Chapter 11

The streets were now dark and there were hardly any people around. "Help! Someone please help me!" She cried out. She dashed past building after building, hoping someone would step out to aid her, but no one did. "Please! Someone please help me! Help!" She continued yelling as tears of sadness and fear ran down her cheeks.

"Olivia? Olivia!" Someone shouted out from behind her. She spun around to see Toby standing outside of a pub she had dashed by, a bottle in his hand. "Toby!" She cried as she ran to him. "Toby, please! I need help! I need a constable! Do you know where I can find one? Please, I need help right now! Please, I--!"

"Olivia, slow down," he said, dropping his drink to the sidewalk and putting his hands on her shoulders trying to steady her. His brows were knitted together as he looked at her, trying to see what was wrong besides the fact that she was hysterical. "Olivia, slow down, and tell me what is wrong," he instructed authoritivly.

"She's gone... She's dead!" Olivia said, still gasping for breath and crying at the same time.

"Who is dead...?" Toby said, fearing what she was going to say next.

"Mrs. Jenkins!" Olivia said, crying heavier now, "she's--she's dead...!" Toby felt a lump grow in his own throat. He looked out at the deserted, dark streets, hoping he would see a constable who could help them properly. He kept scanning the streets, but still, no one came. "Toby?" Olivia said in a small, scared voice, "What am I going to do...?" Toby didn't answer, but just looked down at her, his brows still knitted. She couldn't go back to Mrs. Jenkins' home just yet- not after what just happened. And he couldn't take her in the pub... Or couldn't he? She was still in her work clothes, but her hat had been left behind so now her golden hair just hung freely. "One second," Toby said, letting go of her shoulders and dashing into the pub. Olivia watched as he reached in the doorway and lifted a hat off of a hatrack that sat in the doorway. "Put this on," he instructed. She shakily reached behind herself and grabbed her hair and began to twist it. "Let me help," Toby said hurriedly. He grabbed her hair and quickly twisted and spun it up on her head. He then placed the cap on top of her head and pulled it down snugly so none of her hair would show. "Common," he said, grabbing her hand and dragging her inside the pub. Olivia didn't even grip his hand in return- she just floated behind him, lost in her own thoughts. Toby looked back at her, only to see her tear-stained face void of all emotion and thought. He clenched his teeth and pressed on. Finally he made his way to a back table where a group of men were sitting together, laughing heartily. There was however, one man who was slumped over on the table unconscious. "Murphy!" Toby yelled out, "Officer Murphy! Get up! Get up, I need your help!" He then kicked the leg of the sleeping man.

The man shook with surprise at the kick, and slowly raised his head. "What in God's name...?!" He grumbled. His face was red and puffy, and he looked beyond drunk- he probably didn't even know where he was. "Get up!" Toby continued. "I need your help!"

"What could you possibly need?" The drunken officer mumbled. "Look, I'm not working- if you need help, take this... Tell 'em Murphy gave it to you," he then reached in his pocket and handed Toby a silver whistle. Toby snatched it and left, pulling Olivia with him. "Damn drunk..." he growled under his breath, "Probably doesn't even care what kind of trouble he'll be in for giving me his whistle..."

Once outside, he pulled Olivia in front of him and placed his hands firmly on her shoulders again. "Olivia. Olivia, look at me," he said, shaking her back into reality. She stared into his eyes, trying to focus, but she was still too much in shock to get her consciousness back fully. "Let's hurry back to Mrs. Jenkins' home-"

"But she's dead! She's dead!"

"I know! Let's go there - we won't go inside- and I'll use this whistle to get help, alright?" Olivia just nodded, still scared. "Alright, now let's hurry!" Toby said. He then took off running down the street toward Mrs. Jenkins' home, Olivia running close behind him. As soon as Toby got to Mrs. Jenkins's front door, he started blowing Officer Murphy's whistle, hoping a nearby constable would appear. Olivia just stood by his side, looking into the dark and wishing with all of her heart that someone would show up. Slowly, the sound of running feet could be heard drawing nearer. "They're coming!" Olivia said breathlessly to no one in particular. Toby just kept blowing until finally three out-of-breath officers were standing before them. "What in the world is goin' on 'ere?!" one of the officer's demanded.

"There's an old woman who has passed away in here," Toby said calmly, gesturing to Mrs. Jenkins' front door. "We need help getting her to the morgue." One of the officers looked at Toby suspiciously. "Where did you get that whistle...?"

"I got it from Officer Murphy. He's passed out in a pub just down the way," Toby said pointing down the street.

