The boy that crawls (Peaky Blinders)

Obedient like a dog

(Theodore's P.O.V.)
Once, when I was a child, I viewed the world in a healthy way. Like an optimist, I saw the world as safe with only moments of danger. The vibrant colours of the land when spring arrives. The delicious smells of all the blooming flowers. The leafs dancing in the wind after they fell feom the branches. But now? Now, I had watch on as my world falls around me. One layer at a time until it shows it's true form. I can see it clearly now. The world is dangerous with only moments of safety. All those hurts, scars and bruises. All of those trials that I had to go through. Which was only there to try and kill me. But even in all this danger, I still survived.

"You had one simple job, Theo" Robin said walking around me menacingly, "and that was to win. So tell me why did you loose?". "Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose. That's how life works. Deal with it" I replied simply and shrugged my shoulders. I felt the first strike of his cane against my cheek. My head snapping sideways. "You ungratefull brat" he sneered and swiped again. My head snapped to the other side and I coughed up blood while groaning in pain. "I took you into my home. I filled your stomach, I put those clothes on you. I gave you your purpose! And how do you repay my generosity?". He grabbed my face with his hand. A tight hold, impossible to get out of. As he made me look into his eyes. "By continuing to disobey my orders". "Well, I'm actually not disobeying you. I would have to be paying attention to you before I could do that". A final swipe made me spit out some blood that had collected in my mouth.

I pushed myself back into the chair, swallowing the iron taste away. Before I looked back at Robin. "Do I need to re-teach you the lesson of obedience?" He questioned. His cane lingering close to my face in a threatening manner. "Bet if you keep hitting me it will eventually sort itself out. Because isn't that your solution to everything? Just beat the fuck out of those who go against you untill they submit?" I replied as I glared at him. He just chuckled darkly and stepped closer, before leaning forward and telling me with the most bone chilling low voice "Oh, my dear boy. I will make you as obedient as a fucking dog".

Days later

(Tommy's P.O.V.)
Arthur, John and I walked into the illegal fighting ring which Alfie had pointed out yesterday. "Keep an eye out" I told my brothers. The two nodded and John soon split from me and Arthur to take a look. "Fuck, and I thought that they fought hard in the Southwark ring" Arthur breathed as a person was dragged out of one of the rings. His face was swollen and completely covered in blood. Poor bloke looked more dead than alive. I continued past and noticed a board that contained the standings. There where all kind of names written on it and crossed out. All except for one name. Theodore. Loud yelling errupted from one of the rings, which made me move over to see what the commotion was about. Upon arrival I saw who was fighting in the ring. It was Theo. I could see his battered torso that had endured endless of battles. Black, blue, purple and yellow bruises scattered around his ribs and stomach area, from being punched. Fresh and old ones. Red marks lighting up the skin on his neck from where he was tightly held in a chokehold. But there was something else too, something that didn't come from a fight in the rings. I saw it when his back was turned to me after managing to take the upperhand from his opponent. Long stripes across his back. That twisted and stretched with every flex of his back muscles as he pounded his fists into the bloke below him. Some had healed, but some of them were so fresh, that when Theo moved to fast the scar reopened. Stainging his back with blood. He looked like he was battered and tortured for hours. Yet still attacked with the energy of a rabid dog. Almost like he didn't feel the pain. Theo's fist went up and slammed down on the guy's face one last time, before the body of the poor unfortunate soul went limp underneath the champion. Theo was breathing rapidly as he hovered over the dead body. His eyes burned like a wild animal that was killing for sport. To be honest it was frighting to see him like that. "Fuckin' hell" Arthur whispered when he too realised Theo had just killed a man with his bare hands like it was nothing. You almost forgot that he was actually a cripple, and it made me wonder what damage he could do if he had the ability to walk without breaking a bone. Or how fast he could kill someone for that matter. A bookie ran into the ring cheerfully announcing the winner, getting an uproar from the crowd that surrounded the ring. It was revolting to see that these men did not care that someone had been killed for their pleasure. Then my eyes landed on someone and I felt my fist clench. It was Robin Lawry. He was obtaining the money that Theo had won from the fight, like it was just some game of poker. I felt my body move towards him. With every step, my anger grew. That bastard is going to pay. I will make him pay for what he did. I will make him regret it. As soon as Robin's eyes fell on me, I swung my arm at him. But before I could do damage, I had been tackled to the ground. I groaned when I landed on the hard floor with my back. I felt weight come onto me as someone crawled ontop of me. My dress shirt was grabbed and roughly pulled. When I opened my eyes, I saw Theo. He had been the one who took me down. Either he had pushed down the pain and ran to tackle me, or he was faster than I imagined him to be when he crawled. A loud laugh filled the now quiet area. It came from Robin "Isn't that a sight to behold. A father being taken down by his own son. And the father in question is the one and only Thomas Shelby". He walked up to me, while Theo made sure I wouldn't move. Like a guard dog protecting his owner. "I wouldn't try to fight against him, cause he'll kill you with his bare hands" he whispered with a sinister laugh, "what did you do to him?" I growled at Robin. "Oh, he just simply needed to be reminded" he answered, "and now he is as obedient as a dog, don't you agree" he said and patted Theo on the shoulder, before walking away with a laugh. I could see that he flinched slightly under Robin's touch. And when I looked into his eyes, I saw a different kind of emotion. It was almost like he was telling me he had to do this or else something would happen to him. "Theo?" I softly spoke, desperatly trying to make him talk but he refused. "Theo!" The loud voice of Robin Lawry came. Theodore leaned forward and whispered something in my ear before crawling from me and following Robin. I was sat in shock after hearing Theo's threat, as Arthur pushed me up. "What did he say?" John asked appearing beside us. So I responded telling them exactly what Theo had told me

"Av pala mande, ai me mudarava tu mai anglal sar te mudarel ma.".

Which is Romani for:

"Follow me, and I will kill you before he kills me"

Published: 28th of September 2023

P.s dont know if the translation is correct, if not I will blame google.