Dead Shattered Hearts {Sweeney Todd Fanfiction}

A Victim's Revenge

He was locked in a room. A bare room with white walls and a single bed. Two men, large and buff, hoisting Todd off his feet by his arms and slammed his body onto the bed that was propped up off the floor. Todd coughed in pain from the impact. He snatched onto the sleeves of the men; dragging them down towards him. His grip was almost bone-breaking.
"Let us go, monster!" One man hissed and pulled his arm free from Todd's grip. He then acted fast and restrained Todd's wrist down to the bed. Todd held a puzzled face as his wrists were being tied down.
"This is absurd!" Todd hissed while thrashing around. The men then went to the end of the bed and tied his ankles down to the bed. Todd didn't give up and continued to thrash around. "Let me the fuck go!" He screamed.
"In your dreams," the other man laughed. "Look at you. Your file describes you perfectly."
Todd closed his mouth and listened carefully. He gently moved his arms around; feeling the tight bonds that restrained his wrists. He gently moved his legs around; feeling the tight bonds that restrained his ankles.
"You've read your file? No, of course you haven't, you're not allowed to. A monster. Deranged. Psychotic. Insane. Malevolent. The list goes on and-"
"SHUT UP!" He screamed at the very top of his lungs. "You act like I haven't heard those words before." He sighed and looked up at the blank ceiling.
"I'm sure," the man snarled with laughter. "Now, you just stay put. The doctor'll be in soon."
The two then vanished from the room; leaving Todd alone.
He let out a grieving sigh and looked around the room. The bright whiteness of the room stung his eyes, but he kept looking around the room. There he spotted his file on an empty counter. It was open. His eyes were glued to the pieces of paper. He could read it clear as day.
'...Barker held in prison for fifteen years until escaping Botany Bay and killing five men...'
'...Personality type is dangerous. Unpredictable.'
'...Perhaps a PTS disorder, bipolar...'
"NOOO!" Todd screamed once more. He didn't want to read it anymore. The truth stung. He didn't want to see the hideous truth. "I don't wanna be broken anymore," he softly muttered. "I don't wanna be lost anymore."
He lied on his back; just staring up the ceiling. This wouldn't be the first time he's reflecting on his life; all the screw-ups, damage, and trouble he caused. Even through all the correction he's gotten, he still tends to cause the trouble; cause the madness.
"For fuck's sake I can't do anything right. Why... why did I even do that to her? All she said was one thing... one thing," he whispered to himself. He tried to remember what happened mere seconds ago. He could just remember his hand tight around her throat and men pulling him back. Everything else was a blur.
He then closed his eyes and lied restless on the bed. That's when the door flew open and in came the baker. She stayed close to the door; not daring to inch any closer to the barber.
She just stood there. She didn't say anything. Todd then opened his eyes; expecting a doctor of sorts but instead saw Lovett. He closed his eye and rested his head back down. The sharp thought of being guilty and wrong overcame him.
"Go ahead. Say I screwed up."
"You did more than screw up. What the hell is wrong with you lately?" She crossed her arms and leaned on the doorframe. Todd was actually stunned by what she said. He was use to her sugar coating and positivity.
"I dunno," he muttered under his breath.
"I was stupid to keep giving you hope. I was stupid to keep caring for you. I should of just let you rot in the Living World. I shouldn't even of went in to save you. I should of just left you be. You do nothing but cause damage. That's all you ever do."
Todd just took it all in. He didn't argue with the truth; there was no reason to.
"When we first arrived here I wanted nothing to do with you, but I felt guilt-tripped and fell for you again. Stupid, I was."
He still kept his quiet. He kept his eyes shut; hoping the trick of not seeing her would also not be able to hear her.
"No matter how hard Edward begs me to take care of you, I'm going to refuse. No matter how much trouble you get into, I refuse to bail you out of it." She couldn't even believe her own words, but it was time to put her foot down. She'd given him more than one chance to shape up and he hasn't once attempted to. The love was dying inside and there was no point in trying to revive it.
