Honeycombs and Bittersweets

Chapter Seven ~ Something About Us - Part Two

But as all young children do they do the exact opposite or the words are spoken too late, they look at what they shouldn’t as curiosity flows within their veins. He looked. The boy’s face slowly morphed into terror and fright as his eyes widened as he stared at the wet substance covering his hands, as his eyes drifted towards the man’s raptured side as blood appeared slowly drifting along the small streams of fallen rain spreading along the pavement. And it that one moment he couldn’t help but fill the dissolute street with a terrifying scream.

He could see the large threatening tears in the young boys and before he could console him they dropped streaming down his small angelic face as he sobbed, but something had changed when he stared at the young boy as still wore his smile. Long dark brown strands of hair came sliding down from his soaked cap reaching down to his waist until he realised what he had saved, the boy was not a boy but to why she was disguised as one which made him confused. ‘Why would someone make a cute angelic looking little girl wear such clothing? To have a daughter such as her they should be parading her down the streets and showing her off’, he thought.  

With her hair out of the cap now drenched he saw her in a new different light, as she screamed behind her shoulder begging for help repeatedly with no avail as no-one would come. He grasped his injured side as the pain began to soar more unbearably as he reached with his other hand towards the concerned, frightened little girl’s hand trying to calm her as he grasped it gently as she squeezed his hand as if to reassure him instead. As he said between the pain as he squeezed her hand reassuringly gently “don’t worry, I’ll be alright” he lied.

She nodded and unbeknown to them an elderly gentleman pushed his way through the unhelpful crowd; he had heard many a mention of an accident describing a young lad and gentleman being hit by a heartless raging carriage leaving them for dead. The rumours became more descriptive however describing the young lad perfectly to his own, and that is when panic overwhelmed him awakening every fibre of his being. He had followed the source of the rumours rushing down the street with his cane in tow; he had come to the street where the crime had been committed. But what the rumours lacked was information on the welfare of the victims; he just hoped she wasn’t among them.

He found the crowd to be ignorant imbeciles not on helping the server situation, not one calling for help for a doctor or officer. They all just stood there at the corner far away from the scene as possible all but gossiping to one another on what they had witnessed or heard. He pushed through them all ignoring their swears and cusses, he did not care as the only thing on his mind was hoping that she was not one of them, hoping that she was not involved.

He went down the empty street baron of life and movement his cane tapping the ground harder and harshly as he quickened his pace. And that when he saw them, he froze for a moment taking in the scene as he saw many trails of moving blood running down the pavement and down the road. He saw an elegant gentleman lying on the ground hidden from view by the small fragile figure sitting on her knees in front of him.

He recognized the long strands of dark brown hair and her clothing and without another moment to hesitate he raced towards her calling her name to make sure. She turned round and saw her Grandfather racing towards her as fast as his skinny long legs would carry him, as she said Grandfather.

He was now behind her huffing and puffing as he tried to catch his breath as she said pleadingly as tears once again fell from her big, round, golden eyes. “Grandfather he needs help. Please help his hurt.”

He looked down at her pleading tear filled eyes as he then looked down at the gentleman who lay poorly before her as he traced the hand that held hers. His old eyes widened in shock as he said disbelievingly “Frederick Bittersweet?”