If The Epiphany Never Comes…
Chapter 1
The shop of the Fleet Street's barber was filled with soft harmonious sounds. Two males voices; smooth and full of love. But slowly one of the two voices fills himself with hate: Pure hate, getting more dangerous. If a voice could commit a murder, there was now a dead body on the floor. But voices couldn't do that, Sweeney Todd sighed. He had to do it all by himself. Happily he had a precious friend to help him: his silver shining razor.
'Pretty as her mother?' His dark voice asked, but it was able to mask his threatening rage inside.
'You meant that silly beggar woman? Ah! She was beautiful, but not as beautiful as my pretty Johanna.' The client answered and continued singing their duet. 'Pretty Women.'
'O, Pretty Women!' The black-haired barber replied his costumer's solo. A kind of irritation masked his voice. God, he hated that line.
'Pretty Women.' This same costumer answered almost whispering. Like the words were floating on a big wave. Not knowing the danger that was following him.
'PRETTY WOMEN!' The hate in his voice was about to explode. The barber couldn't handle all the rage he felt. He had to control it: He wanted to enjoy the fear of the judge as long as he could before he took Turpin's live in his hands.
'S…Sir?' The judge asked stuttering. He finally feared something from below, Sweeney smiled. Finally, that bunch of…. Sweeney sighed quietly to control his rage.
'How can a barber's face like this not be known to you? Everyday you see it in her face. Her pretty young face.' His eyes flamed of hate. His smile was one of a demon. Sweeney Todd was the demon.
'Be… Benjamin Barker!' The Judge jumped out of his barber's chair of fear, but Sweeney Todd brutally pushed him back. The barber's hand finally covered this royal neck of his: he was unable to escape. Now the judge watched the chair closely he could see signs of blood everywhere. Even the window he quietly had looked at was spotted with blood. The man shook of fear: 'Take your revenge, you barber!' He said, braver than he really was.
'Your wish is your command, honourable judge.' Sweeney answered cold. He slowly opened his razor and let it do his job. He saw how a small red line of blood appeared on the throat of his victim. He heard the judge screaming of pain. Then it became much quieter. Only the sound of the drowning in blood filled the room, until that stopped also...
Sweeney sighed. His revenge was taken. He carefully cleaned his razor, like nothing harmful had happen…
'Mister Todd!' A triumphed voice sounded form outside and quickly entered the room. It was the sailor that claimed he love Barker's daughter; not knowing that his so-called friend Sweeney was Barker.
'Why didn't you knock first, boy. It's very rude, you know.' Todd's angry voice barked. The barber darkly turned to the boy and just stayed where he stood. His face was mad and was filled with pure disgust.
'I'm very sorry, sir' Anthony stuttered. 'But mister Todd! Johanna agreed with sailing away with me tonight! Tonight I'll steal her form the bloody old judge! She will be here before the sun hits the ground, sir.' The boy had found his enthusiasm again, but that was soon to be undone.
'That won't be needed, boy.' The demon barber evilly grinned. 'Sit sir, sit!'
'I don't need a s…' But then the sailor went silence. Fearfully he looked at the chair where judge Turpin lay; murdered. Sweeney followed the boy's eyes and discovered that the royal body still was polluting his chair.
'Oh, I'm sorry, sir.' He said with some kind of guilt in his voice. He pushed Turpin's body away. 'Come on, sit boy. I think you'll need some kind of shave, don't you?' And again de barber smiled like a demon hitting his chair. Like he was cold inside, empty, not knowing any emotions but rage…