Another update! Thanks again for all the patient readers and of course the alerts! You guys make me feel special! Anyway, I would like to take another moment to thank the new alerters:
BrideofthePhantom, blondekel3, and Mrs.DeppQueenObsessorGoddess
I will also start answering reviews, so keep 'em coming!
Elwyndra: Thank you so much! I know, the flashback was a bit bittersweet. I feel a bit cliché for adding it, but I think Lucy is kind of a Mary Sue anyways, so it works.
Mrs.DeppQueenObsessorGoddess: Poor everyone! Yes, I'm evil laughs wickedly I'm glad that made you cry. Lets me know my stories have an emotional feel to them. (Though I don't want you crying too much)
blondekel3: Yes, I love the way Mrs. Lovett speaks. Makes me feel British when I 'ear it. Anyway, glad you liked it!
I apologize for the extremely long delay of an update. On with the chapter! (Man, these are getting longer and longer)
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It was a bright, sunny day at the flower market. Lucy had once again gone down, to check whether her order of hyacinths was in yet. She felt that the presence of flowers often brightened up the small-but still cozy-one room apartment they shared with Johanna.
As she was finishing up with the vendor, she turned to see her husband standing behind her. Lucy was a bit confused at this, for usually he was in the shop at this time. He was still dressed for work, wearing his razors at his sides, like always. Her mind responded with slight panic, and she frowned. "Ben, what is it?" she asked him, light soprano voice climbing a bit higher in the panic. "Is something wrong? Is Johanna alright?"
"Calm down, Lucy," he said, smiling gently at his wife. "Everything's fine. Business was a bit slow today, so I thought I'd slip out for a bit and check on my two lovely ladies." He opened his arms wide, motioning with his right hand for her to come over. Lucy complied, burying her head into his chest. But she couldn't escape the feeling of foreboding, the taste of horrible things to come, from climbing into her throat. "And, I also wanted to ask you something."
"What is it?" she questioned, voice muffled by his chest. She was becoming a bit anxious now, for his tone held a certain gruffness, which she'd never seen him display before, at least not in front of her.
"Why did you let them take me?" Lucy's eyes widened, and she looked at her husband in shock. But the face of the man she was holding was not her husband's anymore. It had morphed, grown colder and aged, as if this man hadn't seen sunlight in a good amount of years. His hair had turned black, with one great shock of white, and flew from his head in every direction. But the worst part was his eyes; the brown had darkened, grown steely, and held no warmth or love of any sort. Instead, loathing, rage, and above all, a lust for revenge radiated from the inky pools.
Lucy stepped back in fear, wondering where her husband had gone. The man reacted, however, hand going to his pants pocket immediately. He withdrew something from a holster, and gripped it tightly, advancing towards her. The flower shop had all but dissipated, leaving nothing but her and the sinister man, and night in all directions.
The man had come even closer now, standing only two paces away from Lucy. She tried to step back in fear, and fell partway into the darkness. She could fell it swallowing her, absorbing her like some horrible nightmarish beast, and she knew that she was trapped. The man advanced closer still, now eye to sinister eye with her. Staring her down, he finally murmured in a low, deep voice, "And now, it's your turn."
Her eyes widened again at the cold, murderous tone. Before she could register what was transpiring, the weapon was drawn across her throat, glinting dangerously in the darkness. The man smiled maliciously, and faded into the darkness, which had begun to grow when her blood had been spilled onto the floor. She felt it closing in, and before she lost herself entirely, she remembered the weapon that had caused her death.
Her husband's silver barber knife.
Lucy awoke with a start, face covered in sweat, hands clenching at the blankets. Her eyes blinked unsteadily, darting around to check her surrounding. Then they softened, turning downwards as they filled with water. The tears slowly leaked out of her eyes running down her cheek and dropping onto the bed with a faint splash. She knew that man in her dream, though of how he had become such a thing, she did not.
She heard the door open with a ding, and Mrs. Lovett entered the room, smiling widely and holding a tray. "I brought you some breakfast, dearie," she said, placing the tray on her table. "I could hear you all the way downstairs, love. Sounds like you had some dreadful nightmares." She walked to the bed, sitting down on the scratchy covers, petting Lucy on the back. "Why don't you tell Mrs. Lovett all about it."
Lucy curled up against the older woman, letting the tears come fully now. "It was Ben." she said finally, words once again muffled. "He was there, but he wasn't Ben, and he…he…," but she couldn't continue.
"Well, there's a simple way to remedy that." said Mrs. Lovett, stroking the younger woman's hair. "We'll simply go fetch him. Then you'll see it was just a dream, and that you have nothing to worry about."
Lucy nodded weakly, rubbing her eyes, and stood up from the bed. She walked to the crib, picked up a still sleeping Johanna, still wrapped in her blanket, and carried her downstairs with Mrs. Lovett, preparing what to say so she could get her husband out of jail and the clutches of Judge Turpin
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Yay! Chapter 3 is officially over! Once again, I apologize for the extensive delay. Unfortunately, other ideas are occupying my brain right now, distracting me from the important things. However, I will try to get the next chapter up soon. See you all next time!