Sweeny Todd idea
The year was 1852, the season was summer. But it wasn't like anyone could tell the season. Clouds now covered the city entirely darkening the sky, the smoke had turned the few trees black and what little hope the citizens of London had at the turn of the century was lost by the time August came. The heat was the only real sign of the weather change; the almost constant chill that surrounded the streetside shops and lowly dwellings was now replaced with hot, stale air.
Not that the expierience would have been much better for Louisa Traps and her father Edward if the weather wasn't so hot. Louisa and Her father were crammed into a public coach across from a rather beefy couple and their equally as large son who sat on Louisa's right pressed up against her small body. For the first few minutes of the coach ride the repulsive pig looking young man entertained himself by sliding his hand incounspicously against the outside of her thigh through her favorite dark plum traveling outfit. She could feel the pressure of his hand rubbing against her and she bit her lip while giving him ugly looks. The young man's attention was thankfully diverted to the outside landscape racing past after Louisa had dug her heel into his toe.
Louisa sat closer to her father but it was unlikely that he noticed at all as Edward Traps was thourouly engrossed in a small red book titled "The Prince" and was meticoulously reading through the small print pages. Louisa's father was a tall, boney man with dark combed hair and pointed facial features. His narrow, English nose and ghostly pallor reaked of British shut in. His fine suit labled Her father as a rich man, but Louisa knew this was only a facade as they barley had a cent to their names.
Louisa on the other hand, shared few of her fathers physical traits, His ghostly palor and small features certianly, but where her father had perfectly straight dark hair, Louisa had bundles of yellow curls that seemed to never end. They now itched uncomfortably agianst the back of her head, pressed there by her ridiculous hat.
Louisa was one to love outrageous hats and obnoxious colors but when her father had given her the small black cap that she had on now she thought that he was crazy. It wasn't that it was plain but rather that it had a bird on it. The hat had a small raven figurine with detailed feathers stitched right into the side of the black monstrosity and it upset her. But it was a gift from her father and she endured the ugly thing because it made him happy to see her wear it.
Following the death of his wife and Louisa's mother, her father had decided to move to London for a change in scenery when he recieved a letter from his old employer Theobold Turpin. Louisa's mother had been a wealthy lady of high standing and her allowance from Louisa's grandparents had kept their family afloat right up to her death, when the allowance stopped. Turpin was their family's last hope in a secure income.
Louisa had never met the man but she certianly had opinions about him for Turpin had been an old friend of her fathers. They had gone to law school together in Cambridge but Turpin left shortly after finishing with dreams to change the world.
The carriage ran over a rather large rock that jolted the dozing occupants awake. Louisa rubbed the back of her head trying to sooth the small bump she now had. The portly gentleman infront of her did the same.
"We're enterin' London now!"
Louisa's father snapped his book closed and pushed his round glasses further up the bridge of his nose. Looking down at her he asked in his gentle voice "Alright?"
Louisa felt the shifting weight of the portly young man beside her as he began stretching out his arms yawning.
"I'm fine" she replied with a false cheer in her voice.
They were dropped off before the well fed family, outside of a bakery on fleet street. After stopping in the middle of the street, the foreman came around and polietly helped Louisa out of the coach. After the long coach ride she was grateful to have a steadying hand help her.
Her father, on the other hand, seemed to almost topple out of the carriage, landing on the cobblestone too quickly to be graceful. Not that his clumsiness seemed to bother him, he dusted off his dark blue coat and went around to the back of the coach to check on their luggage.
"Wheres the apartment?" Louisa asked, glancing around at the other gray buildings on the street. She walked around in a small circle careful to stay close to the coach and away from suspicous bleak passerbyers.
"Above the pie shop dear," called her father from the coach, he was busy with the coach hands unloading their few belongings, "Can you go and tell the shop owner that we've arrived?"
"Yes Father," she called back, over the loud bickering of the the foreman and her father over how the luggage should be unloaded.
Turning to enter the shop Louisa noticed the sign above the door that read "MRS. LOVETT'S MEAT PIES" Wondering how nice a woman named Mrs. Lovett might be. for surely a woman whose name had love in it had to be somewhat lovely.
