THIS IS SOOOOOO LONG! I LOVE IT! It's also intense, so you've all been warned. I LOVE YOU READERS, SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE, PLEASE REVIEW OR I'LL CRY!

Haunted Dreams

Chapter 30

A teenage girl stood in the kitchen staring nervously at the oven, holding a cold pie crust. She managed to chop up enough vegetables and placed them in the pie crust, and lay a layer a dough to seal the top. Now, to bake it. If it wasn't for her mother's help already this would have been a much worse disaster—like last time.

She turned the oven on and was now starring at it—waiting for that perfect baking temperature to appear. Her mother stepped out of the room to check on one of the little ones. Being alone made her feel nervous.

"I don't need her help. I can do this." She reassured herself with a deep breath.

She checked the oven's temperature again—getting warmer.

Again—okay, now it's hot.

She opened the door and placed the pan in. Then quickly ran to the clock to see what the time said. She was going to pay close attention this time. No fire's will start in this kitchen today!

"Alright. 30 minutes."

She walked in a circle, looking for something else to do. Staring at the oven for 30 minutes is too boring. What do cooks do while they wait? She asked herself. Ah, cook more food! She opened the pantry for new ideas. Peas? Potatoes? Too much vegetables though. There's some chicken that her mother put in the pot pie—there was no way she could prepare chicken on her own. She decided to try mashing some potatoes. Why not?

After getting the potatoes somewhat less chunky she checked the oven again. The pie was turning golden on the edges. How do I tell if it's perfect? She screamed to herself.

Her mother's footsteps echoed from around the corner.

"Help." The girl pleaded playfully.

Mrs. Todd smiled brightly at her.

"I don't know if it's done yet or not?" The girl complained.

Her mother looked through the oven's window. "How long has it been?"

"27 minutes. You said it should take about 30 minutes."

"Not with the top of the pie on, everything will be cooked besides the chicken."

"Oh…" The girl lowered her head in embarrassment.

Her mother grabbed an oven mitt and pulled the pie out. "You cook the chicken and vegetables separately Johanna, then put it all together to warm it up." Her mother laughed at her. "I told you I would handle it."

"I wanted to cook dinner for once." She said. "And… you know, not… mess it up."

Her mother smiled at her, and kissed her forehead. "It's a common mistake. That if not caught could have given us all food poisoning."

"Oh my god, my screw up."

"It's all right love, you're learning."

"If anyone can teach their daughter to cook, it's you." Johanna smiled.

After about an hour everything with the pie was going great, and about ready to serve.

The mash potatoes were also done. "You should add more butter." The girl's brother said, after tasting the dish.

"No, I put too much butter in them already."

"Mum, tell her, she needs to flavor dishes better."

"He's right Anna, add more butter." Her mother said after tasting it herself.

Her brother cast his sister a look stating 'I told you so', causing his sister the shove him backwards.

The brother left to set the table. The cries and complaining of the little ones echoed through the house once again. Mrs. Todd sighed, "if they're fighting over that toy again…" she grumbled walking off.

"You'll do what mum?" The boy laughed from the dining room.

"You don't want to know what I'll do." The mother hollered back.

The girl grinned brightly at her family member's banter.

The front door opened and the girl's father and older brother came in, both with a layer of snow in their dark, messy hair—making her brother's hair almost resemble the white streak her father had.

"How'd the fish go?" Mother asked coming back down the hall. The girl saw her parent's eyes sparkle at the sight of each other—something like an unspoken bond that seemed older than the stars.

"Terrible." Her brother said, pushing himself up on the counter to sit.

"I made dinner." The sister said.

"Oh lord help us! Not again." Her brother teased.

"Shut up Jer, it'll be good, I'm sure of it."

"That's because mum did most of the actual cooking." The other brother said leaning on the frame of the door. His green eyes flashed under his auburn hair at his father's-another unspoken bond, but of hate.

The mother pinched his cheek hard. "Did you set the table?"

