Twisted Every Way(Phantom Of The Opera Fic)

Chapter 111: Forwards

"Winnie what are you doing?!" Jesse hissed as the girl made her way to the Ferris wheel and tugged on a rope. 

"You paid for my ticket, your pockets are empty. I wanna ride." 

Jesse rolled his eyes, "Then go sweet talk the operator." 

"I will not!" Winnie snipped angrily, "Now come on, help me with this rope." 

He went over to her, watching with some amusement as she jumped frantically trying to reach the long rope that rested high on a hook. 

"Say please," He teased. 

Winnie gave him a frown and he quickly complied, reaching with ease, obtaining the tangled rope and giving it to her. 

"Let's see if I remeber how to do this," Winnie mumbled to herself. 

"Winnie!" Jesse exclaimed as she began knotting and tying the rope in an intricate design, "Winnie where'd you learn how to do that?" 

"A book," Winnie shrugged finishing off her lasso, "My Father kept it on our mantle." 

"Weird knot," Jesse noted. 

Weird father," Winnie thought to herself. 

After a few moments, she managed to swing the rope up from behind the Ferris wheel, attaching it to a piece of pipe that stood out from the small bench. 

She gave it a tug and squeaked with excitement. 

"Well!" She laughed handing the rope to Jesse, "Go on!" 

Jesse frowned in confusion, "What?" 

"Climb you imbecile!" She teased pushing him forward. 

Jesse looked at her nervously and then up to the wheel. "Listen, Winnie. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. There's something you should know about-"

"Hurry up!" She giggled, "Before it starts." 

Jesse shook his head in defeat and took a hold of the rope. He was an incredibly well built young man and pulled himself up the ten feet with ease. Winnie, though slower, put her newfound climbing skills to the test and followed suit. 

"Jesse," She asked softly once they were secure in their seat and the rope had been tossed back to the ground. "Jesse, why were you hiding from that guard?" 

Jesse blushed red and Winnie felt afraid for a moment that he might cry. 

"I made mistakes Winnie," Jesse sighed, "Ones I'm not proud of." 

"We all mistakes," Winnie smiled kindly. 

Jesse looked at her with adoration, thankful that such innocence and kindness could still exist in the world. 

"People got hurt, Winnie." He said heavily as the Ferris wheel lifted them up higher into the sky, the dark of night set in and the wonderful show of lights glistening below them. 

"Jesse?" She said with great concern. "What happened?" 

"I was smoking in one of the Destlers mills," Jesse mumbled, turning away from her as to not watch the happiness drain from her face. 

Winnie stared at him strangely and with the silence driving him forwards he continued. 

"It caught fire. Henry lost his wife, I lost my pride, and my Mother lost both her sons as she knew em. My Father dishonored and denied work from every shop in town." 

Winnie felt her throat run dry, she had heard the whispers from Eli, how angry he was that one night. 

How he came home sank into the couch and collapsed in tears. In a tormented state of grief she had never seen her strong older brother in before.