Louisa was shocked for a moment as she walked in, for as dark and gloomy as the street seemed outside, the bakery was as cheerful and bright on the inside. There were tables full of rowdy gentlemen, families buying pies, children gwaking at the fabulous pastries layed out for display. The pies certianly were impressive.
Half of the countertop was full of meatpies stacked in a small pyrimid, with a small sign saying that todays' meat was pork. Each one was slightly bigger than Louisa's fist and had a small button hole pattern on them.
The other half of the countertop had glass coverings for beautiful dessert pies and even a cake under one glass dome. They looked beautiful, like dessert that only the wealthy could afford.
Forgetting about the Bakery owner Louisa shuffled her way through the crowd to the front to admire the cake. Several children were already staring through its glass cover at the delicasy so Louisa had to peer through their heads to get a good view. Bending over slighty she traced the tiny icing pattern with her eyes and marvled at the tiny roses that topped the dessert.
"It's almost at pretty as you, you know."
Louisa looked up to see a dark young man slightly dusted with flour and wearing a white apron smiling at her.
"Oh!" Louisa exclaimed, straightening up and feeling heat rise to her face, "It is a very beautiful cake isnt it," she said, not meeting his eyes.
"And you're even more beautiful," The man replied, confidently leaning over the countertop towards her, his dark brown hair curled handsomly around his broad forehead and light silver eyes.
Louisa wasn't sure wether or not she liked his attention. Taking a small step back she suddenly became interested in the wood grain of the stores counters she asked "Are you Lamark?"
The man let out a chuckle, "Give me one minute beauty,"
Pushing himself off the countertop the man rolled back on to his heels and shouted "LAAAMAAARK IT'S JOSEPHINE!" towards a door behind the counter.
"But I'm not Josephine," Louisa protested, "I'm Loui-"
But a loud bang interuppted her before she could finish. The noise seemed to come from the back of the store, behind the counter and Louisa looked up to see a rather large, disgruntled man with bright red hair and a full beard come out of the door way. He turned to look through the somewhat frightened crowd until his eyes landed on the young man that Louisa was talking to. Stomping over to the baker the red headed giant half bellowing "What is it!?"
Half amused the charming baker nodded towards Louisa, "The lady here was asking for you,"
The giant turned to Louisa and gave a slight bow, "What can I do for ya today Miss?"
Louisa half smiled out of amusment at Lamark as she told about her and her fathers letter telling them about the avalible rent of the upstairs appartment.
"Oh yeah!" Lamark wiped his hands on the stained white apron he wore "Turpin told me you wer' comming! Made sure that room was free fer ya before you arrived!"
"My father is just outside," Louisa spoke, "We have some luggage that we would like to bring in rather than leaving it in the streets."
"Oh course ya do!" puffed up the giant who was walking around the counter to Louisa, "Toby, watch the counter while I'm out!"
"Like I wasn't doing that already." The young man shot back good humorly. The giant turned back to give Toby a pointed look before walking with Louisa outside to the street.
"You must be Edward Trap!" Boomed Lamark, spreading his arms out wide to greet Louisa's father.
Edward Trap looked slightly dishevled, attempting to hold far more bags and suitcases than he could carry by himself. The coach was now long gone and replaced by a small crowd of shady pedestrians out for an evening stroll now that the heat had begun to let up.
"Here man!" laughed the giant as he took several of the suitcases into his arms and began to carry them up the set of stairs outside the bakery.
"Thats really not necissary my good sir!" began Louisa's Father, but he was soon scilenced as he dropped another bag.
Louisa sighed and picked up a large suitcase and follwed Lamark, half carrying, half dragging the heavy thing up the tall staircase.
They eventually all made it up the stairs and into the apartment with all of the luggage tired and slighly sweaty. All except for Lamark, who seemed slighly pleased to have carried almost half of their belongings and was egar to properly introduce himself to Louisa and her father.
"Lets head back to my quarters for some brandy!" He declared and lead Louisa and her father back down the long flight of stairs. Louisa groaned at the idea of climbing these steps multiple times a day.
Lamark lead them back through the Bakery where he called out to his assistant.
"Toby! Close up fer the day!"
"Will do sir!"
