Shut De Door, (Munin, invite)

[Luke O'Houlihan]

Three o'clock at night. That was when the freaks came out.

At least, that's what Luke was used to. Every now and again, when he locked up, he'd get a liquored up hobo (or worse, a liquored up hero) asking him why he was closing up, and why he couldn't, you know, just this once, open up the place and give them a few more beers. They'd pay, they sweared. It got old.

But as he closed up that night, a new kind of freak came out...

[Munin]

Munin had heard that the bartender helped out PEs. She stood, barefoot and barely clothed on the street corner, looking at him as he locked the front door to the bar.

"Hey, mister!" She called, trying to get his attention.

[Luke O'Houlihan]

"Mm?" Luke said as he turned the last lock into place. "Hey kid, shouldn't you be home or something? What're you doing out so late?"

[Munin]

She stepped closer to him and didn't answer his question. "Someone told me you helped out PEs..." She looked down at the ground.

"Can I have a sandwich?"

[Luke O'Houlihan]

"... oh, for..."

Luke knew what was coming. A few extra hours away from bed. A lighter wallet. Concern that would probably last until this kid was getting her own place. But, really, he wasn't given much of a choice in the matter.

"Yeah... yeah, I do help PEs," he said, swinging his keys on a finger and giving the little one a once-over. "You like Mighty Burger?"

[Munin]

She nodded her head and didn't say anything else, for fear of saying something that would make this man rethink his generosity.

[Luke O'Houlihan]

He nodded his head to the only car left in the parking lot, which made a sound easily identifiable as the doors unlocking. "Get in."

[Munin]

Munin hesitated, but decided that she didn't have much of a choice and got in the backseat of the car. She buckled her seatbelt like a good girl, but made sure she was as far from Luke's grip as she could manage in the car. She had saved a good memory in case she needed to get away from him.

[Luke O'Houlihan]

Luke dropped himself into his seat, looked over at the kid, said nothing for a moment, and started the car.

"So," he asked, "what's keeping you out of doors at this time of night?"

[Munin]

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't have anywhere else to be."

[Luke O'Houlihan]

"So no mom, no dad?" he asked, sparing a split second to look over at her. "Uncles, aunts, cousins... no one like that?"

[Munin]

She shook her head.

[Luke O'Houlihan]

"That's no good," he semi-concluded. "Got a name, kiddo?"

[Munin]

"Madeline."

[Luke O'Houlihan]

"Luke," he said, extending a hand. "Pleasure."