i sat down and wrote this in one sitting! im impressed with myself! and must i remind you? REVIEW!
As the carriage road through the night, Anthony stared out the window, shaking with fear. His clothes were ripped up and dirty and his hair and face were quite a sight.
Sweeney was next to him, gazing out the other window, deep in thought. Every once in awhile he'd spare a reassuring glance at his young friend.
The carriage got close to Fogg's Asylum and Anthony's heartbeat could be heard a mile away.
"You remember what to do, lad?" Sweeney asked his apprehensive companion. Anthony looked at the barber.
"Mr. Todd, what if this doesn't work and we can't escape?" Sweeney's large hand clamped over Anthony's mouth.
"It'll work, trust me. Just act unconscious when I say so." He let go of Anthony and began to get out of the carriage. The sailor followed.
"But what if my nerves should get the better of me?"
Sweeney paused. It wasn't Anthony's fault that he was scared. "If that should occur, just know that I won't leave you. Think about Johanna if need be!"
"Wouldn't that lead me to thoughts of our plan failing?"
The barber brought his hand to his forehead. "Fine, then. Think of…chocolate!" He turned and took two steps forward until he realized Anthony wasn't following him, but was gazing into nothing with a smirk on his face. Angrily, the barber grabbed the boy. "Don't' think about it now! Alright now I'm going to pick you up. As awkward as that is, I 'ave to do it for the plan to work."
Anthony nodded and allowed Sweeney to scoop him up. He then, without being reminded, closed his eyes, let his head droop, arms fail in odd ways and allowed his mouth to slack; a perfect portrayal of an unconscious lunatic.
Sweeney carried Anthony quickly and easily to the front door of the asylum, was able to briefly knock before regaining his grip on Anthony.
After a moment that seemed to last forever, the door opened and there stood Mr. Fogg.
"Can I 'elp you sir?" he asked.
"Actually, you can 'elp this poor lad 'ere. I found 'im digging through the garbage outside of my shop. When I went to confront 'im, 'e spat at me in rage. I couldn't figure if 'is fury was directed at me or someone who wasn't there.
Mr. Fogg bought the story with a nod. He reached out and took Anthony from Sweeney's arms. "I see. Well I'll take 'im in. You'd better come with me so you can tell me more and 'elp me find out who this poor soul is."
Sweeney followed Mr. Fogg inside the dark, echoic halls of the asylum. "I don't know much about 'im, except that 'e at some point said something about 'is name being Anthony."
Why my real name? Anthony wondered miserably as he was carried deep into the bowls of the asylum to the cells. But his name became the least of his worries once the smell got to his nose and the shrieking to his ears. He almost didn't want to open his eyes and see what it looked like. In his mind, he painted a picture of what he'd expect a madhouse to look like; all dark, and grimy and cold and lonely and- chocolate, Anthony, remember the chocolate!
Fogg carried the "wayward" over to Watson, who had just finished cleaning the gunk out of the pieces of Johanna's hair. Watson took Anthony from Fogg as he opened up an empty cell.
Sweeney casually walked past Anthony to go stand by Fogg, but in doing so, he made sure to brush against Anthony; the signal to spring into action.
Keeping up with their act, Anthony let his eyes flutter open. "Where…where am I?"
"Fogg's Asylum…where you belong!" Sweeney snapped.
Anthony sat up and struggled to get a look around. Watson let him get on his own two feet and observe his surroundings. The sailor glanced in every which way, looking desperate for an escape. He grabbed Sweeney's shoulders.
"No! Please, don't let them lock me in 'ere! I beg of you!" He clasped his hands and sank to one knee.
Fogg grabbed the sputtering sailor by the armpits and pushed him into the cell. "Watson, 'ow about you go get this boy a cup of tea? 'E's obviously 'aving quite a panic attack."
Before Watson could move, Anthony pulled a pistol from his jacket. Sweeney pulled out his razor. Watson's arms immediately went into the air. Anthony pointed his gun at the madhouse keeper, his whole body shaking.
"No thanks. I can do without tea. All I want is for you to drop the keys, Mr. Fogg."
"But, I-"
"DROP THE BLOODY KEYS!" As Mr. Fogg did so and put his hands in the air in fear for his life, Anthony couldn't help but begin to cry. He had never killed someone before, and he certainly didn't want to start now.
"Do it now, lad!" Sweeney encouraged. He then noticed Watson trying to sneak away. Before he could do that, Sweeney grabbed him and slit the assitant's throat with the razor.
Fogg's eyes were wide with panic as he watched Watson die. He then looked over at Anthony, who cocked the gun, closed his eyes and saw his life flashing before him; his first memory of his mum and dad, being taken to see his first ship, his Aunt Josephine cutting his long hair, starting school, his little brother's first Christmas, chocolate, setting sail on his first voyage, spotting Sweeney out in the ocean on his raft, coming to London, seeing Johanna in the window, the judge threatening him, him trying to rescue Johanna and being knocked unconscious by the Beadle.
By that moment tears were streaming down his cheeks in large streams. He turned his face toward heaven, whispered, "I'm so sorry, mum!" and jumped backwards slightly as he pulled the trigger and didn't open his eyes until sometime after he heard Mr. Fogg's lifeless body hit the floor.
A loud bang woke Johanna and Toby both with a start. They looked at each other, silently searching each other for answers before getting up and going to the door. Taking turns pressing their faces to the small, barred window, the scent of fresh blood stung their nostrils. They gripped each other's hand and could only guess what was happening.
