The Strange Case of Miss Lavinia Armitrage

Collinsport

Collinsport, Maine

Nathaniel motioned to the black sedan parked next to the Innsmouth Diner.  Lavinia went around to the passenger side, but Ward was there in an instant, opening the car door for her.

"Thanks," she murmured.  She slid into the interior of the spacious vehicle, velvety red seats enveloping her. She took in her surroundings as Ward slid into the driver's side, and buckled his seatbelt.  He waited for Lavinia to do the same.

"Oh," she said, realizing that he was waiting for her.

"Safety first," he smiled, starting the car. Lavinia fumbled around momentarily until she found the buckle and fastened it around her. The dashboard lit up, all green dials and gauges. There was a loud squawk, and Ward, looking embarrassed, punched a button silencing the noise. They pulled out of the parking lot and eased into the night. Soon they were gliding along, totally enveloped in darkness, streaks of light gaining in intensity as they went deeper into the city.

"So," Lavinia began, "Where is your office?"

"Downtown."

"Where, downtown?"

"Wayyyy downtown...near the, uh, Meatpacking...District." He said the last part rather quietly, but Lavinia picked up on it anyway.

"Down there?"She tried not to sound offensive.

"Not quite-it's actually on the corner of Federal Street and Garrison." He seemed a little annoyed, and defensive, as well.

"That's kind of a...shady part of town-"

"What part of Innsmouth isn't shady?"

She rolled her eyes. "You've got a point there." Lavinia continued to stare out the window at the garish neon wasteland that was the outer edges of Innsmouth. The older parts of the city intertwined, here and there, with the newer; old Puritan New England mixed with a newer urban flair. Recently, the Meatpacking District had been enjoying a renaissance, of sorts. It had been rediscovered by some trendy pioneers whose business ventures had been surprisingly successful, probably due to the low rents and empty buildings that were in abundance. A couple of out-there art galleries (We Were Framed and Hung!) started drawing the 'in' crowd and were followed by several eclectic clubs The Doom Doom Room and Igor's, not to mention Ward's favorite, The Black Light, that revitalized Innsmouth's nightlife, and then came the exotic eateries (The Switched Blade, Meet-grinder, and Stake Haus)  and the transformation was complete.  Innsmouth was now an up and coming hot spot for all the bourgeoisie.
Of course, there were the inevitable dens of iniquity, the strip clubs, and the trashy bars, but what would Innsmouth be without The Bird Cage or Raising Ale?

"Almost there," Ward said. Lavinia straightened up in her seat.  The car turned a corner and slid up to the curb. She looked out the window; the street was darker than she liked-- and completely deserted. Ward shut the car off and started to get out.

"This is it?" she asked. She cautiously unbuckled the seatbelt and slowly opened the door. Climbing out by the curb, she shivered.

"Yeah, follow me," he muttered, heading down the sidewalk. The bumpy pavement was cracked and uneven, and there was the unmistakable smell of decay in the air.

She scrunched her nose and made a face. "Does the wind always blow straight in from the slaughterhouse?"

Nathaniel stopped abruptly. "Only on nicer evenings..."

"Then this must be my lucky night." She tried to keep up with him. The buildings facing the street were nondescript, and Lavinia had to step back and look up at them just to see what they were. Most didn't have signs or markings of any kind that would identify them; just faded stone facades and darkened windows. Further down the street was what appeared to be a tavern, though very dimly lit. She saw several tragic-looking figures stumble slowly out of it into the street.  Faint music reached her ears as the vagabonds disappeared into the night. Ward saw her staring at the wedge of purple neon light that was spilling from the taverns' open door.  "That's the Black Light", he said, before Lavinia could ask.  "Locals only. No place for proper ladies."