ANOTHER ONE-SHOT!! I know, you guys who are reading "I'm the Only One" are probably annoyed that I haven't updated, but I'm stumped at the moment. Don't worry, I haven't abandoned that story, I'm just trying to think about what to do next. Also, college work has been getting in the way. I had this idea in my head and some free time, so I wrote this one-shot. I hope you all enjoy it!
It has been twenty long years since I've walk among these streets. I stare at the sky that hovers ominously above London; it's just as grey just as I remember it being. I walk down the street silently, heading towards the local pub. I think I'll be needing a drink before I make my long due trip back to Fleet Street.
"Evenin', sir. Wot can I get yeh today?" The bar tender asks me as I take a seat.
"Gin," I answer without making eye contact. I see him smile as he pours me a tumbler of the burning alcohol. I take the tumbler and take a good gulp. I stare at me drink as I remember the woman who used to give this alcohol to me whenever I was upset. I close me eyes to the memory of her, feeling pent-up guilt radiate throughout me body.
"I haven't seen yer face around here before. You new in town?" The bar tender asks me curiously.
"I once lived here long ago," I mutter.
"Ah, so maybe yeh've heard the tale of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street?" I look up at him, staring straight into his eyes.
"It's been many years, sir," I say quietly. He nods, understanding.
"Well, it 'appened twenty years ago tonight, at that old, abandoned pie shop down in Fleet Street. Loud screams were heard from that building. When the pie shop wos searched, nothin' was found. The barber shop above, however, was a gruesome sight, me friend." I stare ahead as I allow my memories of that night to come flooding back to me.
"What was this barber's name?" I ask silently, wondering if I would be remembered.
"Sweeney Todd was his name. His shop was smothered with blood, but he was nowhere in sight. Neither was the lady who ran the pie shop below." I close me eyes when he mentions her.
"What was her name?" I reluctantly ask, acting curious.
"Mrs. Lovett wos her name. Nice woman, met her couple o' times. Th' authorities think that Todd had killed her, although her body was never found." I bitterly laugh in me mind. Of course there would be no body, seeing I threw her into a blazing oven.
"Every night," The bar tender whispers, getting closer to me, "Agonizing screams can be heard from that abandoned pie shop at ten o' nine. Many say that it's Mrs. Lovett who's screamin'." I take another gulp of Gin, trying to fight of the memory of me killing her.
"What happened to this 'Demon Barber'?"
"No one knows," The bar tender replies gravely. I finish me drink and leave the man his money. I get up to leave when he calls for me. I turn and face him.
"I never got yer name, sir," He says, chuckling. I give him a grave smile.
"The name's Benjamin Todd, sir. Good day," I say as I exit the pub. Over the years, I have changed into a man that seems to be a mix of Barker and Todd. I am like Barker because I'm very remorseful for the crimes I had committed twenty years ago. I'm like Todd because I am haunted by me past. So, I find it appropriate that my new name shall be a mix of me former lives.
I start to make me way towards Fleet Street. I feel me heart pounding when I make that turn onto the street that I had fled all of those years ago. I keep on thinking about her. Not Lucy, she's been long forgotten and has been peacefully put to rest by my blade. No, the woman that won't leave me mind is Mrs. Lovett. The second I threw her into that oven, I felt regret. Part of me wanted to pull her out and beat the cruel flames from her body. But, I did not save her. I let my pride and my bloody vengeance blind me that night. I was too blind to see her reasoning's for keeping the truth from me. She had been right about Lucy, but I wouldn't see it.
I take a breath when I see the looming pie shop in front of me. The words Mrs. Lovett's Meat Pies still reside near the top of the building, although the letters are very faded due to neglect and age. I cautiously enter the building, looking around the eerily silent shop. Everything looks just how I remember it looking. The only difference is that everything is covered by a thick coat of dust.
I remember that night when I ran through this shop after I had heard Mrs. Lovett scream. I was concerned about her, making me barrel down the stairs of the bake house. I have to bitterly laugh when I recall throwing her into an oven mere moments later. That was the thing about Sweeney Todd. He was too stubborn and harsh to see reason. He was also cruel. I will not deny it. I remember her admitting her love for me that dreadful night. I took advantage of that love by tricking her, making her believe that I understood and that I had forgiven her. I saw how her happiness morphed into realization right before I threw her in. The strange thing is, she could've grabbed onto me at that moment, but she didn't. She didn't resist at all. It's as if she allowed her own demise to happen. Shaking me head, I turn away from the kitchen area of the shop and head towards the parlor.
