Disclaimer I do not own The Bartimaeus Trilogy or any of its associated characters or fictional locations.
He hated this city.
No. It was beyond mere hate. He despised this city, he loathed this city. He would have gladly set it alight and watched it burn like the hell it was with all the lecherous, petty souls that were it denizens trapped within. Unfortunately that was against the rules that he lived by.
The being who so lamented his position was at this moment walking through the cobbled streets, his shined shoes soundlessly pushing against the smooth cobbles to drive their wearer forward into the foggy streets. It was still early in the morning, even the numerous stalls that lined the London slums were still deserted with the exception of the few souls who braved the early chill. However for the being that strode forward the fog held no trace of the icy cool that numbed the fingers of the poor wretches that huddled past him, eyes staring past him without a hint of recognition. Nor did he leave a trace of his passing through the mist, the fog lying as still as before he had passed.
The being stopped for second, his soundless footsteps ceasing as he stared at the sign above the small shack-building.
63 copper street. He had reached his destination.
The being glanced at a small silver pocket-watch before sliding it back into his suit pocket, the chain making no more of a clink than his shoes a tap as they hit the cobbles once more. The being slid through the open open entrance as one of the residents suddenly flew out of the entrance doorway, his thin mass rolling across the hard cobbles before coming to a stop. The being raised an eyebrow at a burly woman as he passed her, her thick arms taught with muscle.
"And don't come back!" She creamed at the scrounger she had thrown from the shack. The being turned away and walked over to the trap door lying open in the floor dirt floor. As he had suspected the real establishment was hidden by the unassuming wooden building. He glided down the uneven stairway smoothly and began walking through the tunnels beneath London.
Oily torches lit up the dirt tunnels around him, old mining supports holding the fragile halls steady for a time at least. Evidently they had simply made use of the old mines beneath London, very practical, if not glamorous. Every few meters a small wooden door would interrupt the uniform grey. Finally the being sensed his target behind one of them. He halted in front of the weathered board. He stood there, motionless, for a few seconds, listening for the ragged breathing behind it. Sure enough a light, halting, drawing of breath was just audible above the sounds of quiet weeping. The being moved forward and phased through the wooden barrier, the wood remained whole, not even a stain left behind to show the being's movement.
The being halted once more, this time to gaze upon the inhabitant of the tiny room behind the door. She was a small girl, her face thin and weak, her mother quietly crying beside her, looking little better off.
The girs eyes suddenly opened and she met the beings black eyes with her own brown ones. "Who're you?" she managed to gasp out.
The being smiled gently, "my name is Nathaniel, I've come to help you."
The girl's eyes became bright and she grinned like the child she was, her gap-toothed grin revealing her blood-stained teeth. "Oh really, thank you so much, my chest has been hurting so much..."
The girls mother looked at her daughter with swollen eyes. "Sophie, who are you talking to? There's no one there!"
"Yes there is mummy, there's a nice man who's here to help me. He said so, mummy, why are you crying?" The girl asked as her mother began weeping once more.
"She can't see me," said Nathaniel sadly. "Only you can because I've come to help you."
"Oh...okay," said the girl brightly, suddenly she began coughing, her small body shuddering glided over to her and gently lay the palm of his hand against her back. Her coughs slowly became gentler and she looked at him with blood trailing from her mouth.
"Wow, I feel better already, you must be really good doctor!" she grinned innocently.
Nathaniel shook his head. "No, I'm afraid I'm not a doctor, but I am here to help you..."
The girl frowned. "But if you're not a doctor then how can you help me?" She suddenly drew away from him. "Mummy said I wasn't supposed to talk to strangers, if you're not a doctor then I'm not supposed to let you touch me either, my mommy said that it's bad to let strangers touch you."
Nathaniel smiled again. "Your mummy sounds like a very smart person, but I am here to help you, help you sleep."
Sophie grinned again. "Oh, the other doctor gave me something to help me sleep as well! But that tasted icky!" She stuck out her bloody tongue for emphasis.
Nathaniel placed a light hand on her shoulder. "Yes, I bet was," he laughed gently, "but you won't have to drink anything nasty with me, you just have to sleep."
"But how can you... make me sleep?" asked Sophie, her eyelids suddenly drooping. "Wow, you really are a good doctor... I feel so.. sleepy."
"Shh, Sophie, it's time to rest, just let yourself fall to sleep..." said Nathaniel as he gently lay her down.
"Okay... will I have dreams?" asked Sophie as her eyelids grew ever heavier.
"Oh yes, you'll have dreams." Nathaniel soothed. "Dreams about your father and your friends... and all the things you wanted to do with them before they went away."
Sophie's eyes slowly closed. "I won't be alone then?"
"Oh no," said Nathaniel. "You'll never ever be alone again."
"Promise..?" the girls voice was just a whisper now.
Nathaniel removed his hand and clasped the girls. "I promise." And with that Sophie's laboured breathing finally stopped and her mother's wails pierced the heavens.
Author's Note: Hello people, MRegent.2 here, anyway this is just the first chapter of my own continuation of the Bartimaeus trilogy. I'll continue and offer explanation about what going on in the next chapters.