Caged With A Key

Chapter one:Edward POV:Train

I never thought my life would play out like this. I don't regret it or anything, but. . .the shock of it still sometimes rattles me.

The perfect spring air seemed livelier than usual, cocooning me while leaving enough space for me to bask in the morning sun as I walked to Cornell. It was exam day, but I knew I would pass with flying colors.

I only answered two questions before a cop walked into the class. Everyone looked up, wondering which one of us decided to go to a speakeasy, I guess. "Edward Masen?" The cop called out.

"Here." I mumbled, getting up from my chair. The cop shifted on his feet and he just mumbled 'come with me' before turning on his heel and walking down the hall.

Who knew such a pleasant morning could be ruined so thoroughly? I thought, looking at the half covered corpses of my parents. Why the doctor didn't cover it all the way I'll never know. "It wasn't painful." The doctor mumbled.

I didn't have enough air in my lungs to respond. I felt a traitorous tear roll down my cheek as my fingers felt the rough, sandy texture of my mothers caramel locks. "It was a car crash." The doctor finally continued. "Some drunkie ran a red light. It sickens me how people react to the prohibition law."

I felt a few more tears roll down my face as I pressed my lips against my mothers cold forehead, another batch when I cupped my fathers shoulder and kissed his cheek.

The Great Depression wasn't something I was fully acquainted with. Just a small shortage of bread, possibly a missing jar of jam in the grocery bag, but I always had that rare net of financial security.

That is, until Mr.Washowski informed me my parents were in so much debt when they passed there wasn't a lick of fairness in giving it to me. They had bought our house upfront, but everything else. . .

I shot up from my seat across from Mr.Washowski, dashing out of the office and puking on the sidewalk. "You didn't break the law, did you?" A woman passing by asked timidly. I shook my head in response, leaning against the brick wall of some random building.

Jobs, I need to think of getting a job or some income of money if I am indeed broke. And not here. No, my parents' death foiled this place up so much I could never imagine staying.

* * *

I sank down to the forest floor, my body too tired to continue walking to Watkins Glen. The cool dampness of the moss under my palms felt so good I wanted to rip it off the ground and use it to clean my face.

A bright light showed through the tree's though, and the sound of wheels on a train track made me start running through the trees and rocks. I know people have successfully hopped on trains before. But I never really could ask anyone if they were part of that group and how they did it.

The train rushed past me, the cars rattling slightly. Running to a bar would be smarter than grabbing one and trying to quickly hoist yourself up, I figured. So I waited until a handle flew past my face and ran towards it, smiling as the cool metal surrounded my palm.

I groaned as I hauled my tired, tensed up muscles, flinging my legs into the boxcar that luckily had its doors open.

I didn't have time to enjoy the safety of being on a train before two broad hands tightened around my throat, pushing me to the edge of the car. "Hey, hey!" another well built man protested, pulling the man choking me back. He released my throat and I quickly moved away from the door.

The man who saved me smiled and the warm yellow glow of a lantern turning on filled the room. "Hey, my name's Emmett." The man introduced himself, extending a hand. I shook it.

"Edward." I replied, looking over at the person who choked me. "Thanks for saving my life." I wryly said, trying to make what happened seem as normal as breathing.

"Sorry." My attacker grumbled. "You never know who will hop onto a train simply to kill or ransack them." He shook my hand. "Sam."

I nodded. I realized we weren't alone. There were a few other guys sitting on the hay covered floor of the car. "I'm Garrett." A brunette man claimed, smiling up at me. He pointed to the only blondie. "Jasper." He pointed to an older man with silver hair. "And that's Rodrigo."

I nodded again, smiling at them. "So what brings you here at-" Rodrigo gleaned at the old, worn down watch on his hand- "Six-fifteen on a nice spring day."

"Night." Jasper corrected under his breath.

"Ok, smartass." Garrett teased back. He glanced at my attire, still relatively clean and obviously more high-priced than their soiled clothes. "But seriously why are you here?"

"I-" How to word this? I sighed, looking out the door that Emmett must have closed until it was just a small crack open, giving the cart fresh air.

"You got nowhere else to go?" Rodrigo asked.

I sighed again, nodding. "You obviously had somewhere to be, looking like that in our economy." Sam prodded.

"You would think." I muttered darkly. "But no. Turns out my 'stability' in our fucked up economy was a sham."

"Owe someone money?" Jasper asked timidly, worried I'd say yes.

"Not me directly." I soothed. "My parents passed away in an accident and they owed too much debt to leave me anything. I figured why not try to walk to a big city and get a job somewhere."

Garrett chuckled lowly. "You either are the bravest person I know or the biggest idiot I'll ever see."

I chuckled along with him. "Jacob wouldn't mind another worker." Rodrigo admitted. "Not with the seniors like me getting weak in the bones." He smiled up at me. "Do yourself a favor and think about it. If there is any kind of life you could have outside of the circus, though, don't hesitate to go back for it."

I nodded, shuddering slightly at the dark tone of his voice.

* * *

"Wake up!" Emmett almost yelled into my ear. I jolted awake, slapping him lightly and sending him a death glare. Emmett laughed heartily. "C'mon." He told me, hauling me up on my feet. "We only have today to set up the tent."

I followed him down the ramp of the boxcar, feeling my eyes widen at the amount of men and women carrying things, hammering poles into the ground and things like that. I turned my head and saw what train, exactly, I had pulled myself into.

"Welcome to the Blackbeard Circus." Emmett said behind me, noticing my gaze that was absorbing the name in swirled letters on the side of the train car.

I'm going to end this chapter here, I think. What inspired this fanfic is Water for Elephants. It's a movie that starred a match made in heaven, the lead roles being played by Robert Pattinson (Eddie) and Reese Witherspoon (Who I know as Elle Woods from Legally Blonde). Now I know for a fact I'm giving myself too much credit by saying I went at least 20 minutes (it was way, way less than that lol) before my mind deconstructed the story and decided You know what fuck it I'm writing this story with Twilight charactars and double the drama and detail! So. . .here we are. I hope you enjoy!

-Cloudy