A Victorian Lady's Guide to Killing Gods and Monsters [ONC 2023]

Chapter I: You better wish your dreams do not come true

London, April 4th, 1852.

The man appeared once again in Hattie's dream.

She was used to that. The man was always there. Watching. Waiting. Even in the most surreal dreams of hers, he would appear.

That night was no different, but she didn't think the man actually existed in real life. Not until the day after.

Hattie went to the Sunday service after a night full of bizarre, creepy nightmares. And then... she saw him.

His appearance was a normal man's, but Hattie knew what this was about. He wore the latest fashions of 1852, and his smell was nothing but disgusting. A monster.

Hattie could sense monsters from a very young age. Her mother used to say it was because she was special, and she was capable of looking at people without the masks they had put on themselves. She could sense that smell in almost everyone in that square. Ladies of high society. Merchants. The man in the latest fashions. She knew everyone could be a beast.

That man was... different, at least. He was not like the other monsters she had encountered in her almost twenty years of life. No, his smell was stronger, deeper, and somehow terrifying. Or maybe Hattie needed more perfume.

She tried to get closer instead of running away because, as you may know, human curiosity is very, very stupid. The man did not notice her at first, but as she approached, she knew he was looking sideways at her.

When the distance between them came to be just a few meters, he glanced at her. His eyes were dark purple like wine poured over soil. And he was now looking directly at Hattie.

All of a sudden, the world around her changed. The dark city of London transformed into a great valley shining under the sun, and she felt grass when she stepped into the ground with her leather boots, trying to wake up from this dream. In the distance, she could see two men fighting in togas. Was it some kind of strange party like rich people used to do? Her mother had told her stories about that, but she did not believe the respectable high society of London would throw away their money just like that.

"No, silly girl," a voice warned her from the back of her head. It was not hers, that was for sure because it was deep, dark, and a little frightening. "Look at them."

She tried to approach the two men fighting without getting involved, but then the picture came clear. They were not hitting each other as Hattie had thought. They were being strangled by... by plants.

The branches grew higher and higher, broader and broader, surrounding their bodies as snakes in the jungle searching for their prey. A few seconds later, it was too late for them. Yes, they were too far for them to see Hattie, but she could see their skin go as purple as the strange man's eyes.

"Heavens!" Hattie exclaimed, shocked by the... dream? Nightmare? Vision? Hallucination? What in God's Kingdom was that? "Those poor men..."

"Oh, you can save your pity for your dumb saints, Miss Rayburn," said the deep, frightening voice. "They deserved it. Now come, little one. I have to show you a couple more things."