"Mr Todd, sir are you alright?" Sweeney looked away from the waves to see his only friend standing beside him. "Forgive me Anthony, What did you say?" The young sailor turned around, and pointed at the other side of the ship which was carrying them. "We have reached London sir!"
Sweeney watched how their ship slowly neared the 'Tower Bridge' as Anthony had told him it was called. Sweeney settled his look on the sight of London. He had heard many stories about the city; some said it was a wonderful place with parks, beautiful buildings and the kindest people you'll ever see. Yet other people told him it was a filthy, black hole filled with greed, smog and a health condition. Sweeney only now realized he was about to find out which rumour was true.
It was strange to be walking on a solid ground for a change. After months of living on a ship, Sweeney had grown accustomed to the creaky planks which rocked underneath his feet with every step he took. It was still too early for any sunlight which caused the city to look like a big black void. When the first rays of sunlight broke free through the thick smog, Sweeney's view got more and more clear. His first impression of the city was somewhat gloomy but most of all cold. He felt like a stranger that didn't belong there, as if the entire city was out of his league. He was almost tempted to go back to the ship, but reminded himself stern that this was his new home now; he would have to deal with it.
While walking Sweeney realized that he had no place to stay. Anthony had mentioned before they both departed in opposite directions that he could stay in the young lad's rental apartment. But Sweeney had politely declined his offer, and didn't regret it. Though the lad had saved him, Sweeney had discovered almost immediately that the boy managed to annoy him to no end. No, he would have to figure it out on his own.
He planned to search for one of these bed & breakfast he had heard about, when a billboard caught his eye. At first sight, Sweeney didn't notice anything special about it.:" Try Mrs Lovett's world famous meat pies! Like mother used to make. On 186 Fleet Street" Upon reading the names Mrs Lovett and Fleet Street, he felt the name Mrs Lovett had a familiar ring to it."Mrs Lovett "he mumbled to himself. The name sprang from his lips with such confidentiality, even if they were barely audible.
He concluded he must have known her or at least have visited her shop once or twice. Sweeney's train of thoughts was interrupted by a loud rumble; Sweeney noticed the noise came from his own stomach. Placing a hand on it, he knew he had to eat something. Glancing at the poster in front of him, he decided it wouldn't do any wrong to visit the pie shop from this Mrs Lovett. He turned around to find the pie shop. If it was meant to be or not, but the Fleet Street was right around the corner.
The shop itself was easily recognizable by its sign above the door saying; Mrs Lovett's meat pies. Upon entering the shop Sweeney found it completely empty, this wasn't really that strange seeing it was officially still night he concluded while checking the clock hanging on the wall next to the picture of a fat, bald man.
"Hello?" he carefully called out. When no one replied and the shop remained empty, he repeated the salute only louder. This time he was answered; "well hello dearie a little bit early isn't it? But you're lucky 'because I just finished the first batch of pies this morning would you like one? Best pies in London they are" Sweeney had turned around to see a small lady with messy red hair rambling with a sweet although fake smile (a habit she had adopted after years of serving countless of faceless and nameless people) "I would like one thank you" He replied "well why don't you rest your bones dearie, and I'll get your pie?" as he did so she disappeared behind a door to come back almost immediately
"Here you go love, tuck in" Sweeney inspected the pie in front of him. He admitted it looked plainly gruesome. "Would you like some Ale with that?" Assuming he definitely would need some to swallow the misshapen pie in front of him down, he simply replied with a nod.
"Here you go love" the red-headed baker placed a somewhat dusty mug of Ale next to the pie. When he looked up to say "thank you" he saw something he hadn't seen before, although he couldn't really conclude what it was.
When she walked off to the counter Sweeney noticed it was the same feeling he had felt upon reading the name "Mrs Lovett" Upon that discovery he stopped pretending to eat his pie. "Mrs Lovett?" he asked "yes dearie what's the matter? "
He didn't understand why he was surprised; maybe he had expected her to be… well different from the small lady behind the counter. "you're Mrs Lovett?" she nodded. "What's wrong love? "
He quickly made up an excuse "This ...is the best pie I have ever eaten" he even tried to give a sort of smile. Mrs Lovett obviously didn't believe him but seemed content with the lie "thank you dearie"
She rested he elbows on the counter to place her hands in them "I'm sorry love but can I know your name? It's only fair since you 'guessed' mine" she said with a teasing smile. Sweeney had no idea why he felt at ease in her presence. He glanced at her "Sweeney Todd"
She remained in her current position While asking "And why are up so early Mr Todd?" the baker seemed genuinely interested. He hesitated for a moment, he just met her after all and who said this Mrs Lovett really could be trusted despite the comfortable, familiar feeling. "My ship just arrived, and I was hungry and needed a place to stay " He said slowly sipping his ale, deciding to ignore the pie. "A place to stay you said? Funny I'm trying to rent a little room upstairs "she pointed at a window and saw a stairway outside. He again recognized the wobbly stars.