"Ow, yes." He said rubbing his now blushed stained cheek.

"Then let's eat then." The mother sang.

"Wow, it's actually delicious Jo." The oldest brother announced after the first bite at the dinner table.

The girl blushed happily.

"Because mum did all the work." The second brother repeated.

"Most of the work." The mother stated. "I'll give the credit to Johanna for this one." She giving her daughter a wink.

"It seems I have what takes to be a house wife after all, right father?" The girl asked.

"Well, the kitchen isn't on fire this time. So, I suppose." He stated bluntly causing everyone at the table to laugh and Johanna to blush with embarrassment. "I still won't let any boy take you from me, though."

The remaining family members went silent—staring down at their plates. It's clear that this topic has been brought up many times before.

The girl looked her father in the eyes. Warm chocolate brown meeting cold onyx.

"I won't be your little girl forever, papa. You know that right?"


Waaahhh… Waaahhh. The cries of an infant awoke Sweeney Todd from his slumber. It was such a good dream too. He quickly hopped out of bed and rushed down the hall into the next room, where his angel was.

"Shh, Johanna, it's all right, Papas here." He whispered picking the girl up. Her brown eyes dazzled up at him. "Did you sleep well?" He asked the baby.

"goo" was her only reply.

"Well, I slept well." He said, changing her diaper. "I keep seeing you as an older girl, if that's not weird."

It's pretty weird.

He dressed her, fed her from her bottle, and sat down on the couch lulling her back to sleep.

Just as the little baby was about to doze off, there was a crash from the living room.

"Jeramey!" He heard his wife scolding.

Johanna started whimpering at all the disturbing sounds. Sweeney Todd sighed in annoyance and left the room to see what happened.

"Jeramey, no! Do not do that. You could've hurt yourself." Nellie scolded at the boy.

Jeramey didn't say a word—he didn't even look ashamed.

"What happened?" Sweeney asked, walking into the room carrying a now sleeping baby.

"Papa!" the three-year-old excitedly screamed, tackling his father's leg. Then jumping up on the couch to be closer to eye level. "Let's play!" He screamed.

Johanna started whimpering uncomfortably again. "Jeramey stop it. Your upsetting your sister."

Nellie was bent down on the floor picking pieces of glass up. "He knocked the lamp off the table." She said.

Sweeney looked into his son's eyes. "Why did you do that?" He demanded.

The boy eyes watered up from fear as his father stared daggers into him. "I'm sorry." He mumbled.

"Time out."

"No!"

"Now!" His father yelled.

The little boy whined, cried, and stomped his feet angrily.

The baby stirred and whimpered again in her father's arms. Sweeney put his hand over her little ear to attempt to block out the noise. And quickly turned to leave the room.

"Sweeney, it's just a lamp, it's no big deal. He only did it for attention." Nellie said following her husband out of the room.

"Then show him attention." He said.

"I have been. It's your attention he wants."

He continued down the hall ignoring her.

Nellie sighed. She turned to her son, trying to calm him down.

"He hates me." The boy sobbed with wet nose and a runny nose.
"No darling. Papa doesn't hate you." She said hugging her boy. "He just…" Just only cares about his perfect girl right now, and nothing else. Their daughter is now a year old. Ever since she was born, even before she was born, Sweeney was highly over protected of her. It's one thing to love your child, but this is insanity.

There was a knock on the door.

"It's open." Nellie called.

Daniel walked in, smiling. "Afternoon."

"What are you doing here? I thought you and Nettie left back to England?" Nellie asked giving him a hug.

"I decided to stay a little longer. Hey buddy." He smiled at Jeramey, crouching down to give him a hug. "Woah. Look at your hair. It's so long." He said rubbing the boy's head.

"I know. It's high-time for his first haircut." Nellie said.

"No." the boy screamed running away.

"How's the baby?" Daniel asked.

"No idea." Nellie said with all seriousness.

"What?"

