Love, Lies, and Insanity

Distractions

It had been a couple of weeks since Toby and I had moved into our new home on Fleet Street. My plan of distancing myself was in play. Mrs. Lovett had formed a motherly bond with Toby, the one I wished to always have. I was jealous, but I ended up drinking most of my problems away, after all I was the one avoiding everyone else in this house. Every night when I would walk by the fire, I would see Toby cuddled up next to Mrs.Lovett. God! He wasn't even my child anymore, he was hers. I found myself working at Mrs.Lovett's meat pie emporium along with Toby. She payed me little, but when I needed something I always seemed to have enough money.

Tomorrow was Mrs. Lovett's birthday. I didn't particularly like her, but I needed an excuse to get out of the house without getting drunk just for one night.

I took of my apron and put it on the dresser in my bedroom. My clever ways would help me easily sneak out without Mrs. Lovett noticing. I grabbed my shawl the opened the door to my bedroom. There were few people in the main shop, but once I made it past them, I wouldn't be distinguishable from the crowd. I quickly rushed through the shop carefully, to not get the attention of anyone. Once I had made it out of the shop, I was met with the crowd of people feasting on Mrs. Lovett's meat pies. I never ate the pies, something about the smell and the look of them didn't sit right with me. And I hardly trust that baker. She could be trying to poison me for all I know. I escaped past the crowd and began making my way to the market. I was shivering through the cold breeze of the night, my shawl tightly hugging my body.

As I continued to walk I felt the breeze circle around my face. There were goosebumps covering my arms and legs as I shivered through the cold. The streets of London were not a place for someone to be walking through alone at night, let alone a defenseless young woman. Then I felt it the cold hand, the unsettling presence, the black orbs, the demon, he was there.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"I'm headed to the market to get Mrs. Lovett a birthday gift. I assume you waited until now to even think about her birthday." I said coldly to Mr. Todd. I didn't stop walking and kept my gaze on the cobblestone in front of me. He was the person who I spent most of my time around. We would spend hours per night drinking. He was the only person I felt I could talk to. Toby was too young, and all of my complaints were about Mrs.Lovett. I could never remember what Mr. Todd said, if anything at all, but it comforted me that someone was listening.

"You shouldn't be out by yourself at night. Demons roam these streets." Mr. Todd had followed my lead of watching the ground in front of us as we walked. He was the only demon I knew of, but I suppose there could be others. I allowed him to walk beside me until we found our way to the market.

His shoes clicked on the cobblestone as I observed his appearance. He had black shoes, black pants, a grey vest, and a black jacket. He didn't look very welcoming. If he wasn't walking you might assume he's dead. But somehow it made him all the more alluring over Benjamin Barker.

We arrived at the market to find hardly anyone walking about. It was quite and lifeless. We walked about for ten minutes observing all the possible options for what to get Mrs. Lovett. Well I did, Mr. Todd just walked behind me and would agree or disagree every once in a while.

"Why did you come if you weren't going to help?" I asked.

"There's no more gin in the shop"

"Oh, right let's go get that." I said as we walked to find someone who would be selling some gin.

In the middle of the market place there was a crowd of people all gathered around, packed together like sardines. "You were thirty minutes late! I told you to be here on time! You are ruining my business!" It was two men yelling at a small girl. The girl was shaking in fear from the two men. She was a young girl maybe only eight or nine, but that didn't seem to stop the men from yelling at her.