Gee...i'll bet you cant guess what's going to happen here...*sarcasim* oh yeah, REVIEW AND READ MY NOTES AT THE BOTTOM! THEY'RE IMPORTANT!
Toby stood in the cell behind Johanna, shaking. Johanna, noticing the boy's distress, looked her father in the eyes.
"'e told me everything…and I mean everything…" She didn't want to mention the bodies in the pies knowing that Anthony had told her how tasty Mrs. Lovett's pies were and that whenever he went to talk to Mr. Todd, he'd always grab one on the way out.
Sweeney's eyes were wide, this time with concern and confusion. She knew who he really was and what he had been doing since he came home. Why was she still able to look him in the eyes and speak to him so bravely? She should be cowering in fear of him, not standing up to him.
Anthony kissed his lover's hand before letting go and unlocking the cell. Johanna immediately ran into his arms, sobbing. He wrapped his free arm around her, the other arm still holding up his lantern. In the dim light of it, he could see her now-shoulder-length hair.
"Johanna! What 'appened to your 'air?" he gasped. She looked up at him.
"That awful Watson…cut it!" She forced the words out and then broke out in another round of tears.
"Well, you don't need to worry about 'im or Fogg anymore…" Sweeney said, holding up the bloody razor. Johanna stared at it, instantly understanding what her father had done.
"It…it wasn't just 'im…" Anthony sputtered. "I took out Fogg…myself…I suppose that gun is right where I dropped it…"
"Anthony…you shot Mr. Fogg?" Johanna said, her jaw dropping in amazement. The sailor bravely nodded in response. She clutched him tighter. "Thank you…thank you, my love! Now, can we please just get out of 'ere? I've wanted to leave since the moment I was brought 'ere!"
"I second that notion! Let's get out of this dreadful place!" Anthony agreed.
Sweeney nodded before looking inside the cell at Toby, who still hesitated in the doorway. He motioned with one hand. "Come lad…I won't 'arm you…" Nervously, Toby followed orders. He stepped forward and took the barber's hand. The man leaned down and whispered into his ear very softly, "I'll thank you later…" and a small smile crept across Toby's face as he followed his friends out of the asylum.
Later on, the four of them were safe in Mrs. Lovett's parlor. Johanna and Toby had each been given a nice hot bath. Toby had found a fresh change of clothes in his room while Johanna had to borrow one of Mrs. Lovett's dresses. Anthony was sitting by her side, brushing out her new hair cut, after Sweeney had evened it up a little for her. (After all, he was still a barber).
The barber was now sitting at the writing desk, composing a letter to Judge Turpin. No one spoke as he finished the letter, held it up and read it over. After a long sickening silence he came over to the group and read the letter out loud:
Most Honorable Judge Turpin-
Sweeney paused a moment to turn his head to the side and spit.
When word reached my neighbor, Mrs. Lovett of her worker's incarceration at Fogg's Asylum, she demanded I go and see him. Following her orders, I went to Fogg's Asylum earlier this evening and what I found was very unpleasant.
He paused again and glanced up briefly at the three young, eager faces, waiting for him to continue reading, which he then did so.
Mr. Fogg and his assistant, Watson were both found to be murdered at the hands of a madman. I began searching the asylum for any traces of the murderer and that's when I saw your young ward, Johanna, being led away by some boy; slightly taller than she, around the same age, long, dirty blond hair and dressed like a sailor. (I suppose he is) In getting closer there was blood on his hands. Acting calmly and decisively, I approached him and offered him a place to hide her at my tonsorial parlor in Fleet Street. If you want her back in your arms, hurry here tonight. I shall be up late awaiting your arrival in order to assist you in the arrest of the boy as well as returning Johanna to you.
Your obedient humble servant,
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney concluded reading the letter. "So do you think it will work?"
"It 'ad better!" Anthony yelped. "That Judge will 'ave me 'anged if 'e catches me!
The barber stood. "I shall deliver this to the Judge's 'ome. In the meantime, Anthony, you're in charge until I get back." He turned to leave.
