The Artful Dodger

1.01 Charlie's Surgery

The moment the carriage stopped, I hopped out. I could not stand another second in there with that man. He is far better then Smales, but he is still an ass. The gravel road made noise as Jack hopped out behind me. He gripped my arm, turning me back to him. "I can't perform an operation here. I need surgical equipment." he stated mater of facty-ly. Well no shit Sherlock. "Yeah, I've got it." I told him as I pilled my arm from his.

His hand held my arm until I was too far away to be held. "Why?" he asked baffled. "Just wait. I'll get supplies." I called over my shoulder as I ran, my dress scrunched up into my fists.

I ran all through the house and went strait up to my room. As I made my way down the last of the hall before my room I started to take off my jacket. I moved to the far side of my room and threw it over a chair. I grabbed the bottle with a connecting mask. Moving back to the center table, I grabbed the box of surgical tools.

I rushed over to the cabinet where I keep all of my chemicals and drugs. I opened it and bent down, looking for the ether that I put away this morning.

My chest began to painfully tighten. I groaned as I placed my hand over my heart. "Now is not a good time" I groaned. My face scrunched up as the pain grew. I took a deep breathe, willing it away. Not that it work much, I quickly broke myself from my episode. I reached forward and grabbed my bottle of ether.

I quickly closed the cabinet and rushed out. God, my chest hurts. Lasting pain has never come with an episode. I sighed as I made it outside the house. My breathing was still rapid from the running. "Come on. We'll take him to the basement" I said. Jack instantly turned to the carriage and opened the door.

I turned and headed back in, this time through the front door, leaving the men behind to get the child. I didn't go far, just a few feet inside. Once they were on their way in, I lead them through the house and towards the stairs that lead to the basement. I stopped once for them to catch up, I suppose that Charlie is heavier then I expected him to be.

Charlie screamed out as we made it to the bottom of the first floor stairs. "Ok. No. There's no time. We're gonna have to do it here. Set him down." Jack said. My eyes widened as I stopped. "Umm... that's not ideal..." I tried but the doc didn't seem to care. Well this is going to be horrid. Father is going to bring his party down any second now. "Fagin, clear that table." Jack ordered the man. He waisted no time in throwing everything off with one swipe of his arm. He and Jack moved the table to the center of the space. I rushed out of the room to grab Jacks bag full of basic equipment. When I got back to the room they already had Charlie on the table.

"It's all right, Charlie. Okay, all right. It's all right." Jack said to the boy in a calming manner. My head snapped up as I heard my father. Oh god, they are coming down now. Great. I looked to Jack who looked to me from where he was following the voice of my father from. "You can save the leg with ether. You know you can. You told me the steps to the procedure yourself in the street" I said.

I bit my lip lightly as I glanced back up. They're getting closer. I looked back at Jack who is still watching me. "We have no choice. You do this as a show in the theatre, right?" I asked and he nodded lightly at me. "Welcome to your temporary theatre" I mumbled. I grabbed my dress before turning to rush up to the first platform.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" I called making their voices stop. They were all at the top of the stairs about to descend. I held my arms out wide. "The entertainment. For our main event, I have a very special treat for you." I told them. I slowly began to walk back down the stairs. "Dr. Dawkins will perform an operation, never been done before. Where an inferior cowardly surgeon might just simply remove the leg-" I began, finally making it to the bottom floor. I could feel Jack's eyes on me. I used his words and he knows it.