I enter Mrs. Lovett's parlor, glancing at the long-forgotten book that is on her coffee table. She always loved reading. I look at the pictures on the wall, all of them smothered in dust. I find it funny that, as Sweeney Todd and Benjamin Barker, I never noticed these pictures before. Most of the pictures were of Mrs. Lovett's family or Albert. It was then that one picture caught me eye. I approach the wall, carefully taking the small frame off of its place. I brush the dust off to get a better look at the picture. I freeze as I see intense eyes staring back at me. It's a picture of Mrs. Lovett, a picture that seemed to be taken shortly before my return as Sweeney Todd. I know this because she looks exactly like she did twenty years ago. Also, Albert is not in the picture with her. In all of the other pictures that have her in them, Albert is beside her and she looks happier in those photos. In this photo, she has no trace of a smile on her face. Her eyes are tired and bitter. I feel uncomfortable as I look into the eyes of Mrs. Lovett. It's as if she's staring at me.
I place the photo within me jacket, studying the old piano in the corner as I do so. I know where I have to go next, but I am reluctant. The reason is guilt and maybe a bit of fear. Will I hear Mrs. Lovett scream when I enter the bake house? Will that oven be blazing when I open the bake house door? I take a deep breath and head towards the entrance of the bake house, which is open. I slowing descend down the stairs, staring at the door below. The silence is becoming more deafening. With some effort, I push the door open. No light from the oven greets me, only darkness and silence.
It doesn't feel right to be in Mrs. Lovett's home to be greeted by nothing but silence. She was always a lively woman, even right before her death. I light me lantern and approach the bake oven. I can feel my heart pounding in me ears as I get closer. I am now standing right in front of the oven. It is exactly how I left it, only now the fire has long died. The only way to see what's inside is to open the damn thing. I place me lantern down and I attempt to unlock the door. I have a bit of trouble because of how old this thing is, but I manage to unlock it after a minute. Using all of me strength, I pull the door open. It makes a loud screeching sound as the entrance becomes wide. I look into the oven, holding me light in front of me so I can see what's inside. My stomach goes cold.
The racks that would hold the pies were resting on the oven's floor, the bottoms concealed by pure white ashes. I stare down at the ashes, shaking my head in disbelief. No one ever thought to check the oven when they were investigating me crimes here? I know the oven wasn't touched. I remember how the racks fell when Mrs. Lovett crashed into them. I carefully remove the racks, tossing them carelessly behind me as I stare at the heap of ashes in the oven. There's absolutely nothing left of her. They just left the oven to burn until there was nothing left to feed the flame. I stare sadly at the remains of Mrs. Lovett. No wonder she haunts this place. Her remains were never put to rest.
I turn towards me bag and open it up. I dig through it until I find a decently sized container that has a tight cover on it. In silence, I fill the container up with the ashes of Mrs. Lovett. When I get every single ash inside, I put the cover on tightly. I hold the container close as I close the oven door and lock it once again. Holding the container in one hand and the lantern in the other, I turn and leave the bake house, forever, this time.
In mere days, I find myself standing at the edge of a cliff that faces the roaring sea. It's oddly sunny out as I look up at the sky. At times, I wonder if London is always cloudy while the rest of the world is pleasant. I take the container of Mrs. Lovett's ashes out of me jacket. I open the lid and pour the ashes out, watching them gracefully fly towards the sea.
"Rest now, my friend," I say quietly. I realize now that she was my friend, not those cursed razors. My eyes follow the ashes as they drift further and further away from me. I smile slightly as her ashes disappear completely into the distance. She always loved the sea. I reach in me jacket and take out the picture of her. Funny, she doesn't look as miserable as she did back at the pie shop. I hold the picture close to me as if I'm hugging it.
"I forgive you for your foolishness, my love. I'm sorry for being equally foolish," I whisper. I take a couple steps backwards from the edge. I open me eyes and stare ahead. I break into a run and I leap off of the edge of the cliff. I feel light when I hit the brutally cold sea. I allow it to drag me down and suffocate me. Before I die, I take one more look at the picture of Mrs. Lovett in my hand. The last thing I see is her smiling at me.
Yeah, this story kinda popped into my head, so I'm sorry if it sucked. You know, I have a feeling that I'll be updating my other story, soon. I think writing this has inspired me a little! Anyway, I hope you all liked this story! Leave a review either way.