Demon Stories

Josephine: The Curiosity, 1862, England

Josephine

The Curiosity

1862, England

It was looking to be a harsh Winter. But there were harsher things to come. 

This particular night, I was to go to a party of a quite influential man in this city. I can not remember his title or his privilege anymore. Maybe he was a rich doctor, maybe a lawyer, something. But I had been invited as an escort by a handsome gentleman, and of course I did not refuse. He was a frequent customer, and my foolish heart had hoped there would be something more. 

It was at this time I was figuring out interesting things. I had befriended a few folk who were not the norm. A large city is good for this purpose, and my sad heart was figuring out how to identify people like myself. That is to say, those whose gender does not match their sex. Strange flowers without a place in society. I found comfort in them and they with me. Two such individuals lived with me in a small flat above a seamstress shop in which we worked. This was a cover for our true operation, of course. We were not seamstresses.

In a new blue and white dress which my friend had finished creating for me just that afternoon, I waited at the window for the gentleman. My friends were already out for the evening, with their own clients. Earlier that evening, my friend had patted me on the back and told me "make money" with a wink. 

I heard the sounds of horses' hooves on the cobbles, and rushed quickly down the stairs. The stairs led to a door at the side of the shop, and as I opened the door, I realized something was very wrong. 

My eyes examined and stared at a young stranger holding the door of the coach open. He wore a long black coat and black top hat. He looked particularly bored and perhaps a little agitated. Not at all how I wanted to start an evening. But this man. Who was this man? Why was he here? And above all...

"You're Asian," I stated plainly, not moving a muscle from the top of the stairs. 

"No, I am not," he said.

That voice. What was wrong with his voice?

"Where is your master? Why did he send his servant?" I asked.

This caused a nasty gleam in the man's eye. But as I stared at it, I realized something with a sudden gasp, which he saw. Very quickly, he started to blink and then turned his face away. 

Because of this, I had to go with him. There was no way. No way!

"I shall go with you," I said, my amazement showing in my voice with a breathy way.

He was eyeing me with bitter curiosity. His silver grey eyes were searching me, and still there was that shine in them. They luminesced in the darkness of the cab. We were silent, lest the driver hear us outside this shell. But we stared at eachother, and it was readily apparent how we both could see eachother still clearly in the dark. 

But I could not help but utter, some minutes into the ride, some words to him in my still shock. "Where...did you come from?"