Letting Go Of Grief: A Sweeney Todd Fanfiction

Letting Go Of Grief Chapter 11

“Anthony…” Johanna coughed. He looked over at her and panic consumed him. She was choking. On what, he didn’t know. Her face was turning a frightening shade of red.

                “Johanna!” He yelled his thoughts whirling around in his skull as he tried to think of what to do. She could still breath; whatever was caught in her breath wasn’t completely obstructing her airways quite yet. However, she couldn’t suck in enough air and she the rooming starting to spin. She coughed repeatedly, sucking in noisily so that she could try again. Tears pooled in her eyes as here hands closed around her throat. If only she could cough it out… Anthony landed a large smack on her back and the sudden force mixed with a hard heaving cough sent the object spewing from her mouth and onto the floor. Johanna desperately gasped for air, relief rolling in waves throughout her body.

                “Are you okay?” He gently rubbed the spot on her back that he had hit, feeling guilty for having touched her in an unkind way.

                “I… What was that?” She gasped between breaths. Anthony’s eyes scanned the wood floors for whatever had been lodged in his dear’s throat.

                “Was this it?” He lifted a grayish object, examining it closer.        

                “What is that?”She wrinkled her nose, her colour starting to return. It was a small little thing and he couldn’t help but think that it vaguely reminded him of a toe. It even had what looked like a toenail…

                “Oh my God,” the small gray toe slipped from his fingertips as he fought the urge to vomit. “What is the meaning of this?” He demanded, staring at Toby who had watched the whole scene in horror.

                “I don’t know sir,” he shook his head slowly.

                “What are these pies made from?” Johanna spoke up.

                “I don’t know, I don’t make them,”

                “Who does?”

                “Mrs. Lovett,”

                Johanna and Anthony exchanged uneasy glances. Who exactly was this Mrs. Lovett and why had there been a human body part in the pie?

                “I’m going to talk to them,” Anthony decided. She looked as though she wanted to object but thought against it. “Be right back,” he gave Johanna a swift kiss on the cheek before racing off.

                Sweeney had nearly fallen asleep when suddenly Anthony burst through the door.

                “Mr. Todd, may I please have a word with you,” he didn’t even seem fazed by the shirtless barber and the baker who was snuggled up against him.

                “Nellie, would you please excuse us for a moment?” He asked her tenderly. She complied, leaving them alone.

                “What’s wrong?” Sweeney asked, grabbing a clean shirt and slipping it on.

                “Johanna almost choked to death,” this got Sweeney’s attention.

                “What?”

                “Toby offered us pies and something was in hers,” Anthony’s stomach heaved at the thought of the toe.

                “Well what was it? Is she okay?”