„Bloody hell I hope this is important,otherwise I´ll kill that goddammit person who dares to knock just in this very moment.",Sweeney grumbles to himself as he walked up the stairs just up to the pie shop to open the door.
Looking up he saw a young lady,around 17 maybe 18 standing there with a smile on her face,"I hope I´m not disturbing you but I wanted to ask an important question"
Dryly he said," isn't here.",he was about to close the door right away but that young lady was looking way too sad.
„Why do you care about that girls´ feelings?As if you ever cared about any feelings since you're Sweeney Todd!Just close the door and mind your own business!"
Shaking off these thoughts Sweeney stepped aside a little so the young lady can step a simple gesture with his hands he lead her inside,"Since she left this morning I guess its my shop,so whatever you wanted her to ask that's so important,you can ask me."
„You fool!If you let her in she might find out everything!"
The young lady started to speak,obviously a little shy,"I'm Elizabeth Norton. I met on the marketplace a week ago or so...my father owns a little stall bought meal me she needs a assistant for her pie shop,since there's this huge amount of work to do. I told her I could help her out."
Sweeney looked her up and down thinking,"A pretty little things she is, long chocolate-brown hair,blue piercing ice just like the sea,a slim figure but curves on the right places and shes young."
He took a step forward to face her,"And whats the question?"
„Oh!...uh...I wanted to ask if she still needs help..but I guess she doesn't...I mean she isn't even here anymore...So I guess I can go now",she admitted with a blush on her cheeks.
Just as she was about to exit the shop,he grabbed her hand,pulling her back and closing the a second of silence he began,"That she isn't here doesn't mean you cant pie shop is mine now,so if you're a good baker you can have you have to take care of everything yourself,because I cant and wont help you"
Elizabeth was surprised,"I..uh..I thank you!I promise I wont disappoint you..but whats your name anyway Mr.?"
Now realizing her hand he looked her deep in the eyes,"Sweeney Todd."
„The infamous barber? I heard so much about you! They say you're an proper artist with the knife..",for a moment Elizabeth went quiet,"..but there's rarely someone reporting about you're shop..some people spread rumors about people going in but never coming out of you're shop..",then a big smile appeared on her face,"But I guess these things are only rumors from people which are kind of people always spread rumors so easily without even knowing a single fact"
Sweeney,chuckling to himself replied,"Yeah the infamous not lets waste precious time on that. I´ll show you around the shop so you´ll know sooner we´re finished the sooner you can work."
Closely and quietly she followed him as he showed her the private rooms,then the kitchen and at last the basement with the furnace.
As she wanted to inspect the furnace closely he pulled her back saying,"There's enough time for these things later on,my I have to tell you some rules upstairs."
As soon as they got back to the kitchen he told her,"The rules are simple: Work hard to earn your money,because I wont borrow you only allowed to bake meat pies,and the meat you´ll find in the don't you worry,there's always enough meat."
With saying the last sentence he began to have a wicked smile that scared she wouldn't have needed that job she would have went straight away.
The rest of the day she spent with baking pies,serving them to guests and cleaning. Sweeney was upstairs in his shop and she wondered if he´s hungry.
Preparing a pie for him she placed it on a plate,closed the door for the day and went upstairs to his shop.
She knocked,"Mr. Todd its me,Elizabeth. Can I come in?"
A few seconds later she heard steps coming towards the door and Sweeney appeared opening the door,"What is it?"
„I thought you would like to eat something..you worked the whole day...and I wanted to say thanks because you let me work in the shop...I really need that job.",she blushingly showed him the plate and looked away.
„So so,a shy one? Hmm..that could be some fun.",he thought to himself while taking the plate,"You can come in. I was about to close for today,so I guess its the right time to get to know each other some better,since you´ll be here day for day"
Elizabeth stepped in and looked around. It was a small room with a huge window in the opposite wall,showing the dark streets of London. She lived here her whole Life now,but London was never a sunny place. It was always dark,yet a little scary. Time after time she learned to live with that,hoping some day she´ll live far far away from here,with her husband and her kids. But just as life works she was stuck here with no better life nor a husband. She doesn't even had a fiance. Normally all girls in her age had one,and soon her dad got impatient. He was always a pushing sort of men. But as long as he earned money and fed her she was okay with it.
The barber chair in the middle of the room caught her attention. She went towards it and touched it. Then she took the razor from the seat and looked at it.
„Beautiful thing,isn't it?",she heard from behind her,"Quiet some time now its my friend"
Confused about his statement she decided to better not ask further about it,since she hated getting into trouble or stepping in private stuff. She just put it down again and turned around to face him.
All he did was smiling and taking a bite from the pie,"Take a seat,my dear"
She did as he said not daring to say a word unless he starts.
He finished his pie and meant,"You´re talented Elizabeth. Now tell me,why do you need this job. I mean you're pretty,don't you have a fiance?"
She shock her head no,"No I don't have one. And the simple reason that I need this job is my father. He´s always pushing me into things I don't wanna do. I thought that when I work for money my own I can move out and he´ll leave me alone."
Sweeney came closer,"Do you have problems with your dad Elizabeth?"
Tears welled up in her eyes,"He isn't the nicest one. Always coming home drunk,beating mother or screaming because of nothing. And now he tries to make me marry some guy I don't even love."
"And here's the brink Sweeney! Enough talking! You already know too much from her side! Soon enough you´ll tell her everything and then you're dead!"
Sweeney disobeyed the voice in his head and handed Elizabeth a handkerchief,"Don't worry,lass. Things will get better."
Wiping away her tears she stood up and hugged him,"Thanks again Mr. Todd!",and with that she was about to exit his shop but he called after her,"Sweeney!You can call me Sweeney"
Smiling she exited the shop and went downstairs again.
"You can call me Sweeney?! What kind of shit is this?! You cant be serious about that silly nit!"
"Oh shut up!I don't know why,but there's something about her that is special. Besides that,I wont make her my wife right away. Never!No one will ever replace my Lucy. My Lucy...How foolish I was to not see its her!I killed my Lucy!"
The more he thought about that the more he got into a rage. He started throwing away things. As he calmed down a little he took his razor looking at his own reflection in it,"No!Nobody can replace my Lucy!Not ever! Elizabeth wont replace her!",he yelled as he went towards the door...