The Ripper of East End

Part 8: The factory girl

It was a wet and foggy night in London, a light rain that didn't cease all day.

Joseph had gone out in the early afternoon with Detective White but hadn't yet returned.

Elizabeth was beginning to worry, so she figured she should look for Joseph.

She would start at the obvious places. The bar, that one brunette woman's house, the other bar, the other bar, the alley behind the bar, Joseph is a creature of habit you get the point.

"I'll see Barney first, then maybe Patrick next. Wait, no, Allen's is closer."

Elizabeth couldn't read, but otherwise, she was a smart girl. Elizabeth was especially good at remembering landmarks and directions.

Past the textile factory, the brothel, the (supposed) vampire den, and right near the slums edge was her first destination.

She was 16 now. She could do this. She would show Joseph she could protect him too.

"I wonder if I'll have to try and drag him home this time again..." Elizabeth let her mind wander for just a second, and suddenly she was on the ground.

Muddy, disease filled water splashed upward and coated Elizabeth's back.

Elizabeth focused her eyes on the girl atop her.

The girl had gasped, completely in shock.

"How did you get out too!? You know what? I don't care! I don't! Just let me go before we both get caught!" The girl scrambled to get up, but Elizabeth gripped her arms.

"Who are you?" Elizabeth asked, lifting her head.

"It doesn't matter! Just let me go!"

Elizabeth realized it now. This poor girl just tried to escape the factories.

Knowing all too well the misery of these sweatshops, she decided to help her out. Anywhere was better than here.

They would have had a few minutes to run, or they would find her.

Elizabeth grabbed the girl's hand, and for an instant, they locked eyes.

She wasted no time, turning and running through the dark city streets with the girl. The rain started to pick up, pelting their faces.

Elizabeth's heart was racing, blindly running through the night with a stranger... not to mention the fact that she had never held another girls hand before. 

Elizabeth dragged the girl several city blocks before she had asked to stop.

"Where are you taking me? I don't want to be killed, please."

"I'm not killing you. What are you-"

"I don't want to end up like the other children in the factory!" The girl was on the verge of tears, her body trembled.

She was genuinely afraid.

Elizabeth reached out to her, and she swatted her hand away.

"I'm Elizabeth." She said with a frown. "Elizabeth Church."

The girl sniffed and wiped away tears

"I'm... my name- my name is Bethany."

"I think that's a lovely name... Bethany."

"You won't turn me back over to them, will you?"

"I don't live too far. I can keep you safe until you have somewhere to go... I was a factory worker once upon a time. My brother was too. He got us out."