Johanna jumped up and ran into Sweeney's arms. Sweeney uttered a small gasp as he wrapped his arms around her small frame. He couldn't believe it; he was hugging his girl to him at long last! For that moment, the whole world seemed to disappear. Forget killing the Judge, this was the moment he'd really longed for the whole time he was in Botany Bay; just for his daughter to be with him. Lucy was gone, but now he had Johanna back and the world seemed a little less cruel.
The girl kissed his chin. "Be careful out there, father." Sweeney stepped back a moment and held onto her shoulders.
"I will, my dear. You be sure to do the same." He kissed her forehead before stumbling through the pie shop and leaving out the front door.
Johanna went to the window and watched him run off before Anthony gently took her arm and led her back to the parlor.
Sweeney rushed through the streets as the rain pelted him and the clock at St. Dunstan's chimed ten times. It was getting late and he had to act fast. Finally he saw it; the Judge's big mansion. Anger bubbled inside him, but he manged to keep himself under control as he ran up the stairs and pounded on the door. One of the servants answered and he handed her his letter before she could say anything.
"Get this to Judge Turpin! It's urgent!" And then he ran back down the street. The servant shrugged and closed the door.
The rain was coming down harder and it was beginning to thunder. Johanna was cuddled up to Anthony with Toby in her lap. They were huddled in the dark corner of the parlor, away from windows, making sure they couldn't be seen.
Another flash of lightening appeared and it illuminated a dark figure appeared in the doorway. They all screamed.
The figure moved slightly into the light and was revealed to be Sweeney and they all took in a breath of relief.
"It won't be long now…" the barber said calmly, ignoring their reaction. "Anthony, take Johanna and Toby and go 'ide in Mrs. Lovett's room. I'll 'ave to finish off the Judge myself! I'll come get you when it's all over!" And with that he ran outside and made a dash for the stairs that led to his shop. He made it halfway up before he felt a hand on his arm. The man spun around to find Toby standing there, not minding the fact that he was getting soaked. "Lad, I told you to go 'ide with Anthony and Johanna!"
"I don't care! I'm not letting you go up there alone!" Toby grabbed Sweeney's hand and held it tightly.
"Toby, 'e'll see you and then everything will be ruined!" Sweeney protested as he tried to shake Toby off his arm. "Go back downstairs and 'ide!"
"Mr. Todd, please! I'll 'ide in the trunk, I just don't want you to be alone in there! 'Oo knows what that 'orrible man 'as up 'is sleeve?"
Sweeney thought for a moment, looking at Toby, whose eyes were pleading with him. The boy was just trying to be helpful and protective of him. Though agitated that the child was being so stubborn, he couldn't help but be flattered.
The two of them ran upstairs to the barber shop, both of them dripping wet from the rain. Toby wasted no time in getting into the trunk.
"'old it, lad!" Sweeney called. He turned to his box of razors. He knew deep down he should show Toby that he appreciated the fact that he was trying to be helpful. Reluctantly, he picked a razor out of the box. He carried it over to the open trunk, which Toby sat inside. With a shaking hand, he handed over the blade. "Just in case something should go wrong…" Toby studied the razor in his hands, and then looked back up at Sweeney. "Just be sure to …'andle it with care…" And with that he gently closed the lid of the box.
The barber went to the other side of the room and began to dry off his wild hair. Lost in his thoughts, he almost didn't hear the familiar sounds of boots running up the creaking stairs, each step fraught with and powered by nerves. Whoever those boots belonged to was distraught for some reason.
The door was thrown open to such a degree that the little bell on the top hit the wall before it had a chance to ring out. "Where is she?"
Sweeney turned around to face his mortal enemy. "Below, your Honor… in my neighbor's quarters, safe and sound."
"And the sailor…?"
"'E's out for the time being. 'E went to fetch a coach to come and take them away."
"You mentioned that this boy was around the same age as Johanna and 'ad long dirty blond 'air?"
"Yes sir."
