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."

He looked at her and her cheeks felt warm. They would have to… snuggle?

Mr. Todd pulled two blankets out from their bag. He laid the thinner material one down first and saved the wool thicker one for covering. He looked at her, she still had her arms crossed in front of her and cheeks and nose turning pink. "Lie down." He gestured to the blanket.

"You don't want to eat anything? I've packed some bread…"

"We'll eat in the morning," he said.

She placed herself on the right side of the blanket, slowly easing onto her side, facing away from him. She was shivering, but more from nerves instead of being chilled.

He positioned himself beside her, laying on his back and pulling the wool blanket over them. He exhaled deeply through his nose. Nellie couldn't get comfortable enough, the chirping of crickets and buzzing of flies, scurries of small animals was getting her on edge. Would there be wolves in the woods? Snakes? Her breathing was ragged, she shut her eyes trying to calm herself down. She pondered on where they could end up. Getting out of London was a success but now where to? Mr. Todd's sights may be on leaving England, she didn't bother to ask him. His breathing was deep and steady, he was dead asleep already. She longed to turn over to look at his face, she thought it better not too, like waking a sleeping bear, it'd be unwise.

Her mind settled enough for her to drift into sleep. Her eyes lids flew open when she felt an arm drape around her waist. She held her breath, her heartrate increasing rapidly.

Sweeney woke up thanks to the blinding sunlight and moved into a seating position, rubbing the pain in his neck. Being on the run was getting to be too tiring for him, and it's only begun. Nellie was already up and full of energy, stuffing their belongings back into the bag, a half-eaten apple in her mouth. She sent a cheerful good morning his way while tossing him an apple. While taking a bite, he noticed a black, spindly, eight-legged monstrosity inching its way towards him. He yelped, jumping to his feet. Nellie spun around, alarmed by the never before heard sound that just came out of him.

"What's wrong?" she followed his uncomfortable gaze, noticing the spider. She looked at his reaction in disbelief. She bent down and let the spider crawl onto her hand. Sweeney watched her, utterly repulsed yet amazed. "It's just a spider, love." She took a step towards him and he took several back.

"Put it down, Mrs. Lovett. Disgusting."

She grinned in amusement, "it's not going to hurt you." She tried to get closer to him.

"Don't you dare!" He growled.

She took a step closer. "Mrs. Lovett!"

Happy to have found a weakness over him, she made a mental note to use this torture later should she ever need to. At this moment, she didn't feel like disturbing the peace that was finally built up between them. So, she placed the little spider back on the ground. Looking at his fearful expression one last time. "You murder people, Mr. T." She shook her head in disbelief, smile on her face.

"You should've seen all the bugs in the bakehouse."

He crinkled his nose up in disgust, munching his apple.

"Course, all them rotting bones made it worst."

"Please be quiet." He said throwing his mostly eaten apple on the ground.

"Am I making you ill?" she smiled.

He wasn't in the mood for conversing, per usual. There were some things they needed to talk about, stuff that needed to be removed from their plates. Despite her better judgement she tried to fire up a conversation with him again.

"Where do you think we'll end up?" she tried.

"Out of this forest." He grunted walking ahead of her.

She quickened her pace to be right beside him. To look at the expressions on his stern features. "I understand that, love. I meant what's the plan? Are we really going to the sea?"

"Yes, we'll have to find a boat." He said.

"Then where we'll end up? France? America?"

"I can't say Mrs. Lovett." He spoke calmly, although she could she was pushing it by his increasing tone.

"I'm just trying to converse Mr. T. Bored and lonely is all."

"And I have my entire life to listen to your incessant chatter, so if you don't mind, I'd like some peace and quiet now."

"If I'm such a bother, then why am I alive? Hmm? You still haven't answered that question last time I asked, have you now?"

"You're about to not be." He muttered under his breath. Of course she still heard since she decided to listen. The silence threw him off guard and he looked down at her to make sure she didn't fall over dead or anything. She kept a good pace next to him, picking grass out of her hair. He quickly looked away before she noticed he was staring. The silence started to feel suffocating. He squeezed his eyes shut hating the change that has come to be between them.

He sighed loudly making her jump. She looked up at him alarmed.

"Talk to me."

"About what?"

"I don't care."

She smiled and opened her mouth.

Hours had gone by. Or at least what felt like hours. While rambling about god knows what, honestly Sweeney tried to listen but ended up blocking her out, focusing on the clouds in the sky, the crunch of their footsteps on the forest floor.

"I hope it doesn't rain." She was saying.

An arrow flew by them. Just barely missing Nellie's ear by an inch. Her breath caught in her throat. Sweeney had her hugged to his chest, hand over her mouth as they hid behind a tree. Her eyes fixated on the arrow sticking out of the bark nearby, that was almost her face. Was it some kind of hunter? And why did they have a bow and arrows rather than a rifle? Maybe they just mistaken the two for an animal and they'll move on.

"The next one," a male voice rang out, "will go through your pretty head."

They remained frozen, they're backs against the tree.

"I know you're back there. You and your gloomy friend."

Nellie slowly moved from Sweeney's grasp. He lowered his palm, hand going for his razor. Nellie made to step out into the clearing, he grabbed her waist, pulling her to him. They had a mini argument with only using their eyes and expressions.

"We can't just stand here forever. It'll be ok." She whispered.

He let her go and she stepped out from behind the tree.

I want to thank everyone for reading this. This is irrelevant but I've been in a bad place mentally while writing this and there's more that I could have added but honestly, I really wanted it off my plate, and to move on. I know this might not be the best, but I appreciate any feedback you may have.

Thanks guys.