"No tenant's yet? "She sighed "no one will go near it, people think it's haunted" he tried not to scoff at this, people could be so stupid. "Haunted? Seriously" Mrs Lovett walked over to sit on the chair opposite of him "I know it sounds foolish, it is foolish. But a long time ago something happened up there , something not very nice" Sweeney put down his ale, expecting some kind of urban legend the woman used to get people to rent her little room. Since her bakery obviously wasn't a success.
"I used to rent that room to a young barber, barker his name was Benjamin barker. "She talked softly, probably to build up the suspense. "He was the best barber of London, everyone came to him. He was such a good man he was…and handsome too "she almost whispered the last part making it obvious she wasn't just telling some tale but that she had actually known the man
"what happened next?" he asked interested "they took him away" he frowned "away?" he didn't understand "why?" he could see she was in distress but tried to hide it "let's just say they took him away and he never came back " he decided not to question it any further "where did they take him ?" she took a deep breath as if what she was about to say was going to vary hard "Australia"
It was a good thing he wasn't holding his mug for he was sure he would have dropped it in shock. "That was fifteen years ago" Australia, Barber, fifteen years no it wasn't possible there had to be a loophole.
Suddenly she took his hand "when they shipped him off I was there, the called him by a number. I guess they give every prisoner a number. I remembered it. I thought it could help me to write him."
No, no, wasn't happening no! "it was 10569" she gently rolled up his sleeve to reveal the exact same number tattooed on his fore arm.
Sweeney had to remember himself to breathe, he couldn't speak neither could he believe what she had just told no proved him.
Her eyes met his; he could see hers brimmed with yet unshed tears. "I knew it was you, I ...I..." she took a few deep breaths. Taking a few breaths himself before telling her what he never told anyone in 15 years " I'm so so sorry Mrs Lovett-" "call me Nellie" she cut him of smiling ( a real smile this time) "Nellie, I don't know who I am"
She frowned " what do you mean?" he sighed "back in Australia, I got into a fight …I don't know what it was about ,they didn't tell me, but apparently someone punched me between my eyes and a lost consciousness.
All I remember is that I woke up in the prisons hospital, and a doctor telling me I had amnesia but no serious injury and that I had to get back to work. Through the years I was told small things like that I lived in London, that I was a barber but no one knew my name everyone called me 10569 so I made up a name myself. Sweeney Todd"
He spoke so softly he wasn't sure she heard him but judging by how tears escaped her eyes her eyebrows frowned slightly and her hand formed a fierce grip around his, he knew she had.
"You don't remember anything?" she whispered "I'm sorry ... I know now that I lived here and that you were my landlady." She rewarded him with a sad smile "were we close ?" she raised her right left hand to wipe away a small tear but kept the right one around his , he wondered why he didn't feel the need the shake it off.
"Yes ...we..we were good ..Friends you could say, you were very kind always paid your rent you did." It felt good to have someone speak about you with such fondness "how did I become your friend? And tenant "
She closed her eyes for a moment as if trying to recall the memory. "Well" she started "I had just returned from the market and I was on my way home, here, when you loaded with baggage "she paused to giggle a little "crashed into me"
Sweeney blinked his eyes and felt just like with Nellie Lovett ,her name and the stairway a familiar feeling to her story it had been cold he thought, very cold "You were so embarrassed ,
"I-I'm I-Incredibly sorry I-I really didn't notice you "so I told you it was okay "No,No It's algigh'dearie "and then you looked at me for quite some time without saying a word "never in his life had he seen such a beautiful person "You seemed like you were in some kind of trance "he wanted to say something but his mind was blank "and when you kept silent, I went away. To be honest you were scaring me a bit love" uh…alright I'll be off then, bye. Sweeney looked at Nellie Lovett in awe, for the first time since he could remember he remembered. Only the part she told him but still, he recalled how amazed he was by her beauty, how awkward he felt with all those suitcases how bloody cold it was Sweeney Todd or rather Benjamin barker remembered. He leant closer to Nellie and returned her grip on his hand, "what happened next?