’man!”
“I’m a dead w’man!” Janny crows, throwing both hands in the air in the victory symbol. The camera whirs and clicks. Janny takes it back, admiring her artwork through the breaks in the glass. “That looks well Dench. Looks jus’ like ‘im.”
“Looks like ‘is fist poundin’ ya in da bloody ground,” Bobby says with rolled eyes.
“Psh,” Janny says, waving a hand dismissively. “Ya mess with the fae folk, ya get what ya paid. ‘E said, keep yer trap shut! Don’ tell no one where my lair is! So I keep my trap shut. I stick to the deal – fae folks always stick to our deals.”
“Ya put ‘is face on the lair. E’s pointing right to the hidden door!”
“I keep my trap shut,” Janny insists. “Ain’t my fault he’s stupid with deals.”
“Ain’t your fault he pound ya?” Bobby asks.
“Psh,” Janny says again. “When you get so scared? You got Rabbit in yer blood, boi?”
“I never!” Bobby snaps, shoving her. She shoves back.
“White bellied finch?”
“You take it back!”
“Smells like lettuce!”
“I’ll bite ya!”
There’s a sound from the building; feet on gravel. They freeze.
“Hear that?”
“Shh.”
“C’mon, Janny, please?”
He’s on his bike in a flash, and after a pause just long enough to pretend at bravery she’s up behind him, feet balanced on small bars on either side of the hub. “Go, go, go!” she crows, and the sound of rustling feathers follows them as they take off, shadows large across Marc’s painted face.
“CCCCCAAAAAAAAAAWW!”
Image courtesy of Stuart Thursby. Stuart is an art director and photographer. This photo was taken during his adventures in the wilds of Germany, from which he has recently returned. To see more of his work, or to check out his portfolio, please visit StuartThursby.com.