One Hell of an Authors Note
Summary: Ten years after the Death of Sweeney Todd, Toby meets Maria, a poor shopkeeper who he meets through her singing voice. When he tells her that he lives on Fleet Street, she takes an interest in the ghosts that reside there.
Cast – In order of appearance
Maria Jimenez – mezzo-soprano – indicated by italics
Toby Ragg – Tenor – indicated by bolded italics
Johanna – Soprano – indicated by underlined italics
Anthony – Tenor – indicated by bold
The Ghost of Sweeney Todd – Tenor – indicated by bold underlines
The Ghost of Nellie Lovett - ? – indicated by underlines
All spoken lines are in regular font
Note on the Characters: I'm not sure how correct my guesses about ranges are, but I tried my best to determine what range each character would be in from listening to the music. No one sounded like a bass, and I have no clue what any part is supposed to be. Maria is, of course, of my own creation, and I sang all her songs to see how they fit. Originally, she was supposed to be a Soprano, but as I am a mezzo-soprano myself, I changed it because when I pictured her singing in my mind, I couldn't fit a Soprano voice to her. Maria will also use a few words in foreign languages; when this occurs, the italics within regular sentences are not singing.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sweeney Todd, but I'm not sure who does, as it was an urban legend back in the days… I own Maria Vera, and the concept in the story. I don't own the music that goes with the songs, or half of the lyrics, but the lyrics that don't fit the original or Tim Burton's versions are mine. If you steal my work, I will make you into a meat pie.
Nothing's Gonna Harm You
Chapter One
Maria
Nightingale, blackbird, how is it you sing?
Ten years after the death of Sweeney Todd, Toby Ragg walked down a street. He was fetching bread for himself, Anthony, and Johanna, who now lived with him in the shop on Fleet Street. Anthony and Johanna had since gotten married, and Toby stayed with them because he had no where else to go.
Why am I trapped here
With nothing but my singing
To keep me company?
As Toby passed a shop for meat pies on Fish Street, he thought he heard a beautiful song coming from an open window. The song sounded like one that Johanna sang when birds sang outside the windows. He couldn't resist entering the shop, even though he had sworn never to eat another meat pie in his life. On the door, was a sign, a sign that said the resident would be evicted in two days.
Inside, was the source of the singing; a girl with ebony-colored hair was sweeping in time to her song. The moment she noticed Toby, she abruptly silenced herself and dropped her broom. She knelt to pick it up with a sweeping motion, "I'm sorry sir," she ran over to the oven. "Would you like a pie?"
Toby didn't know how to respond. Before him stood a girl with ebony hair and ivory skin, and a pair of dark jewels set into her ivory face, which was perfect and unblemished. "Were you just singing?" he asked.
"Oh, no, no! Tell me you didn't hear, I'll give you a pie if you promise not to tell!" she begged him, and she held the pie out with more vigor.
I don't want a pie, but I want your name."
"Maria Vera of Fish Street, sir, I am a simple working woman who makes pies for a living, though I think that I make the worst pies in London indeed." She curtsied.
"Toby Ragg of Fleet Street, and I'm glad to make your acquaintance Ms. Vera."
"Of Fleet Street?"
"Yes, is there something wrong."
"Is your place haunted?"
"Haunted?"
"Yes, by the ghosts of ten years ago. Bad, bad things happened there."
"I never noticed anything." Toby knew he was lying. Johanna had been complaining of the ghosts for quite some time, but she stayed for Anthony and Toby, who both had work, and were very settled.
"You're lying, aren't you?"
"How'd you know?"
"You just told me." Maria crossed her arms over her chest which, as Toby just then noticed, was of a desirable size. She held herself up tall and proud, like a queen.
"You do know you're getting evicted, right?" Toby said, in an attempt to change the subject.
"What? Dios!" Maria shouted, and then she began babbling away to herself in what sounded like a mix of Spanish, French and Italian. Brushing past Toby, she looked at the outside of her door, then she flew back inside and collapsed on a chair.
"Dios! I though I paid that poulet the rent! Je l'ai parle ayer! Je suis furioso!"
"I beg your pardon," Toby said, "I though you'd know."
"Bene, bene. I knew it was coming."
"I'm sorry if I seem forward, but what language are you speaking?"
