It festered in the dark, its soul rotten to the core.

Or if it had one, the creature could not be certain.

Music played, and the sounds of saxophones rang.

Chitta chatta, the monster shuttered and moved.

The city slowly sank, yet the people danced away.

Their souls free upon the city that birthed jazz.

But the creature desired knowledge, not festivals.

It hid amongst the crowd, its form ever-changing.

Man or woman, it cared not; it is just flesh to wear.

It sought a great truth, but they needed a subject.

Yes, a prey to do their bidding, a target to choose.

A woman, yes, short skirt under the streetlight.

A respected sort, one who served the community.

Mayor of the city, union leader of streetwalkers.

A desired one, fulfilling other’s carnal wishes.

Some wanted her touch, her words that mends.

Emmelia Engels, her name few knew personally.

Ambitious, intelligent, experimental, an advocate.

The perfect target, one the creature required.

It moved from post to post, under light to light.

Fast and swift was the creature, its lips ready.

It went to Emma’s ear; it spoke truths of magic.

‘The souls can power the gates of time beyond.’

It whispered more, secrets forgotten and ancient.

The creature darted away; it hid under a new post.

It achieved its task; it waited in communal shadow.

Confused, shocked, Emma couldn’t understand.

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The words spoken were alien, unfamiliar, yet true.

She wondered what they meant, what it could be.

Ignored and brushed aside, Emma chose to ignore.

Night was kind, but her head roared with thunder.

Tired and sour, she returned home to rest all alone.

Yet the knowledge of magic crept deep in her soul.

‘The souls can power the gates of time beyond.’

She didn’t understand it, but she wanted to know.

She took out pen and note, tools to aid her pursuit.

But a problem arose, one she didn’t suspect at all.

Magic was once a myth, a figment of imaginations.

No source could help her, no teacher could teach.

But she heard it, the truth of magic, the big secret.

Determined she pushed on, alone in her studies.

Emma wanted more; she desired to find the truth.

Outside her apartment window, stood the creature.

Its lips smiled, it jittered, it was excited by her tenacity.

Yet it knew it must wait, they couldn’t rush her at all.

It did what it could; it hid under a new streetlight.

The creature sealed its lips, its secrets closed to all.

The project with Emma required its undivided focus.

But it knew it would take time, all research desired it.

So it left for a time, away from Emma and her home.

The city was free from the creature, its secrets gone.

It would only be a matter of time before they return.

To the person whose ears were open to deadly whispers.