"We still may see each around, but I want nothing to do with you. We still may be neighbors, but that's all we're gonna be."
He then finally opened his eyes to face her. He furrowed his brow and sighed. He knew this was the end of the line. He'd been hanging on by a thread for so long and she was the one who held the scissors.
"Goodbye," she whispered and slipped out the door.
She couldn't believe what she just did. He was once her everything. Falling back in love with him was a huge mistake. He was like a drug to her; addicting yet bad. She just stood there in the empty hallway. She knew deep down this was the right thing to do, but it just didn't feel that way. She rubbed her eyes and looked down both ends of the hall.
"Just go to the second level," she told herself. "Just run the bakery with Thomas and clear your mind," she added. She nodded her head and immediately went to work; pacing down the hall and pushing back tears that raced down her cheeks.
There Todd lied again alone in the room. He glanced down at the restraints tied around his wrists. They were already beginning to blister his skin.
"That was the final straw," he whispered to himself. "There's no way in hell she's coming back." He then closed his eyes and drifted into the past world. With his eyes closed and mind open in thought, he remembered the days of living. How much he wished he never came across Lovett. How much he wished he went searching for his Lucy instead of assuming she lied in ashes. If he only he changed such little actions he wouldn't be here.
That's when the door flew open and the thoughts were interrupted. He slowly peeled open his eyes to find a figure at the door.
Margery.
She came in with a cart of some sorts with loads of medical equipment, he assumed. He wasn't nervous about the sharp tools that could cut open his body; the numbing medicine that would sting as he swallowed it. He was nervous about the doctor.
"See you made it back, Mr. Barker," Margery immediately smirked as she rolled in the cart and slammed the door behind her. "Surprised at first when I heard the news, but seeing that you have some guardian angel it's no shock you came back before your time ran out. But sure wished it did."
Todd just ignored her; zoned out her sarcastic, sassy tone and lost himself in the blank white ceiling.
"Pretending I don't exist, huh?" She questioned as her hands scooped up his file and smiled as her eyes skimmed over it. "I don't think your little trick is gonna work. Ya see this lovely machinery here? I have it all prepped and ready to go just for you."
Todd then gave in and looked across the room at the strange equipment.
It was a small box with some headset looking contraption.
"...What is that?"
"Surely you know," she smiled. "We used it a few times in Botany Bay and there used almost all the time in asylums," she quickly explained. "Course I can't at all operate alone."
"Operate?" He softly repeated in a puzzling expression.
"A few other doctors should be in soon to start the fun," she then began messing around with the equipment. She held the headset firm in her hands and began dipping the ends in some cold liquid; unknown to Todd.
He had so many questions to ask; so many answers he wanted.
"Why the hell are in charge of this? Do they not know what the hell you did to me the other day?" He grunted.
"They all think you wandered up to the fourth level alone, and after this little shock they won't believe a word you say."
"Shock?"
"Damn you question a lot," she smirked and sat at the end of the bed; swinging her legs back and forth.
"I assume Mr Travis and other Authorities agreed to this?" He asked in a low tone.
"...Well I wouldn't assume," she softly muttered. "But he did mention this idea, so I went and volunteered the second I heard it was you. So where's your little gal-pal. I thought she'd never leave your side," she mocked.
"That's none of your concern," he mumbled and rested his head on the bed.
"Oh... so she gave up you? It's about time, the monster you are, who in there right mind would give you a second chance?" She snarled with laughter as she jumped off the bed the door came open.
"This the man?" One of two men asked as they entered the room.
Todd then arched his brow. There was something about the man he recognized. He was tall with white hair. An older gentleman he was as he also fashioned a grand slit on his throat. Both there eyes caught and both sharpened. "This is him," the old man muttered.
Todd then glanced to the other man. Younger than the other man and also sported out another slit along his pale throat.
"So what do we have to do?" The old man asked Margery as he poked around at the machinery.
"Just hold him still and I'll apply the shocking fun," she smirked once more. She then turned a dial on the machine and smiled. She then picked up a small piece of rubber, almost in the shape of a small stick. "Open wide," she laughed while throwing her head back. "You don't wanna bite your tongue or anything."
