Fleet Street's Nemesis // Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Curious - One

The first chapter of my Sweeney Todd story! Hope you like it! Audrey's face claim is Emmy Rossum as seen in the picture. DISCLAIMER: I dont own any characters in this story except for Mrs. Turney, Micheal Graham,
and Audrey Wood.
Thank you!

      My ever so peaceful slumber was interrupted by someone opening my windows curtains. How rude, I think and sit up with my covers wrapped around me. I slowly opened my eyes after rubbing them to look at the intruder.
      My eyebrows raise in surprise, "Anthony? Why are you in my room?"
       "Looks foggy out..." He muttered to himself and turned to me, "Sorry Miss Wood but we've arrived in London."
        "I smile, "Perfect, Thank you Anthony. And how many times have I told you to just call me Audrey."
        "Right of course... Audrey. I'll leave you to get ready then." Anthony left my cabin room and I stood up and stretched.
         "Thankfully, I had contained my fear and shaky breaths from the nightmare when I woke up so I wouldn't frighten the poor child. The boats rocking comforted me as I got ready, I thankfully was not sea sick.
I put on a dress I thought appropriate for the foggy weather. I looked in the mirror and a young woman with curly brown hair and brown eyes stared back at me. So plain... I put my hair in a half up/ down style.
       When I was ready I unlocked my door and stepped out, carefully making sure I had all of my things. I spotted Anthony by the ships front, he seemed to sing...

"I have sailed the world
Beheld its wonders
From the Dardanelles
To the mountains of Peru
But there's no place like London!"

       A man, with a shockingly white streak in a mess of curly black hair stood to accompany Anthony. He looked emotionally void and somehow... lost, like he was depressed and had nowhere to go.

"No, there's no place like London"

       The man sang this with an edge, he seemed to have a past with this place.
      "Mr.Todd?" Anthony asked, surprised.
Todd his name is... interesting.

"You are young
Life has been kind to you
You will learn...
There's a hole in the world like a great black pit
And the vermin of the world inhabit it
And it's morals aren't worth what a pig can spit
And it goes by the name of London
At the top of the hole sit a privileged few
Making mock of the vermin in the lower zoo
Turning beauty to filth and greed
I too have sailed the world and seen its wonders,
For the cruelty of men is as wondrous as Peru
But there's no place like London!"

       It was now that we got off the ship, my bags were light, thankfully. I saw the two men off to the side, seemed to be in the shadows, I couldn't help but wander over and listen.
        Anthony clearly could see the man's distress in his words. "Is everything alright Mr.Todd?"
        "I beg your indulgence, Anthony. My mind is far from easy. In these once familiar streets, I feel, shadows, everywhere." Todd said.
         So I was right, he had a past here... I wonder what.
         "Shadows?"
         "Ghosts."

"There was a barber and his wife
And she was beautiful
A foolish barber and his wife
She was his reason and his life
And she was beautiful
And she was virtuous
And he was... naive
There was another man who saw
That she was beautiful
A pious vulture of the law
Who with a gesture of his claw
Removed the barber from his plate
Then there was nothing but to wait
And she would fall
So soft
So young
So lost
And oh, so beautiful!"

        Is this his past? Is this why he seems cold to London?
         "And the lady sir, Did she succumb?" Anthony asked curiously.

"Oh, that was many years ago
I doubt if anyone would know"

          "I'd like to thank you, Anthony. If you hadn't spotted me, I'd be lost in the ocean still." Todd said.
           Ah, so this is the man they found over board. I remember that night, I was quite annoyed that we had stopped our trip but quite glad that it was to save a person from dying.
           "Will I see you again?" Anthony asks.
           "You may find me if you like. Around Fleet Street, I wouldn't wonder."
           "Until then, my friend."Anthony stuck out a hand for a shake but Todd ignored it and walked away.
            I quickly hid to make sure I wasn't noticed. I giggled a little at Anthony's surprised face. Todd's head turned quickly in my direction and searched with his eyes. He eventually looked away and started to walk farther, I could still hear him mutter to himself,

"There's a hole in the world like a great black pit
And it's filled with people who are filled with shit
And the vermin of the world inhabit it"

       I sigh and leave my place of hiding, waving at Anthony as I pass by to go to where I would look for residence. He gave a small wave back and left to where he would go. I look down at my things and start to wander around, I highly doubt that the first place I'll see is going to be open, for work or residence.

       I was definitely right, it took me about five times asking for work in exchange for housing before I found a place. It was a medical store for medicine and such, the lady- Mrs.Turner- was extremely kind and gave me a room upstairs for helping her create the toxins. It was a minute later that I noticed the man from earlier, Todd was it? Enter the pie shop across from us. Mrs.Wood said the woman was crazy, and sold terrible pies, I chuckled at that, surely they weren't that bad. But I could see through the open door that she immediately piped up when Todd walked in the shop. Once the door closed, I couldn't see anymore because of the curtains.
      "At it again is she?" Mrs.Turney asked with a smile.
      "Yes, seems to have captured a customer. Against his will." I chuckled and went back to mixing ingredients.
      I was curious as to what was going on in there, I wondered what they were talking about. I shook my head at my curious nature. Not my business... I thought and finished the medicine. But my head snapped up when I thought I heard a shout from the pie shop. What's that about? I showed Mrs.Turney the medicine for confirmation and put it on the shelf. But they caught my attention again, they came out of the shop together and went up the stairs into the place above. Why? Todd seemed to pause before following Mrs.Lovett inside. My eyebrows raised and I wanted to go over so badly to see what was happening.
      "Oh look at you." Mrs.Turney say and stops making food for dinner. "You're like a curious little puppy, Why are you so invested in them?"
      I look at her with a smile. "Oh, I don't know... I've always been a curious child."
      "Child? I never asked, what's your age Miss Wood?"
      "Just Audrey is fine, Mrs.Turney. And I'm at the ripe old age of 28."
      "You're not married yet?"
      I smiled sadly, "I didn't want to marry so young. My parents married at thirty. I guess I wanted to be like them."
      She nods understandably and continues to work.
      "What about you Mrs.Turney?"
      "Oh, well, Mr.Turney, passed from a stroke a few years ago, we married at 20."
      "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." I looked down at my work.
      "Not it's alright dear, I've faced it."
      I smiled with pity and shrugged. "I'll help you with cooking."
      As I glanced up to the shop, Mrs.Lovett was coming down, but Mr.Todd wasn't. Interesting.

And there it is! Chapter one of my Sweeney Todd story! If you saw any errors please tell me! I hope you liked it, come back for more!