The rain was coming down heavy as Valkyrie navigated the streets within Bethnal green. She was still familiarising herself with the layout of the suburb having only been a resident within its confines for the past month.
It was after her guardian and dear uncle Gordon had passed away, an acquaintance of his by the name of Erskine Ravel had offered her lodgings and welfare in the form of a, though minuscule, income.
There was of course one catch to his generous hospitality. Valkyrie would have to be displayed to the public as part of the numerous and varied exhibitions within Erskine's freak show as, the girl possessed by an evil spirit-most likely the devil.
Valkyrie had been given to her uncle Gordon by her parents when she was but three years of age due to this strange demonic behaviour within herself. Her uncle had been a medical researcher and journalist of human or more accurately mortal and as she later found out non mortal ailments and diseases, thus explaining his close work with Erskine and also the slight animosity found between the two especially on the topic of his favourite niece and the display of the sick and deformed.
This animosity though, not being enough to free her from the grasp of Erskine's business.
She entered through the small door way around the back of the freak shows building on Squrries street. She climbed the rickety stairs to the top level depositing the groceries she had been asked to purchase by Mrs Grouse.
Mrs Grouse was a lovely old women with wispy white hair drawn up in a lose bun, her violet eyes shining brightly out of dull withered skin. She was the culinary and domestic Genius within the freak shown and was in charge of seeing to everyone's needs and was truly the cogs of the whole operation. Without her there truly was no way forward.
Mrs Grouse had come to the establishment over twenty years ago. Her husband Kenspeckle, had been in charge of the monetary funds and basic health care, until his unfortunate death three years prior from cholera.
Valkyrie exited the quarters of Mrs Grouse and descended the stairs to the corridor of rooms located on the first level. Each room housed a member of the freak shows exhibitions.
She reached the end of the long narrow corridor and came to the grey door of her good friend's room. Muffled voices could be heard coming from the other side. She knocked three times and waited patiently. The voices ceased and footsteps approached the handle of the door turn down as it was pulled open.
"Valkyrie Cain!" the person said. "Come in, We were just discussing the new recruit."
She slipped in under the arm of her friend and looked to see who else was seated within his room.
On the bed swinging her legs jovially over the edge sat Tanith Low 'the woman who swallowed swords' her blonde hair dangling over her lean frame. Beside her, on the floor leaning against the leg of the bed his selves rolled to show his skin was Ghastly bespoke 'the famous scared man'
Sitting to the right of the room was another person Finbar Wrong 'The tattooed freak.'
She felt a nudge at her shoulder and then a voice whisper in her ear.
"go on sit down silly."
She nodded and moved towards the bed setting herself next to Tanith.
Peering up at her friend Skulduggery Pleasant ' the human skeleton' so named due to the fact that patches of his skin and muscle were translucent to the point where you were staring directly at bone.
"As I was saying." Finbar said clearing his throat. "We have a new recruit! A boy a few years older than yourself Valkyrie, a twenty year old by the name of Fletcher Renn."
"Where'd Ravel find 'im" Ghastly grunted out.
"Not too sure I think Kenspeckle's niece said he was found around Potts Row." Everyone understanding that Kenspeckle was the code name for Mrs Grouse, Her niece was a bubbly and slightly loopy 18 year old by the name of Clarabelle who had more than once spoken about turning her hair a bright shade of blue.
Tanith stuck her hand up eagerly imitating a small child.
"Yes Tanith?" Skulduggery's smooth voice gave her permission to speak.
"What's he in for?" Tanith asked.
Valkyries friends had been part of the freak show for quite a few years. Skulduggery though relatively young was one of the first exhibits and had a close friendship with Erskine.
Ghastly, was a childhood friend of Skulduggery's and after having spent most of his youth travelling from country to country with his rich parents in search of a cure to his mysterious scarring, had been sent back to London to be placed in the care of Erskine Ravel and become part of his show of freaks
Shortly after Ghastly settled into his routine Tanith had turned up with her cousin Finbar Wrong seeking employment and a form of income. They'd been part of the business for at least three years from about the time Mr Grouse passed away.
Due to the long period of time all of them had spent within the freak shows walls they had begun to refer to it as a prison of one kind or another.
"I heard he's one of those mysterious cases, you know the ones they keep under wraps till you pay to see 'em" Ghastly spoke picking absent-mindedly at the leg of Skulduggery's bed with his finger nail.
"Well no matter, dinner will be shortly and we can see him then." Skulduggery said jovially, seating himself on the other side of the bed, his back brushing against Valkyries leg making her blush. "Now onto other more important stuff, what groceries did you buy dear Valkyrie? For as you know that will determine our dinner for tonight."