COMPLETED Nellie Lovett (The Virgin Widow of Fleet Street) #Wattys2016 Sweenett

Roses and Blood

Chapter XVII

Butterflies fly around the huge garden in that park, one lands in a pretty daffodil whenever one flew away from it. They were like playing.
'How nice would it be if I can catch butterflies for mum too.' Toby smiled and tried to run after the beautiful flying creatures, reaching out his little hands to them until he was out of breath. He can't catch any, the butterflies were all so elusive.

Toby snapped and kicked the grass.
'Mum would totally love them!' He told himself as frustration builds up. How long has it been since his mum went out to see the beauty of London? More or less 2 months? He sighed. If only he can make her go out to play or just stroll around. Sadness filled his eyes, she doesn't bake pies anymore, she never opened the pie shop since a week before the incident with Beadle, for some reasons he still doesn't know. She never played the piano too, at least last night she sang for him until he fell asleep. But Mrs. Lovett wasn't totally herself these past months.

He isn't that clever to point out the logic of his mum's actions, he knows she was in trauma, but Beadle has been exiled out of London already.
He layed down on the grass under an oak tree and just stared at its moving leaves.
'There is something mum doesn't and couldn't tell me...' He told himself.
'I hope I can talk to Mr. Todd about it, but something's wrong... Mum doesn't like him anymore. She's always shaking when he's near...' The frown on his face grew bigger.
"Can't be... That can't be...' He convinced himself. 'Mr. Todd can never hurt mum, he was the one who got me out last time, his concern for mum is genuine, but why can't mum see that...?' He wondered.
He sighed again and turned his attention back to the leaves of that oak tree, some of them are falling now and he smiled.

Toby only stood up when he felt his own stomach growling. The sun is also shining very bright now, it was still almost dawn when he went out to pick some flowers for his mum and now it seemed like he'd forgotten about the time. He enjoyed playing around with the butterflies.

He grabbed his hat and finger combed his hair before he put it on his head. He walked a little further to get to where the roses were planted. Variety of roses with different colors were everywhere, he picked up the ones that have just blossomed. He must admit that the ones which has totally blossomed are the prettiest ones, but he decided to pick the newly blossomed buds cause he wanted it to last longer when he puts it in the vase inside his mum's room.

He felt really happy just thinking how happy his mum would be when she sees the flowers. He had a few deep scratches because of its thorns but he didn't mind them, when he thought he can no longer hold the bouquet of roses he'd collected, he halted and happily, decided to finally come home.

He sneak at the back of the house leading to Mr. Todd's room upstairs, he needs to ask the barber to help him take off all the thorns cause he wouldn't want his mum to prick her fingers on them. Tiptoed, as to not make any noice, he went upstairs and called on him silently
"Mr. T....!" He called him. When he didn't answer, the little kid struggled to hold on to the stems of flowers with one hand and reached for the doorknob. It was locked. He then peered from the window, but the room was silent and empty.
Gently, he tapped his foot in the floor, thinking of what he should do.
He snapped and decided to just give the roses to his mum, maybe they can take off the thorns together as a fun activity.

He headed downstairs and gently pushed the backdoor leading to the kitchen, he left it unlocked this morning when he went out to avoid troubles when he comes back and surprise his mum.
He pushed the door open and tiptoed again, he passed the sink and headed to where the knives were.

Toby almost lost his balance when his foot strike on something from the floor. When he got a grip of himself, and looked at what made him jerked, his eyes grew wide with the realization.
"Mum!!!" He screamed in fright and ran to her. He sat down beside her only to cover his mouth with his hand.
His mum's blood was spilled on the floor and is still dripping from her head, and she isn't moving, not even an inch.
"Mum!!! Wake up mum!!!" He shook her arms but there wasn't any reaction.
"Mum!!!" Toby cried and ran out to get some help.
He went back to Mr. Todd's barber shop hoping that he's up now but the door was still locked. His eyes grew wide realizing he never woke up late, he never left the door locked in the morning because customers can come anytime until 7pm in his barber shop.
'He couldn't...' He rushed down outside and headed to Mrs. Park's house, but there was no answer as well, the old woman must be out to the market. He ran to the empty street, until he reached the crossing and there he was. His luggage in his hand, ready to take the carriage coming his way.
"You sir!!!" He screamed at the top of his lungs and ran as fast as he could towards Mr. Todd.
"Mr. Todd!!!" He called again and finally Sweeney Todd faced him. There were tears in his eyes, Toby noticed that as he ran for his breath. He killed his mum and cried!
"You killed my mum!!!" Toby didn't know where he took his courage from when he started hitting the tall muscular man in front of him, he was just so furious for what he did to his mum.
Toby cried out loud while hitting Sweeney.
"You killed her!!! You killed mum!!! You think you can get away just easily?! You killed mum!!!" Toby cried.