She then stuffed the piece in the barber's mouth without hesitation. He bit down on the piece while the men he sworn had killed tightened the restraints around his wrists and ankles.
"Now, we don't wanna see you get hurt, now do we?" Margery scorned.
"Oh of course not, we wouldn't wanna see him in pain," the younger man joined in on the sarcasm.
Margery then crammed a strange metal headset around his head. As much as Todd wanted to fight it, as much as he wanted to pull away from the restraints he couldn't.
"Now... what do ya say... 85 volts?" She asked the two men.
"Whatever makes him suffer," the old man hissed; the sarcasm had vanished and a dark mood entered the room. Their jokes were done.
"90 volts?"
"Start from there," the younger one smiled then looked to Todd. He remembered the barber. Just looking in his eyes he could feel the cool sting of his razors against his throat once more. "Then work your way up."
"Hold him still, gents," Margery ordered and took a firm hold on the headset with white clothes wadded around the ends.
Todd then, at the last second, put the puzzle pieces together. Volts. The Rubber Piece. Restraints. The strange headset. All these pieces create the full puzzle.
Electroshock Therapy.
His eyes widened as Margery came nearer and nearer towards him. She then found a place standing right behind Todd's head.
Without another second the spare, Margery went forward and placed the two ends of the electrodes on the temples of his pale head.
The very second they touched the skin of his temples, the powers of volts surged throughout his body. His eyes widened and watered up with a mixture feeling of shock and pain. His chest heaved up as he screamed a muffled scream.
The three that stood around him did nothing but smiled wide and laughed sickly.
After a second of applying the electrodes to his temples, she pulled them back and watched the barber breathe heavily. His body turned a violent red.
The pain was overwhelming; far worst than a mere death.
"Eh I don't think he's had enough yet," the old man hissed. "100 volts."
"115," the other man suggested with confidence.
Todd's body may of been dead, but the pain was like it doubled after death.
"120," Margery smirked and turned the dial on the machinery.
Todd shook his head vigorously; pleading to be free.
"Oh you want us to show mercy?!" The old man screamed. "You want us to forget?! Forgive?!"
Todd then froze and only glared at the man. Forget. Forgive. He exhaled deeply; inhaled greatly.
"I was a fool to sit in that chair of yours while you carelessly slashed my throat and took my life away!" The the younger one added. "You don't know how great it feels to see you miserable and in pain!"
And with that said, Margery without hesitation placed the electrodes on the temples of his head; sending the surging pain through his body.
And again his eyes watered up and widened. The tortuous pain raced through his body as he once more screamed with the piece of rubber muffling it. His teeth violently clenched down as he tightened his hands into fists and pounded them against the bed in pain.
His vision began to turn bright; nothing but a bright white light.
Margery removed the electrodes and watched the barber suffer. His hands twitched a little as he lied there almost paralyzed.
He again breathed heavily as he closed his eyes tight; wishing the people would leave. His temples were all blistered with red and a few scars.
"I don't thing we're quite done yet," one of the men started; his eyes hovering over the pained barber.
Margery and the other man nodded in agreement while she went and jumped on top of the barber.
~
Mrs. Eleanor Lovett was slow around her bakery. She walked slowly to each table and slowly took orders.
Thomas had returned to the bakery after being left alone in the third level while Lovett and Travis searched for Todd. He moved quick around the bakery; catching the tables Lovett missed. He noticed Lovett's mood; it was like a storm cloud hovered above her head.
Thomas delivered a plate of baked goods on the table of an elderly woman and quickly pulled Lovett to the side.
"Mrs. L... you ok?" Thomas questioned.
"...I'm fine," she softly replied. "No c'mon we have work to do."
"Mrs L, the bakery is almost empty we don't need to work nonstop. You know you can tell me anything."
"It's nothing, Thomas, really."
"Fine, if you don't wanna answer that question, answer this one: where were you earlier today? Both you and Travis just vanished in the third level." Thomas crossed his arms and examined her eyes; it was easy to see when a person lied through their eyes.
