LexKiop

10

Melville makes his excuses and heads uptown, shaking your hand warmly and vowing to meet you again soon.

With an hour to spare before your appointment with Buntline, you decide to have a light supper at a nearby eatery, opting for a strong cup of tea. Last night, Buntline seemed amiable enough, but you know you'll need to be wide awake and alert; he’s not someone you can easily trust.

You leave the bright, glittering lights of Broadway behind and make your way to the lively Bowery. Once a stretch of farmland, the Bowery is now the beating heart of New York nightlife, offering pleasure-seekers anything they desire. The streets are lined with theatres, beer halls, dancing saloons, brothels, gambling houses, and ice-cream parlors, often sharing the same block. Here, young couples stroll alongside roving bands of gangs and thieves. If Broadway represents the city’s legitimate business, this is the nexus of entertainment and vice.

You turn down a side street, and the cacophony of the Bowery fades into an eerie quiet. The shops along the narrow lane are all shuttered, and occasionally, a flicker of light spills out from a half-open door, mingling with the sounds of distant laughter and shouting. At last, you spot the address for your meeting—a nondescript brick building with a plain wooden door.

Taking a deep breath, you knock loudly. The sound echoes off the brick walls, the rhythm of your heart matching the sharp rap of your knuckles against the wood. You wait, the anticipation of the encounter sending a shiver down your spine.