Spider

I bustled around the kitchen preparing things for opening, chopping vegetables and pulling pies from the oven. Until Toby burst through the door gasping for air. I must have jumped three feet in the air, I was so startled. I dropped the bowl full of gravy onto the floor. It smashed into pieces and covered me in sticky goo that smelled like turkey.

"Mrs. Lovett! Help, we need your help!" He shouted directly into my ear.

"Ok, ok, wot in bloody heaven do ya want boy? I'm coming as quickly as I bloody well can! Stop pulling on me!" I yelled back as he dragged me down the stairs to the bake house. Sweeney stood, his eyes wide and his hair was almost as wild as mine, at the bottom waiting for us. I looked at their faces and grew frustrated, nobody was planning on telling me what was going on.

"Wot's 'appenin'? Why's everyone so worked up? If you are making me open late for nothing I swear I'll-" Mr. Todd's hand came over my mouth.

"Sh, it'll hear you!" he hissed at me. I batted his arm away.

"WHAT? What will hear me? Tell me Todd!" I shouted at him. Toby looked at me like he was shocked but I ignored the just sideways glance. Sweeney looked around nervously.

"A…spider," he whispered. I laughed.

"A bloody spider? That's what this about?" I rolled my eyes and yanked the door open.

"Mrs. Lovett! Stop!" Sweeney grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I whirled around and looked at him.

"Mr. T? What the hell is wrong with you? It's a spider! Since when are you afraid of anything? Here, I've got big boots on, I'll go squish the little devil." I pulled away from the two and walked into the foul smelling bake house. I peered around, no matter why I was here it always made me uneasy. Finally I spotted a big ugly spider in the corner. I gasped, not expecting it to be so big, but strode towards it masking any fear. Once I was close enough I stomped as hard as I could on the ugly arachnid. Then I looked up at Sweeney and Toby.

"See, s'not that scary-" suddenly the small amount of color they had drained from their faces. The two were looking at something behind me. Toby's voice came quietly floating over to me.

"Don't move and don't look behind you," he whispered. My eyes darted back and forth but I didn't dare breathe. Sweeney tensed and pulled the razor from his pocket. There was a dripping sound behind me. What was it? The drool of a beast? The thought of what monstrous thing was right there breathing on my neck made my heart race and I closed my eyes. It was much like the feeling whenever Sweeney touched me. Simply brushed my hand with his accidentally.

"Ok Mrs. Lovett, stay calm, just breathe slowly. I'll get it, don't worry. You know, it's not really all that big," he stepped towards me. I was hysterical at this point, tears were streaming down my face.

"Please, Sweeney, help me. I really hate bugs," I gasped as something brushed my leg. Sweeney shook his head.

"Bugs are the least of your worries at the moment Mrs. Lovett," he replied. My eyes snapped open. What was lurking in the dark? Finally he reached me, his razor in hand. I wrapped myself around him and cried into his chest.

"What is it Mr. T? I'm afraid," Sweeney hugged me for a moment then he violently shoved me away slicing the air with his knife. I sat up to see him staring and something red on the ground. It was still moving, my eyes widened as I realized what it was. The thing was some sort of reptile and it screamed and scraped along the ground. I closed my eyes as the blood drenched Sweeney knelt next to the thing and prepared to kill it. The noise stopped.

"Mrs. Lovett! Are you alright? Sorry about that love, didn't mean to throw you like that, I jus' had to kill that thing. It's dead now no worries," He whispered and pulled me into his lap. I sobbed, utterly traumatized.

"What was it Mr. Todd?" Toby asked. Sweeney thought for a moment.

"It looks like an alligator, or something. Can't say I know what it is Toby," he said. I stood, took a deep breath, and walked over to the thing. I had to be strong and at least glance at it. When I saw it I froze. Sweeney came from behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder. But I didn't lock up because I was scared, I was shocked at what beautiful skin the thing had.

"Mr. Todd, do you think I could make boots out of it?" I asked quietly. He was silent for a moment, until grasping my shoulders and turning me to face him.

"Are you feeling alright Nellie?" he asked. I bent down to pick the thing up by it's long pointed tail. I gestured to the bloody scales.

"Isn't this pattern pretty, I can just see myself wearing it," I replied and grinned. Sweeney nodded.

"How about I make you a pair? Would you like that Mrs. Lovett?" I grinned back.

"Oh yes Sweeney, I would love that very much."

A.N.

And that is how alligator boots were invented, by our beloved Mrs. Lovett, the fashion visionary.