Shuffle Challenge Rules:
Pick a character, fandom, pairing, friendship, whatever.
Put iTunes or your music program on shuffle and start playing songs.
For each song, write something inspired by it related to the theme you chose earlier. You only have the song length. No pre-planning and no writing after the song is over. No skipping songs either.
Do this for ten songs.
Chosen theme: the character, Nellie Lovett, from Sweeney Todd.
A/N: I'll keep this short and simple. After reading the other fabulous ficlets brought by LazyCatfish27 and Defying. Expectations, I was desperate to try my hand at the iTunes shuffle challenge. I wanted to do something to help my inner muse, but it's so hard not to go back and edit everything to a standard that I'm at least partly happy with. Oh well. I wrote them freehand as I'm much quicker doing that than I am typing, but in doing so I was barely able to read my own handwriting when it came to typing them up. Oops. Anyway, I've done my best with the ridiculous songs iTunes spat at me, so I hope you enjoy. :)
Notes: I focused more on the song titles than the actual songs, as I get distracted if I try to multitask by listening to the lyrics too. Is that cheating? Apologies if it is. I'm also debating whether to extend drabble X into a short oneshot, giving more detail to it. So watch out for that if I decide to do it.
Disclaimer: No, I still don't own Sweeney Todd. The title for this comes from the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows chapter, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore.
The Life and Lies of Nellie Lovett
I. Call Me – Blondie
Lucy, Lucy, Lucy. That was all Sweeney Todd ever thought about. That, and his revenge on the Judge Turpin. Nellie sighed as she pushed an errant curl out of her eyes. She did everything for the foolish man: washing; cooking; cleaning; disposing of the bodies of his victims. She was on hand night and day, awaiting the time when he summoned her to him to declare his undying love for her, that silly nit of a wife a mere distant memory. Then there'd be nothing spoiling her life; just Mr. Todd, Toby and a house by the sea.
No matter how long it would take, Nellie would be on call ready. That day had to come.
II. How To Save A Life – The Fray
"I don't think you want to do that, love."
Lucy glanced up at her, eyes filled with grief. Johanna gurgled in the background.
"Why not?" she said, quiet voice plagued with hurt. "What is there now? Ben is gone, and I'm damaged. How can I possibly take care of Johanna on my own?"
"I'm 'ere to 'elp," Nellie said, entering the room. "Give me the bottle."
Lucy only raised it to her lips defiantly.
At this point, Nellie could've darted across the room and knocked it clean out of her hands. She could've saved Lucy Barker's life.
But she didn't.
Bitterness at her getting Benjamin first, and of her pathetic weakness stopped her.
In a way, this was murder.
She watched the madness within take over the pretty young woman.
She should feel guilty. But she didn't.
After all, it wasn't murder if the person wanted to die.
III. Hallelujah – Alexandra Burke
The first time Sweeney Todd fell into her arms, snarling like a demon, Nellie wanted to thank the Heavens. Someone, somewhere, had listened to her desperate pleas for the barber to be hers.
She'd committed her fair share of crimes in her time on God's green earth. She gladly housed a murderer, chopped dead bodies up only to serve them to the world with a smile. She deceived people every day. Even the barber himself.
He was not gentle with her; his grip was bruising, and his razors dug painfully into her flesh, her precious rubies dripping onto her sheets. It didn't matter to her.
She'd finally received her penance.
IV. I'm With You – Avril Lavigne
It didn't matter what Sweeney Todd did. Nellie knew she'd always follow him.
At the current time she was lurking in the shadows down at the docks while he sought a ship they could board. His revenge on the Judge was finally complete, and they both knew they had to get out. Toby had already disappeared, to the law no doubt, and they couldn't afford to get caught. Perhaps now, away from London, Sweeney would be able to move on.
It would take time, Nellie knew. But she was patient. She could wait. One day it would happen.
And she'd follow him anywhere for this love. Into the darkness. To the depths of Hell.
V. Sometimes – Britney Spears
Nellie knew her flirtatious behaviour unsettled dear, naïve Mr. Barker sometimes. She loved the way he coloured charmingly whenever she leaned forward in her low-cut dresses. Oh, how she wished he was hers. How different life would be. Albert was a dear, but there was something about Mr. Barker.
