The Calling of Whitechapel | MBSAV Fanfiction

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞

My eyes flutter open, and I find myself back in the waking world. Standing over me is the girl with the white ribbons, holding a book over my head. She taps gently on my shoulder, stopping when she's realised I've awoken. I let out a sigh, figuring I had been lost in another vivid dream. Slowly, I regain my composure, gazing up at her. "Hello," she says sweetly, lowering her book. "You'd fallen asleep and there was a leak coming from the ceiling.

"Uh-huh," I reply, rubbing my eyes.

"I'm Allison Creed, I'm new here and I wanted to ask if you could show me to the cafeteria?"

"I can try but I'm new as well. My first day was yesterday," I say standing up. "Wait, where are we?"

"Oh, this is the advanced English class. It was just the third period." My jaw drops.

"Shit," I whisper. "Sorry, it's just I've just arrived from Australia and I'm very jetlagged. The family I'm staying with has a son in my year but he isn't in AP English so I was meeting him and his friends at lunch. I guess I didn't hear the bell," I sigh.

"That's alright. I know how you feel. I've moved countless times across the country and it's always the same. I didn't get your name by the way."

"Oh, I'm Josephine Greene, but my mates call me Jo. Say, do you wanna eat lunch with me? If we find the caff that is," I joke.

"That sounds great, Jo. I'd love to. People have been staring at me all day and it's nice to have a genuine conversation."

"I think it's because there's never anyone new in this town," I explain as we leave the classroom. The hallways are empty once again, bathed in the soft glow of afternoon light streaming through the windows. My dream still lingers in my mind but the chirping of autumn birds calms me. I lead Allison to my locker and she indicates that hers is across the way. As she points I notice Erica, who's standing texting on her phone. "Maybe we should ask her for help," I suggest. We approach her, and she glances up at us surprised. "Hi. Could you show us the direction of the cafeteria?"

"Uh, yeah. I was heading there now. I'll come with you," she smiles. We follow her as she guides us through the school.

"I'm Allison. I missed yours," Allison begins a conversation.

"I'm Erica. It's nice to meet you."

"You too, I'm Josephine. You're in our grade, right?"

"Yes. I was in your English class just then. You were out, Josephine. I can give you my notes if you want."

"That'll be great. I'm just tired from travelling. How about you, Allison? You said you've moved a lot." I say, looking at her.

"My dad specializes in rabid animals and wildlife control and sells weapons to the police and rangers. We moved here because of the increasing number of animal attacks," Allison explains.

"Yeah, I mean, in Whitechapel there's always been attacks because of the way our towns are built. It's very integrated with the surrounding forest; there are no fences. Anyway, in the last couple of years, it's spiked, from one in a couple years to like multiple a month."

"Damn, that's crazy," I gasp.

"It's mostly hiking tourists, but now more drunk university kids decide to throw parties in the woods or, even worse, try and tame a bear."

"Wow. Have people actually fought bears?"

"No, but there has to be an explanation."

"What has the town tried to do?" I question.

"Nothing much. They just try to keep them away from the town and neighbourhoods, telling hikers they can't control what happens in the woods."

"That's why I moved here, so my dad can keep the killings down. He said if they don't subside, then I might be here until university, and I know it's selfish, but I kind of wish that. Y'know so that I could stop moving all the time," Allison sighs.