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Post by oiseauroux on Feb 29, 2008 23:09:25 GMT -5
The sound of breaking glass was still ringing in her ears. It had been a one person job, simple too, and yet she had managed to make a mess of it. Break the window, steal a few watches, pawn them off later. It would have given her enough money to be able to get food for a month.
Oiseau had not counted on the watchmaker being in the backroom. There had not been a light on and she had foolishly assumed he had gone up to his little flat above the store. And surely if the old man woke up she would be able to overpower him? But she had panicked, she had only been able to grab one watch and flee. He had grabbed her ankle, she had tripped into the broken glass. She adjusted her cap on her head, making sure no trace of her long blond hair peeked out from under it.
Carefully she studied her hands, they were covered in scratches and long gashes, palms leaking warm red blood. She had managed to catch most of her fall with her hands but the long gash down the left side of her face showed where she had failed that attempt. It was raining now, she ran silently down the streets. Spotting the Opera House stables she rushed inside. It smelled of damp straw and horse manure. Picking the lock on the door inside the Opera she slipped inside. The only trace that she had been there was a crimson palm print on the door.
It was unfamiliar and had an odd smell she couldn't identify. Something powdery? Trekking through the hallways and backstage she noticed the powdery smell came from a box of white stuff. Passing through a more stone like hallway she came to an archway, 'Chapel' the sign above the door read, from the little letters and reading that she knew, Oiseau could read it. Heading down the staircase it opened up into a small stone room with a stained glass window.
Feeling dizzy, she wandered to it, gazing at the picture of glass. Sitting down in the little stone alcove her eyes drooped with a mixture of dizzyness and sleep. The soud of glass breaking resounding in her ears. So much had gone wrong, Oiseau looked at the one pocket watch she had managed to grab. It was very pretty, and it would cost a fair amount. Food for a few weeks and a room over her head for a few nights. Struggling to keep her eyes open the stained glass window blurred before her eyes and she fell unconcious.
Oiseau awoke to the sound of shuffling footsteps. Light streamed in the window in multicolored rays. It was morning. Panicky, she lept to her feet, but a wave of nausea forced her to her knee's. A tentive finger touched the long wound, it was crusty and rough now with dried blood.
Silently she crept quickly to the archway and hid right around the corner. With any luck, they would pass right by her and she would be able to run. Ignoring the throbbing rythm in her temple she waited with baited breath.
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Post by inactive on Mar 1, 2008 0:08:49 GMT -5
Meg wondered through the Opera Populaire, as she usually did in the mornings. She wasn't looking for anyone in particular, but as she walked by the chapel she felt a calming peace. She peeked through to door to see if anyone was inside. She didn't want to distract anyone who needed alone time. Seeing no one there, she gracefully walked into the chapel, hardly making any noise as she did so.
She sat in the middle of the small room and tried to remember some of her dreams. Something was distracting, however. There was something in here! She looked all around the room, but still didn't see anyone. As she stood up, Meg could hear the faint breathing of somthing coming from around the archway. Meg walked over slowly, thinking it was an animal of some sort. "Shh..." she tried to soothe it. "It's okay, I won't hurt you!"
Meg nearly shrieked when she realized it wasn't an animal at all, but a little girl. She looked about nine or ten years old... and she was holding a rather nice pocket-watch. Meg's face felt very hot and she was certain it was turning red. "Oh! I'm sorry! I thought you were... a.... dog... or a..." she stammered, feeling very foolish. She soon collected herself and asked, "What are you doing here? Where are your parents?" A girl this little shouldn't be wondering out by herself.
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Post by oiseauroux on Mar 1, 2008 0:24:33 GMT -5
Oiseau tried to run, but it seemed as if her legs were glued to the floor. The side of her face throbbed as she stared in silent horror at that angelic face. Never before had she failed to run. It had always been an instinct, animalistic. Either run or you would be caught.
Coming to her senses she hastily stowed the watch into her pocket and took a silent step towards the archway. Oiseau hated herself at this moment, for not running earlier and for not running now. What was it that kept her here? She took a backwards step onto the staircase.
"Oh! I'm sorry! I thought you were... a.... dog... or a..." The other girl stammered, then seemed to collect her thoughts and asked, "What are you doing here? Where are your parents?"
"Parents?" Oiseau echoed blankly, quickly she gathered her thoughts, "I came down here to uhm, pray." In the back of her mind a little voice laughed at the idea. Religion? There was no god. Another bout of nausea crept over and she sat down on the step, her face buried in her arms. Oh how she wished the ground would swallow her up. Her cheek stung as it rested in her arms. She resisted the urge to pick at her hands and let them alone. She had not taken a proper look at them yet, but she could feel the rough scabs itching annoyingly.
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Post by inactive on Mar 1, 2008 16:29:30 GMT -5
Meg tapped her foot on the hard floor and crossed her arms. The little girl was suspisious and Meg didn't believe a word she said. "Yes. Parents. Where are they? I'm sure they are worried about you." Meg noticed her scabs on her arms and wondered if the girl was trying to run away. It wouldn't be surprising to hear. The girl looked like a trouble maker to Meg.