"And meet us in the back fer sum brandy when yer done!"
Toby seemed to move about quicker when he heard the mention of brandy as he hurried to clear the store of the many customers.
"He's a good lad, that one." Said Lamark fondly,"Wish I had five more like 'im!"
Louisa was not entirely sure if she would like having five Tobys around.
"'ere we are, home sweet home!" Lamark opened up a side door in the pie shop to reveal his own personal apartment. It was cozy and slightly cramped, but well furnished with a small sofa, an armchair and a coffee table surrouding an empty fireplace and what apeared to be a harpsicord in the corner. The walls were covered with dark blue striped wallpaper that ended at the small kitchenete and was replaced with a pale yellow color. Lamark hurried over to the kitchenete rummaging through the yellowing cabnets.
Louisa's father noticed this too, "You play?" he asked nodding to the harpsicord.
"Heavens no!" Lamark laughed, as if he had been asked somthing perposterous like if he used bacon grease to style his hair.
"No, no, no!" he chuckled, "I don't play, but apparently the damned woman who lived here before me did! She bolted it to the floor before she died ya see, so now I can't get ride of it!"
He turned to a small cabnient and pulled out four glasses and a nice bottle of brandy.
"One fer the lady?" he asked.
"Yes please." She answered quickly before her father could say otherwise. He only gave her a repoachful look before walking around the small room. Louisa followed observing the pictures hanging on the wall.
"The shops all locked up sir!" Toby anounced as he walked into the room pulling off his white apron and dusting the flour off his clothes.
"Just in time boy!" Lamark smiled, handing him a glass.
Louisa and her father sat together on the couch as Lamark came over and poured them both glasses before settling in his armchair with his own beverage.
"To new friends!" he toasted his glass.
"New friends!" they echoed together.
After a few moments of scilence Toby pulled up the harpsicord bench asked "So what is your line of work Mr. Trap?" attempting to start some sort of conversation.
"I was a lawyer in Cambridge, but now I am to be Judge Turpin's assistant in court." Started Edward, he then went on to explain how he and Theobold Turpin had been close friends in school.
Louisa didn't miss the sour look that passed over Toby's face as her father talked excitedly about his new career. The humorous young man was now tightening his grip on the glass in his hand while keeping a pleasent smile on her face. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"What do you do in your spare time Louisa?" asked Lamark after her father had finished speaking.
Egar for the change in topic, she began telling them about her mandelin and voice lessons that she had when she was younger.
The evening was spent in this fashion Lamark would ask somthing about Louisa and her father, then Toby would ask something. Louisa's father only occasionally asked questions, but by the end of the night Louisa felt almost braindead from all of the questions while Toby and Lamark seemed to be filled with both questions and answers.
"So wut 'nspired to trip to London?"
"How long was the coach ride?"
"Hows the weather 'n Cambridge?"
Louisa looked at the grandmother clock set upon the mantle of the fireplace and let out a small gasp as she read the time.
Her father was the only one who noticed this and after following her line of sight narrowed his specticled eyes at the mechinism.
"Is that clock accurate? It can't really be a quarter till three!"
Lamark glanced up at the clock and chuckled.
"Good Lord no!" He gufawed, "It's 'bout 2 and a half hours ahead, its actually just pas' twelve!"
He gave a small belch and rocked himself up out of the armchair.
"We best be getting ourselves to bed!" he stoop up gathering the glasses and brandy. "Toby, take 'em upstairs would ya?"
Toby downed the last of his glass and handed it to his employer, "Sure thing," he looked over at Louisa and gave her a small wink. She flushed.
"It was nice to meet you Lamark," her father stood up shaking their new landlords hand, "and thank you for the brandy! It was a very pleseant evening!"
"Sure thing Mr. Traps!" He smiled shaking Louisa's fathers hand vigerously,"I hope we can share more evenings like this soon!"
While they we saying their goodbyes Toby walked around the coffee table to Louisa, holding out his hand to help her up. She took it and gave a small smile at his crooked grin than quickly shuffled her feet towards her father.
When they had all finished their goodbyes Toby lead Louisa and her father back outside the shop and up the tall dark stairs.
