NIGHTMARE ON FLEET STREET: THE STORY OF SWEENEY TODD

REVELATIONS AND REALIZATIONS

The footsteps came nearer, and no one dared to move.

"D'ya think it's Judge Turpin?" Jillian asked, trembling.

"Go. Hide in the barber shop till I say it's safe." Sweeney ordered.

"Yes, sir." Jillian said and went with Lizzie up to the barber shop.

"Ohh, no! I'm not about to have him or the Beadle drag you back to wherever the hell you came from!" Kris grabbed her bat and stayed put, completely disobeying Sweeney's instructions.

"Kristina! You heard what he said!" Lizzie protested.

"Come on, Eliza! Let him talk things through with her." Jillian advised. They both left.

"Do you hear me? Go hide, I said!" Sweeney ordered.

"And what, let you go back to prison? I don't think so!" Kris responded.

"Go! Now!" Sweeney raised his voice.

"NO!" Kris snapped back, boldly getting into his personal space. "What, you think that girls should just do as they're told because we're weaker? Where I'm from, I'm no second class citizen, Mr. Todd!"

"My, my! Y'seem ahead of your time there, eh Kristina?" Mrs. Lovett chimed in nervously.

"Way more ahead than you think, Mrs. Lovett! A lady should be able to defend herself if need be!" Kristina continued to stare daggers into Sweeney, who broke contact and sighed, knowing he wasn't getting anywhere with this ill tempered young lady.

"All right, you can stay, but you're really trying my patience." Sweeney growled.

"You're trying mine! Just because a man can do everything doesn't mean a woman can't either!" Kristina shot back.

"I'd use my razor on you, girl, but I won't." Sweeney muttered.

"Not if I get you with my bat first, barber!" Kris snarled.

"Okay, can we just talk about this? You two really should calm down—" Adam also chimed in

"SHUT UP!!!" Both Sweeney and Kris roared, turning to the young man with daggers in their eyes.

"Okay, I'm leaving! Sheesh!" Adam left in trepidation, not wanting to stir their tempers even further.

The door opened, and Kristina let out a war scream and charged ahead.

"No, Kristina! WAIT!" Sweeney protested.

BAM!!! WHACK!!!

Sam came into the pie shop with Joshua and Stephen, but he was not expecting to get a full on thwacking on the head from Kristina. Stunned and in pain, he crashed to the floor, holding his head.

Kristina in shock stared bug-eyed at a crumpled Sam, and Stephen and Joshua who looked on in confusion.

"Have you gone mad?!" Sweeney roared at Kris as he helped Sam to a chair.

"What was that about?" Stephen asked.

"I...I am so sorry! I thought you guys were—" Kris stammered.

"We know very well who you thought we were. Is that why you have the bat?" Sam groaned, rubbing his head.

"I...yeah..." Kris sat down, obviously shaken by her own stubbornness.

"It was a mistake, Kristina. It's all right." Sweeney squeezed Kris' shoulder in reassurance. Perhaps he had been a bit too hard on the stubborn young lady.