This is set after the end of the play…not a sequel but a continuation of the surviving cast members as seen through the deceased cast members….as how things are more connected then they seem….or will be

I of course own nothing…blah…blah…blah….I also make some assumptions about various characters thoughts over the course of the play which are my own since a great deal of things are not specified…especially about the more minor characters…so some past events are of my own imaginings…

Plain text narration

Bold text dialogue spoken

Italic text thoughts

Different fontsvisuals of other people…. This will make sense as the story goes on

The year is 1848 for your information since I will be trying to keep a great deal of historical accuracy or as much as possible…one of my major pet peeves with fanfiction is when they happen in stories obviously in the past…that have items or events that couldn't possibly have existed or happened at that time.

Enough blah…blah…blah on with the story

Sweeney

Sweeney or rather Benjamin, had always imagined at the end of life that a bright light would surround you, but here was only pitch black darkness. That must be only the sort of thing that one going to heaven would see however, since this was not what greeted him in death. But then again he would never know about the bright light being part of heaven anyways so it didn't matter.

Not being able to see anything, not even any part of his body, Sweeney just let himself exist. Motionless in any dimension, he tried to awaken his consciousness. If this was limbo, was this where he was to be for forever? If this was hell, this wasn't so bad?

Of course as he thought this last statement, something in the darkness changed. It wasn't a light in the distance; no it seemed just as though certain parts of the darkness had gotten darker, if that was possible. But the most important change was that he felt no longer alone.

Hello?

There was no reply. Sweeney sighed heavily… then thought I odd it was that in death he could sigh, and speak for that matter. Especially considering how he died. His thoughts were taking a u-turn in that direction, when he was suddenly struck with the feeling of not being alone again.

Hello?

This time he was greeted with a response.

Yesssssssss

The voice had a hissing quality to it, and it made Sweeney's mind shiver in anticipation. It was definitely a female voice, but none he had even heard before.

Who are you? And where am I?

Look around you…..

At this everywhere around him lit up as with all the fires of Hell. There was no heat to the flame, but in it Sweeney could see a woman-like creature…she was like a woman, but none that he knew…exotic and seductive were the most accurate words to describe such as woman…someone powerful and controlling would also be just as accurate. But no words would ever come close to the whole picture that she was. The fires seem to flow with her as she walked towards Sweeney.

So… this is Hell is it? Personally thought it would be more painful.

Who said that this was it?

She hissed that last statement as well. Sweeney said nothing to this. He looked down and saw himself physically, just as he had looked before he died. There was even the blood on his shirt.

So are you saying this might not be Hell? Or are you implying that there is more torture to come?

Well that depends doesn't it?

Sweeney was not sure what to make of that statement. So he changed the subject.

So who are you?

He still hadn't gotten an answer to that question.

That depends as well.

This was starting to anger Sweeney. Earlier she had been more seductive, now she was being straight forward and matter of fact in terms of tone, but really her answers were just more questions. There was a long awkward pause, when neither of them moved or spoke. This seemed not to be awkward for the woman however and she stood there as thought no time had pasted at all. You could only tell she not frozen because blinked her eyes every so often. Sweeney was just as annoyed with this as with her answers. It seemed like an eternity before he decided this annoyed him more.

So what next? I am to stare at you for all of eternity or have you come merely to torment me in some fashion?

The woman smiled. Not a nice smile, it was really more of a smirk. When she did speak, she seemed to be enjoying herself.

So no more waffling? Sigh, I do enjoy being melodramatic.

The hissing quality was back.

I will make this as clear as I can. You are where you think you are, and I am who you want me to be. And what happens next is what you expect. At least for now, anyways.

She laughed at this. This of course seemed to be exactly what she doing before and Sweeney made a bold move to grab her. If he was already in hell, at least things wouldn't get worse for strangling the annoy tart of a woman. But there was nothing to touch; she blew away as though smoke. Sweeney sighed.

Good riddance!

Of course she was not that easy to get rid of. Sweeney turned to see if the fire extended behind him, and there she was.

Why?

Sweeney was taken aback by such a striking question. He paused before attempting to speak, and then realized now none of his answers seemed to be good enough. He supposed he had gotten used to just killing people after all. He looked at his feet. When he looked back up she no longer seemed to be sorrowful, she was angry.

I am finished here. I can contribute nothing to your understanding, and you belong where you belong.

She paused and looked up as though she was pondering something large and complicated. She sighed as well and looked back down at Sweeney. For the first time she looked sad.

Fortunately, I feel that things are not over entirely. Not fortunately for you of course, for you might wish at some point you were back here with my babbling, standing the flames which do not burn.

At this she turned and left slowly, taking the fire with her. Sweeney not sure what to do just stood there as the flames disappeared and he was slowly left in the udder blackness he started in.

But the blackness was soon replaced by smoke. Lots of lots of smoke. Sweeney thought it odd that in death he could still choke on it. He waved his arms about in hopes this would clear some of it from his face. Instead it cleared the majority of it away, and Sweeney was once again inside the upstairs barbershop. There was nothing it, but the chair and the box that held his razors. Not even a door or a window.

Sweeney sighed heavily.

This is most certainly Hell.

He picked up his box, which did contain his razors, and sat down with them in his barber chair. He fingered his neck, and saw to his surprise that it was not only cut open, but apparently still bleeding. He stared at his now bloody fingers.

Toby…

He closed his eyes and sighed.

That was all it took for Sweeney's first surprise to show itself. Inside his eyes was just as vivid as having his eyelids open. Only it wasn't his room. It was Toby.

Toby seemed to be enclosed in a cell of sorts. He was facing the wall of this cell, so all Sweeney could see was his white hair. The cell door opened but he didn't move at all. A girl that Sweeney had never seen before was thrown in with him. She looked several years his senior, with blue eyes and short brown hair, almost at a boy cut. It looked highly unfashionable that way, and looked like it had been cut by a five year old.

She sat down at the opposite side of the cell, since it seemed her cellmate could care less at her arrival.

Then one of the guards yelled in the cell before leaving, "Now you two devils spawn can enjoy each others company." This caused him to laugh at himself, and he walked away.

Sweeney noticed the girl did not flinch at this statement, but merely looked over to her cellmate. Toby however had moved. His face was not up against the wall, but …yes he was now moving it closer…ouch…Sweeney flinched as Toby threw his head full force at the wall. This seemed to unsettle the girl as well, because she made an attempt to stop him from doing it a second time. This caused Toby to flinch at her touch and he whipped around teeth bared, and tried to bite her. She of course backed away at this. She sat back down, and watched him hit his head against the wall several more times until he could take it no more and flopped to a sitting position up against the wall. He began rocking back and forth.

She cleared her throat. "My name is Grace…what is your name?" But Toby made no reply.

Sweeney opened his eyes. His room was exactly as before, except there was the chest now in the corner. Sweeney didn't move towards it however. He could only imagine it would be not worth opening. He was sure it contained none other then the body of Senior Perelli, because this seemed to be the way his Hell was going to work.