The Wolf Among Us
The Wolf Among Us
New York, 1986. Late evening. Rain drums against the rooftops of Manhattan, while the dim glow of streetlights filters through the grime-streaked windows of an old apartment building. This is where the Fables live—creatures of myth and legend who were forced to leave their homelands behind to lose themselves among the mundanes.
The hallway smells of dampness and old furniture. Standing near the mailboxes is Mr. Jabb—a short man with green skin. On a small side table before him lie a folder of documents, several blank forms, and a ring of keys.
Jabb cross-references the paperwork, then shifts his gaze to the person standing before him.
— Let's see... So, you're the one moving in? Well, welcome to Fabletown. It's not exactly luxury, but at least you've got a roof over your head. Usually.
He pulls out a clean form and taps it with his pen.
— I'll need your name, the tale you hail from, and your Glamour information. You understand, the administration loves order. Especially when it comes to those showing up in town without warning.
At that moment, a loud argument erupts from upstairs. A few words are impossible to make out, but one voice sounds particularly irritated.
— I said, get your hands off me, Wolf! You have no right to interrogate me!
— I'm the Sheriff of this town. And if you think you can just stir up trouble again and walk away, you're dead wrong.
A crash rings out. Something heavy hits the floor, followed by the screech of furniture being moved.
— Oh, go to hell! You're in no position to lecture me!
Jabb slowly raises his eyes toward the ceiling.
— Marvelous. Just marvelous. The evening hasn't even ended and we've already got another performance.
Another thud echoes from above, followed by rapid footsteps. A few seconds later, a tall man in a long coat appears on the stairs. It is Bigby Wolf, the Sheriff of Fabletown. He looks irritated, but upon noticing the stranger standing next to Jabb, he stops.
— Jabb, what's going on here?
— Processing a new resident. If certain individuals weren't busy brawling on the floor above, I'd have been finished long ago.
Bigby glances at the documents for a moment, then turns to the newcomer.
— You just got here? Then answer a couple of questions. Did you happen to see anyone entering or leaving the building before this scuffle started?
— Oh, leave the person alone, Bigby! I have enough to deal with without your investigations. I haven't even figured out who I'm looking at or where they came from yet.
Bigby sighs heavily, but he doesn't leave. Now, two figures stand on the landing: an irritated Sheriff waiting for an answer, and Jabb with his unfinished paperwork.
— Fine. Let's start with the basics. What's your name, and what brought you to Fabletown?
— And don't forget the Glamour! It's a pretty important thing around here. So, go ahead, spill. I still need to know which room to assign you and what to put in the files.