London Bridge Is Falling Down (Short Story)

"Victoria waited for her child to be born. He came in the form of little Henry. Henry was cute and rosy. Nothing like his father. Victoria was unhappy. Victoria wants revenge. She disguised herself, and tricked Preston to believing she was a prostitute. They walked through one of London Bridges by the Thames. They kissed near the bridge. He pulled her hair back and her red wig fell. 'Hello, love'. She had said. Her smile full of hatred. He asked her what she was doing there, but not so nicely. 'To kill you.' She stated simply and stabbed his eye with a knife. Blood rushed out of that eye as she pulled it out. It squirted all that crimson liquid from his punctured brain. At age sixteen Preston was thrown into the Thames, and Victoria followed after him, but not right away. Do you know what she did?" Tori questions Louis who seems very freaked out by this young girl. He doesn't answer her and waits for her to finish.

"Victoria stood atop the bridge, and a beautiful song developed as she stood there. 'London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady.'

She had sung. Little children had heard her. They sang her hymn, and she turned to face those children. Her final smile told them to keep singing. To sing as she spoke her curse, 'Preston Smith, and all the male Smith's to come. Your Smith women will always have a son for me willingly or by rape. A son I shall destroy as I have destroyed you. For breaking my heart. For breaking my son. Forever and ever until death do we part my dear Smith's.' Those were here final words before she threw herself into the Thames. A body never found. A son who followed after his mother, and now it's time for you to go." Tori says as her school uniform changes into a white dress made of silk.

Tori tilts her head at a very unnatural angle, her porcelain skin is moist with water, her red lips are now blue, and her eyes are now full of insanity. Louis yells in terror, and runs away.

London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady.

"GET THE HELL AWAY YOU MONSTER!" Louis yells as the echoes of Tori's song follow after him. He runs and runs in no particular direction. Or so he thinks. Tori is leading him towards the Thames. To one of London Bridges.

London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady.

Children sing as Louis passes them. He covers his ears trying to block them out. He trips, and he sees small feet. He looks up at a little boy with pitch black hair, and blue eyes very much like his. He stretches his hand out to Louis. "Come with me." The child says through the singing. Louis slaps the child's hand away.

"It's not nice to hit your son." Louis freezes in terror as Tori whispers in his ear. His heart if racing, he can hardly breathe, and there is no one around, but the singing children and them.

"Tori, please stop this!" Louis begs as he crawls away from her. She smiles, and carries the little boy that had offered his hand to Louis. "It's Victoria. Tori sounds so demeaning." She states as Louis runs towards the bridge. Children are blocking the other side so he is trapped. One side with the children the other side with Victoria watching him.

London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady.

"STOP IT!" Louis yells, but Victoria does not care. She stopped caring many centuries ago.

"MAKE HER STOP!" Louis yells. People walk past, and just look at Louis making a fool of himself. No one can see. Only Louis. The chosen one. People murmur. Children cry, run away, or laugh. Some see. Others do not. Louis is breaking with reality.  "I CAN'T TAKE IT! LEAVE ME ALONE, VICTORIA!" He yells and throws himself off the Thames.Victoria and her son look on as Louis drowns. No one can see them only their singing children.

London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady.

"My lady?!" The maid questions Louis's mother who had dropped her tea cup. She falls to her knees and bursts into tears. "Victoria! Curse you! Damn you go bloody hell!" She scream to the Heavens. The maid tries to comfort her, but she is beyond comfort.

London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady.

Build it up with wood and clay,

Wood and clay, wood and clay,

Build it up with wood and clay,

My fair lady.

Wood and clay will wash away,

Wash away, wash away,

Wood and clay will wash away,

My fair lady.

Build it up with bricks and mortar,

Bricks and mortar, bricks and mortar,

Build it up with bricks and mortar,

My fair lady.

Bricks and mortar will not stay,

Will not stay, will not stay,

Bricks and mortar will not stay,

My fair lady.

Build it up with iron and steel,

Iron and steel, iron and steel,

Build it up with iron and steel,

My fair lady.

Iron and steel will bend and bow,

Bend and bow, bend and bow,

Iron and steel will bend and bow,

My fair lady.

Build it up with silver and gold,

Silver and gold, silver and gold,

Build it up with silver and gold,

My fair lady.

Silver and gold will be stolen away,

Stolen away, stolen away,

Silver and gold will be stolen away,

My fair lady.

Set a man to watch all night,

Watch all night, watch all night,

Set a man to watch all night,

My fair lady.

Suppose the man should fall asleep,

Fall asleep, fall asleep,

Suppose the man should fall asleep?

My fair lady.

Give him a pipe to smoke all night,

Smoke all night, smoke all night,

Give him a pipe to smoke all night,

My fair lady.[2]

(quoted by Iona and Peter Opie in 1951)