Splintered Dreams
(Chapter 12)
By: Sweeneytoddgirl58
Okay, first off I wanted to apologize for not updating sooner. I started school and I had like a zillion projects to do. Also, I've noticed that on all my chapters, my laptop deletes some of the words in the story. I have no idea why it does that, but I am going to try to solve that. Second problem is the periods. Everytime that I wrote what the characters were saying, at the end of the speech I added a period when it did not need one. That is a BIG NO-NO!! I am soo sorry for that. I write my chapters in the middle of the night. For example, right now, my alarm clock reads 2:23 a.m and I have to wake up at six in the morning. So, yeah I don't get enough sleep, and I get soo tired I do that. You see. I love ya'll! I don't sleep for ya'll! Lol, I'm just jocking. Oh, also I can't help but mentioning that I won second place in Violaunte's contest for the best one-shot with my story "Even in Death." So, if you want you can go check that out and oh I don't know, leave a review. I would totally appreciate that. Anywayz, that's about it. So after soo much delay, I finally give you Chapter 12!!
The blood continued to plummet onto the wooden floor. Each and every drop resembling a crimson ruby. The petite baker frowned and lowered her gaze onto the floor that was now overflowing with scarlet jewels. The corners of her mouth were lifted into a small yet miserable smile.
"The reason I lied to you, was because I didn't want to see you suffer anymore. I didn't want to see how you would react at seeing Lucy again," said Eleanor in a hoarse voice.
As the words left her pale lips, she collapsed onto the floor. The barber could only stare at the woman on the floor. The blade smeared with his landlady's blood still latched onto his hands. Sweeney could not believe what had just occured. The demon barber blinked away the remaining rage and stood up. As he rose upward, he felt his skull pound. He clutched his head with his left arm. The pain was insufferable.
"Why?", the barber managed to say as he glanced back at his fallen accomplice.
"I trusted you. Why did you do this?" Sweeney said as he shut his eyes. The crimson jewels were everywhere, yet he did not feel the pleasure he always did. It came to his realization that he felt grief for the woman that had lied to him.
"WHY!", he roared as he hurled the silver razor at the wall.
The knife collided with the haggard wall with a satisfying crack. Sweeney's eyes opened and his gaze fell upon Mrs. Lovett once more. From this angle, he could not tell if she was breathing or not. Mr. Todd forced himself to believe it did not matter.
She brought it upon herself, did she not? With a grunt, Sweeney walked toward the door and clutched the door-knob. He stood there for a moment, trying to decide what to do. He wondered briefly if he should go to his partner's assistance.
"Let her help herself," Sweeney snarled out as he walked out and slammed the door. He decided he had to get away.
Where, he did not know. As long as he was miles away from the pie shop. As he abandoned the pie shop, Sweeney felt guilt bitting on his moral sense. The barber crushed the feeling away and continued on his way outside. Each and every step leading him inside the dark and cold city of London.
As the door slammed, her eyes fluttered open.
At first, she was confused. But as she tried to get up, the agony she felt on her abdomen soon refreshed her memory. She collapsed onto the floor once more and winced as she felt the pain on both her gut and her skull. Tears welled up in her eyes. Why, he had asked her. Was it not bloody obvious? Did he not notice how he made her feel? How only by looking at her she could feel her heart accelerate?
"I did it, because I love you,", she whispered to no one.
The tears continued to pour down her cheeks. She wondered how much blood she had lost already and how much was left. Perhaps, if she remained as she was, she would perish. For there was no reason to live, now that the one she longed for hated her. Death seemed to be a relief now. She had lived long enough, she decided.
So, to soothe the pain, she allowed herself to think of death and how it would all end in a matter of time. The tears, however, did not end. For they continued to fall from her pasty cheeks.
Everything around him was obscure and empty. So much like his heart. Sweeney had wandered everywhere. After so much walking, he did not even recognize the street he was in now. The fact that it was night did not make it easier on him either. Fortunately, there was no one to be found. The streets were empty, for everyone waas either asleep or passed out in an alehouse.
