In the Beginning
Summary: This is Dodger's story. The story of how he came to live with Fagin and what happened once he was there.
A/N: I'm not thrilled about the prospect of having two stories going at once, but I got this idea and had to go with it. I am not abandoning my other story, but I may not be updating it for a while. I am suffering from a severe case of writer's block. I hate it. So, don't think that I am abandoning the other story because I'm not. I will continue it when I think of something to write about. Thanks!
Chapter 1: Tragedy
Jack was only six years old when his parents died. He had been out playing with his friends near his home on the East side of London. He had left early that morning, taking along an apple for his lunch, and had returned before dark. His mother had told him to be home early that day because she and his father had a surprise for him.
Jack knew the surprise had something to do with his birthday. He was turning six today, after all. He was never one to disobey his mother. She had never done anything to make him want to. His parents were good, kind people. They were relatively wealthy, though they did not care to brag about it. Jack and his older brother, Benjamin, were well-behaved children, known among society as two of the brightest boys in London.
On that fateful birthday, Jack hurried home as soon as he noticed the sun beginning to sink in the sky. He was anxious to see what his parents had gotten him. He burst through the front door and in his excitement, forgot to wipe the mud off his shoes first. He made a muddy trail through the house, calling for his mother. He was instead greeted by the butler, Rolland.
"Good evening, Master Dawkins," Rolland greeted dryly. "Your parents are not home yet, though I expect they will be here shortly."
"Oh," Jack was somewhat disappointed. "That's alright. I'll just wait for them then. May I have something to drink?"
"Certainly, I will fetch you some water."
"Actually," the child's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Can I have some of the stuff my father keeps locked up?"
"Of course not," the butler replied. "Young children such as yourself are not allowed to have liquor. You know that."
"But I'm six now! Please?" Jack pleaded.
"No, your parents would be very disappointed in me if they found out I have been serving you alcohol. I am afraid I cannot do that."
"They don't have to know," Jack tried.
Rolland gave him a look that clearly said he would not give in.
"Fine," Jack pouted. "I'll have water."
"Very well, sir," Rolland said as he turned to fetch some water for the child.
Jack stood in the entrance hall with his arms folded across his chest while he waited for the butler to return. He turned when he heard footsteps behind him.
"Happy birthday, Jack," Ben cried. "So, how old are you today? Twenty-seven?"
Jack laughed.
"No, of course not! You know that. You're only eighteen and I'm younger than you are."
"Oh, of course," Ben laughed along with his brother. "I guess I had just forgotten momentarily. I'm so sorry."
They were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Maybe that's Mum and Dad!" Jack cried jumping up and down.
"No, I don't think so," Ben replied, staring out the window. "They wouldn't knock."
"They would if they didn't want me to see my surprise," Jack continued smiling, not noticing that his brother had grown very solemn.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Go answer the door!" Jack persisted.
Ben called for Rolland, but Rolland did not respond. He must have been too far away to hear him calling.
"The door's right there," Jack said exasperatedly. "Either stop being lazy and answer the door yourself or I'll do it."
"You're not allowed to answer the door," Ben muttered, absently ruffling Jack's hair. "I'll get the it. You go find Rolland."
Jack immediately ran through the house in search of the butler, not stopping until he ran into something causing water to fall on his head. He looked up to see Rolland standing there with a now empty cup.
"There's someone at the door," Jack said quickly. "Ben wanted me to come get you."
Without waiting for a reply, he grabbed Rolland's hand and pulled him to the entrance hall where Ben was standing, speaking with two policemen. Ben was looking quite pale, but Jack took no notice of this and took the liberty of making his presence known.
"I found him!" he announced.
The three men looked up abruptly, and for the first time, Jack got the feeling that something was wrong. He dropped Rolland's hand and walked to where Ben and the policemen were standing.
Ben smiled grimly and knelt down beside him.
"Jack," he began slowly. "There's been an accident. Something bad has happened."
Jack just stared back at his brother, not understanding.
"Mum and Dad are hurt," Ben continued. "They aren't coming home."
Jack blinked, his eyes filling with tears.
"Never?" he whispered.
Ben shook his head. Jack began to cry.
"But it's my birthday!" he cried. "Mum promised she'd have a surprise for me when I got home. She promised!"
"I know," Ben said, trying to comfort him. "But we can't change what happened. She wanted to be here. I know she did. She didn't mean to miss your birthday."
"Then why did she?" Jack asked, calming slightly.
Ben closed his eyes and sighed before continuing.
"She and Father left this morning to visit some friends. They were going to come back for your birthday, but before they even got to where they were going, the horses pulling their carriage got scared and started running. They ran off a bridge, and Mum and Dad were killed."
Jack wiped his eyes.
"Who is going to watch us?" he asked.
"Well," Ben replied. "I am eighteen. I'm old enough to live on my own, but you are only six. You will have to go live with Grandmother in the northern part of the country."
"No!" Jack screamed loudly. "I don't want to live with Grandmother! I don't like Grandmother! I can live on my own, too! I can live with you. Can I, Ben? Can I please?"
Ben looked at Rolland for support but found none.
"No, I'm afraid not," Ben said sadly. "I wish you could, but I don't think I can manage you by myself. It's better this way."
Jack began to cry again.
"No it's not!" he screamed through his tears. "I hate you! You don't want me around anymore."
Ben opened his mouth to say that was not true, but before he could speak, Jack ran up the stairs. Several seconds later, a door slammed.
Ben sighed. He would talk to Jack later. He turned back to the policemen.
Jack threw himself on the floor of his room as soon as the door was closed behind him. There, he curled up in a ball and cried himself to sleep.
When Ben came to see if Jack was hungry. He found his brother asleep on the floor and decided to leave him there. He needed to rest after what he had just been through.
When Jack woke up, it was late, and he was hungry. He opened his door and crept into the dark hall. He stopped when he was halfway down the stairs and listened to the voices in the kitchen.
"I want him to stay here with me," Ben was saying. "But I can't handle him. He has to go live with Grandmother."
"Yes, of course," he heard Rolland say. "You are doing what's best for him."
"I hope so," Ben sighed. "I felt terrible when he ran off like that after I told him. Maybe I shouldn't tell him that he will be leaving for Grandmother's tomorrow."
Jack stopped listening and went back to his room. He did not want to live with his grandmother. She did not like children. He would certainly be miserable there.
So, he did the only thing he could think of. He packed all of his belongings into his suitcase and left the house without making a sound. But before walking out the door, he stopped at the coat rack and took his father's hat. It had been his father's favorite hat. He had only worn it for special occasions. Jack had often been allowed to wear it on the carriage ride to parties. It reminded him of his father. Shoving the hat on his head, he left the house, never to return again.
There he stood on the street corner, six years old with a suitcase full of clothes and a hat that was four times too big for him. And so, Jack Dawkins began his quest to wherever it was he was going. Even he did not know what life had in store for him.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review. I'd like to know how this is so far so I know whether to continue or not. I'd really appreciate your comments. Thank you!