ST; Demons of Fleet Street; 5

ST; Demons of Fleet Street; 5

Rosalie was on her hands and knees, scrubbing vigorously. Once in a while she’d turn the other way, coughing. They were trying to clean up the grinder a bit before it came back to its old uses.

“This thing reeks awful…” She muttered to herself.

“Well what do you expect? Phew…” Ms. Lovett stopped scrubbing for a moment.

“Mr. Todd, how come you think that rat was able to bite you? An’ it hurt all of us?” Rosalie asked, taking a break also. Sweeney was leaning against the wall, turning his closed razor over and over again in his hand, with a clean shirt on.

“It happened the first time too. When I hit you…”

“Oh, yeah. But do you think the rats are ghosts too? Or maybe they were originally on the property when you died…”

“That could be, but don’t you think the judge and them would be here too?”

“Maybe they’re the rats that ate their corpses…” Rosalie stood up. “I’m going in to town to but some oil. And maybe some meat too, so we don’t look suspicious.”

“Good idea. I need a break anyway.” Ms. Lovett set down the rag and stood back to look at her work while stretching. “Alright Mr. T, let’s go.” Mr. Todd stuck his razor in his pocket, before glancing around the room.

………

Rosalie was wiping the counter down, flicking bugs off as she came across them. Once in a while, her eyes would wander over to the two whispering figures, out to the street, and then back to the counter where another bug would be sitting in the previous one’s place. After the sixteenth one, she sighed, and rested her elbow against the counter, placing her chin in her hand. She smiled at the feeling of the cold silver ring against her cheek.

The door opened to the shop, the bell jingling. She looked up at the man, with chestnut hair and bright green eyes. She gasped.

“Why, hello mista’, this must be me lucky day!” Rosalie rushed to the man and ushered him down into a seat. “Pay no mind to them whispa’s, how’d like yous a meat pie?” Rosalie glared at the two whispering ghosts, eyes sharply telling them to kindly clog their mouths. She bustled back over to the counter where she picked up a wad of dough. “Peoples say I’m crazy, but none of thems are very creative wiff their stories.” She began flattening out the dough with her hands, then switching to her rolling pin. She picked up a meat pie, and it was hard. She frowned. “My, these are stale… How ’bout an ale, then?” She suddenly brightened up. She picked up a dusty tin cup and poured some liquid out of a bottle into it. She set it onto the table where the man was sitting, and continued on past. He seemed bewildered. Rosalie picked up another tin tray and swung open the oven door.

“I’ll stick these in the oven, you’ll love em’. They’re me own special recipe.”She shut the door hard, then made sure that it was as hot as it could get without burning.

“Actually-…” The man began.

“Ugh, stupid rat! Get off me counter!” She shouted. She whacked the rat off with her rolling pin. She then pulled out another cloth and began to re-wipe the counters, squashing bugs as she came across them. There was a long silence. She was a bit impatient. “I think me pies are done…”

“Ma’am, I came here to-“

“Oh, look at that, another rat.” She attempted to stomp it while pulling out the tray of pies. “Pies are done!”Rosalie set the tray on the counter, smiling (a strained one) as she burnt her fingers while setting it on a plate.

“There you go.” She set the pie in front of the man. “Let me know what you think.” The man looked at it uneasily before looking back at Rosalie.

“Actually… I’m not all too fond of meat.” Rosalie was blank for a moment.

“…What? Then what’d yous come here for?” Rosalie put her hands on her hips, smile fading slightly.

“I came here about the room upstairs… The barber’s place...” He pointed up with his finger. “I’m willing to pay half my earnings for rent.” Rosalie raised an eyebrow. She looked him up and down.

“Alright, then. We’ll see how you do. Just give me a day or two to clean it out for yas...” The man stood up.

“Thank you…” He pulled out a pocket watch and hurriedly put it back, a worried look on his face. “I must leave. I’ll come back tomorrow then...?” Rosalie nodded and then he was out the door.

“That’s funny… I forgot to ask his name.” Rosalie laughed a little, leaning against the table. She winced, and so did the two others. “He seemed familiar though… Or at least his watch was.” She took her slightly burned hand off of the table, and brushed it through her messy hair.