But We Could Get By

Chapter 6

"Why don't you have a seat?" She said with a smile. The man looked confused, but still sat down at one of the tables. "Would you like a pie, sir?" She asked. The man didn't respond. "Do forgive me. It's just been a while since anyone's stopped by." She said. "I can hardly blame them though. These are probably the worst pies in London." She added. The man continued to remain silent. She sighed. "Don't believe me? Try it." She said, handing him a pie. She watched as he took a bite, and forced himself to not spit it out. "You don't have to hide it, I know they're disgusting." She reassured. Still no response.
   She sighed. "It's no wonder with how expensive meat is nowadays. I heard Mrs. Mooney's using cats in her pies. I could never do that here. Just the thought of it's enough to make you sick." She rambled. She glanced at the man again. "They're revolting, aren't they?" As much as she tried to make conversation, she still didn't get a response from him. She sighed. "Times is hard." The man had completely finished his ale, but still looked disgusted. "It's gonna take more than ale to wash that taste out. I'll get you some gin." Nellie said.

"What about that place upstairs?" The man asked. "If times are so hard, why don't you rent it out?" "No one will go near it. People say it's haunted." Nellie said. "Haunted?" The man asked. "Yeah. And who's to say they're wrong?" She replied. "Years ago, something happened up there. Something not very nice." The man looked confused. "Long ago, there was a barber and his wife. They both lived up there, along with their daughter." She said. "He was beautiful." She smiled as she thought about her old friend, but her face soon fell.
   "Anyway, there were these two men, a Judge and his Beadle. Both wanted the barber's wife for themselves, so they hatched a plan to send him away. His wife was distraught." She continued. "Go on." The man said. Nellie nodded. "One day, Beadle tells her the Judge feels horrible, and invites her over to his house. That night, she went over, and noticed they were having a masquerade ball. She knew nobody there. Even more distraught, she began to drink. She couldn't find the Judge anywhere. Little did she know, he was there, and he wasn't sorry at all, unlike what the Beadle had told her. I don't know how to put this lightly..." "What happened?" The man asked, raising his voice a little. "The Judge... He assaulted her. And everyone just stood by and watched." Nellie said. "Poor thing."
   The man looked horrified. "No!" He screamed. "Would no one have mercy on her?" He asked. Nellie suddenly realized why he had looked so familiar. "So it is you!" She exclaimed. "Benjamin Barker." She tried her hardest to fight back the tears. It had been so long since she had seen him. Part of her had lost hope that he'd ever return, but here he was, standing in front of her. She wanted to throw her arms around him and tell him how much she missed him. At this point though, it didn't seem like she was going to get the tearful reunion she had imagined. "Where is Lucy?" She heard him ask. "Oh no." She thought to herself. She already told him about what the Judge had done to her. She didn't want to cause him any more pain.
   "Where is my wife?" He asked. Nellie sighed, and reluctantly, she began to speak. "She took a poison. Arsenic from the nearby apothecary. I tried to stop her. She wouldn't listen to me." "No." She heard him mutter. "I'm so sorry. Doesn't seem like life's been kind to you, Mr. Barker." She said. "No! Not Barker. That man is dead. It's Todd now. Sweeney Todd." He responded. "And he will have his revenge." The anger in his face seemed to slightly fade away. "What about Johanna? Is she here?" He asked. "Yes. She's asleep right now. I'll introduce you tomorrow. She's been dying to meet you." Nellie said. "I also hid your razors in the floorboards of your shop. Wanted to make sure nobody took them in case you came back and wanted to reopen." She added. Sweeney nodded.
   "I'm gonna go look at the shop." He said. "Alright." Nellie replied, following him. "I'd like to be alone right now." He said. Nellie's face fell. "Oh." She mumbled. "Alright. Well, I suppose I'll see you later." She said. "It's nice to finally see you again." She added. Sweeney left the room without responding. She sighed. "Prison really has changed him. Poor thing." She then thought about what he had said earlier. Something about how he'll get revenge. What was he planning on doing?