He was so innocent, but sometimes she fancied there was something darker beneath the surface – danger, perhaps.
Sometimes, she thought that sweet Mr. B wanted her too.
VI. Feelin' Way Too Damn Good – Nickelback
It was wonderful to have the newly formed Mr. Todd back in her life. She took it upon herself to show him the sights of London (he didn't seem to appreciate this however; he only muttered something about London being a pit), her arm through his. It brought a thrill tearing down her spine every time she brushed past him when she sought his company, accident or not. And it brought her a sick satisfaction to know that the silly nit of his was wondering the streets, whoring herself for a penny whilst her husband was with her, Nellie.
Oh, how the mighty had fallen.
And how good it felt to know this.
VII. Unfaithful – Rihanna
For the third night running she slipped out of the pie shop, thinking that Sweeney Todd had not noticed. Shivering in the cold, she hurried down Fleet Street, heading towards the obscure figure in the shadows. Her breath quickened at the sight; he wasted no time in taking her wrist and dragging her into a nearby alley. She hated acting like a whore, but it was the only way she could cope with Mr. Todd's cold indifference, and James understood her needs. He shifted her dress up and she lost herself in his touch, crying out her pleasure softly to harmonise with his grunts.
She left him as soon as it was over, guilt drowning her. She tried telling herself that she wasn't being unfaithful to Mr. T – after all, they weren't even together.
But as she glanced up at the window to see him staring down at her, she knew she was fooling no one. It didn't matter if they were together or not. It was still wrong.
She told herself she wouldn't do it again.
She knew she was lying to herself.
VIII. Just Dance – Lady Gaga
Nellie had many problems. But they all seemed to pale into insignificance when Sweeney Todd took her in his arms. None of anything mattered anymore. It meant nothing that Mr. Todd was only here to avenge his wife because when he span around the room, staring into her eyes, really seeing her, there was only room enough in the world for the two of them.
He was a murderer and she his willing accomplice; he was the Devil and she the Devil's wife; but as long as they danced, they kept the fires of Hell from consuming them.
IX. Our Farewell – Within Temptation
"Make it stop," the boy sobbed brokenly, clutching Nellie's nightgown frantically. "Oh, God, please make it stop."
The baker could do nothing but hold the thrashing boy to her chest, murmuring soothing words into his ear as she pushed sweaty hair from his burning forehead.
"'Ush, darlin'," she hummed quietly, but the words didn't seem to be reaching Toby. He continued to shake uncontrollably, eyes wide and staring, battling with demons only he could see. The mantra of, "make it stop please," did not cease; Toby did not seem able to escape his fears.
"Nothin's gonna 'arm you, not while I'm around," Nellie sang desperately; like a candle penetrating the dark crevices of his mind, the lullaby seemed to quell his terror. At last his taut body relaxed against her, and she kissed his cheek tenderly as his eyes began to droop, safe in the knowledge that she would protect him from his nightmares.
Morning found her still vigilant at his side.
X. Wisemen – James Blunt
"You there!" the voice called across the street, and Nellie glanced up from the flowers she was purchasing. Before her stood the scruffiest man she had ever seen; beard long and scraggly, clothes ripped and filthy.
"What is it?" she asked coolly, "I'm in an 'urry, sir."
"I can see into the future," the man exclaimed quietly, closing his dirty hand around her wrist and leaning in, "and you're future is not a pretty one."
Nellie resisted the urge to roll her eyes; she could've told him that herself, what with her being in love with her tenant and all.
"I see pain in your future," the fellow continued as she tried to step past him. "Even now, I see the Devil creeping closer to you, leaving a bloody path in his wake. I see you with blood on your hands – a dark secret, no less – and a desire so hot it burns. A desire which will sear your very existence."
Now Nellie couldn't control the sceptical snort which escaped her.
"That's nice, dear," she said, and succeeded in leaving him behind. Bloody man was probably after a penny.
Fifteen years later, and the Devil's creeping form had reached her, leaving a trail of bloody destruction in his wake. The baker had kept the true story of Lucy's existence to herself, ignoring the blood which coated her being after the lie was uttered.
And now, the overwhelming desire for Sweeney Todd had left her well and truly burnt.
The life and lies of Nellie Lovett were no more.