Passing Shadow

A.N - This story is based on the Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson and is in no way affiliated with the Frankwildhorn musical. Some of the characters belong to me, others are the property of Robert Louis Stevenson

Chapter 1

The fog swirled around the cobblestone streets as Lilly made her way home. It was late, much later than she usually stayed out, and the deserted street made her feel as if she were the last person on Earth. Her feet throbbed from having spent the whole day selling her flowers and she longed to put them up and perhaps even have a bath to forget the long hours she'd spent trying to sell her wares. She hadn't met with much success today; that was the reason she was out so late. People just couldn't be bothered by a flower girl trying to make a living. They walked right by, ignoring her song and her bright bouquets; their heads remained down against the wind, even when there was no wind to speak of. She didn't know why she had chosen that new street but she vowed to never go back. Her basket was full of unsold flowers, most of which would not survive into tomorrow morning; it was money out of her pocket wasted. She thought by staying out later she could have at least sold more flowers to the gentlemen on their way to the opera, but very few had stopped for her. So, with the night growing darker, she left their land and began the trek slowly back to her own, where it was not so bright and colorful and the fog creeped slowly around her ankles.

It seemed the fog got thicker with every breath she took, and she longed to reach home. Home for her was a small flat in one of London's poorer districts, on the third floor of a large brick building. She didn't care that it wasn't so big; it was enough for just her. It was a place to sleep and she was grateful to have it. She was well acquainted with the sight of people living in holes between crumbling walls. It was hard enough to have no place to call your own, but now the streets weren't safe anymore, even just to walk through. All over the papers more and more reports of murders had started to filter into the daily news. It had started simply enough, but now it was up to at least two a night; people turning up dead mere minutes after they were seen by friends. Just thinking about it made her uneasy and she quickened her pace. She suddenly wished she had thought things through before she had stayed out so late. Now, her mind swirled as quickly as the surrounding fog with the pictures she'd seen just that morning of people standing around looking solemn as a man was covered with a sheet. She'd be safe at home soon, she told herself firmly. She would fix herself some tea and forget about this long, wholly unsuccessful day.

As she turned the corner onto her street, she exhaled in relief. Though the street was very long, and she had some ways to go, she was in the homestretch; she had done it. But, just as she started to move forward, someone suddenly shot out of the dark and crashed into her. Lilly fell to the hard street, dropping her basket of flowers and strewing their contents on the ground. She landed on her funny bone and her elbow felt as though it had exploded. She gave a short scream of pain and immediately clutched at it, trying to rub and smother the shooting sensation spreading through her arm. She looked over at the flowers lying on the street; they were ruined. She cursed out loud.

A low chuckle followed her profanity. Lilly looked up and stiffened to see that the person who had knocked her down was still there, standing over her. It was a man; he was tall, though seemingly stooped over, and covered completely by a gentleman's cloak. His eyes peered at her and seemed to burn away the fog. At his side, was a formidable-looking cane with a heavy brass handle. Silently, Lilly prayed to every saint she'd ever heard of.

"Stupid girl." he said. His voice was low and raspy, as if he had nails in his throat. "Walking alone on the streets at this hour, you should be more careful." He swayed slightly as he spoke. Was he drunk, Lilly wondered? At that moment, Lilly wished that she were. She looked up at him, but couldn't help her eyes from drifting back to that cane.

He followed her line of sight and tightened his grip on the handle as a sick smile spread over his face. With a swift motion, he lifted the cane over his head and swung it downwards right towards her face. Lilly screamed and closed her eyes bringing her arms up to shield her face and waited for the blow to land and possibly kill her. She waited and waited with her eyes closed, but still felt nothing. Timidly, she opened her eyes and saw the cane had stopped inches away from her face. Above her, the man was still holding it firmly in his grasp, his body looking like it had frozen just before he had made contact and still might should he continue what he had already set in motion. He was breathing heavily; the same sick smile twisted on his lips. Then, with unusual grace, he brought the cane back to his side and stood as though nothing had ever happened.

He reached his hand into the folds of his cloak as Lilly continued to watch him through half-closed eyes. When he withdrew it, he flicked his wrist and casually tossed a coin at her. It landed with a loud ping on the street and echoed off the walls of the nearby buildings. "Here's for your troubles." he said casually. With that, he walked past her and continued on his way down the street and disappeared into the fog, but not before picking up one of her scattered flowers and shoving it in his front coat pocket.

Lilly's heart was pounding, amazed that she was still alive. She picked up the coin he'd tossed at her and gasped. It was an entire pound! Her flowers sold at two-pence a piece and she would have to sell a lot of them to make this much money. She had suddenly made almost two days wages in two minutes. Tucking it in her dress pocket, she stood up slowly. The throbbing in her elbow had subsided and only ached slightly as she bent down to pick up her fallen basket. Whoever he had been, she knew she had been lucky to have survived the encounter. She wasn't exactly sure why she had for he could have very well killed her. But instead, he had given her money and even taken a flower. She was much too lucky; from now on, she would leave for home earlier. She had no desire to be caught walking alone on the street by someone who might not be so generous.

A scream pierced the air and Lilly froze. It had sounded far away, but the force of it still echoed on the empty street. It came from the direction the dark man had walked off in. Without thinking, she dropped the flowers she was holding and took off running as fast as she could down the street. She only stopped when she'd reached the stoop of her flat. Fumbling with the keys with trembling fingers, she finally unlocked the door and rushed inside, closing it behind her and bolting it immediately. She stood for a few moments breathing heavily with her head resting on the splintered wood. She swallowed heavily. It seemed someone else had not been so lucky.