"None really. You see, my father was espagnole and italiano. My mother was française and English. They eloped years ago, but their families tore them apart. I was sent away, but here I am, but I'm afraid that here, I won't stay."
"I'm sorry."
"Worse things have happened to better people. Sit down. Now, back on the subject of ghosts, while I still have a home; have you ever seen one?"
Toby sat. "No, but I've heard them. I lived with Mr. Todd, and Mrs. Lovett before they died. I suppose that's why I hear them." Toby didn't mention that he had been the one to kill Mr. Todd.
"I see, do they give you messages, or are their voices reflections of things that have already happened?"
"I never really listened to them."
"You know, I hear voices, singing voices. I hear them in my sleep. They sing me to sleep."
"Do you know who they are?"
"Non, and I'm not sure I want to."
"You seem to be curious about all these ghosts. Would you like to meet one?"
"You'd let me see one of your ghosts? Oh, Dios! That would be amazing!"
Toby did what he never thought he would ever do; he brought a woman home with him. She had her few precious belongings in a sack, which she insisted upon carrying with her on the occasion that her belongings were moved out while she was gone.
I have sailed the world, beheld it's wonders
From the Dardenelles
To the mountains of Peru
But there's no place like London!
They walked from Fish Street to Fleet Street. Toby sang quietly to himself, but Maria remained as silent as a lark in a cage. The sign proclaiming the property to be Mrs. Lovett's meat pie shop was worn and some of the paint had chipped off. Toby didn't knock, but he opened the door for Maria. The door had only grazed the doorframe when a slim, pale beauty rushed down the stairs.
"Toby, what kept you?" she asked.
"I-"she cut Toby off.
"And you didn't even bring home any food for dinner! I sent Anthony out for you a quarter of an hour ago! Toby, you – brought home a girl! That's a first!"
"Am I intruding, he said it would be alright," Maria stuttered.
"Of course! You know Toby, I'm Johanna, and my husband is Anthony. He'll be home shortly."
"Mi chiamo Maria Vera."
Toby could tell that Maria was nervous. No sooner had she spoken her name, a chill gripped the room. Johanna noticed it too, because she pulled her knitted shawl around herself tighter.
"I should not have come here." Maria turned to leave, but Toby caught her elbow. He wasn't sure why he wanted her to stay, but he had a feeling that she could make the ghosts go away.
"Stay, they won't hurt you. What can they do?"
Johanna! Johanna!
I thought that I'd wakened,
Satisfied enough to dream you!
Happily I was mistaken!
Johanna!
"Anthony!" Johanna fluttered. She gave the handsome man who'd entered a kiss on the cheek. "This is Maria Vera." She explained, and then added in a whisper, "Toby brought her home."
"Welcome Ms. Vera," Anthony greeted her.
"She's come to meet Mr. Todd," Toby said.
"Really, Mr. Todd's never had a visitor before," Anthony joked.
You there my friend
I see that you've grown
See that you sing
Like I taught you before
My friend, my faithful friend
Sing to me friend
Again, I'll listen
I know, I know
You were locked out of sight
In those years
Like me, my friend
Well I came home!
And were you waiting?
Here?
Now we're together
And we'll do wonders
Won't we?
I no longer sing Mr. Todd
I gave up on voice Mr. Todd
You taught me to sing
All those years in the past
"But I don't sing anymore," Maria said adamantly.
"You will," said the voice of Mr. Todd.
"I won't!"
Easy now
Hush, love, hush.
Don't distress yourself
What's your fuss?
Your voice is
Nice and lush
Sing!
"NO! I can't! I won't!" Maria screamed, and she sat on the floor.
Toby, Anthony and Johanna watched Maria. They could hear the voices singing too. Johanna knelt next to Maria, "it's alright. They won't hurt you." She hugged Maria, a complete stranger with the same distress that she had once had. "I've lived with them all these years, and they never hurt me."
"But he will hurt me," Maria whispered.
(A/N: It might surprise you to know that this story went unedited and begun the day after I saw Sweeney Todd. You've probably noticed that some of the singing parts are similar to ones from the original. They're supposed to be like that, as much of the story is a reflection of how the past affects the future. Remember to review and to watch out for what's in your meat pies. I apologize to anyone who's also reading A Change in the Winds. The inspiration for that one left me. I'm going to get back on that project again now that Fall finals are over.)