Disclaimer: I don't own Sweeney Todd or any of its characters. Damn.
The attendants listened to the screams and moans as they walked down the asylum halls. They didn't listen too hard though. You could go off your nut if you did for too long…
The two of them made a dismal picture. Both were dressed in identical gray uniforms covered with unidentifiable stains and wore their hair in severely neat buns. They wore nametags as if in a desperate attempt at cheerfulness.
The shorter of the two, according to the nametag, was named Sarah. She carried a gas lamp as she peered through the windows of the solitary confinement cells. The other nurse, Anne, followed behind at a leisurely pace. She carried a basket full of various cleaning supplies, pills, and restraints.
They slowed to a stop as they reached the room labeled #69. Here the screams were the loudest.
Sarah handed the lamp to Anne and started flipping through the ring of keys fastened on her belt. She found the key, unlocked the door and opened it cautiously.
Inside sat a boy bundled up in a tightly laced straightjacket, yelling indecipherable things at the top of his lungs. It was hard to tell how young he was. He had hair as white as freshly fallen snow and sunken eyes that looked as though they had seen things that weren't meant to be seen.
The attendants entered the cell. "Is it time for your medicine again, Toby?" asked Sarah tiredly.
"No!" he whimpered, cowering. "No. I'll be good! Only," and he looked at them frantically, "stay with me! Don't let 'em get me!"
Anne cast an exasperated glance at her partner then returned her gaze to Toby. "Who, Toby? Who is comin' to get you?"
"Them. The Mary-Sues." he gabbled. "They're demons, they are. All nice an' pretty until they get you all alone." At this he shuddered as though from an unpleasant memory.
"But you won't let 'em, will you?" he asked hopefully. "They're just bidin' their time until that movin' picture of theirs comes out. Gotta prepare."
Sarah sighed. He was raving again. At least it wasn't about that Mrs. Lovett he kept going on about. "Time for your medicine, Toby."
After she had administered enough sleeping pills to knock out a racehorse, they left the room and locked the door behind them.
"Do you think there's such a thing as a Mary-Sue?" wondered Anne aloud.
"O' course not." Said Sarah scornfully. "Since when do you listen to the ravings of the loonies in here, anyway?"
Anne shrugged. "Jus' wonderin'."
And that, for them, was the end of it. They never thought about it again. If they had, they might have wondered about the newest member of the asylum staff.
The new girl positively radiated "innocence". She even had golden hair and bright blue eyes. Most of the nurses were taking bets on how long she would last. The odds were currently in favor of her lasting only a day.
It was strange, though. Even though she hadn't done a days work, she was apparently considered competent enough to deal with the patients in solitary confinement.
From what Sarah had heard, she had specifically asked to look after resident #69. Fine by me, Sarah thought, one less to take care of...
Toby opened his eyes blearily. It seemed to be morning from what little sunlight he could see streaming through his narrow, barred window. It looks like a good day, thought Toby. It's nice to hear all those birdies cheepin'…
He was startled from his reverie by the door to his cell being flung open. In the doorway stood the subject of his nightmares.
"Hello," said the apparition. "my name is Maryiamasue Lovechild."
Toby looked at it in horror. It seemed to be shaped like a beautiful woman. He started whispering a prayer under his breath. "God, deliver me…it's here."
Then it spoke in voice that reminded Toby of bells. "Oh Toby, I have come to free you and help you regain your sanity through the power of my love and devotion!"
The screams, unnoticed by anyone, echoed through the halls.