NOTE- 'Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' is a musical by Stephen Sondhiem. All of the characters are his, as far as I have researched, though the characters are based on Fritz Haarmen's British murders in the 1800's. There was a Brit movie in the 1930's but before that, I can't find any other Todd references.
"ATTEND THE TALE"
By R. C. Carpenter
"No one's gonna harm you..." Toby whispered angrily one last time as he watched Mrs. Lovett walk outside of the shop and off to go talk with *that* man, one Mr. Sweeny Todd.
There was something evil in the way Toby saw Mr. Todd, the barber who lived upstairs above Mrs. Lovett's pie shop. There was a radiance around him that said Evil! Beware! Run! And Toby wasn't going to let the Mrs. Lovett get caught in the way of that monster. He might have looked like a man, spoke like one, held a job as sensible men did. But Mr. Sweeny Todd wasn't a man: He was a demon.
A demon, going after that sweet angel of a woman.
Toby felt the anger growing within him. He wasn't that much of a man, or that clever or that passionate, but he was true to Mrs. Lovett. That much he could stand up for. He was honest with her. She was always a right good woman to him, too. She gave him the job bustling around the pie shop, taking orders.
It had been a long time since Toby had ever met someone like her. A long time. And it had been even a long time since he had had a good meal. Mrs. Lovett was a wonderful cook. Made the best pies in London, she did. Always a different taste to each of them. Simply divine.
But... that demon man. Toby had found the eyes of that creature resting upon him on more than one occasion, eyeing him up like some perversion of nature. Once, Toby fancied he saw Mr. Todd lick his lips, before heading upstairs with a rich customer to shave.
And that was another thing. Toby couldn't recall ever seeing people leave the shop. A chill went up and down his spine as he tried desperately to recall. Had there been a customer who had left? Ever?
Well, that's ridiculous. Of course there had been! Toby laughed nervously. Yes, he had seen a few customers exit, mostly those who were of poorer income. Down the back exit, was the way they went. The back. Well, wasn't it possible that the rich ones went out like that as well? Entirely possible. But, it just didn't happen! They didn't leave, Toby was positive of it now.
Wait...
If they didn't leave... where could they be going?
Something churned within the young boy as he had a shocking realization, and he found his lunch splattered across the floor of the shop as he clenched his stomach. "The pies!" he wailed, "Oh God, the pies! They're in the pies!"
Toby cried, holding his face in his hands. That devil was grinding up the people of London and putting them on sale for the living!
Toby lifted his head. "Mrs. Lovett!" he stood, his knees weak. "I have to warn Mrs. Lovett!" The demon had charmed Mrs. Lovett, charmed her with his smile. But it was only going to be for a short while. Toby wouldn't let anything harm her.
Not while he was around.
END CHAPTER ONE
"ATTEND THE TALE"
By R. C. Carpenter
"No one's gonna harm you..." Toby whispered angrily one last time as he watched Mrs. Lovett walk outside of the shop and off to go talk with *that* man, one Mr. Sweeny Todd.
There was something evil in the way Toby saw Mr. Todd, the barber who lived upstairs above Mrs. Lovett's pie shop. There was a radiance around him that said Evil! Beware! Run! And Toby wasn't going to let the Mrs. Lovett get caught in the way of that monster. He might have looked like a man, spoke like one, held a job as sensible men did. But Mr. Sweeny Todd wasn't a man: He was a demon.
A demon, going after that sweet angel of a woman.
Toby felt the anger growing within him. He wasn't that much of a man, or that clever or that passionate, but he was true to Mrs. Lovett. That much he could stand up for. He was honest with her. She was always a right good woman to him, too. She gave him the job bustling around the pie shop, taking orders.
It had been a long time since Toby had ever met someone like her. A long time. And it had been even a long time since he had had a good meal. Mrs. Lovett was a wonderful cook. Made the best pies in London, she did. Always a different taste to each of them. Simply divine.
But... that demon man. Toby had found the eyes of that creature resting upon him on more than one occasion, eyeing him up like some perversion of nature. Once, Toby fancied he saw Mr. Todd lick his lips, before heading upstairs with a rich customer to shave.
And that was another thing. Toby couldn't recall ever seeing people leave the shop. A chill went up and down his spine as he tried desperately to recall. Had there been a customer who had left? Ever?
Well, that's ridiculous. Of course there had been! Toby laughed nervously. Yes, he had seen a few customers exit, mostly those who were of poorer income. Down the back exit, was the way they went. The back. Well, wasn't it possible that the rich ones went out like that as well? Entirely possible. But, it just didn't happen! They didn't leave, Toby was positive of it now.
Wait...
If they didn't leave... where could they be going?
Something churned within the young boy as he had a shocking realization, and he found his lunch splattered across the floor of the shop as he clenched his stomach. "The pies!" he wailed, "Oh God, the pies! They're in the pies!"
Toby cried, holding his face in his hands. That devil was grinding up the people of London and putting them on sale for the living!
Toby lifted his head. "Mrs. Lovett!" he stood, his knees weak. "I have to warn Mrs. Lovett!" The demon had charmed Mrs. Lovett, charmed her with his smile. But it was only going to be for a short while. Toby wouldn't let anything harm her.
Not while he was around.
END CHAPTER ONE