The Ripper

IV

The long and lonely night stretched into eternity. No one else appeared.

'Would anyone notice if I vanished?' Emma wondered, peering into the pea soup surrounding her. 'Would anyone tell Mama if I found a desolate corner in one of the alleys? I could use a wink of sleep.'

Determinedly, Emma marched toward the nearest blind alley. A figure darker than the unearthly fog loomed above her. Frightened, she gaped at the black opera cape and black hat pulled low over the ominous brow. A menacing finger pointed toward the alley's dark hole. Wide-eyed Emma Quance stepped backward, hoping for an escape. The small of her back met the lamppost.

With lightning speed, a bony-fingered hand encircled the petrified girl's upper arm. He dragged her into the grimy backstreet and flung her against the wall. He trapped her with an arm pressed against her exposed neck. Squirming and kicking fiercely, Emma managed to land a brutal ankle kick with the toe of her boot.

Swiftly, a surgical knife appeared. The weapon's point pierced her midsection. Emma's potent shriek cut through the fog. The compressing arm against her neck increased its strength. Helpless, the terrified girl struggled beneath the force of her captor.

"No more Mama, no more walking the streets," Emma desperately thought. Relief flooded her as her life ebbed away. Peace from her awful existence beckoned her.