Broken Mirror

Chapter Five: The Trouble Begins

I led Maggie out of Small Heath, nervously glancing over my shoulder the entire time to make sure no menacing presence was following us. I was still thinking about all I had seen and heard today. I didn't want to ever come back to this part of the city again, but something was pulling me towards here for some reason and I couldn't figure out why I was feeling that way.

"Why?" I asked myself, "Why do I feel like I have the urge to come back here, especially after all the things I have just witnessed."

I didn't have any answers though and I could tell Maggie was also still in shock about today's events, but she got quickly over it and asked,

"When can I come back and play with Anthony again?"

"I don't think we are ever going to come back here," I replied, "Momma's not going to be happy we ended up here in the first place."

Maggie looked down at the road and sadly stated,

"But I promised Anthony I would be back."

"Well we are just going to have to ask Momma," I sighed.

The rest of our walk was quiet as Maggie was pouting and didn't want to talk to me. We eventually made it back to the shopping district and caught Momma right as she was leaving a baking store.

"Hello there," she happily greeted us, "How was your shopping?"

"I didn't buy anything," I answered as we started to walk towards our car the chauffeur brought around to us, "Maggie of course got candy."

"Did you eat it all, you silly girl?" Momma asked.

"I shared it with a friend," Maggie gladly answered, all of her sadness vanishing.

"Really?" Momma questioned as we climbed into the car, the chauffeur shutting the doors behind us, and we started to head for home, "And where did you meet your friend?"

"Well it's a long story," I began before Maggie could open her mouth again, which earned me a stern look from Momma, "We got lost and accidently ended up in Small Heath."

I then was waiting for Momma to get mad and scold both of us, but her reply was less angry than I thought it would be, but it was still strict,

"I told you two not to go there it's dangerous. Is that where you met your friend Maggie?"

"Yes," Maggie sadly replied as she looked down at her feet.

"Bella, you were supposed to watch her and keep her out of trouble," Momma told me.

"I know," replied.

Maggie started to cry and she sobbed out,

"But Anthony is sweet and wouldn't hurt anyone. He's the only friend I have made here and I'm going to be upset if I don't get to see him again!"

"There will be plenty of other children for you to meet and play with," Momma tried to console her, but Maggie wouldn't stop crying.

"Momma," I came to Maggie's defense, "She really hasn't found anyone else to play with and Anthony and her are already close friends. Would it make you feel more at ease if I kept going back there with her to his house so she is still able to play with him?"

Momma glanced at me and sighed.

"Did anything happen while you were there? Anything dangerous?"

"No," I lied, "The people were all friendly and kind."

I didn't want to tell Momma about the Peaky Blinders, what I had heard whispered about them, or about the gang's leader staring us down from on top of his horse.