"He won't let me even hold her Daniel. And Jeramey has been doing all in his power to get his father to notice him. I mean he broke a lamp just now, just pushed it off the table like a destructive cat. I don't know what I'm going to do."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Daniel asked.

"No, it wouldn't do any good. He's oblivious to it. He doesn't know he's being to over protective."

"You seem depressed."

Nellie shook her head. "Just irritated."

"Would it be because of the fact that your husband name your daughter after his old daughter?"

"No. I don't mind the name Johanna, it's actually a lovely name. I just wish he would give his son, and me, more attention."

"Hm. What's the middle name? Lucy?"

"My name. Eleanor."

"You still need to say something to him though. It's your baby too, he can't keep your own baby from you." Daniel said.

Nellie decided that Daniel was right. She knew it would be helpless and probably make things worse, but she had to do something—she couldn't take it anymore.

"Sweeney?" She asked going up to him after dinner. Both the babies were starting to get tired and ready for bed time.

He rocked his daughter to sleep, eyes fixed on her sleepy face. Nellie was almost certain he didn't even hear her.

"Sweeney?" She tried again, more fiercely.

"What Nell?" He muttered.

Nellie didn't even know where to start. He curiously turned around and faced her. Just having him look at her was reward enough. To give her the smallest of attention. Johanna fell asleep, and Sweeney turned back around, gently placing her in the crib. "Good night my sweet." He whispered.

Nellie grabbed his hand, pulling him into the hallway, quietly shutting the door.

They stood there facing one another—staring into each other's eyes. Nellie still had no idea how to begin what she wanted to get across to him. So, she just kissed him instead.

She leaned up, smashing her lips onto his, wrapping her hands on his neck, pulling him closer. Her heart fluttered when she felt his hands on her waist—holding her near. The two stood there in the hallway snogging for what felt like ages until their toddler rush into the hallway, cranky and ready to sleep.

Nellie broke away and made to tuck the boy into bed.

It was half past 9:00.

Nellie was down in basement, yes, the haunted one. In one of the rooms off to the side of the stairs once you walk down was a vacant room big enough to be a bake-house. Yes, you heard right. There was now another oven against the wall, and a table for preparing food on. The oven was offered to Nellie by Nettie (it was in her basement apparently) and Nellie decided to gain the courage to face meat pies again. There's no need to be afraid of them anymore. And who's to say she must only use it to bake meat pies? She could make various other pies, or cakes, or anything. It doesn't have to be for murder purposes.

This free hour at night, when the kids are asleep and the parents aren't tired yet, is the perfect, calm, easy opportunity for her to remember how to work such machinery. There wasn't a grinder, so any chopping will have to be done by hand.

Nellie was leaned over the table cleaning it. "Why did you kiss me earlier?" A voice said making her jump out of her skin.

She spun around hand on her heart. "Oh, you gave me a fright."

"Wasn't my intention."

Nellie chuckled. "Because I love you" she said, turning around to resume cleaning.

"You look sad."

Nellie looked up, not facing him, staring at nothing. Fingers traced her neck, pulling her hair to one side of her shoulder.

"Why are you sad?" breath muttered against her flesh.

She spun around to face him. "Do you love me?"

"Of course."

She took a deep breath. "Then let me spend time with my daughter."

His eye brows knitted in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You never let me near her." She said, confident.

He chuckled lightly. "You've been near her plenty of times."

Nellie closed her eyes in irritation. "Sweeney."

"Shhhh." He placed his fingers to her lips. "I do feel like we've been apart for a long time. But neither one of us has left each other's presence. How can that be?"

Now Nellie was confused. "I don't know."

"Look Sweeney" she continued "when Jeramey broke that lamp today. He wanted your attention. He even cried saying that you hated him."

"I love all my children." He didn't sound like himself. "And you."

There was an omniscient feeling to the air in this basement. Chills formed on Nellie's skin and she shuddered.

"Sweeney?"