"And is this your home, sir?" Another officer asked him.

"No, it's mine..." Olivia said quietly, still quite shaken. The officers talked amongst themselves. Finally, one took off jogging back to where he had originally come. "He's going to get the coroner," One of the other officers explained. "Now, boy," they continued talking to Olivia, "Tell me, was this woman your grandmother?"

"She was my guardian," Olivia said. "And I'm not a boy..." She said, lifting the hat off of her head and letting her long hair pour down like a blonde waterfall.

"Why are you dressed like that, young lady?!" The other officer asked, sounding a little outraged.

"She was taking care of her guardian," Toby explained, jumping to Olivia's rescue. "She has been sick for a good while now, and this young lady had no other option but to go out and work. I hired her and told her to wear clothes like this because she's no use to me in a dress."

"And just who are you then?" The officer asked, getting rude.

"My name's Toby," he continued. The officer paused and looked at him for a second. Then his eyes grew once he recognized the young man standing before him.

"Your that kid who reported all of those murders a few years ago, ain't ya?"

Toby just looked blankly at the officer. "Yes sir," he answered solemnly, "I am."

"Well, good to see you grew into a good strong man," the officer said trying to make conversation. However, neither Toby or Olivia were in the mood to talk. "Well, Miss," the other officer said, turning his attention to her, "the coroner should be getting here soon. We'll be sure to take care of your guardian. Will you be burying her?"

Olivia just looked at the officer, hardly aware that she had started crying again. Suddenly, she felt an arm around her shoulder. "We will be," Toby's voice said. He started talking to the officer, but their voices grew quieter and quieter. Slowly, out of the shadow, Olivia spied a horse and a carriage drawing closer. The carriage was as black as the shadows with a black plume of feathers on the top that waved as the horse trotted on the cobblestone street. Olivia felt her knees growing weak, and she began to fall, but Toby's arms grabbed her before she could. "That's a good lad," she could almost hear one of the two officers say, "You take care of her and we'll handle the rest." She then felt her head being pressed to Toby's chest in an embrace. She normally would have been blushing like crazy, or trying to pull away, but none of that seemed to matter now. She just let him hold her. "It's alright, Olivia... It's alright..." She heard him murmur. She then started to shift back into consciousness. She could hear his heart beating. Mrs. Jenkins' heart will never beat like this again... She thought randomly. Then, she broke down and began sobbing freely. Toby just stroked her hair and held her, as he watched the coroners carry a wooden coffin out of Mrs. Jenkins' home and into the back of the carriage.

One of the officers made his way over to Toby. "Sir, is this young lady related to this woman at all?"

"No officer, she's not..."

"Is she financially stable enough to handle living in this establishment?"

"I don't believe so, sir..." Toby said sadly as he continued to hold Olivia.

"Then unfortunately, I don't think she's going to be able to stay here any longer... This place is quite expensive, and I personally don't think it's right for a young lady such as her to be living here alone, not to mention working herself to death in order to maintain it..."

"She'll be staying with me," Toby said simply. "I have room in my home."

"And where is it you live, sir?"

"Over on Fleet Street," Toby answered. The officer just nodded. "Well, this home will be city property as of noon tomorrow, so if you need help bringing out her belongings, tell us now and we can help you escort her to your home."

"Olivia...?" Toby coaxed gently, "Olivia, is there anything you need from inside?"

She nodded. "I'll go get my things," she said distantly. She pulled away from Toby and made her way inside.

The house looked the same, but yet it wasn't. Everything that was once warm and inviting was now a cold, harsh reminder of what had just taken place. Olivia slowly walked into her little room and started to gather her belongings. She remembered that when she first came to Mrs. Jenkins's home her room had been a storage room for Mrs. Jenkins' old books and things. It had taken three days to make enough room for a bed to be made, let alone set it up in the room. In the mean time, Mrs. Jenkins had let Olivia sleep in her bed while she slept in her old rocking chair. For three days she had complained about how stiff she was, and how uncomfortable she had been, but never once did she get cross with Olivia- in fact, she always had a big smile on her face when Olivia would wake up refreshed from a good night's sleep. Then, once they had gotten enough room for a bed, they used an old table as the foundation, and Mrs. Jenkins had actually sown together all of the fabric she had in her home to make a patchwork mattress, which they stuffed with hay.