She remained silent. She remembered Travis telling her Thomas had a tendencies to mess around; poke around in other's business. She still didn't understand what he meant by that.
"We went looking for Mr. Todd, we thought you were still with us," she shortly explained. And that wasn't completely a lie, it's true they were looking for Todd.
"You thought? Just tell me the truth, why'd you ditch me?" He spoke bluntly.
"We didn't, love," she assured.
Thomas just let it slide and sighed. "Did you ever find him?"
"Yes, poor thing was distraught," she muttered.
"Where is he now?"
Again, Thomas's strange sudden interest in the barber grew.
"Somewhere with Travis I suppose, I dunno," she scoffed while crossing her arms.
"You don't know? I thought you liked the man, why the sudden repulsion?"
"Thomas, c'mon you're just a kid, you don't need such knowledge in your head," she replied and turned to continue work.
Thomas sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He also returned to work, but kept a sharp eye on the baker.
~
~Nighttime~
~
"Thomas, ready for closing?" The baker called as she collected money from a man as he left.
"Yes, Mrs L," Thomas answered. He paced the main counter for Lovett's daily tip. She handed him the regular money and patted him on the back.
"Thomas, consider tomorrow a day off. I'm gonna close the shop up just for tomorrow," she added while they both headed for the door.
"Closed? What for?"
"Just to rest, perhaps do a little shopping. Surely you want a day off."
"But I'll have nothing else to do."
She only smiled and patted his back. "I'd be the same way. Come in at any time tomorrow."
Lovett and Thomas both walked out of the shop before promptly locking the doors.
The two went their separate ways to their rooms. Lovett didn't check Todd's room; there was no use, no point. He would yell at her, she'd yell back and tell him to move on next thing you know their back to square one.
But the thing was, Todd wasn't even in his room. Hours had passed since his return to the After-World and not once had he been back to his room.
No one knew of his whereabouts except for Margery. Even Travis himself lost the man's location.
It was a late hour and Sweeney Todd lied helpless on a bed in the same small room; left to just suffer. The restraints were still tied tight around his wrists and ankles and the electroshock machinery had been pushed in one of the corners of the room.
He was alone. His mind was distraught and delusional from the pain exerted into his body by Margery. Margery and her two little henchmen had left just a few hours ago.
He would often fall into slumber; then wake up in the same confusion he was in before. He would wake up in the fear of Margery returning and revving up the same tortuous machine while her two goons spoke and snarled how much of a monster he was.
He spent the entire night in that room.
Then morning arrived.
~
"Where is he?" Edward Travis asked frantically as he raced down the halls. He asked everyone in sight and no one knew the answer he wished for. "I already lost track of him once I can't let it happen again!" He muttered to himself as he zoomed through the maze of people. "God the Authorities are gonna have me by the throat."
He dashed into the entrance of the hospital; nearly tripping over the doctors and nurses.
"Anyone know where Mr. Benjamin Barker is? He was admitted here last evening!" Travis declared as he began looking through the doors that were open. He didn't even stop in his tracks to hear if anyone knew of Todd's whereabouts. He then slowed down and listened the silence of the hospital. Barley anything went on in the hospital in the morning.
That's when he entered a very silent, empty section of the hospital. He looked back down the narrow hall to the main part of the hospital, then continued walking.
He then came upon a set of doors. Since there was no one around to ask who occupied which rooms, he began testing each door. He would open one gently to reveal either an empty room with just a bed and cabinets or to reveal an occupied room with a sleeping patient. That's when he came upon the last door. He went for the handle of the door and pulled on it; expecting it to open like the others, but it didn't.
Travis knew Todd was had a liking to locked doors. He reached into his pocket of his jacket and pulled out a chain of keys. He had one labeled 'Hospital' which opened most doors in the hospital. He found the key with a smile and drove it into the lock of the door. There he jiggled it around until he heard a delightful click. Travis pulled the key out and opened the door.
There, with a sigh of relief, lied the barber asleep in the bed.
