“There are a thousand stories in the naked city...”

“The gentleman led the lady across the tram tracks, both stopping long enough to ensure no rogue trolleys were lurking about. The gentleman helped her across the tracks and they journeyed toward west toward Gutter’s Row. The evening grew darker, if that were possible, under the smoggy night sky as they neared the monument in the middle of the street. The couple tensed visibly as the air seemed to close in on them. Even crossing those murderous tram tracks hadn’t set them on edge as much as nearing the Gut.

They were well-dressed, the man in a rather expensive-looking charcoal gray suit with a gold pocket watch clipped in place covered by a coal black duster and the lady donning a light blue billowy formal dress and a light fall jacket. She carried a purse on her shoulder, upon which also leaned a closed matching parasol she held tightly. Her other arm linked with the gentleman’s, who was wearing a top hat pulled down tightly against his head and aiding a slight limp with a hardwood cane in his free hand.

They heard the squeaking of the pennyfarthings from an alley behind them before they saw actually saw them. The wheels clacked unevenly against the cobblestones, becoming a low rumble as three men perched upon the large-wheeled contraptions turned the corner. They stopped well behind the couple, cutting off the route back to the rest of the city and intending, if need be, to herd them deeper into the Gut, into the trap. ”