"Then it is 'im…no matter…go fetch Johanna…I must see 'er!"
The barber walked casually to the Judge and put a hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't be in such a rush…after all, she's 'ad quite a week. Best we let her rest awhile."
"You're right, my friend." The Judge began to wander away from the barber and poke around the shop. He spotted two pictures in a double frame, but couldn't tell what they were in the dim light. Slowly he held them up, trying to find the right angle…
"Uh, why don't I give you that shave now, my lord?" Sweeney asked, going over and lowering the frames back down. "Surely Johanna would love to see a clean-shaven face when she wakes up."
The Judge put a hand under his chin, feeling his stubble. "That's an excellent idea!"
"And it'll be quite a reward for 'er as well, for she 'as told me she 'as seen the error of 'er ways! She longs for your forgiveness!"
"Then she shall 'ave it!" And the Judge went to sit down in the barber's chair, untying his scarf all the while.
Sweeney's heart began to pound. This was the moment he'd waited fifteen years for. He went to the vanity, picked up the lather and made ready to smear it on the judge's chin.
"Ah, pretty women…" the judge mused.
"Pretty women…yes…" Sweeney sighed in response.
"Johanna…Johanna…" Turpin's voice had a slight gloating tone to it as he chanted his ward's name. He'd thought he'd finally won her respect.
As he placed the cape over the judge and tucked it around his neck, Sweeney's stomach twisted with disgust at the thought of Turpin touching his beautiful daughter…his Johanna…the Johanna that seemed to accept the fact that her father was a cold-blooded murderer. Nevertheless, he put on a happy face... "Pretty women…pretty women are a wonder…"
The Judge closed his eyes. "Pretty women! What we do for pretty women…"
"Blowing out their candles or combing out their hair…"
"Then they leave…even when they leave you and vanish they somehow can still remain…."
"…they still…are there…they're there…"
For a moment Sweeney was absorbed in a memory of Lucy sitting by the window and combing out her long blonde hair. His blood boiled even more. His wife and child's early life would be avenged…right now…
"How seldom it is when one meets a fellow spirit…" The Judge said with a smile.
Sweeney also smiled. "With fellow tastes…in women…at least…"
The Judge opened his eyes and looked at the barber, puzzled. "Huh? What was that?"
"The years no doubt have changed me sir…but I guess the face of a barber…the face of a prisoner…a dog…aren't particularly memorable…"
Sweeney's razor floated in the air as his heart raced. The Judge's heart raced as well as a look appeared upon his face; a look composed of terror, realization and hatred.
"Benjamin Barker…"
"BENJAMIN BARKER!"
Sweeney's vision went red with anger during the split second the razor was still in the air. Thoughts raced through his mind as fast as light. In fact, until he heard a thump below in the bake house, he had no clue what had just happened.
so i believe th next chapter will be the last of this story :( but after i finish ODD JOBS i have plans for 3 other stories...i have their titles and their plot lines:
That's the Throat to Slit: remember when sweeney was planning to kill Anthony after he brought Johanna to his shop? well this is what would've happened had he done so
Somewhere A Place For Us (sequel to A RAzor and a Bottle of Gin): title based on the song from West Side Story; this takes place a few years later, Toby has grown up and has moved out of the house. He meets a beautiful girl and falls in love with her- a girl that happens to be Judge Turpin's niece.
Robbed of My Heart: After Sweeney comes downstairs to find Mrs. Lovett tied up on the floor and all her money(and other things) gone, he tries to do all he can to help her heal from the trauma of being robbed, including taking her around town. She meets another man during one of their outings- a man who has made it clear he'd do anything for her...and though she's starting to succomb to his love for her, Sweeney knows better than to trust a man that appears out of nowhere...
Yeah that last plot is still in the drawing stages. i also have a few one-shots to work on, as well as beta MrsEdgarAllanPoe with her story, Tourniquet.
Well, thats about it... oh yeah...IF YOU READ, PLEASE REVIEW! i wont post until i hit 63 at least! it's close!
l
l
l
V