Samantha Todd:
The Demon Spawn of Fleet Street.
Chapter 2: The Shop Is Now Opened.


     Now 32 years old Toby was straightening his tie in the downstairs living room- the same living room he sang to Mrs. Lovett’s when he was a young boy. He was getting ready to open shop- or “re-open shop.” Samantha was now 20 years old- and they had just spent the year preparing the pie shop from “Lovett Meat Pies” to “Todd Meat Pies.” She had also been practicing- always cooking pies since the very day she could walk. He sighed knowing that Mrs. Lovett would probably be so proud of her, especially since...Mrs. Lovett couldn’t... make her own damn meat pies.  He smirked at himself the mirror, tall, scraggly dark hair tied back into a ponytail. He turned “Samantha! Time to come down!” in seconds a lovely young woman stepped down the stairs of the living room, wearing a crimson red dress, she had short boy cut hair- with a thin strip of white hair on the side of her head- like her father- Toby never could understand why she grew white hair at a young age, she had semi pale skin- deep brown eyes slightly filled with a little sadness- never growing up with parents- never knowing what  they looked like, Toby took her in. As she grew up he told her that they died naturally and together- and happily. (yah right.) Their ashes were in the living room over the fire place; she blinked and turned her eyes to Master Toby. He was like her father- she remembers when she was like seven he was really short. When she would call him “Master” he would tell her to stop doing that- That she wasn’t in debt to him- but he had basically adopted her…like his ward almost. Samantha walked out of the living room sighing and not saying anything to him, which was pretty common wit her as well. (I wonder where she got that from.)  Toby walked into the kitchen and he immediately heard her chopping up meat slices, and rolling the dough for the pies. “I S’pose you should open the pie shop, aye?” she briefly looked up at him; He nodded and walked over to the door. People were already outside- he never imagined why- but then again Samantha has the genes of the oh so famous Mrs. Lovett- maker of the “oh so famous Mrs. Lovett’s Meat Pies.”  He let them in as they sat down. “Ello Dearies- they’ll be right out- I just popped a few into the oven.”  She sang to them, Taking out a large serving plate, she set it down on the counter, “Come to visit your good friend Samantha?” she called to them- turned around and pulled the pies out of the oven. Carefully setting each pie down without burning herself.  She walked over to her young customers and set it down in front of them- little hands quickly grabbed each one; Samantha smiled at herself in her head. When hands grabbed like that – it was a “good thing.” Toby began calling “Ladies and Gentleman! May I have your ATTENTION PAH-LEEASE!” he took in another deep breath. “Are your nostrils’ quivering and tinglin’ as well at the delicate lashes ambrosial smell?” A crowd began to crowd around him. Samantha smiled “Thank you Masta’ TOBY!” she sang off key, she began rolling the dough- pretty soon the air was filled with that meat pie smell- and everyone seemed to be in a trance because of it. “Already 20 sales today- sir, yes the meat pies are delicious- why thank you.” She sang as a customer paid her.  The crowd dispersed sadly after Samantha ran out of meat. “Come again tomorrow Ladies and Gentlemen- my father will fetcheth me some more meat!” she promised setting down her large butcher knife- Toby shut the door behind the last customer and locked the door. It was already night time. “Hmm...Night!” she said to Toby; throwing her towel on the counter and walking into the kitchen to go to her room.  “Woh! Woh! Woh!” Toby yelled after her following her into the room. “Yes Mister Toby?” she said less enthusiastically. Toby looked at her, why was she always so bland? “…I’ll need help carrying the meat in when I’m done, why don’t you stay up a bit while I fetch some, I’ll come get you when I come back.” He said pointing to the door- then leaving. Samantha sighed. “Alright,” She slumped down on the Venetian couch in front of her, her eyes gazed around the room- stopping at her mom and dad above the fireplace. She got up and walked over to the urns, placing her hand on the one which she remembered was her mom. Nellie Lovett Todd…she only remembers her name because Toby told her it was part of her name. She heard the door shut- she looked up, and Toby came into the living room. “Come on, we need to get it into the kitchen and prep it for tomorrow.” He said, Samantha walked past him- not saying a word.  She grabbed her butcher knife and stuck her hand into the large bag Toby dropped by the counter, “I’ll finish up here- Tobias, you go to bed.” She said quietly, coughing a little bit. Toby gave her a smug look- grabbed a black shawl that was hanging over there in the parlor chair- went over to her and draped it onto her shoulders. “Don’t get so excited, I’ll watch you.” He said sitting down on at one of the small tables. “Toby…is it alright if I ask you something... About my parents?”  She asked looking up at him as if she had things on her mind- which she did actually. “Go ahead…” he muttered. “What exactly did my father do for work?” she cut through the meat quite gracefully. “Uh…he worked upstairs…he was a…barber... He was pretty good. I guess. Or so I was told by your mother when I was younger.” She acknowledged him for once, “So how old were you- when they got sick…and when they left me with you?” Toby played with his hands quietly. “I was pretty young…12? Maybe.” Samantha nodded. “I wish they could’ve stayed longer… I think…it would’ve been better.” She looked at the ceiling tearing off the rest of the meat on the bone of the unknown animal. Toby sighed. “Tomorrow- when we’re on break I’ll take you upstairs, It’s about time…people have been asking me about you, Men heard good things about your father’s shop, when they were boys they’re father’s would go to him.” Toby said rather quickly ignoring the fact that after Sweeney did shave them, they never came home. Their wives just assumed they probably left the family for no damn good reason. Toby continued “And…I think, it would be NICE…if you learned your father’s trade as well…could make a pretty penny on the side I s’pose.” He gave her a crooked smile. Hoping that by doing this her skills would make up for her father’s negligence. Samantha thought about it, “Hmm... A woman barber… I s’pose they wouldn’t mind at all… I am his only child after all.” She sighed, she wiped her knife- put it over her shoulder; scraped up the meat and put them in separate pies- she put them under the counter for tomorrow. As she did this a few cockroaches skittered over the pies- without her seeing though. “Alright!” She wiped her hands and looked at Toby. “Till tomorrow then, Tobias.” She walked out of the kitchen towards her room. Toby nodded, “Till tomorrow…Miss Todd.” He said under his breath. He heard the door to her room shut; Toby got up from his seat and grabbed a candlestick from a drawer, lit it- and went outside and up the stairs- to Sweeney’s old shop.
     