"What is your name?" Meg asked, not to be friendly, but to get more information about her. Meg guessed the girl would probably lie, but she asked anyway. She was certain that watch didn't belong to her. She hardly looked like someone who would own such nice items.
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Post by oiseauroux on Mar 1, 2008 17:33:34 GMT -5
To Oiseau it seemed like the tapping of the woman's shoe was louder than her words. Name? She racked her brain, trying to come up with something. Oiseau racked her brain for a boy's name, there were names of other boys on the street she knew. But that would be too risky. If they were in trouble for something and she said went by their name, she would be punished for their deeds.
"My name is Bastian." The name of one of the little'uns. He had been used on a job, breaking in by climbing down the chimney. He got stuck and no one was able to get him out. He had died. Oiseau lifted her face out of her arms, revealing the long wound down her face. It was time to play the innocent child card, this for a fact had gotten her out of many tight spots before.
"Please.." Oiseau said, acting convincingly she managed to squeeze a few tears out. "He'll kill me. He'll kill me if he knows I've gotten away. There was a job, and I had to go through the window, and I wouldn't do it. So he pushed me through it. Please, please don't turn me in. I'll be hanged."
Oiseau buried her face in her arms again and smiled to herself as she choked out a few sobs. She was a convincing actrees. Once before she had fooled a police officer. Surely this would fool this woman as well?
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Post by inactive on Mar 1, 2008 17:53:20 GMT -5
Meg loosened up when the little girl started crying. She bent down to her level so she could look her in the eyes. Meg wasn't quite sure whether she could beleive this girl yet, but when she saw real tears well up in her eyes she knew she couldn't be pretending. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone" Meg took the same tone of voice she used when she thought she was an animal in the chapel.
"Bastian," Meg used her name tenatively, she didn't look like a 'Bastian' to her, "Would you mind telling me where that nice watch came from? And please, tell me the truth. I won't get you in trouble."
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Post by oiseauroux on Mar 1, 2008 18:05:53 GMT -5
"I had to steal it." Oiseau said, her voice slightly muffled from her arms. Her hidden mouth twisted into a small smile. Soon she would be out of here, but after this she would have to be careful to keep away from the opera house.
"He told me that I had to take as many as I could, then give them to him so he could palm them. But the watchmaker, he was in the backroom. I thought he was gone." She paused, attempting to establish the rest of the story, and decided to use some truth as well. "I tried to climb out the window but he grabbed my ankle. I fell..." Oiseau paused for effect, "I fell into the glass.
Lifting her head from her arms she held up her blood crusted hands, crisscrossed with scratches and gashes. "I got scared. So I just ran. But I have to go back, I have to give him the watch. As long as I come back with barter..." she trailed off.
All of this was a lie of course. She had no owner. Oiseau lived on her own on the streets, sleeping in doorways, alleys. Stealing bread and apples from the open market. Hopefully this long story would get her out of there. Let her escape. Or at least, get a better hiding place. Last night, she had not been thinking clearly, of course there would be people coming down to the chapel. Weren't most of the people here orphans, or sent away or such? Squeezing out a few more tears Oiseau gazed somberly up at the woman.
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Post by inactive on Mar 1, 2008 18:58:06 GMT -5
Meg could tell there was some truth in her story. Atleast she didn't try to convince her that the watch was hers. Meg examined her hands. Her cuts looked painful. She admired how brave the little girl was acting, when Meg was her age she would only be complaining of the pain. Obviously, this girl was tough. She has probably seen more hardship at her young age than Meg has seen in her entire life.
Meg moved in closer to the girl and patted her back to try to stop her crying. "You have been through so much, haven't you? Why don't you give the watch to me to return. I'll back sure it gets back safely, so you don't have anything to worry about." Meg wasn't completely sure if the girl would return the watch or not. She held out her hand to take the watch from 'Bastian'.
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Post by oiseauroux on Mar 1, 2008 19:27:17 GMT -5
Oiseau was beginning to see the serious flaws in her plan. It was better to go along with whatever this woman said, then when she let her guard down Oiseau would be able to get away.
Reluctantly she handed the watch over. She needed something to get her out of there! But what? By the way this woman was treating her, Oiseau was afraid she had seen through her disguise. Though it wasn't very good to begin with, her face was much too girly to pass off as a boy anyway. Though the large gash across her face partially hid that fact.
She glanced at the watch that now resided in the woman's hands. Now she had nothing to pawn for money. She would have to go back to stealing from the open market.
Stopping her crying, Oiseau tried to look scared. "You can't tell though. You said you wouldn't. I have to leave, I have to get out of here. And you said you wouldn't tell!"
But.. she had always been out on the street. She had never had anywhere permenant to stay. So, what if she gave this place, the Opera House a try? Though she didn't know how to sing or dance. She could help. Maybe, but all those years by herself had made her suspicious of everyone, untrusting.
