Death Songs for the left behind part 1 1/2

[Arabella Porter]

      It was midnight on the docks of London, fog drifting back and forth, congesting every open space where a ship was not present. From inside the cozy study, glowing light shone warmly, contrasting against the cold, cloudy gray of the London fog. Charlotte Bennet sat at her desk, eyes half closed, staring at a flaming candle in her gas lamp. It was obviously time to go to bed and she sighed upon the realization that she would actually have to stand up if she wanted to tuck herself warmly into her bed. She limped herself up and lazily grasped her lantern, before shuffling around in her pockets for the key to the wall hidden passages leading to her cabin. Upon finding it, she shoved aside a few books, The Art of War, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and a collection of well received poetry in the U.K on her bookshelf,  and stuck the key into a keyhole, formerly hidden on the wall. She turned it and with seven clicks, there was the sounds of clicking and clockwork as the wall split slightly open. Charlotte rubbed her eyes and slipped through the crack before pulling the door shut. She made her way slowly through the gloomy hallway, no light present but her lantern glow. 

    Muffled voices came and went as she passed by the rooms of her first mate and the big room. She ducked around a corner that announced that she was almost there as the hallways bordered another closed off hallway next to Raphael and Roderick's room.      

     "You took something away from me and never gave it back,"  Charlotte stopped in her tracks upon hearing words that were not her own. "You took something from me." Her blood ran cold and her stomach felt as though it were leaking air out her belly button. 

     "Hello?" She asked into the darkness, waving her lantern carefully about what space she could reach, attempting to remain calm with almost complete success if it were not for, 

       "You better run. li'ul girl," Charlotte felt the hairs on her body stand with the haunting, nerve wracking feeling of sharp, hot breath on the back of her neck. There was a moment of thought and then a yell as she swung her lantern back to hit something that just wasn't there….but she saw him, she saw him half machine eaten, blood on his teeth. There he was, a phantom with a visage so dreadful that she stood there and stared, not terrified, just haunted by sight.  

       "Died being pulled into a machine," she whispered and the boy's lips scrunched into an angry look of distaste. The sky captain stared longer and when he yelled, roared even, she ran, pushed open the door to her room and as light streamed through, 

                                          He was gone

[Marshal Sir Jon Marshall]

I want to read more, part 1 3/4 or 2 or whatever comes next. :)