Darkness.
In fact, more like a dimness - a gray, dusky absence of light, accented by London's ever-present fog, that, while not entirely pitch-black, was just as impossible to see through. Buildings loomed over the streets, casting shadows and making the spaces in between them seem positively sunny by comparison.
A rustle of skirts and clicking of heels, echoing off the walls of the otherwise deserted alley. Fast and closely spaced, whoever they belonged to was clearly in a hurry to get away - home, perhaps, or a pub...anywhere with light and warmth. Every now and then, the steps would pause and there would be a split-second of sound. An echo? Or another set of footsteps, moving in time with the first one?
A high, fluting, slightly panicked voice called out, "Hello?" but unlike the footsteps, it did not echo and was almost immediately swallowed up by the fog and the night.
The heels clicked on once again, even faster this time, accompanied by short gasps and frightened mumblings of "the Ripper". The strange echo, or the alternate set of footsteps, continued in perfect synchronization. At last, the heels stopped in front of a row of buildings and the jingling of keys could be heard as they were dropped several times from shaking hands. The brassy sound all but drowned out the soft, practically inaudible sound of quiet footsteps drawing nearer.
The keys were again dropped in panic and the breaths came shorter and more quickly as fingers fumbled for the correct key in the gloom. Barely suppressed sobs broke out every time a key rattled uselessly in the keyhole.
Suddenly, there was a flood of light.
Not the warm yellow light usually put off by the street lamps, but a cooler, dimmer light with a blueish tinge. It did not stretch far, but it was enough to illuminate the keyring and the door and with a sigh of relief, the correct key slid in and turned. The door opened for only a brief moment and then closed again, safely shutting out the darkness and the fog.
The lampent floated above the door for a few minutes longer, as if keeping watch. When nothing appeared, however, it dimmed its flame once more and drifted off into the night.