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Post by inactive on Mar 1, 2008 21:33:32 GMT -5
Meg held the watch in one hand and ran her fingers around the numbers with the other. It looked like it was solid gold! This was a very expensive watch, indeed. "Wait a second!" Meg protested. She wasn't about to let her go this easily. "What about all of your cuts? I should get you a bandage before you go."
Meg hoped someone would walk through here soon. If she left to find a bandage she would never find the girl again. "I told you I wouldn't tell anyone, and I plan to keep my promise. On one condition." She added. Meg looked up to the girl to make sure she was still listening.
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Post by oiseauroux on Mar 1, 2008 22:22:51 GMT -5
On one condition? Suddenly Oiseau was terrified, and she looked it too. What sort of condition? This lady was too kind to blackmail her, to be sure.
"On a condition?" Oiseau asked tremously, "What sort of condition?"
Silently, for the second time that morning, she cursed herself and her infernal talking. Asking questions that needn't be asked. She let her own curiousity get in the way of escaping.
But there was a part of her that wanted to stay. Stay here? It was dry, warm, and pleasent. Well, at least most of the theatre that she had seen, which was some of the backstage and the chapel. Surely she ought to give it a try? Just this once? What it was like to live normally? No reason for suspicions or lies. She could be herself for once. But after all this time of having to pickpockets and all sorts of horrible things, would she even remember what the real her was? What she acted like without all of these pretenses?
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Post by inactive on Mar 1, 2008 22:39:26 GMT -5
Meg stood up and looked around the small chapel for a bandage or anything that could work as one. Thankfully, there was a small leather bag of supplies convienently sitting behind the altar. Meg took a few steps backward to reach down and take the bag, keeping her eyes on the girl the whole time.
Meg came back and sat down, making herself comfortable. She could be talking for a while. Meg really had no intention of telling on her. That would be on her concience forever, especially if she got into trouble. She realized that the girl probably didn't want to live this way. Who would? "I want to know the entire truth. Tell me again, what is your name?"
Meg took the child's hand, which was too dainty and small to belong to a boy, and started to bandage her wounds. The child's face had been hurt the most. Without asking, Meg removed the girl's hat to get to her gash on the side of her face. Blonde curls came cascading down as Meg smiled.
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Post by oiseauroux on Mar 1, 2008 22:56:39 GMT -5
What was her name? "Oiseau." She said despisingly. Hating each and every syllable of her name. There were all sorts of teasings that stemmed from this name. It was just her luck to be named bird. A name that was niether feminine or masculine. A word for a name.
"If you're thinking of the orphanages. They aren't like a place that takes care of you. They sell you away to people, they send you to the mill or the workhouse. I was in an orphanage, but I was bought, and raised like this."
Raised as a thief, a liar, a pickpocket. Oiseau watched with interest as Meg began to bandage her hands. Nobody had ever done something like this for her before. But suddenly before she could stop the hand it had taken off her cap. Long curly blond hair fell to her mid back and she gave a small gasp of surprise. Oiseau had let her gaurd down. And now it was revealed, but the woman smiled.
"You knew all along!" Oiseau said accusingly.
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Post by inactive on Mar 1, 2008 23:19:55 GMT -5
Meg's smile grew larger. "Of course I did. You are an excellent actress, but you didn't look the part. You are much to feminine to have a name like 'Bastian'." Meg felt horrible that she had to live like that. She had no idea the orphanages were that way at all. Yes, Meg beleived her story about the orphanage. She seemed to be truthful now.
Meg's heart hurt for her. She wished she knew someone who could take care of her. When Christine's father passed away, she had a safe home here. She never had to endure what this little girl has. Then it hit her. She knew her mother would never allow it. She knew she would only tell her she was acting on a whim, but Meg felt a glimmer of hope for Oiseau. Although she is young, the girl was a fantastic actress. "You wouldn't happen to know how to sing, would you? Or maybe dance?" She asked, trying to make it sound like she was just making light conversation.
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Post by oiseauroux on Mar 1, 2008 23:33:29 GMT -5
"I don't know how to dance, or sing. I can climb up things without a ladder, and I can move without making any noise at all." Oiseau said grumpily, still mad that her disguise hadn't worked for even a few minutes. She had known at first glance that Oiseau was a girl, who know's how many countless others knew as well. But under the layers of ash, and grim sometimes it was hard to tell.
"I can pretend though. You know, acting like someone else. I can do that alright." Oiseau decided she didn't care anymore. It was all or nothing now. Maybe she did have a chance at an actual place to live. And having food everyday! And a bed! She didn't remember the last time she had slept in a bed. She shared one with other girls at the orphanage. But other than that, it had been the ground, or a doorstoop.
Remembering what Meg had said about dancing she paused for a moment. Everyday was like a dance for her. Running, graceful and precise movements, practicing silence. Oiseau had once climbed down a chimney, and unlocked the front door for the others. All of this she had done silently, not getting caught. But when there was no way in but to smash a window, she had to be in and out of there. She couldn't take her time like on a regular job.
"I don't know your name." Oiseau said suddenly.
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