The night was much the same as every other night during the midst of winter in the city of Arkham; frigid, black and eerie. A sense of unease and gloom hung in the air, typical of the cold Arkham nights. The dread of the night was exaggerated by the sparse light produced by the street lamps; long stretches of shadow bridging the gap between them.

James couldn’t say exactly what drove him out to pace the streets on a night like this. Alone, freezing and out of touch with the reality around him he wandered down the street. James’ mind fluttering from one thought to another as his footsteps rang against the cobble paths. His mind centered on his writings, specifically his current novel. Due by the end of the year, James was only halfway through the write up when he was seized by writer’s block. Perhaps that was why he was out in this dismal darkness. Sleepless nights and the worries on his mind gnawed at James as he meandered down the smooth cobble streets.

The sudden jerk of his shoelace underneath his foot pulled him from his thoughts as James nearly toppled over. Kneeling down to retie his laces, James looked around to see where he his midnight walk brought him. Large, looming building surrounded him, the smell of fish and salt filled him.
‘The docks and its warehouses’ James realized, quite a ways from his apartments.
Sounds whispered in the distance, one of the many pubs that serviced the sailors and fishermen was still open. The rumble of his stomach urged James towards the sounds, hoping for a quick bite to eat.
Rounding a corner, his eyes focused on a different kind of treat. Standing beneath one of the few street lamps was a pale figure with hair of fire.

‘A dock whore, but not a common dock whore’ concluded James.

Scantily clad in a mildly thick coat, black knee length skirt and boots up to half calf, she turned her head at the sound of his footsteps. James looked at her pale slender face, his eyes immediately caught in hers. Two bright silvery blue pools of ice captivated him with their sparkle. The woman smiled at him, causing a flush to creep up his neck. Smiling back James passed her by, heading towards the door of the pub.
The air filled his longs, layered with the scents of the small establishment. Beer, grease and the smell of dock people was thick as James pushed passed a few men to take a seat. A thick woman pushed towards him, empty pints in her hand and a scowl on her face.

“What do ya want?” she bellowed over the ruckus.

“A beer and some fish” was all the response he managed before the homely woman was pushing towards the bar.

Waiting for the woman to return with his fare, James’ thoughts returned to the woman outside. She was a mystery; most dock whores are the chubbier and uglier girls too homely to work the richer parts of town. This woman was young, slender, pale and beautiful. The thought of her smile made James flush again. Feeling ridiculous for lusting over a simple whore he looked around. The thick serving-woman was returning to him with a plate and pint. The food was plain but tasty, cod fried in a batter on a bed of cut fried potatoes. The beer was a thick, dark brew that tasted sweet on his tongue. The meal satiated his stomach but not his mind. James continued to dwell on the pale beauty with fierce red hair that framed her slender face. The bright silvery blue eyes that captured his had captivated his thoughts. Unable to contain his curiosity any longer James stopped the serving woman as she passed.

“Excuse me, do you know anything about that young woman outside, underneath the street lamp?”
The woman walked to the window with no sense of subtlety and peered out the frosted panes. She turned to him scowling, making a rude noise.

“What woman? There’s not a soul out there. Don’t waste my time!” spat the woman as she pushed off again.

Slumping in his chair, James’ heart sank. He had hoped the woman would still be out there. He had wanted a chance to talk to her. Laying his money on the table and picking himself up James exited the pub into the cold night air once more.

Sighing, James headed back the way he came, hoping to reach his apartments and find some sleep.