Chapter 1 - Elyria.
Walking down the backstreet, the rats scurry off into the shadows thrown by the buildings in the night. The stench of scummy water, smog and burning coal fills the air, and the mists swirl. A light flickers in the window of a building in Fleet Street. It is the flat above Mrs Lovatt's Pie Shop.
"So sir, what'll it be, sir? A quick shave?" The barber's beautiful razor flashes through the air and glint in the candlelight as he cuts bristles from the man's chin – and then his throat.
A footstep is heard on the wooden staircase, and the barber swings around, pushing his foot down on the lever that sends the body down to the cellar.
"Who's there?" No reply.
"I said who's there?" He runs to the door and throws it open wide, to see a hooded figure standing there. "What do you want?"
"A word with you, Mister Todd." The voice is female, which throws him, and he runs a hand through his hair.
"What does a pretty woman like you want with an old barber like me?"
"She's a woman who knows about your Lucy. What you did to her. And what can save you."
"Save me? Nothing can save me, I'm a cursed man." He fingers his throat gently – a long scar runs across it. A knife slit.
"Cursed?" She laughs hollowly, without emotion. "No one's as cursed as I am, Barker."
"How do you know my name, woman? I'm losing my patience with this game." She slides back her hood with a gloved hand. Her face is framed by long blonde hair, and her eyes are hidden in the shadows. Her full lips are dark red, in contrast to her pale skin, barely visible in the candlelight. She is a ghost, or so it seems.
"It's no game, Barker. I'm from a place far beyond your imagination, beyond anything you've ever known."
"Are you from God?"
"No, love. I'm from Hell."
Todd swallows. His hands are shaking so much he drops the ornate razor.
"Hell? What do you know of Hell?"
"I know of eternal fires that burn underfoot. I know of excruciating pain endured by the damned in the seventh level of Hell. I know much, you'll find, of the worst fate a man can have."
"And what do you want with me?"
"It's not what I want. It's what your Maker wants. Or, more precisely, your God and my Master." Todd's face pales, and he sits down in his own murderous chair.
"And what does this mean?"
"We're offering you the salvation of your eternal soul."
"For what price?"
"You have to continue killing. But, they can only be those we instruct you to kill; the Damned."
"Well, isn't that good?"
"You'd be surprised. The boss is awful pernickety about such things." The woman pulls the gloves down a little, covering the entirety of her hands. "Will you do it?"
"Can I think on it?"
"No. We'll be in touch, Barker."
"Who are you? I mean, you appear here, and attempt to persuade me that you're from the Devil, and then leave without another word?" Todd flounders when she does not reply. "A name, at least!"
"My name?" She looks at Todd, her eyes still cloaked by darkness. "Elyria. Tell no one." Without another word, she pulls the hood back over her golden head and hurries out of the door. Todd does not watch her leave, and he does not see her literally melt into the darkness.
When Elyria reappears in the world below, a howling scream awaits her. She swings around, and sees a young man tied to a wall, crying out to her for help.
"Please! Help me!! Cut me loose!" She slides back her hood and shakes the hair from her eyes, and the man looks directly into her eyes, then gasps. They are dark bottomless holes, a deep blue which extinguishes the difference between iris and pupil; eyes which continue infinitely into her mind. They are filled with sorrow, and pain, hunger and lust for something unimaginable. A whole different universe seems to exist in those eyes.
"What would you have me do? I serve Lucifer, not you." The eyes are sad as she looks at him, sliding the gloves off her hands to reveal beautiful white hands with long, slender fingers. "Do you know why you have been brought to me? To this chamber?" He shakes his head, panicked eyes flashing from side to side. "Oh… I see… I'm sorry." She walks over to him and gently runs an index finger down his naked chest, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. He screams as the flesh boils and parts beneath her touch. "I am so, so sorry…"
As the man is dragged away, looking at his scarred chest and weeping like a baby, a shadow appears at the back of the cave. She looks at it over her shoulder and sighs, crossing her arms and rubbing her pale arms. She comes to no harm from her own touch.
"I did my best, you know. But when its men like him… good strong men… it's hard."
"There is no time for worry in the world of damnation. Is my little Angel of Death losing her touch?" The shadow does not appear to move, but Elyria feels a touch on her cheek; cold as ice, it burns into her skin. She moves away.
"Just make sure you do as I say. Return to Todd tomorrow. I shall compile my list tonight." As the shadow disappears, Elyria shudders and pulls her gloves back over her snow-white hands.
A/N and Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Sweeney Todd. Only time I'll say so.
I'm back. Who missed me? New writing style, studying the effect of a present tense story. Please read and review m'dears, if this style doesn't work for you I'll change it.