The Scientist's Cultist

iii - superstition.

- - - - - - AUGUST 31, 1888 - - - - -

Whitechapel, London 2:30 a.m.

AS SOON AS the nausea dissipated and the stars disappeared from her vision, it took every ounce of June's willpower not to go into total nerd mode in front of Theo. It was dark in the alley aside from a few gas lamps, and it was drizzling just enough to make her skin shimmer and Theo's curls more pronounced. Despite the obvious fact that they were in the slums, June found everything about Whitechapel exciting.

"That was, uh, interesting," said Theo. To June's relief, he did look just as rattled as she felt. Rowan had warned them about the sensation of travel, but nothing could have ever prepared her for what it actually was.

"What, you've never been sucked through the time and space continuum before?" June asked, instantly regretting it. It sounded way less geeky in her head.

Theo's hazel eyes were wide as he turned to meet her eyes. "You're telling me you were prepared for that?"

"Oh, no," admitted June. "It felt like we were sucked straight into a vacuum cleaner and then into a tornado. I'm surprised I haven't thrown up yet." TMI, June. Shut up. Why are you still talking?

To her surprise, Theo laughed. "I would say that's an accurate description. Should we get moving?" The two of them were just a couple of blocks away from where the murder of Mary Ann Nichols was set to occur.

June nodded, following her partner down the street. The further they walked, the more June felt for the individuals forced to live on this side of London. The alley was mostly empty, but it was hard to look over the garbage and the passing glances from the homeless as she and Theo passed. She could only imagine what she looked like to them; a pimp with her chosen suitor for the evening.

A small black object scurried onto the path in front of them and June yelped, latching onto Theo's arm instantly as if his presence alone could deter whatever creepy crawly it was. At the sound of her voice, the creature scampered off across the street. It passed under one of the gas lamps before disappearing. A rat.

June let out a breath and came back to her senses, realizing to her embarrassment that she was squeezing Theo's arm so tightly he was likely losing circulation. If he was thrown off by the action, he didn't show it.

"Sorry," she said, releasing his arm instantly.

Theo waved off her apology. "Ew, this place is gross. I can't believe people actually lived like this."

June nodded. "Mary would have never even been on the streets tonight if she hadn't spent her lodging money on alcohol and resorted to prostitution. For many women, work of any other nature was extremely difficult to find. Not to mention that the lodging houses for the poor are hardly habitable themselves."

Theo shook his head. "How do people keep from getting sick?"

"They don't," explained June. "Doctors are extremely expensive and nearly impossible to find on this side of town. Diseases are all over this city. Children born in Whitechapel during this time often didn't even make it to 10 years old."

Theo shuddered. "I keep asking myself why the directors would send us here. What is so important about Jack the Ripper that his identity takes precedence over the women he murdered or the state of society?"

"I think we might be about to find out," muttered June as she slowed to a stop on the corner. The street sign in front of her read Buck's Row in faded print. "We're here."

Almost instinctively, Theo's arm shot out in front of June before he peeked around the corner. June was grateful that the darkness covered her blush. There was a plethora of situations in which June would have found such a gesture to be inappropriate. Fortunately for Theo, walking around in a dangerous part of London with Jack the Ripper was one of the exceptions.