Chapter 4

It's been over a week and Luciana still had no answers. She spent a lot of her time rediscovering London and trying to adapt to the Victorian lifestyle. She had to admit, it wasn't as easy as she had imagined it to be. The city in her time was lighter, more advanced and liberated. This- this was the same place, but it changed so much. She even visited a few locations where she would 'shop' or spend her leisure time. The difference was interesting but odd. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it yet.

The rest of her day our time traveler would spend on making winnings. She would thieve and gamble. Never too much though, she didn't want to catch the yard's attention. Luciana knew she wouldn't do well in prison in her time, so she didn't even want to risk them in this era. She wasn't insane after all.

From her winnings she would pay Nick the lodging keeper each night four shillings. He seemed to enjoy receiving the extra money. So he doted on Luciana a little more than other young ones. It wasn't much but he would spare some food or drinks for her at the end of the day and explain her the latest happenings. People always gossip no matter when or where and Luciana was thankful for that. If only for the fact that she knew where it would be too dangerous to go.

From her savings Luciana bought herself a notebook and some writing utensils. By no means was it for a diary, she just needed a place to gather all her research. The first thing she noted down was the runic writing and stone formation. Her phone didn't have much battery left and until now the only time she had seen an electrical plug was in the upper levels of the library, but she couldn't very well charge her phone out in the open. Therefore she refrained from its use and turned it off immediately after she copied the information.

Luciana scoured book after book, day after day, but there wasn't much to find. Not all the books were printed and many that would hold information of interest for her were written in old English. It was hard to read and sometimes the ink was already beginning to fade. She was getting frustrated by the slow progress. And oh, how she wished Google could have been invented already. 'If this keeps up I'll never go back.' The girl rubs her forehead tiredly. With a depressed sigh she closes the book in front of her and returns it to its rightful place. All the letters were beginning to blur and she could feel a headache coming. "Maybe I should take a break." She mumbled to herself while gathering her things and exiting the library.

Luciana decided to take the long way to the lodgings. On the way she would pocket some fruit and pastries from the market. By the way she ate, it was a miracle she hadn't lost much weight, but she figured it was only a matter of time. Upon entering the lodgings she could feel the slight tension in the air. So with furrowed brows the little thief made her way over to the keeper. "Oi, Nick what's goin' on?" Taking a seat at his counter she hands him one of the sweet pastries and apples.

"Ah, there ye are deary. Was beginning to think ye got los'." He cracks a smile gladly taking the food. "How do ye fin' these things?"

She just shrugs, leaning bored onto the counter and smirks at the keeper. "So, what's happenin? They lookin' mighty agitated." She motions to the people sitting around the lodging's common room.

"Damn righ' they are." Nick lowers his voice and frowns. "And wif good reason." Luciana cocks her head to the side and sends the keeper a look of confusion motioning him to explain. "Another brass dead."

'A brass- another prostitute is dead?' Luciana pales as she remembers the most famous murder case in all of London. Was it in this time period? She really didn't know. "Killed?" She asked hoping very much that it wasn't what she thought it was.

"Aye. Nasty too." Nick nods his head grimly while Luciana gulps slightly. So her presumption was right. Jack the Ripper. Of course it just had to him- just like she had to be sent to this time period. The world just couldn't give her a break. She let out an exasperated sigh and rubbed her forehead in frustration. "Better be careful deary."

'No kidding. Don't wanna get killed.' Not portraying her thoughts she cracked a small smile at him. "I ain't no brass Nick." And hopefully good old Jack would notice that too and leave her in peace. "Bu' thanks." Taking her things she leaves for some alone time. She doubted the new predicament set in yet.

Sitting on the lodging's roof Luciana looked over the city as the soft evening chill breezes past her. At the moment she felt a triad of emotions. Hopelessness and frustration were most prominent but then there was that small glimmer of excitement. It was burning just beneath the surface waiting to come out. She was living an adventure like no other. Something that only happened in stories and she doubted many people could say they visited Victorian London or lived during the famous Ripper murders. Not that this was a planned visit, though a part of her found it amusing and so much more exciting than the dreary life in that catholic school. The more she thought about it, she almost became glad to be in her situation. It looked less like a problem and more like a solution. Yes, she missed her two friends but they knew she hated their school. So wouldn't they be glad with her newfound freedom? It didn't really matter. It wasn't like she could ask them. Somehow things just felt right here. She felt content. Something she hadn't felt for the longest of time now. Back in 2016 she was stuck in that boarding school, bound to regulations and rules, on probation with her social worker. Here she was free- yes it was hard to get by but it was still London, her home. Somehow it didn't bother her all that much anymore.

'When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.' Laughing into the night Luciana smiled at the moon. She had a feeling that things were only just beginning whether the following events would be good or bad she didn't have a clue. "Well, we will just have to wait and see what happens next."

And that's the new chapter. Thank you for reading!