His body lay in the gutter. He could feel the hard cobblestones, but the discomfort they caused was nothing next to the pain of the wound in his side. Stabbed by a Knife. It was Ironic he should end this way, bleeding to death in the street. The rain washed the blood away and with it, his life ebbed.
He took one last look at the London street, lit by gaslight that guttered in its glass lamp.
It was the last thing he saw. His London.
On that dingy back street, a door in one of the compact Victorian terrace houses opened and two people emerged into the night.
βThe rains easing off. I donβt think this is a very good idea, Doctor. It may be after hours, but what if a policeman comes along and sees us. Body snatching is a crime you know, and the police are everywhere at the moment because of whatβs happening in Whitechapelβ The larger of the two figures said. His voice was rough and filled with tones of Old London Town.
A more refined and cold voice responded βWhat’s happening in Whitechapel is no affair of ours. I need a fresh specimen to work with and you canβt get much fresher than this one. You agreed to help me in return for the medicine to keep you from transforming. Look, there is a full moon tonight, and here you stand unchanged. Did I not tell you I could cure you? Now you owe me, so help share this burden.β
βAll Right Doctor, but itβs under duress and If a Copper comes along Iβll scarper, sharpish.β
Together they lifted the body and took him back into the house they had just come from.
***
The Doctor turned from his patient. How unfortunate, he had wanted a corpse but having brought the body into his surgery, heβd found that there was still the faintest touch of life still in him. Even though he was pushing the boundaries of medical science to itβs extreme, he hadnβt quite forsaken his Hippocratic oath. Rather than use his organs, he had turned his energy to saving the young man’s life.
Slowly, the man blinked. Was this heaven? Or Hell? His eyes were cloudy and blinded by the light. He could feel that he was lying, not upon the cold hard cobblestones, but on a padded bench. He could smell carbolic soap and antiseptic mingling with the stench of blood and the aroma of other chemicals he did not know. It was strange how a surgery smelled so similar to the abattoir. His vision returned along with his realisation that rather than dead, he was very much alive. He had cheated death again.
A tall man in a white coat came over to him. He had wild grey hair and clear grey eyes under metal-rimmed spectacles.
βAh, So youβre awake a last. You are very lucky, young man, that I came along when I did. You were pretty far gone, I must say. In fact, I thought you were a cadaver.β
His patient sat up, he was naked under a thin blanket. He placed a hand to his head and blinked before saying, βThought I was dead, did you? What are you then? A Body snatcher? Or do you work for the Police?β
He snarled the last word like only a man used to living on the wrong side of the law would do.
βNo, I donβt work for the Police. Letβs just say I am an experimental physician, always on the lookout for opportunities for study. You donβt anything to fear from me. I have no love of the Police.β The man held out his hand in formal greeting. βMy Name is Doctor Jekyll, and whatβs yours?β
The young man gave a smirk and shook the hand of his saviour.
βCall me Jack,β he said.
The End
Copyright: Kristian Fogarty 21/September/2018
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2021/02/21/science/
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2018/09/21/duress/
FOWC with Fandango β Compact
https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2018/09/21/rdp-friday-smirk/
https://thehauntedwordsmith.wordpress.com/2018/09/21/three-things-challenge-21-sept-2018/
Todayβs things are:Β after hours, affair, share
One of the problems taking a walk through Whitechapel. I often did, I grew up in Bethnal Green, just next to it.
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π Although the ‘Murder Mile’ was in Hackney, apparently.
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I am more in the picture with the Jack the Ripper murders, but the streets and buildings no longer exist. I went to school in Spitalfields and that was a bit of a dodgy area as well. We Bethnal Greeners had the Kray twins to show off about.
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Oh, yes, The Krays, those lovable rogues π My dad tells tales of them.
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Loved it!
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Thank you π
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Enjoyed it.
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Excellent, I’m glad. π
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Brilliant! That last line does it. Really good write!
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Thank you. I’m pleased you liked it, thank you for leaving a comment too. π
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You always take that alluring and original angle and used key words that provoke the reader’s imagination. Great job, Kristian.
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Thank you. Glad you liked it π
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You are a very talented writer, Kristian. Don’t ever doubt it. π
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Bless you, Thank you so much. I appreciate that.
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My pleasure! πππ
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That was such a sting in the tale!!
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Haha π The story is part of an Idea I had for a novel.
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This is another lovely piece π
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Thank you. I’m glad you liked it, the idea has been buzzing around in my head for some time. π
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I am glad you put it on paper (er digital paper) π
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π
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Double yikes!
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π
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Love it!
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Thank you π
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I always enjoy your twists Kristian!
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Thank you Angie, Glad you enjoyed it. I can’t help my twisted tales π
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Fantastic writing Kristian. You should resume your story writing. This was fun.
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Thank you, Sadje. I’m glad you enjoyed this one. I do hope to get back into writing some more stories, when I get the time and the inspiration π
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Youβre welcome! Hope you find the time.
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