Tales From The Raindrop Forest - Anthology

Steampunk Detective | Punk Out, Punk Fast

This was for a contest held by @WattpadPunkFiction. The flash fiction had to contain a Steampunk detective with titanium goggles. I figured I'd post it here too, since it was fun to write.

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'Do you think it was natural?'

'No,' I sniffed. 'This was murder.'

I shoved my titanium goggles onto my forehead as I bent down over the remains of a person who, judging by his looks, had been dead for a long time. The smell was even worse, and I wished I had brought a handkerchief with me. People always laughed at me when they saw me in my long coat, top hat and with a stupid piece of linen in my hand, but they didn't have to spend their time in terrible smells. Unless they were factory workers, of course, but I had never seen a factory worker in the Upper City. They wouldn't have enough money to buy the journey up, and no means to sustain themselves. Only the richest people lived in the floating city, powered by steam and carried by powerful zeppelins.

I was lucky enough to be born atop the great platform. As a kid, I would always imagine what life down there in London would feel like, and luckily, I didn't have to imagine anymore. I'd rather smell some dead person than go back.

I studied his back and head, but I saw the same signs that had been popping up all around London these past few weeks. I felt his wrist, but pulled back in surprise. 'He's ice cold. Whoever's done this to him must have hidden him well.'

'Are you sure?'

I looked up, sighing darkly. Kerrigan's face was darkened by the shadow of a zeppelin floating past. I didn't have to snide at him since he already raised his hands in defence. 'Sorry,' he apologized, brushing his hand through his dark, messy hair. He had a faint smile on his lips, like he always had. 'You're the detective, not me.'

'It's fine,' I said, getting up and brushing dust off my coat. 'I'm glad enough to have a technician on my side.'

'Detective Thorne,' I heard someone call from behind me.

I turned around and told the police officer behind me to take away the body with an impatient whisk of my hand. Putting my trusty old goggles back on, I told Kerrigan: 'Somehow that voice makes me feel worse than that smell.'