Chapter Text
The cold streets of London echoed with the sound of footsteps. Tobias Ragg, a young and upcoming barber, made his way home after a busy day shopping at the market. He ambled down Fleet Street and fidgeted with the present he held in his arms for his wife Eliza. It was a beautiful pair of silk gloves from the shop she really loved. He hoped that she would be pleased with his gesture. It was the least he could do as Eliza worked hard every day caring for their infant daughter, Beatrice. As Tobias approached the front door of his house on the corner, the air shifted around him. Tobias noticed that everyone on the street had gone and a light snow had started to fall. He shook it off and reached for the door handle but it contorted and moulded itself into a face, a face Tobias hadn’t seen in years, a face he had almost forgotten. The world froze as Mrs Lovett grinned happily at Tobias. Then it was over. Tobias blinked and the door handle was normal once more. The street came back to life with everyone continuing their evenings. Trembling slightly, Tobias shook his head and told himself that it was just his schizophrenia playing up.
Tobias had been suffering with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia for as long as he could remember. All he could recall clearly from his childhood was being in a workhouse, working with a strange Italian man then a white fog clouded over his memories. After that, he could remember being placed in an asylum. Tobias was labels as ‘simple minded’ and was almost left to rot like many of the other patients but luckily, a doctor had somehow seen a future in Tobias and nursed him back to health. After he completed an examination and had left to find work, Tobias met Eliza and the two quickly fell in love. Since then, Tobias had rarely noticed his illness and felt cured. He stood staring at the door handle for a while and contemplated what might’ve caused him to have a sudden flashback but he steadied himself and entered his house.
Walking through the empty shop that his neighbour owned, Tobias made his way up a set of stairs into his house. Tobias had chosen to move into this particular building because something deep down within him felt connected to it. It wasn’t often he felt tied to something as even the clearest memories he held of his past were not crystal-clear. The thought that maybe he had happy experiences in this same house as a youngster comforted him slightly.
“Honey!” Tobias called as he unlocked his door. Eliza was sat with Beatrice in a rocking chair. “Hello love, sorry little Bea is asleep.” Tobias nodded and crept over to his wife, planting a kiss on her cheek.
“Apologies that I took so long but I bought you these!” Tobias smiled and handed over the box. Eliza gasped in awe, “Tobias you didn’t!” Slowly, Eliza unveiled the silk gloves and beamed as she slid them on. Eliza planted a kiss on Tobias’s cheek and observed her new gift happily.
The evening rolled on and soon, Eliza was in bed and Beatrice was tucked away in her cot. Tobias sat by the fireplace and smoked a pipe. He was about to nod off when suddenly, the fire was put out in one go. He jumped and studied his surroundings. The strange occurrence that had happened earlier had messed with Tobias’ mind so he was more paranoid than usual. “Who’s there?” He murmured. A hearty chuckle sounded from the window behind him and a transparent woman hurled through the wall. Tobias braced himself for shattering glass but nothing happened. “Don’t be frightened dearie. It’s only me.” Tobias froze. It couldn’t be, could it? Slowly, he raised his eyes to see Mrs Lovett standing before him, arms open wide. “M..m-mum?” Tobias stammered. The white fog that smothered his memories cleared slightly and he recognised Mrs Lovett as his childhood maternal figure. “Aw bless you dear. Alas, I am not here just to make amends. I am here to warn you of the grisly fate that you will meet if you continue here.” Tobias turned his head, confused.
“I beg your pardon ma’am but I do believe that I live my day just like any other gentleman. What is wrong with my current occupation?” Mrs Lovett smiled sadly.
“It is no fault of yours son but I warn you, if you do not leave London soon, you and your family will meet a gruesome finish.” Tobias stared at Mrs Lovett with terror.
“What..?”
Without a warning, chains sprouted from every surface in the room and circled Tobias. “Time already?” Mrs Lovett grumbled. “I don’t know what’s happening!” Tobias shrieked.
“History will repeat itself without action. You will be visited by three ghosts tonight. Be prepared when the clock strikes. For now, my time on earth is through so I bid you goodbye.” Mrs Lovett started sinking into the floor, getting pulled down by chains. Tobias ran up to her and tried to hug her but she was no more. The only proof that it wasn’t just Tobias’ mind faltering was the aroma of burning that lingered in the room. Tobias knelt on the floor, breathing heavily. Three ghosts? He was dreading the night ahead. Behind him, the fire lit up once more and the burning smell was blended into the background.
One question remained, however. What had happened previously that Tobias could accidentally repeat? Without a complete answer and his head reeling, Tobias crawled into bed. He kept himself on the edge in order not to wake his wife as he was constantly flinching at every slight movement or sound. Without anything stimulating his mind, Tobias ended up falling asleep, but it wasn’t long until his first visitor arrived.