His smile of relief then faded as he noticed machine used for electroshock therapy in the corner. He noticed the headset strapped around Todd's head. He noticed the bruises on his temples from the electrodes. He noticed the restraints that tied him helpless to the bed.
"Oh no," Travis softly breathed and stuffed his keys back into his pocket. He put the puzzle pieces together to come to the assumption that Margery was head of the electroshock therapy and only did it to make sure Todd suffered. Travis himself mentioned the use of the machine to the professional doctors, but Margery basically went and hid him and took charge.
Travis quickly ran to the side of the bed and undid the restraints. He then undid the headset and shook the man awake.
"Mr. Todd!" He called. "Wake up."
It took awhile, but Todd finally came. He hacked in pain and woke in fear of Margery waking him for another session. His eyes were bloodshot.
He saw Travis and sighed with relief.
He lied restless on the bed and breathed heavily.
"Thank god it's just you," he mumbled under his breath.
"Yes... don't tell me Margery did this..."
"Where?! Where is she?!" Todd shrieked as he nearly jumped in the air and feeling the freedom from the restraints.
"I haven't got a clue... I assume this was her acts."
Todd nodded as looked around the room and spied the machine in the corner. "...She used that," he muttered. He spoke in whispers.
"I see."
Todd then sat up in the bed and placed a hand on his wrist and rubbed at the marks the restraints left.
"It's a good thing Miss Eleanor isn't here to see this, she'd be freaking out," Travis chuckled to lighten the mood.
Todd only shook his head. Even through the torture he'd been through, he still remembered what Lovett said.
"I suppose you'd like to go back to your room. I don't blame you. And trust me, I'll get onto Margery... if I can find her." Travis explained and helped Todd up on his feet. His thick boots made a loud thud on the floor.
"... I don't wanna go to my room," he mumbled.
"But you must want to rest?"
Todd shook his head once more. "No."
"Well you can't stay here, I'm afraid."
Todd then pulled Travis's arm off his shoulder and staggered to the door. His balance was off and walked like a drunk fool. Travis quickly ran to his aid and put Todd's arm over his shoulder.
"Second level sound ok? Perhaps Eleanor's bakery?"
Todd thought about it for a moment, but couldn't think long, after all his brain was practically fried. He then nodded his head and started walking with Travis's help.
If his mind wasn't broken before, it was sure as hell broken now.
~
She scurried around her shop in the early morning. Only a few people occupied the shop asking for the regular coffees, teas, and donuts. It was all manageable for one person; Thomas had yet to arrive.
She sat a piping hot cup of dark roast coffee on the table for herself and began reading a book she picked up the other day. The bakery was silent; just the way she liked it.
But that silence didn't stay long; it never did.
"Mrs. Lovett!" A voice called as the door of the shop swung open. She lifted up her head to see the door. At first she saw Travis, whom she didn't mind, but then she noticed he had his arm around someone. Sweeney Todd.
"Oh give me a break," she hissed and gritted her teeth. She slammed her book down on the table and marched to the door. "What do you think you're doing?" She scoffed.
"...Helping a soul out, what are you doing?" Travis smiled and kept advancing in the shop; obviously not knowing Todd and Lovett's little conflict.
"I'm being serious, I don't want him in here." The way she said 'him' was if she was referring to some sickening beast she wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.
Todd ignored her disgusted tone and just carried on his way.
"I thought you were one to fancy him," Travis replied as he helped Todd sit down at the booth with his back facing the two. Todd just sat there; uninvolved in reality.
Lovett then pulled Travis away from Todd and crossed her arms. She was fed up with that man and it was easy to tell.
"Well there's a time when you can only cling to someone so much," she hissed and peeked over at the back of his head. That same wild black hair. "Why's he even here?"
"There was another mishap with Margery and she used the electroshock therapy machine. He's a bit out of it and just needs a place to stay," Travis explained hoping to have her mercy.
"What's wrong with his room?"
"He didn't want to go there and I wasn't about to fight him. Just let him stay here until he feels better. If it makes anything better, he hasn't been talking much." Travis forced a smile and glanced back at Todd he still hadn't budged.