"We have had some trouble getting tennants for this room up here," Toby called back to them as he lead the family towards the apartment."People are scared stiff to go near it, say its haunted!"
"Haunted?" Louisa's father laughed, "What could have given them that idea?"
"We're not quite sure!" Toby laughed along with Edward Traps, "But whatever happened has people scared, I think it might just be the fact that Turpin had a nasty accident here that almost killed him."
"Really?" Louisa's father asked, very interested. Louisa was too, why would Turpin set them up in an apartment that he almost died in?
"Yup," Continued Toby, "They found him in the bakehouse with a nasty gash on his head, and he never told anyone what had happened, just kept saying 'It's him, oh God it's him!'"
When they reached the top of the stairs Toby unlocked the solid oak door and held it open for Mr. Traps and his daughter. He gave Louisa a mischevious grin as she walked by him. Louisa gave a slight shiver as she entered the dark room.
Pulling out a matchbox he lit the gas lighting fixtures giving the room a cozy warm glow. In the center of the room sat a lone barbers chair.
Toby pointed to a darkened corner at the edge of the room "There is a full sized cot in the back corner over there," he said, "A vanity over there" he pointed to the large piece of furniture across from the door, "a chest," pointing right next to the door, "and the chair."
"Interesting," Louisa's father began, "The last tennant was a barber?"
"Yup, he was apparently a damned good one too!"
Edward Traps shrugged off his blue coat and wrung his hands, "Well, I dont thing it really would do us much good in the center of the room!"
He then walked over and grabbed the back of the chair attempting to move it to the side of the room. It didn't budge.
"I wouldn't bother sir," began Toby, "Lamark and I have already-"
"It's bolted down!" her father exclaimed.
Louisa walked over to examine the chair for herself. Bending down she could se that the sturdy wooden legs of the rather ugly chair were bolted down to the wood floor using rusted metal fixtures.
"Yeah," began Toby, "Lamark and I discovered that soon after he bought the place. No clue why it was bolted down, but we haven't taken the time out to rip it from the floor."
"Shame," Edward Traps shook his head, "We'll just have to center the furniture around the chair."
Louisa walked away from the chair to examine the vanity in the corner of the room.
"Will that be all sir?" she could hear Toby ask.
She ran her fingers over the dark wood grain of the dusty top, making small patterns on the empty surface.
"That will be all." Her father spoke, she could hear him reach into his pocket for some change. "For you're service..."
"No sir," Louisa turned back to look at Toby who was shaking his head,
"I could not ask for money from you!" He smiled at her father, "It was no problem to escort you and your daughter-" he stole a glance at Louisa, "Up here."
Taken aback, Louisa's father pocketed the change and stood up a little straighter. "Well goodnight then Toby."
"Good night sir," he smiled, inclining his head forward, "Goodnight, Louisa."
She smiled and nodded her head back at him "Goodnight Toby."
The Young man then turned on his heel and exited the small apartment after he handed Edward Traps the key. There was a moment of scilence after he left Louisa alone with her father. She walked over to her middle aged father and hugged him around the middle.
"What's this for Pet?" he chuckled holding her agianst him, stroking Louisa's golden hair, "I thought you still weren't speaking to me."
"I miss Cambridge." she muttered into his vest.
Her father let out a heavy sigh and held her at arms length before kneeling before her with her hands clasped in his. Looking into her baby blue eyes he began "I can't promise that you'll like London, or that we'll be happier here, but we wont starve. You can go back to school after we get settled in and we can save up enough money to move back when the time is right."
her father sighed and gave her hands a small squeeze, "Remember that this might not be temporary. We might very well live here for the rest of our lives."
Louisa managed to hold back the few tears welling up behind her eyes. "Of course father."
She them wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. She felt her father wrap his arms around her and, holding her close, lift them onto their feet.
Louisa let go of her father and looked up into his smiling face.
"Why dont you get ready for bed?" He smiled, "And after I meet with Turpin tomorrow I can take you into the city with me to pick out some furniture. Does that sound good to you?"
Like a child far younger than her age Louisa nodded and turned to sort through their luggage for a nightdress.
Later that night, when her father was asleep on the far side of the cot from her, Louisa silently sobbed before falling asleep.