𝐒𝐀𝐔𝐕𝐀𝐆𝐄, -𝑗𝑜ℎ𝑛𝑛𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑝 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠

𝔰𝔴𝔢𝔢𝔫𝔢𝔶 𝔱𝔬𝔡𝔡 i.

     I walked off of an old creaky boat. Two large leather bags fumbled in each of my hands. My shoes clicked on the wood on the dock, and scuffed the ruff cement of London. Leaves crunching beneath my feet scared the occasional bird pecking around for breakfast.

The cool Autumn breeze was attacking my face. I breathe in. Smell that air? Ah yes, I was back home. I knew these streets well, therefore I made my way to Fleet Street. The sun was just rising, reminds me of being home, with mother, perhaps. I had been in France for ten years...ten years of my life to make sure my mother was at a sanatorium of high quality. The best I could find was in a small city, on the West wing of France. They did all they could. She's gone now.

It's okay, life is for the alive...right?

     I lived in downtown London my whole life. Not the best part of town, but many great memories were held here. Father would always take Mother and I to Fleet Street to visit the small businesses. That didn't last long. Father died from a horrible flu. Deathly. Killed many.

Where's life going to take me now? Who else am I going to loose?

     I continue walking through a long alley way, it was the shortest path. My arms were hurting from the several pound bags in my hands. I fix my black knitted gloves, and put one bag on my shoulder. I make it to Fleet Street. I smiled, but that quickly faded when I realized how much has changed. It was never the brightest town, but it has definitely ran down in the past decade. I smiled again and continue walking. I loved it here. I reach a building.

"Mrs. Lovett's Meat Pie Emporium" I mumble aloud. I remember this place. Rancid pies. Wonderful ownership. Mrs. Lovett herself was a wonder. She was a very polite woman, and always kind to everyone. I go to the window and notice the amount of dust piled on. I wiped it with my hand, dirtying my glove. Wiping my glove on my dress, I peek inside, looks like no one has been there in a long while. What happened?

A 'FOR RENT' board is stuck in the window frame. I look to my left and see a wooden swing sign hanging from the brick wall by a metal rod. 'Sweeney Todd's Tonsorial Parlor 186 Fleet Street' it reads. I raise and eyebrow and set my bags behind the staircase. A spider web swooshes across my face, making me jump. I slowly walk up the dilapidated stairway. I hold my dress with one hand. My other hand is sliding across the railing. I reach a windowed door. I hesitated for a minute, then knocked.

"Come in..." a deep voice strikes out.

I opened the creaky wooden door. A bell rings as it hits a crate behind it.

     "Hi, you must be...Mister Sweeney Todd?" I blurt out, closing the door behind me.

     "At your service, love" He says and looks at me. A man with jet black hair and pale skin is to the right of me. He's currently pouring a steaming cup of tea from an old kettle. Smells nice, despite the slight mildew smell of the ancient building. I look up at him and those deep eyes of his. "Tea?" He offers.

     "Oh, of course." I say smiling back slightly. I start to take off my gloves. He pours the cup of tea into a small teacup. He hands it to me. "Thank you, sir" I nod.

     "Anytime." He has his eyebrows slightly scrunched and swallows. I admire his excruciating jaw line. "What brings you here?" He picks up a shining straight razor and polishes it with a velvet rag.

     "It's apparent to me that the establishment below is for rent...and i'm interested." I take a sip of my tea. "How much are you asking for?"
     "Seven shillings," he folds the razor in slowly and puts it in the sheath connected to his belt. "-a month" He nods and picks up his cup of tea.

     "Ah, sounds fine, actually. You see," I sip my tea once more and set it down on the leather crate. "I used to know Mrs. Lovett, what ever happened to her?"

     He raises his eyebrows and looks at me.

"Ah love, she ran away. No one knows what happened to her. After her husband passed; she went mad." He says finishing his tea. I swallow.

     "Oh my, that's horrible. Have mercy on her. She was a real nice woman." I sigh.

     "That she was." He looks at me. Goodness, those eyes. Rich brown. Mysterious. They've something else within them. I like mysteries. "Now, would you like to come take a look down stairs?" he questions. I nod in response.

     "Yes sir." I tuck my hair behind my ear and wait for him to lead.

     "You can call me Sweeney. And what's your name, darling?" He walks slowly in front of me. "I need to know more about you."

     "Y/N Y/L/N" I say confidently, putting my hands behind my back. He starts to walk out and descend the steps; I'm not far behind him.

     "What a pretty name. I like it." He smirks, his back is to me.

     "Thank you, sir." I look down smiling. We start to walk down stairs.

     "It's Sweeney." He clears his throat. I slightly laugh, but silently. He can't hear it. We get to the bottom of the wooden stairs. He reaches in his navy blue pants and searches for a ring of keys. "I heard you say you knew the previous owner. What brings you here to Fleet Street?" He grabs it out as it jingles. He looks for a certain key for the door, finds it, and unlocks it door.

     "I've been gone for 10 years. I was in France. Long story sir, but I was trying to find a sanitarium for my mother. She's gone though. I'm on my own. This is my home town, so I came home. I need a job....and a home. I got lucky to find this so soon." He opens the door. 

     "Sorry to hear about that. Well, it's good to have you back, darling."

     "It's Y/N." I bite my lip smiling, looking at him.

     "Right, love" He winks. That makes me blush, I hope he doesn't see. He steps in the shop. I step in behind. I cough and wave my hand in front on my face. 

     "Quite dusty, hm?" I clear my throat.

     "Mmm, yeah I'm sorry. It hasn't been cleaned in almost year. She- uh, went missing a year ago, I cleaned it up. After that, never touched it." He nods and folds his lips in tightly.

     "Mhh alright."

     He brings me over to a room with a dusty chair, fireplace, and a coat rack. "Seems almost perfect for you, love. There's a living space connected."

     "Oh wow, this is Looks like I have some cleaning to do." I slightly smile.

     "That you do." A customer passes the side door was and ascends the staircase. "Look around for yourself, Y/N. I've got a cheek to shave." He slightly smirks and has a glimmer in his eye. "Go through those doors and there's a basement. It's got quite a stink. It's where the sewage goes..." He opens the creaky door and walks out ascending the stairs. I hear footsteps above me. I sigh, placing my hands on my hips looking around.