Anthony couldn't believe it. He'd just shot someone!
He was standing, gun still pointing where Fogg stood only moments ago. His whole body was shaking furiously and dried tears on his cheeks were soon accompanied by fresh ones as he let the gun drop.
Sweeney drew his razor across Fogg's throat to ensure that he was dead. He causally folded it and placed it back in his holster, then went to attempt to console the crying adolescent who stood before him.
"It's ok, son." Sweeney whispered softy, patting his back. "You did it save Johanna."
Anthony picked up his face from his hands at the sound of his lover's name. "Johanna!" he gasped. He grabbed Fogg's keys, which lay in a pool of blood. "Come on! We've got to go find her and Toby!"
"What do you think it is?" Johanna whispered. Toby stood, his ear pinned to wall closest to the direction of which the bang had come from.
"Shh. I 'ear…one..? No, I'm sorry…two men…" he answered.
"Oh dear!"
"Shh… one of them…is…is crying!"
"Why in bloody 'ell would 'e be crying?"
Toby stepped away from the wall for a brief second. "Um, I don't know. Can you tell me what the devil thirty-eight plus seventy-two equals?" He gave her an annoyed look, basically telling her not to ask silly questions, before he leaned against the wall again.
"…it's one 'undred and ten." Johanna said so matter-of-fact like. Toby rolled his eyes. "'ear anything else?"
"I'm listening…the other man's talking, I think…I can barely 'ear 'im, though."
Johanna put her own ear against the wall and listened hard. They both heard two pairs of shoes, faint voices, and a clinking of keys coming closer and closer.
They both gasped at the same time.
"Johanna?" Anthony called.
"Toby?" Sweeney yelled.
They both searched each cell, every time seeing some gruesome creature that once was human, but not seeing who they were looking for.
"Johanna!" Anthony tried again.
"Toby!"
Their voice echoed along the stone walls. They both had lanterns, stolen from their victims' private quarters, and were unintentionally irritating some of the inmates and frightening others by shining the light into their cells.
The halls seemed to stretch on forever.
"Johanna!"
"Toby!"
Toby and Johanna gripped each other, afraid for their lives.
"Well, Toby, thanks for 'elping me!" Johanna managed to choke out.
"Same to you!" Toby responded, his face hidden in her shoulder.
The footsteps, voices and keys came closer and closer and louder and louder. They seemed to be accompanied by a light that got brighter and brighter as it too became closer and closer.
Just before they were about to scream, the voice began to come clearer.
"…Johanna!..."
"…Toby!..."
Their faces, only a moment ago filled with terror and dread, lit up with delight.
"It's Mr. Todd!" Toby exclaimed.
"And Anthony as well!" Johanna squealed.
They ran to the door and began shouting, trying to get the attention of the barber and the sailor.
"Joha- oh, what's the use?" Anthony asked as he leaned against the wall in defeat.
Sweeney looked at him in disgust. "Come on, lad! We can't give up now! We've come so far!" He turned his head down the long corridors and shouted. "Toby!" He angrily grabbed Anthony and hoisted him up, dragging him along as he continued the search.
"Johanna!"
"Toby!"
"Johanna!"
"Toby!"
Just as Sweeney was about to take his friend's advice and give up, two familiar tunes suddenly stood out mid the shouting and screeching of the inmates. These two tunes, both queer in their own way, shed some light on their situation.
"…larks never will, you know, when they're captive! Teach me to be more adaptive…"
"…was it quick sir? Did it in a tick sir! Just like an elixir ought to do!"
Anthony writhed free of Sweeney's grasp and darted in the direction of the high soprano, Fogg's keys swinging freely in his hand. Sweeney followed the voice of the some-day-would-be tenor. Their hearts were pounding s they ran, eager to free their friends.
Johanna and Toby stopped pounding and shouting. This wasn't getting anywhere.
"We're just blending in with the inmates!" Johanna declared. "If someone didn't know better, they'd say we belong in 'ere!"
"You're right, but 'ow do we get their attention otherwise?" Toby asked.
Johanna thought a moment before turning her face back to the window and opening her mouth. "Green finch and linnet bird, nightingale, blackbird…"
It took Toby all of a millisecond to piece it together. This must be her song; her special song that Anthony can know it's her just by listening. Taking a deep breath, Toby opened his mouth. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I 'ave your attention puh-lease?..."
Anthony and Sweeney were close now. They could see the cell door.
"Johanna, darling is it really you?" Anthony called. The songs both stopped.
"Anthony!" Johanna called as she stuck her hand out of a cell window. Anthony ran over and took his fiancée's hand in his.
"It's alright, my dear! I'm 'ere now!" He kept hold of Johanna's hand in one hand and felt around for the keys with the other.
"Mr. Todd?" Toby piped up, trying to look out the tiny window.
"I'm right 'ere, boy." Sweeney said emotionlessly as he was too busy looking at his baby daughter, who was now a woman. Johanna looked back at Sweeney and smiled.
"Oh, father, I'm so 'appy you came for us!" she squealed. Anthony stopped groping for the keys and bit his lip. Sweeney's pale face managed to turn paler. Toby's face turned red.
"I…I may 'ave told 'er some things…" he admitted shyly. Sweeney kept his teeth gritted.
"'ow…many…things?" he snarled as he shifted his gaze from his daughter to the boy.
like i said...one sitting...impressed...REVIEW!i know you guys read it, but please REVIEW!