Foreshadowing—something wicked this way comes.

Is my mind unraveling again? Nellie thought.

She looked into her husband's eyes. They looked different. Evil. They looked like they did that night, about twenty years ago.

He grabbed her jaw, holding her and place, then spun her back around, pushing her down on the table.

"Sweeney!" Nellie demanded trying to wriggle from his grasp.

He lifted her skirts up. Nellie screamed his name and thrashed underneath him.

He wouldn't dare! Why?

He held her tight, pushing her into the wood of the table with every thrust he took into her. She screamed his name, begging him to stop.

Alas her cries fell on death ears.

It wasn't Nellie's mind that was unraveling, but Sweeney's.


Sunshine usually promises good things when it shines through the drapes in the morning. But on this morning; the sense of good things, seemed to vanish.

Nellie sat in her bed, all morning, not moving, staring at the covers. So much dread shown on her face. She was raped last night, by her husband. How could a person who says they love you do such a horrible thing? She will never forgive him for this.

"Nellie. I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I just wanted you so bad. Please talk to me." Sweeney pleaded her.

She ignored him. Continuing her house work of the day. At least she got to take care of her daughter now.

"Nell please." Her husband begged her.

He placed his hand on her shoulder, and she quickly spun around shrinking away from him. "Don't you dare touch me."

"Nell, I'm so sorry, please. I love you."

"You monster!" She cursed at him spewing venom. "I cannot believe you. You raped me."

"It was not rape Nellie, I'm your husband. I had sex with you without your consent."

"That's what raped is you bastard!"

"Nellie, I-"

She smacked him across the face. "How could you?" She cried, storming off.

Sweeney hung his head, feeling terrible. Rape? That's not what he planned to do. What happened to him? It was honestly like force took over him. If the two of them weren't in that basement it never would have happened. Maybe?

A few months went by: Nellie continued to ignore Sweeney. They acted nice for their kids but Nellie always gave him the cold shoulder.

One day; Sweeney couldn't take it anymore.

Nellie was getting ready for bed that night, when Sweeney came into the bedroom. "You're supposed to be sleeping on the couch from now on." She said, not facing him.

"I'm going. I just wanted to give you something." He said.

She turned around facing him. "You're trying to buy my forgiveness? I'm not stupid enough to fall for that."

"I know. But I've been saving this for a better occasion, our anniversary perhaps. I thought now would be a good time as ever, since there may not be an anniversary. You planning to divorce me yet?"

He handed her a small velvet box.

"No thank you." She said coldly.

"Let me prove my apology to you, pet."

She sighed and ripped the box from his hand. She opened it, and almost dropped it.

It was a ring. Two rings actually, except one was missing. A little, silver band. Yes, like a wedding band.

She looked up at him confused.

"Did you forget that I still owed you a wedding ring? We wore non-matching ones all these years."

She looked at him depressed, not knowing what to say.

"I just wanted to fix that. Give us matching bands. I'll leave you alone now, goodnight." He said turning to leave the room.

"Wait."

He turned back around to look at her.

"Thank you."

He nodded, turned to leave again.

"I love you." Nellie cried, tears welling into her eyes. "You sexually abuse me, and I still love you." She took a deep breath. "What is wrong with me?"

He faced her.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong with you." He said.

"I'm insane!"

"I'm a monster." He said calmly. "I was filled with so much lust for you, that I lost control, not even caring how you felt." His voice cracked, "I can't tell you how sorry I am, pet. If you could ever find it to forgive me, I would be so grateful. I don't care if you never want me to touch you or sleep by your side again, all I want is your forgiveness."

She sniffled, wiping her eyes.

Sweeney hung his head, staring at his feet, ashamed of just existing.

"On one condition." Nellie said after a long pause.

He lifted his head up to look at her.

"You may touch me again, and sleep by my side, even kiss me. And I will forgive you. But only on one condition."

"Anything pet."

"When my baby is born, I'm naming him Tobias."