She bent under her bed and pulled out the book Mrs. Jenkins had given her, as well as her athame. She then took a couple of dresses out of her closet and wrapped her gifts with them. She looked around her room one last time, taking as much of it in as she could. I'll get one of the officers to help me with my bed... I don't think I could carry it on my own... She thought to herself almost blankly. Then she went back out into the kitchen area, where she saw Toby rummaging through the cabinets, pulling out jars and putting them in a large wooden crate. Olivia stopped and watched him, not sure what he was doing.

He looked over to where Olivia stood and jumped a little. "Olivia! You surprised me!"

"What are you doing...?" Olivia asked quietly.

"Mrs. Jenkins always had the best herbs," he explained. "I don't think she would have wanted them to be thrown out after she died, so I'll be taking them home where they can be used as they should. Besides," he said, producing a small box, "she wanted me to take her recipes after all... I don't want to dishonor her last wish." With that, he set the box safely into the crate with the herbs.

"Where did you find the crate?"

"The coroner actually keeps some in his carriage for occasions such as this," Toby said. "And I already told the officers you would be needing your mattress, so they'll be bringing it over tomorrow morning. Unless... Well..."

Olivia just looked at him, confused. "Well, unless you would prefer some actual furniture to sleep on. I have a few sofas in my room you could use," he said, looking a little embarrassed by his suggestion. "But I thought we could still bring your mattress, just in case you want something of your own."

Olivia just nodded, not sure what to say, or really of what he just said. Toby looked at her, and tried to smile. "Alright, let's go..."

Toby unlocked the pie shop and held the door open for Olivia, despite the heavy crate full of jars he held. She made her way past him and just stood out of his way. He hurried past her before the crate could slip out of his hands, and set it with a slight thud on the now clean counter. "Alright... Um... I'll show you to your room," he said awkwardly. He made his way back into the room he had carried her to earlier that day. He bent over a small oil-burning lamp and lit it. "Uh... well, you can have my bed tonight, and I'll sleep on the sofa- I don't mind," he said, still sounding a bit awkward. Olivia just nodded and kicked off her shoes and sat on his bed. She still held her wad of dresses wrapped around Mrs. Jenkins' book and athame. She could feel the hard cover of the book through the cloth, and could also feel the now warming metal of the blade. She set the objects down beside her feet, and just sat there, staring into space. Suddenly, she felt someone sitting beside her. "You know, I know what it's like to lose someone," Toby said next to her. She looked up at him, even though he didn't look back at her. He was fidgeting with his hands, running his thumb over the scars on his opposite hand. "Mrs. Lovette, the woman who owned this shop before me, she was the closest thing I had to a mother growing up," he explained. "She was taken from me, and it really did hurt when she died... So I know what you must be feeling. Mrs. Jenkins was the only other person who was kind to me when I was growing up... She's was like my grandmother... She was a great woman."

Olivia nodded, not wanting to start crying again. "I do know, however," Toby continued, "that Mrs. Jenkins never really feared death- she always said that it wasn't anything to be sad about, even. She once told me that even after we leave our bodies, we aren't ever really gone... That we stay with those we love in one way or another. Never really knew what she meant by that, but it helped me with my loss... Maybe it'll help you with yours." With that, he stood and made his way over to the oil lamp and turned it off. Olivia laid down on the bed, but didn't bother to cover herself. She heard Toby lay down on the sofa since she couldn't see him. Within a few minutes, she heard his steady breathing, suggesting he was asleep. Soon, she felt herself beginning to doze off. Just as she was closing her eyes, she heard footsteps above her head. She shot straight up in bed, listening. There was definitely someone in the loft- the footsteps were almost deafening in the quiet of the Pie Shop. "Toby!" Olivia hissed, trying to stay quiet so the intruder wouldn't hear her. "Toby! There's someone up there! Toby!" He slept on, oblivious to the noise above.

What should I do...? Olivia thought, hoping her guardian would have some advice. She waited for his answer, but it never came. Fine... She thought, If Toby won't wake up, and you won't answer me, I'll go see what's going on... She stood and slid her shoes on. She felt around on the floor for her bundle. She finally found it, and pulled the dresses off of the book and athame. Once she felt the cold metal blade, she lifted the knife and carried it with her. As she made her way out to the main area of the pie shop, the light from a neighboring street light shown through the windows, illuminating the room enough for her to see where she was going. She held the knife in her hand and drew a circle around herself with it three times. "Thrice around, the circle's bound," she whispered as she knelt and put the point of the athame to the ground, "evil sink into the ground." Suddenly, she felt as if she were completely protected by an invisible, impenetrable bubble. She took in a deep breath made her way out of the shop.