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
     
     
     
      He unlocked the door- as he opened it a rush of cold air brushed past him; he shivered as he stepped into the shop.  There in the center of the room beside the large window was his old chair, and there below it- was the trapped door. He shook his head and set the candle on the dresser next to the door. It was cold in the old room- he thought that was pretty strange, it was nicer outside- and he would have thought that if this place was locked up for more then 20 years it should by dusty, smells bad and muggy. It was dusty…but freezing. In the corner of his eye he saw flicker of something moving- he snapped his head in that direction- The candle’s flame flicked.  And he saw a shadow of something black move into the wall- Toby blinked and shrugged it off as being a rat. He stared back at the candle and saw its light begin to glow wildly. Toby turned back to the chair, he picked out some blood stains left on the chair. He thought about scraping it off- but it blended in pretty good- besides, it was told old to do anything about it now. He sighed and ran his fingers over the chair gently. “Mr. Todd…I hope to god your sin did not pass down to your daughter...” he whispered. He heard a light raspy man’s voice ‘what is that?’ it said. Toby looked over to the other side the room. He could’ve sworn it sounded like Mr. Todd He furrowed his eyebrows. A broom knocked over. Causing him to jump a little bit. Then he heard it again ‘hm…’ only this time it came from a more womanly voice. More like Mrs. Lovett this time.  Toby had enough of this weirdness. He went to the dresser and picked up the razor case, he blew out the candle and for a split second in the moonlight in the reflection of the mirror- he saw Mr. Todd sitting on the chair- he was glaring at Toby. The candle blew out- and it was gone. As Toby left he shook his head and locked the door.  
     *THAT SAME NIGHT*
     Mrs. Lovett noticed him first, Toby! Older and opening the shop window, she was sitting in the corner- she looked up at the apparition in front of her. Sweeney was pouring a cup of tea- he didn’t really care who the hell was coming in. “Mr. Todd!” she scolded him and threw her shawl at him, he brushed it off her and he walked past Toby stopping at the dresser- Toby put down his candle, Sweeney growled and flung Mrs. Lovett’s shawl across the floor. Toby looked over at it. Sweeney rolled his eyes pathetically because he was bored. He brushed his ghost hand over the candle, making it flicker. He turned when he heard Toby mutter “Mr. Todd…I hope to god your sin did not pass down to your daughter...”  He turned slightly “What is that?” he said rather loudly (at least to him.) Mrs. Lovett got up from her spot in the corner, pushed over a broom in the corner and wanted to see Toby’s reaction. When nothing happened she muttered “Hmm...”  “Mrs. Lovett…” Sweeney said looking at his chair with that look of evil in his eye. “How long has it been?” Mrs. Lovett bit her lip thinking. “About…20 years dear.” She said. He glared past the window and walked over to his wonderful friend…his chair. “That’s two…” he said sitting down- He watched as Toby blew out the candle- He glared at him through the mirror. He noticed that Toby’s eyes had widened a bit when he did. ‘Good.’ He thought. ‘Let him know that Sweeney never left.’ When Toby finally left. He crossed his hands and placed his chin upon them. “Samantha Todd…I finished what I started…but I don’t think it was enough…I’ll never see either of my girl’s again…Johanna and now Samantha…never again my Johanna…” he sung quietly to himself. Mrs. Lovett crossed her ghostly hands over her dress. “It’s not so bad Sweeney…you got to see Samantha when she was little…and she grew up rather quickly.” She brushed off what “seemed” to be dust off her shoulder. But nothing was there – nothing ever was anymore, they were dead. As always Sweeney seemed to ignore her. Mrs. Lovett sighed boredly. “Give it a rest already…” he muttered- knowing he wouldn’t be able to kill her now. They were dead.   “So your poor Lucy past over, so you never saw Johanna…she’s fine now- and probably is happy…you never gave me a shot...and we have a daughter… At least she’s down below us.” She muttered. Mr. Todd looked enraged. “…Mrs. Lovett.” He said. Mrs. Lovett walked to him and kneeled next him. “Mr. Todd…She’s fine…concentrate on the life we never saw.” She got up and walked to the end of the room and through the wall. “Samaaaaaaantha…” he sung to himself. “My sweet...Samantha…I’m gone and yet you’re here…” He looked around him. “It’s not enough,” he decided. “My dear Samantha...you have eyes…like her.” He said finally admiring Mrs. Lovett for once. “Let it be known then Tobias…you may have gotten rid of me, but my “sin” will live through my little lamb…Sweeney’s Back…and he never left.” He muttered sliding back into his chair.