The Crow + Sweeney Todd

Avenge His Family

"I should've killed him right then and there!" Benjamin scolded himself as he fled down the streets of storming London. "I had the chance there. He was right there; there for me to avenge Lucy and Johanna."
He then had to stop in his tracks when his vision was once again overridden with the crow's vision.
This time he saw Judge Turpin and that other man, assuming to be a policeman of sorts, entering a carriage. Judge Turpin slipped a Lancaster pistol into his pocket while the other man began twirling a baton. The carriage then rode off.
The vision ended and Ben was running faster than ever.
The rain was beating down hard; creating large puddles in the road. He almost slipped several times, but caught himself for he was determined to get home and protect his daughter and the baker.
Horrible images flashed through his mind of outcomes if they got there before he did. Would Turpin shoot Mrs. Lovett? Steal Johanna back and do God knows what to her?
The possible outcomes forced him to run faster and push aside tears.
Suddenly, the house came into view and he let out a small sigh of relief. Benjamin bursted through the front doors of the meat pie emporium.
Mrs. Lovett and Johanna were playing around with dough and flour. Johanna sat on top of the counter; her legs dangling off the edge. Her doll rested beside her with flour on its dress.
Both were startled by Ben's entrance and quickly looked at him with confusion and Johanna became fearful.
"You two need to hide!" Ben immediately demanded.
They stayed in their frozen position; eyes wide with eyebrows arched.
"Now!" He hissed and slammed the door behind him.
Mrs. Lovett then scooped Johanna in her arms; the doll falling flat on its back on the counter.
"The hell are you talking about?" Mrs. Lovett exclaimed. "Quit it, you're scaring her."
Benjamin frowned and placed both hands in his hair and riled it up a bit in frustration.
"Both of you in the bake house, now!" He ordered.
"Not until you explain!" Mrs. Lovett cried
As furious as he seemed, his intentions were all good. He wanted his daughter safe, but that meaning wasn't getting through to her.
"He's coming here. Now!" He explained. His explanation was good enough for Mrs. Lovett to rush towards the bake house door.
Ben raced behind her and helped open the doors. They raced down the stairs; their rapid footsteps filling the silence. The air became thicker and colder. Ben opened the large metal door and Mrs. Lovett entered.
The bake house was a very dark room. The sewer smell wanted to make them all gag.
"Stay down here," he ordered and motioned back to the large metal door.
"How'd you know he's coming?" Mrs. Lovett asked as she sat Johanna down to her feet.
"I just know," he muttered and leaned on the doorframe. "Please, just stay down here with her. I'll deal with him and what other clowns he brought along." His eyes then glanced up the stairs that led back to the shop, then looked back the baker and his daughter.
He only saw them through the glow of light coming from the house. Once the door closes, they'll be in pitch darkness.
His eyes then glanced at the large, metal furnace.
"Start a fire in the oven for some light and heat," Ben suggested in a calmer voice. He said this a slower, calmed voice for he saw the fear in Johanna's eyes.
He had frightened her with his loud demands and frantic actions. Ben sighed and was about to speak, but he heard men yelling outside the house.
"Shit," he cursed under his breath.
Just as he was about to vanish upstairs, Mrs. Lovett pulled the gun she had used earlier out of her dress. "Wait," she stated. "You still have a gun, right?"
He nodded.
"If you need more ammo, I have some next to my bed for my own gun. And don't worry, mine is loaded."
Ben nodded as a thank you.
"I'll be back. I promise."
And with that, he fled back up the stairs after quietly closing the door.
Mrs. Lovett traveled in the dark as her eyes adjusted and prepared to start a bright fire in the large oven.
"He found us?" Johanna whispered; fearing even the smallest of whispers could be heard by the great Judge Turpin.
Mrs. Lovett debated in her head whether to lie or tell the truth. What would lying do? She's already aware someone unwanted is here.
"Afraid so, love," she sighed and a small fire began in the oven and slowly grew. "But it'll be alright. Your fath- I mean, that man will take care of everything." Her heart skipped a beat when the words "your father" almost slipped out of her mouth. She wanted to tell Johanna so badly, but knew Benjamin would rather Johanna to not know. What good is knowing she had the perfect life and it was ruined and both her parents died. What good is messing with such a young mind that her father died but miraculously came back to life?
The baker restrained herself from spilling the tragic truth and just ushered Johanna to stay close to the fire for warmth.
Meanwhile upstairs, a not so pretty scene was about to be unleashed.
Benjamin had slipped into Mrs. Lovett's bedroom to find more ammunition.
He found the a nightstand near the bed and opened the top drawer where bullets came rolling down.
Ben grinned to himself and began loading the pistol. The leftover bullets he kept in his pockets.
As soon as he armed himself, he heard the front door open and violently slam shut.
"We know you're here!" A voice hollered along with the sounds of feet shuffling.
How many men came here?
Ben stayed in the room; carefully listening to the approaching footsteps. He carefully walked towards the door and hid behind it; gun ready to fire.
He heard a single pair of footsteps coming his way while the other footsteps searched the house.
