Chapter one

Chapter 1

"Mista T?" Nellie Lovett knocked urgently on the demon barber's door, "Mista T, there's a problem!" She received no answer and sighing restlessly, turned the cool brass knob letting her self into the upstairs room. In the light of the large window she saw the barbers chair where countless people had met there deaths sitting there in the center of the room.

It struck her as odd- how normal and what was the word benign this room seemed. Than again- she thought, so did her little shop. 'No mater' She thought pussing the grosum thoughts aside. "at least it picked business up. Evrey one 'as t' die some time why not 'elp 'em along?"

Where was Sweeny? Normally at this time of night he'd be staring out the dusty old window, plotting and brewing, thoughts heavy.

"Ah!" There!

Finally she saw him, sitting on his bed, sound asleep but being held up by the fact he had his back against the dark brown wall. Any other time she would have let him sleep. The man hadn't had a good nights sleep in many days. Each night she couldhear him pacing back and forth in front if the moon lit panes of the window, sometimes mumbling to him self. Each morning the dark bags under his eyes seemed darker and the weariness she could sense in him seemed to grow.

Lovett didn't say anything though. Whenever she mentions her concerns for him he either brushes her off, changes the subject or ignores her completely.

As I said, any other time she would have let him sleep; satisfied to know he was getting some much needed rest. But tonight she couldn't. Down stair, locked in the bake house was a troublesome little boy, a nosey little boy, an endearing little boy who thought of her as his own mum. A little boy Nellie was now up her to get Sweeney to kill.

"Mista Todd." She reached out a small pale hand to touch his shoulder.

He sprung up immediately; a growling cry that somewhat resembled the word "No" springing from his lips.

Nellie, already kneeling next to the bed fell back, hitting her head hard against the wooden floor as he sprung upon her, strong hands grabbing at her slender throat.

"Lucy!" He roared. "You lied about Lucy!" Mrs. Lovett had never heard him so angry before, not when he heard of his wife's death, not even after the judge had got away and he had blamed her, going so far as to hold his sharp, silver blade to her throat, daring her to give him a reason not to kill her.

Even then she hadn't felt the raw fear she felt now. Then she had felt a small amount of joy at his closeness, at the fact he was looking at her, finally acknowledging her. Then she had even thought she'd saw certain playfulness in his eyes, the spark of mischief normally found in the eyes of a much younger boy.

Tonight there was none of that. His pupils seemed black and what she saw in his eyes was nothing short of pure hatred. She hadn't even seen him look at the judge, the man who took his daughter and drove his wife to suicide with these eyes. He was still yelling at her, hurling questions at her.

She tried to focus on what he was saying. "I killed her!" He yelled, shaking her with each syllable and causing her already aching head to hit the floorboards roughly with every movement "I killed her and it all your fault! You liar! Why are you still here? I threw you in the fire, I guess I shouldn't have expected flames to end the villainess from hell! Here you are still at my bed side to torment me more!"

In all honesty she had no idea what he was talking about and even if she did she wouldn't have been able to answer him any ways. Her small hands scrabbled uselessly at his wrist, trying futilely to pull his muscular hands from her.

He was strong, a fact that surprised her although in after thought she realized it shouldn't. How else could he over power man after man?

The barber was straddling her and struggling, nellie tried her best to toss him, kicking and squirming as hard as she could but that proved to be about as useless as her attempt to pull his hands away from her windpipe.

Tears rose to hear eyes and black dots began to swim through her vision. He was still yelling, something about Lucy and the beggar woman and Toby killing him. She couldn't focus to understand it even if he was making sense and instead tried her best to plead with her eyes for her beloved Mr. Todd not to bring her to death.

"Mr. Todd!" Anthony threw open the door happily, a wide smile splayed across his young face. An equally young face, this one with blond hair flying out behind her as they rushed up the stairs was in toe, being pulled along hand in hand.

Anthony paused, frozen in the doorway at the sight he saw.

Sweeney came to his senses at the arrival of the new comer standing motionless in the door jam. He pulled his hands away form the still woman below his body.

Anthony stood still, trying to stutter out a response and coming up with nothing more than meaningless sounds. Sweeney, finally in his right mind, or as close to a right mind he'd been in a while slowly found his way to his feet.

At the absence of his weight Mrs. Lovett coughed, desperately trying to bring air into her starving lungs.

He glared, walking purposely to the two standing at the entrance to the room oh-so-many had entered and oh-so-few had exited.

"Sit" He hissed, gesturing towards the tatty bed. They both obeyed with out a word.

Suspicion was obvious, Anthony trying his best to keep him self between his beloved Joanna and the madman in front of them. Its wasn't until he'd shut the door and was walking towards them the young boy realized they might have had be better chance if they'd made a run for it.

Oh please comment! I really want feed back!