She rolled her eyes. "As long as he stays out of my way."
"Thank you madam, just please keep a sharp eye on him." Travis felt like he was dropping off a troublesome child at a daycare. He then started for the door, until Lovett grabbed his arm pulled him back.
"...What exactly is this... electroshock therapy?"
"Something very unpleasant. We use it when souls wander to the Living-World to snap them out of a phase, but somehow Margery got a hold of it and took advantage of it on him. I haven't the slightest clue how many times she used it on him and he couldn't do anything but take the pain." He hoped mentioning this would soften her up and once again favor him. But she didn't.
She only nodded and watched Travis leave to attend his work. She then turned on her heel and saw Todd with his head on the table. She just ignored him and went back to her coffee and book.
Todd twiddled his thumbs on the table. He looked around the bakery and noticed the door swing open and in came a child.
Thomas.
"Mrs. L, I'm here!" He called and went directly to the table Lovett resided at.
"Oh hello Thomas, you're here earlier than I thought you'd be," she replied and sat her book face down on the table.
"Anything you need help with?"
"Well it's a slow morning... I suppose you could make cookies if you'd like," she offered while taking a sip of her coffee.
"Oh boy!" Thomas cheered and rushed to the counter that was filled with baking goods. He immediately jumped to work.
Lovett smiled at his ambition and went back to her book.
He poured all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and stirred a wooden spoon in the bowl vigorously. He grinned as he did so as the sweet smell crawled around in the air.
Thomas then lifted his head up and saw Lovett still reading. He then moved his head to the left and saw Sweeney Todd. His head was down on the table as he kicked his feet around under it.
Thomas then glanced back at Lovett, then back to Todd and smiled. He sat the spoon down and wiped his hands covered in flour on his pants and began starting his way to the barber.
Todd remained motionless as he just sat there and reflected back on that painful moment.
"...Mr. Sweeney Todd?" Thomas whispered as he stood at the table; trying to stay out of Lovett's view.
Todd lifted his head to the new voice. He looked up at Thomas standing beside him and arched his brow.
"...Do I know-"
"Probably not," Thomas smiled, he then pointed to the empty seat across from Todd. "You mind?"
Todd shook his head and Thomas happily took a seat.
"Wow this amazing," Thomas whispered to himself, but Todd's keen sense of hearing heard him.
"...What's amazing?" He asked softly; his mind still phased from earlier.
"You!" Thomas exclaimed and examined the man.
Todd cocked his head in confusion.
"Don't you know? You're like famous around here!"
Todd furrowed his brow. Famous? If he was anything that'd be one of the last things.
Thomas couldn't help but laugh at Todd's confusion. "For weeks all that's been buzzing around here was your name. Sweeney Todd this, Sweeney Todd that. I'm assuming your victims brought it up. You have an awful lot."
Todd then straightened up and glared at the young boy. "I've heard your name everywhere and was just so desperate to meet you!"
"...You're just a kid," Todd commented with a tiny laugh.
"Technically I'm older than you," Thomas corrected. "My time came around the time you were born. 1806."
Todd arched his brow again.
"How'd you know I was born in-"
"Your file. That file is far more better than any book I've read. Ever gave it a peek?"
"Sort of," Todd mumbled; remembering the horrible words. He completely ignored the fact that Thomas got a hold of his file.
"You're the notorious London serial killer!" Thomas exclaimed with excitement.
Todd grew pale and looked down at the table "And why do you seem so enthralled by that fact?" Todd questioned as he continued to glare.
Thomas then held a blank face. He looked to his side to see everyone was minding their own business, then he looked back to Todd with a mischievous smile.
He motioned Todd to lean in, in which he reluctantly did.
"Believe it or not, I was a serial killer too."
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that's probably one of the longest chapters I've ever typed; that's why it took so long to update; sorry about that.
I realize this chapter had a lot going on so I hope you could take all in with a smile.
Please leave comments on the chapter whether you enjoyed it or disliked it. I love reviews and votes!
And as always, thank you so much for reading and the next update will be within two weeks or so.
Love you all and thank you!