Ben could then see through the crack of the door a man coming his way. It wasn't Judge Turpin nor the Beadle.
The lone man then entered Mrs. Lovett's bedroom and that's when Benjamin quickly stepped behind him, placed one hand over the man's mouth and with his other hand pulled his straight razor out.
The last thing he needed was a loud gunshot attracting attention, so he kept the gun in his pocket.
"Close your eyes and count to twelve, when you wake you'll be in hell," Ben hissed in a low whisper before pulling on the razor which slashed the man's throat and blood was released.
The man collapsed to the floor; blood finding itself onto Ben's right hand.
One down.
Ben then patted the man down for any weapon, but all he had was a useless baton.
Ben then cleaned the blade on his shirt and slipped it back in his pocket.
He listened; knowing there were more left. He heard shuffling in the bakery. Only a single pair of footsteps was heard.
Ben quietly crept out of the bedroom and into the parlor. He walked behind the sofa and leaned against the wall; waiting for another sound.
"Come on out, bitch!" A voice called; attempting to sound nice.
Ben, knowing the man can fire all he wished but he'd still live, gave away his position and stood in the doorframe that separated the parlor and the small area that had the stairs and cellar door.
The policeman stood in the bakery and was armed with a gun similar to Ben's.
The policeman quickly raised his gun with both hands and held it tightly.
"Where's the judge's ward?!" He asked in a demanding tone.
Ben smirked and raised both hands in the air as if he were surrendering. "Oh please, don't shoot," he whimpered.
"To hell I won't!" And without another second the spare, the man pressed down on the trigger and a flying bullet was released for the pistol.
The bullet lodged into Ben's left shoulder. Ben then acted as if the man got a good shot and fell to the ground with his back facing the man.
"Tell me where she is or I'll put a bullet in your back!" He said as he got closer to Ben; right where he wanted to him.
Benjamin then swiftly moved his leg which knocked the policeman down on his back. Out of the shock of being knocked down, he began firing rapidly yet aiming at nothing.
Ben jumped to his feet and laughed as the man fired all his rounds and was now vulnerable.
"Out of rounds?" Ben hissed; returning back to his serious, dark tone. He then lowered his own pistol to where the bead was aiming in between the man's eyes. "I'm not."
The gun was fired and the policeman was lifeless. A pool of blood began to form around the man's head. Ben took the pistol and listened for the remaining men. Judge Turpin and Beadle Bamford were around here somewhere.
That's when the crow's vision came claimed his sight.
He saw darkness, but the darkness soon brightened and he could see Mrs. Lovett and Johanna. Mrs. Lovett was on her knees; hands in the air with her gun in front of the hair although out of reach.
The darkness brightened a little more and Ben could see Judge Turpin standing behind the baker with his gun aimed at the back of her head.
The vision ended abruptly.
Ben's head immediately shot to the cellar door. He pulled them open; his rage and fear nearly pulled the doors off its hinges. His pace down the stairs was so fast that he might as well flew down them. He pushed the large, cold, metal door open where the warmth of the furnace greeted him.
He then stumbled upon a godawful scene.
Mrs. Lovett had tears strolling down her face as well as Johanna. The Beadle had Johanna in front of him with his gloved hand on her shoulder. His other hand held his cane with the sharp end tightly.
"So you're the thief that helped her," Judge Turpin growled and aimed the gun at Ben. "Who the hell are you anyways? Why the hell would you want my ward?"
"Don't act stupid," Ben hissed and slowly lowered his hand to his pocket. "What other man would want to take her that has connections to this very house?"
Judge Turpin rolled his eyes and didn't hesitate to shoot Ben right in the middle of his chest. If Ben weren't already dead, that would of been one hell of a shot.
Ben staggered back from the impact, but quickly recovered with a smile. The wound healed itself and everyone in the room witnessed it.
"I'll ask you again, what other man would want to take Johanna Barker that has connections to this very house? Bastard!!" He screamed that last part to where it echoed.
Ben then pulled the gun out and aimed it back at Turpin. However, Turpin didn't back down.
"How the hell did you do that?" Judge Turpin asked with some fear in his voice. "That shot should've killed you."
"Should've," Ben muttered and gripped his gun tighter. "Now, for the last time, answer my fucking question."
Judge Turpin was confused beyond hell. He looked over at the Beadle who also wore the same face of confusion. The judge looked back at Ben and a tainted image flashed in his mind.
"Are you trying to claim that you're Benjamin Barker? Because that's impossible. I received news that you died years ago," Judge Turpin stated; trying to put together this oddly shaped puzzle.
"Let's not get technical," Ben chuckled to himself. "Now just let go of both of them."
The crow, which was standing near Johanna and watching the whole ordeal, released a loud caw which startled everyone except Ben.
Turpin glared at the bird and pressed down on the trigger. The bullet was aimed right for the bird and instantly making the crow limp and bleeding, but not dead.
Ben quickly shot his attention to the bird that had helped him rise from the ground; vulnerable for Turpin to shoot.
Turpin then took his chance the very second he got the opportunity. He aimed the gun back at Ben and shot him in his right side.
