The Innocent Turpin (A Sweeney Todd Fanfic)

Emptiness

After breakfast the next day, I wanted to see Mr. Barker at his shop. I knocked on the shop door.

"Mr. Barker?"

No answer. I knocked again, still no answer. I slowly opened the door.

"Hello, anybody here?"

The place was empty, nothing but a single chair and a mirror. I ran out of the shop as a officer caught me.

"Miss. Turpin, what were you doing in that building?"

"I'm looking for Mr. Barker, have you seen him?"

"He's gone."

"Gone?"

"Yes miss, he was arrested and convicted to Australia. I don't know what he did but your father hates him for it, whatever it is."

"How can this be!? Benjamin Barker, in my opinion, is the sweetest most gentle man in all of London!"

"Go talk to your father, he'll explain things."

I did just that, I ran back home, father was in the living area.

"Daddy, what has Mr. Barker done that was so bloody wrong that you had to send him to Australia?"

"That's none of your concern Savannah."

"I should be concerned, he's my best friend!"

"Then let that be a lesson to you, make friends your own age."

I was ten years old but that doesn't mean I don't know what is right and wrong. What my father did was horrid!

"Mr. Barker's a sweet man, how could you?"

"Who told you about this?"

"A policeman. He said Mr. Barker did a bad thing, so bad you hate him. What did he do Daddy?"

"You're too young to understand Savannah. Now go wash up for study time."

I walked away. Too young to understand what? I believe Mr. Barker did nothing wrong.