SAFETY

This is a poem I came up with suddenly. After going to the museum I really wanted to watch Sweeney Todd. Anywhozoozles, after watching it I began to wonder. What if Judge Turpin was actually, alright? What if he wasn't as bad a many think? It kills me to say this; I do NOT in any way own Sweeney Todd or any Sweeney Todd characters. And I really don't like to say that, because it hurts right here *points to heart*, you know?

Johanna quickly turned away from her window seat. That sweet boy had visited her again, she may not have known his name, but she surely knew that he was handsome. She wished that he could take her away from her horrible life. Away from the judge who constantly had his eyes glued to some part of her body, he made her feel too uncomfortable. It was a reasonably nice Saturday afternoon and the staff was all much too busy working. The Beadle was taking a walk, trying to track down anyone he could get into trouble. The Judge had just left to go over to Mrs. Lovett's shop for a meat pie.

Johanna took the hairpin she always kept suck in her long flowing yellow hair, and unlocked her bedroom door. She had been doing this for a while now, and Judge Turpin was never the wiser. She snuck down the marble staircase and ran into the Judge's study. She had been looking for some kind of separate key that opened the front door when the judge locked it whenever he left. It was like he knew she'd try to escape, like he knew she could escape from her room. This thought made her shudder; he could act like such a creeper at times. She looked around and under different things and had no luck. Just when she thought she'd given up hope she found a piece of paper, with what looked like a poem written on it.

My dear Johanna you are only sixteen

But you're old enough to know that the world is obscene

There are people who'll try to take you away

But I'll try my very hardest to make sure you stay.

You're old enough now to know the real truth

You're true birth father abandoned you at youth

You're mother was a drunk so insane and alone

It was simply for your safety that she had flown.

You think that boy outside will save you from strife

But I know he'd only give you a horrible life.

Its better that you stay with an old man like me

Then run away with a boy who will just flee.

I know right now you think the world is dead

But please don't worry your pretty little head

I know you don't want to be trapped in your cage

But outside it's so large and so filled with rage

I watch at hours late into the night

Knowing that what I'm doing is right

You may not think that's true to believe

Though you're safer here then if you leave.

My dear Johanna you are only sixteen

But you're old enough to know that the world is obscene

You are much too young and very dainty

So for now I want to keep you here in safety.

Johanna finished reading the poem and looked at it shocked. What was this, what was happening? Suddenly she head a lough cough come from behind her and the Judge stood there. "Got out of your room and found this did you Johanna?" Johanna looked down and nodded slowly. "What did you think of it?"

Johanna looked up at him worried, with tears coming on. "Did my real parents really do that to me? Did my father really abandon me? And did my mother really prefer being drunk to me? And is that boy really..."

The judge walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Well, it's not all exactly like that, but it's close enough. I'm just trying to make sure you're safe away from the cruel world Johanna. You may not know it, but that lark in that cage in your room is safer there too, you let him go and he may just be eaten by an even larger bird. A disappointing thought to you, I know. That's life though, you have to live with disappointments."

Johanna thought long and hard about what the judge was saying, maybe he was right. Maybe there was something bad to freedom that she just couldn't see behind her bedroom window. "I guess I should be thanking you then, father?" She felt uncomfortable about calling him that, but she supposed he was the closest she'd get, since she didn't know how much her real father still cared about her. He gave her a small smile, patted her shoulder and walked off. She slowly made her way back up to her room, the whole way wondering about the judge. Maybe, just maybe, she'd been wrong about him.

So I hope you liked my little story/poem mixture. I got a bit stuck with how Judge T should react to Johanna's reading the note. I was thinking that either he'd be glad she fell into some trap he set for her, or that he'd genuinely mean the kindness he showed her. The-sadisticalovett-nutcase helped me to decide which way to go, and I liked her thoughts. You're right Sadistical, maybe there is a side to him that no one really sees. : ) It actually made me happy to think of him as nicer then he is in the movie. :o Again, hope you all liked it.