Benjamin fell back from the shock and quickly clutched his side. He brought his fingers to his eyes and saw blood staining them.
He was bleeding. He wasn't healing.
He was bleeding.
Mrs. Lovett watched with a horrified expression. Could this man now possibly die... again?
"Not so invulnerable now," the judge hissed and walked closer to the now injured Benjamin Barker. "If the prison didn't kill you, I'll sure as hell do it myself."
Ben was holding his side tight; to prevent bleeding out.
"Get on you knees, bastard," Turpin ordered. "Looks like your hopes of setting things right kinda backfired."
Benjamin then looked over at his daughter; who was still trying to figure out what was going on.
"You were foolish then and you're foolish now. You didn't deserve that beauty, nor do you deserve her daughter. I did her a favor by sending you away," Judge Turpin scolded and prepared to pull the trigger again.
"You drove her to commit suicide," Ben scowled under his breath; his eyes moving back to the man holding the gun. "How is that a favor?"
"It was her own decision to do a foolish thing like that."
"You raped her!" Ben cried in an agonizing scream.
"The whore had it coming," Turpin smirked. "Now swear on satan you won't scream."
The gun went off; Ben closed his eyes tightly... but became confused when the screams of pain didn't come from him but the Judge.
He opened his eyes to find Turpin had dropped his gun and his hand was gushing almost black fluid.
The baker had quickly retrieved her gun from the ground and aimed and shot ever so perfectly to disarm Turpin. She would've killed him, but knew Benjamin wanted him for himself.
The very second she had fired her gun, Beadle Bamford violently pushed Johanna to the cold pavement and swung his sharp cane at Mrs. Lovett. The cane fiercely whipped her back and she fell forward in agony.
Ben's eyes widened in anger and quickly stumbled to the ground to retrieve Turpin's dropped gun and kick Lovett's away from his reach.
The judge was holding his right hand tight and cursing to himself.
Out of rage, Ben aimed the gun at the Beadle for the way he shoved his daughter and beat his friend.
"Bastard," he growled under his breath and fired the gun.
His aim was perfect and the bullet instantly took Beadle Bamford's life.
Ben then quickly turned the gun on Judge Turpin who was trying to wrap his scarf around his wound.
Benjamin's eyes glistened with madness as he cocked the gun back.
The sound of the gun doing so caught the judge's attention. He stared right down the barrel of the Lancaster pistol, the judge's very own gun.
"Get on your knees, bastard," Ben
snarled; mocking what Turpin had said to him moments ago.
"Do you want a sorry? I am sorry, truly," the Judge softly cried; trying his best to sound innocent.
"Sorry doesn't cut it!" Ben then tossed the gun up to where he caught it by the barrel and bludgeoned Turpin with the solid handle.
His nose gushed blood and some of his front teeth had been knocked out by the impact. The man was completely helpless. A blood vessel must of popped in his eyes because his left eye was filling with red liquid and taking over the white.
"You took my life away. You took Lucy's life. And you were planning to take Johanna's," Benjamin scowled and aimed the gun again back at Turpin.
His eyes then quickly glanced at Mrs. Lovett who had Johanna hugging her leg and eyes closed tight. Ben motioned his head for them to leave the bake house and leave him to the dirty work. Ben felt a sliver of guilt for Johanna just witnessed the Beadle's demise and Turpin violently bludgeoned.
It was now just the two, them and of course the Beadle's corpse.
"Do you know what it's like to lose everything?" He questioned while out of the corner of his eye he watched the crow stagger around. The bird was still injured, but still alive.
Judge Turpin didn't answer; but kept his eyes locked on what he assumed to be the end of the life.
"Well do you?!" Benjamin screamed at the top of lungs; his voice echoing.
Turpin shook his head.
"Of course not," Ben mumbled to himself. "Well I do know what it feels like. It's hell. It's torment. Scoundrels like yourself don't deserve a life to live. You just take other virtuous lives and drain them for your enjoyment. You make me sick."
Judge Turpin, knowing he's due to breathe his last, looked down in despair.
Ben didn't like that.
"Look at me!" He barked and cocked the gun back again. "I want my face to be the very last thing you see before you burn in hell."
Turpin obliged and their eyes locked.
"Swear on satan you won't scream," Ben hissed; referring to what Turpin had told him when he held the gun and power to end a life.
Next and only sound to be heard was the sound of a deafening gunshot.
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Quite the chapter, eh? Only one more chapter after this one and the story is over.  I kinda squeezed in a infamous quote by a notorious serial killer. Can you find the quote and guess the killer? Comment if you know!Yea, this was a short story but I wanted it to be. This story was just easing out of finishing Dead Shattered Hearts and preparing a new, longer story. With that said, I need more opinions on if I should rewrite Sweeney Todd: Insanity Within. If you'd like me to, please please please give some ideas to add into it. The basic plot of the story is that Sweeney Todd goes to Bedlam, Fogg's Asylum. So yea.
As always, thank you very much for reading, and hey, if you liked this chapter, hit that vote button!
See ya in the next chapter!