If it wasn't for the fact that there were street lights everywhere, Mr. Todd would have considered himself lost. A night breeze blew through the streets and littered papers scattered everywhere. One paper that seemed like a poster caught Sweeney's attention.
It read, "Mrs. Lovett's Meat Pies: Best Pies in all of London!"
Sweeney narrowed his eyes at the menacing piece of paper. With an angry grunt, Mr. Todd kicked the banner and continued pacing. As he walked on, he heard a faint sound echo. Sweeney raised a perfectly dark eyebrow and made his way toward the sound. As he grew nearer, the sound turned into a voice.
Sweeney Todd froze as he noticed a figure making its way toward him. Mr. Todd reached for his razor, but sighed when he noticed his holster was empty.
The figure continued on walking and finally stopped when it was under the illuminus light. Sweeney noticed it was a woman. Her massy hair was covered by an old torn up bonnet. She was dressed in nothing but raggs; Sweeney noticed there were no shoes on her defiled feet. The woman who was hunched over, finally rose her eyes to meet Sweeney's. Despite her bedraggled attire, her eyes were still as azure as he remembered them to be.
"No," the barber whispered as he stared at what was left of his wife. The begger woman grinned as she continued to gaze at Mr. Todd.
"Well, 'Ello mista.' Don't think I eva' seen ya' around here before. Don't think ya' would mind if ye spare some alms, would ya'?"
"Lucy," Sweeney managed to say as he reached for her caressed it as he had done so many years ago. Why was fate so cruel to him?
The beggar woman's grin transformed into a mischievous smile and she reached up to Sweeney's hand and placed onto one of her breasts. "Well, sir if ya' wanted ta' mingle than' why didn't ya' say so? I'll be glad to, for a few pounds that is."
As if he had just been burned, Sweeney recoiled his hand. Suddenly the words of his landlady repeated themselves in his head. "But the poison wasn't enough ta' kill her. Only damaged her brain beyond repair."
"Lucy, don't you remember me," Sweeney said a broken-hearted voice. The beggar woman's face scrunched up for a moment, then said, "No, but ya' do seem familiar. Have we met before?"
Sweeney felt as if he had been kicked in the gut. All the air escaped his lungs and he faught hard to remain standing. "Why, Lucy? I promised you I would be back, didn't I? Didn't I always keep my promises to you?"
The hallow shell of Lucy Barker frowned. "I think you are mistaken' me for someone else, hun," she said as she removed her bonett to scratch her head.
Her murky yellow locks fell to her sides, and that was all it took for Mr. Todd to lose his battle. The tears he had faught so long to keep in, finally escaped his eyes. "No, I'm not mistaking you for someone else! It's me, Ben! Damn it, Lucy remember me!", Sweeney cried out as he shook Lucy's body. Lucy's saphire eyes widened as the stranger continued to shake her.
Sweeney Todd then took a hold on her and pressed her onto his chest. "Lucy, please remember. Oh, god please," he sobbed.
"I'm sorry?", the beggar woman said in a confused tone of voice.
Mr. Todd fell to his knees; bringing the woman in his arms with him.
"Every day in that god-forsaken place I thought about you. I thought about you and Johanna. I missed you two so much, Lucy. You don't know how much I missed you," Sweeney continued to weep into her yellow hair. His tears fell upon the beggar woman's head and she looked up, confused as ever. As she detected his tears, she rose her hand to wipe them away. Sweeney was reminded of a child; a small, lost child. A small flicker of emotions crossed her face. She then pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes.
In a small, delicate voice she said, "End it."
More tears streamed down Sweeney's cheeks as he said, "I can't."
Lucy Barker frowned then reached into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of broken glass. She placed onto his hand and smiled sadly as she said, "Please."
Sweeney's red eyes widened. He then looked into her eyes and sobbed out, "I love you." Lucy Barker smiled and extended her neck. Mr. Todd closed his eyes and grasped the glass. He then quickly slided the crystal across his wife's throat. A single tear escaped Lucy's eye as she gasped out, "I love you." She then took her last breath and collapsed into Mr. Todd's arms.
Sweeney Todd continued to cry as he craddled his wife's corpse.
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