Chapter Forty-Nine – Tumbling Billows Of The Main

It had been a few days since Bill and Toby's release from prison, and everything seemed, at least at first glance, to be going as it should. But it wasn't…not really. Nothing was as it had been, and it never would be again.

Despite where it had just landed him, Toby was eager to go on the job once more, if only to get himself back in Fagin's good books. Surprisingly Fagin had been lenient with Bill and hadn't forced him right back into housebreaking, but to Toby he'd been less kind. After all, the old man blamed him for what had happened, and as well he might.

But Bill was resolute. No matter how much Toby wheedled and pleaded he would not budge in his resolve to not go housebreaking again, at least not until things had died down. But when would that be? He didn't know. But Toby wouldn't break him. The man was mad, wanting to get back on the job so soon after their stint in jail; had the experience taught him nothing?

It seemed it hadn't. Despite the trauma of the experience Toby was soon back to his old ways. Neither Bill nor Fagin made any attempt to stop him; Sykes didn't care what mess Toby got himself into; it was his problem and he could get himself out.

He concentrated his attention for the most part on Nancy, in an attempt to make up for those long months in prison when he hadn't been by her side. Before his time there he'd been furious and hateful towards her but now, having had time to reflect on how he treated her, he seemed to have returned to his old ways, the way things had been when he and Nancy first lived together. The young woman was, of course, surprised and thrilled to see the old Bill returned, and the two of them got on comfortably…at least for a day or two.

All too soon things started to go sour. Bill's relief and happiness at getting out of jail was clouded by Toby's consistent badgering about housebreaking, Nancy's persistent infatuation, Fagin's badgering Toby which led him to badgering Bill…

It was all perfectly normal, or at least it would have seemed normal and wouldn't have bothered Bill ordinarily. But ever since Newgate he'd become much more quick to anger than usual, and these annoyances only served to worsen his mood. He had soon returned to his old, moody and angry self, but by tenfold. Fagin, Dodger, Toby, and Nancy especially, hardly dared say a word lest it upset him.

But Tobias Crackit was becoming desperate. He had scarcely enough cash to feed himself, let alone pay the rent on his flat. Barney, despite his liking of the man, had threatened now on numerous occasions to toss him out onto the streets. Toby had tried to explain the situation but the landlord would have none of it.

It was at that point that Toby decided to take matters in his own hands. He'd done plenty of cracks without Bill before, and this time he would prove he wasn't the idiot Bill and Fagin seemed to think he was.

Without telling either of them, or even Barney, Toby set off one evening with one purpose in mind; raiding the poshest house he could lay eyes on and returning triumphant, just to spite them all.

The house was larger than any he and Bill had ever raided together, owned by a man of good renown, a lord or something as Toby understood it. It was all the better that the man was titled, more pickings for him. It had been harder to enter the place though, having refrained from his usual tactics, but he'd managed it. In their time working together Toby had learnt a little from Bill's methods and put these lessons to use as he pried open the window with his crowbar.

He was in. The house was deserted. Resisting the urge to whoop with joy at his success thus far Toby proceeded to pinch all he could lay his hands on, regardless of what it was or its worth, doilies, candlesticks, framed portraits, figurines, boxes…

The mad frenzy with which he collected these items did not cease until he could collect no more, every pocket he had had been filled five times over and it was getting hard to move what with the bulk and weight of it all. But the window was his only means of exit. And thus he took it.

The great clattering and clanking he made as he toppled ungainly from the window ledge to the grass below was certain to have alerted someone, especially since the neighborhood was so quiet. Toby lay there a moment or to, trying to stifle his own breath in case he was overheard. Nothing.

Trembling slightly with a strange mix of adrenaline and relief Toby staggered to his feet and glanced about him. He could see no-one. Pleased and unable to help a wide smirk, he began to make his way forwards, wondering how he was going to scale the wrought iron gates to the grounds.

It was only then that he heard the growling.

His smirk disappeared in an instant and, although he knew what was coming, turned to look anyway. The dog was massive, at least three times as big as Bulls-Eye, its sharp eyes glinting, its ferocious teeth bared in a snarl.

Toby ran.

The dog pursued him.

By sheer luck Toby managed to clamber over the fence, but the dog wasn't to be deterred. Toby didn't see how, as he was concentrating on running as fast as he could despite the stolen goods weighing him down, but from the furious barking close at hand he knew the dog was hot on his heels.

Cursing loudly, no longer caring it would add to the din that was already being made, Toby continued to run. He didn't know where to, he didn't even know how, his legs were weak and trembling beneath him, his vision blurred with panic and fear…

The houses roundabout were disappearing now as he entered the brief rural zone before the smog and grime of the city. He was nearly there…he'd surely be able to lose this hell hound in an alley or something… There was a small river up ahead, a narrow bridge…Not far to go now…

He stumbled, flailing wildly in an attempt to steady himself and toppled to the ground. In an instant the dog was about him, as savage and brutal a beast as one would never wish to encounter. The bulky items in Toby's pockets prevented the dog from being able to get too strong a grip on him but the struggle between the pair of them was still fierce. Toby at last managed to push the dog off, as it soon grew tired of fighting something that fought back, seemingly not having had much experience in the field.

Toby once again got to his feet, wiping a trail of blood in a disgruntled manner from his top lip and attempting to regain some semblance of his former self as the dog slunk back into the enveloping night. He stumbled again, before realizing with a sickening sensation as the pain overwhelmed him, pain which hadn't been felt in the conflict, that his leg was bleeding, and heavily too. The dog had certainly been a match.

Still cursing, though in a voice not dissimilar to that of a whisper rather than a yell, his face ashen, Toby attempted to walk the short distance to the bridge; his tussle with the dog had brought him closer than when he'd been running, but still not quite there…

He stood at the bridge's edge and put a foot forwards to step onto it. But his injured leg gave way beneath him and he fell once more, at an awkward angle on the river bank, slippery with wet grass and mad.

Toby tried to reach for the bridge, something to hold on to, but he was falling too fast. There was nothing along the bank, and soon he hit the water, which pierced him like a thousand blades of ice. He let out a scream, half from the cold and half from fear as the fast flowing current battered and raged against him.

He couldn't swim.

The goods in his coat were weighing him down, dragging and pulling him under the water. He tried desperately to extract himself from its heavy folds, but they were so logged with water that the task was next to impossible. He spluttered and struggled against the water for all he was worth…

The following day the headline read:

HOUSEBREAKER TOBIAS CRACKIT DROWNED IN BRUMLEY RIVER AND WITH HIM EVIDENCE OF HIS LATEST, AND LAST, ROBBERY

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A/N: An update at last! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long!
And yes, I killed Toby. Why? Because he's not in the musical and I can just see him with his own song. So I had to get rid of him. =P Besides, it'll drive Bill even crazier in future chapters and goodness knows we all like crazy, furious Bill Sykes, don't we?

Please R&R!