All Too Well

♚ Chapter Seven ♚

"GET BACK HERE YOU BLOODY THIEVES!!!" A baker with a potbelly chased Freckles and I out of his bakery while carrying a rolling pin. We had just stolen a loaf of bread and now he was chasing us to get it back. Outside, it was a light rain. I held Freckles' hand tightly in one hand while I held the bread in the other hand. We were running for our lives. Many people stopped and shot us dirty looks as we were chased by the baker. The adrenaline from being chased pumped through my veins as I tripped over an uneven piece of concrete. I fell face-first into the wet pavement, causing water to splash and my clothes to get soaked with water.

Freckles stopped and struggled to pull me up so we could continue running. I shoved the bread loaf in her arms. "Run!" I cried. "Find someplace to hide! I'll stall him! I'll find you! I promise!"

Freckles nodded and took off. I pushed myself up but baker caught up to me and grabbed my hair, forcing my face down onto the pavement. He took his rolling pin and smacked me on the back with it and I shrieked in pain. I could see Freckles turning back to see if I was alright. Her eye widened at seeing me getting beaten up by the baker before she turned around and dashed away.

My attention turned back to the baker as he began to beat me for stealing his bread. People kept on giving me dirty looks. But, some gave me pitied looks. The beating seemed regular, since I was caught at least once a week. The baker let go of my hair. I whimpered, trying not to cry from the wounds he inflicted on me. "You bloody thieves," he growled, turning around. "Just die already out in the slums you live in!"

Once he was out of sight, I got up. I groaned as I caught my reflection in a nearby puddle. One side of my cheek was swollen from the beating. The bruises I got today scattered all over my body, dancing with the bruises from last week. I knew I had to get off the road soon, or else I'll get run over by a carriage. I limped onto the pavement and searched the alleyways for Freckles.

I found her hidden in a corner while holding the bread protectively. I fell to my knees and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. Freckles tensed up but relaxed, realizing it was just me. I sat down next to her as she broke the loaf into two pieces and handed me one. "How much more beating can you take?" She wondered aloud.

I pointed to the burn scar that I tried to hide by growing out bangs. "Once you experienced enough pain and abuse in your lifetime, it gets numbed." I told her.

*~*~*~*~*~

Doll, Beast, Dagger, and I stood in the shadows, watching Suit and Black, the two back-ups for Peter and Wendy as they were injured and cannot perform, as they swung upside on the trapeze, doing absolutely nothing. "What are they up to?" Beast sneered, taking a step back. "They're just wasting our time, their time, and the crowd's time."

Her back strings of her revealing shirt caught on a lose nail on the wooden post. When she took a step forward, the strings ripped. She gasped and craned her head to see the damage while covered her breasts with her arms so the shirt wouldn't fall off of her. "My strings!" She hissed.

Dagger, obviously having "other" thoughts about the situation, blushed a deep shade of red. "Y'all ain't no lookin'!" He cried out.

I slapped a hand over his mouth, reminding him to be quiet. "Miss, there's still time 'till the encore, so please go change!" Dagger encouraged as Beast wrapped a purple shawl around her.

"I guess so," She nodded in agreement as she stepped out of the circus tent.

That's when Black and Suit started acting up. Black grabbed Suit's pruners and they extended to maximum length, making Black hovering at least ten feet above the ground. Black pressed a button on the pruners and they shortened in length, bringing Black up. Then, Black and Suit flew off the trapeze and landed on the platforms opposite to each other. Dagger stared at them in awe as the crowd cheered for them.