Shadows in the London Night

Unlike other parts of the city, the slums were left to fend itself from the shadows. Unlit by streetlamps with the only warmth coming from small fires the homeless huddled around, and dimly lit gas lamps perched on the outside of buildings. Their brickwork old and forgotten, left to rot. The cobblestone streets were slick with grime, dirt and crowded by hollow faces. With an overwhelming misery constantly hanging in the foul, bitterly cold air. Each breeze trying to claw at a person’s skin through their clothes with cruel, icy talons.

Among those faces and buried within the midnight crowd was a young and scrawny man named Daniel. His face was whiter than a sheet and eyes searched around wildly as he held himself tightly. Throat dry and a shiver spread throughout his body, but none of it from the cold. Instead, a primal fear had taken hold of him and refused to let him go. It made his heart race in his chest and pound in his ears. His breaths shallow and quivering. Yet he could not remember what caused it.

Daniel’s memory had become hazy and disconnected. The clearest details he was able to narrow down was a black leather glove wrapping around his arm and leading him down an empty back alley. A deep crimson red that stained his clothes accompanied by a sharp pain. Throwing his fists and struggling away from something desperately. Then were the eyes. Two intense purple orbs that stared into his very soul and made his head spin whenever he thought about them. Daniel could still feel them watching him. Studying him from afar obsessively. He could not tell where they were coming from, but he knew they were there. Hiding just out of sight. Following him closely with a watering mouth.

Daniel kept looking over his shoulder. Picking apart the scene of poverty and despair to find that dreaded fiend. Eyes darting wildly. Kept bumping into people in his way and was cursed at. Even spat at by an older gentleman and given a vicious sneer when he rounded the corner between two buildings. A narrow strip that left behind what little comforting light was produced and was subjected to faint silver light of the full moon. Creating a shadow that stretched across the brickwork which seemingly stalked Daniel. Slowly creeping after him like a silent predator.

Suddenly, Daniel’s heart stopped. Before him was a brick wall that was more than twice his height. Smooth and not granting him a single surface to clutch onto. Yet he jumped at it with all his might. Clawing at the stone like a cornered animal.

He looked behind him once more, and there it was. Leering over him with a foul grin of victory. Daniel felt weak at the knees. His screams of terror muffled by a claw-tipped hand and vision blurred. The last thing he saw before he closed his eyes being two bloodied fangs being licked excitedly by a pale tongue.