Without You, There is No Point in Surviving

Chapter 4 I'll Follow You Into the Dark

Title inspiration comes from a song by Death Cab for Cutie

They hid in the tall grass while the late Marine's friend and the officer searched around. Their footsteps were getting closer. Whatever backup they had was luckily not coming. Sweeney had Nellie pushed to the ground on her front, hand over her mouth. Under different circumstances, being this close to him would've thrilled her. Now, she desperately wanted him to get off. And wished the two men would go away.

Mr. Todd moved slowly to the left, leaving one of his razors behind for her if she'd need to protect herself. He sneaked out of the grass, crouching towards one of the men and tackling him to the ground, slitting the officer's throat.

Unfortunately, he didn't die quietly enough and the other was making his way towards them. He had a gun in his hand. Nellie blocked his path, the razor in her hand. She hadn't opened it yet. Her sweaty fingers fumbling to get the blade out.

The man glared at her.

He didn't even know her. Why would he look at her with so much hate? She didn't do anything to him. She got the razor to work, holding it in front of her. What's a razor going to do against a gun? She thought, almost laughing at how ridiculous this must be.

The gun was pointed at her head.

She stopped breathing.

"Mrs. Lovett! Move!" she heard Mr. Todd shouting at her. She wanted to move. Her brain was yelling at her to get down. Her legs wouldn't budge, no matter how much she commanded them.

She was paralyzed. She looked into the man's eyes. They were blue, like the sea. The sea. The sand. Shells and seagulls. The sun. The waves crashing on the shore. Blood splashing on the stones. Toby's scared face. Lucy's dead eyes, staring at her, judging her from the corner.

The gun fired.

When she opened her eyes. She was on the ground again, her finger nails digging into the dirt. She looked up to see the man lying dead in front of her, and Mr. Todd's aggravating gaze. She flashed him a small smile has an apology. He grabbed her arm, yanking her into a standing position.

He held her so close, they're noses touched. "If you're so keen on being killed, my pet. At least give me the honor of doing it myself." He spat.

She opened her mouth to apologize or thank him, but he shoved her away from him with an angry growl.

"Thank you, Mr. T." she said. He hoisted the bag over his shoulder, scanning the area for where they might be.

"Where do you think we are?" she asked to no one in particular.

"Can't say." He mumbled.

They both remained quiet for the next hours of the day. Keeping their stead pace through the forest, stopping every now and then to sit down, munch on some bread, relieving themselves on trees, faces red with embarrassment. The weather was a bit hot; it was Spring after all. Nellie was thankful they decided to take this adventure through the wilderness during the Spring. She's not a fan of walking through snow, freezing to death is not how she'd like to go. She prefers the heat, always has.

As the sun started setting, the temperature did start to chill down a bit.

"Let's stop for the night." Mr. Todd spoke to her for the first time in hours. He opened the bag, pulling out a wool blanket. He started spreading it out over the grass and she yawned audibly.

She shivered, crossing her arms. The temperature was dropping along with the sun.

"We're nowhere near a town, so we'll have to sleep out here for the night."