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Description
The light in front of him was blinding, perfect white, burning, stinging his eyes but towards it, he ran. With each step forward, he felt more and more like he was awaking from a dream; a nightmare of his worst imaginings, a vision of Hell. He knew what lay on the other side of this light for him. As much as he didn't want to face the consequences, he had to pay for what he had done…and make sure that no-one made his mistake again. He knew what he had to do…

London, England – 19th Century
Fog crept into the Inn as the haunted figure stepped inside. Closing the door after him, he stalked to his stool in the corner, knowing that his usual drink would be in his hand soon. Nursing his tankard of ale had become customary on these "special nights". Since the last one, a good few months ago, he had been eagerly anticipating tonight. He was waiting for someone; someone who would make a difference…a woman – one of several in his life.
He always used to be very shy amongst women, but over the last 12 months he'd become a lot bolder and confident, even though his relationships would only be fleeting. They were all women of a special kind, common to the area. He felt dirtied by them, just like the squalid, rat infested back alleys of London in which those relationships occurred.
It seemed like a life time ago since he'd started his "mission" but it was far too late to turn back now. For some reason, he started thinking about his dreams again. Confusing dreams; impossible dreams, dreams which questioned everything. They ate at him everyday but he knew he had to continue.
'This isn't the time to crack now! Once it's finished, then you can.' he thought to himself, sensing that he was losing his grip on reality again, at which point he thought he heard that distorted voice in his head again – 'Nathaniel! Where are you?!' he shook his head to clear it but for some reason it made sense. Nathaniel? The name seemed familiar. Was it his own? He was used to calling himself something completely different…

Shaking himself back to reality, he finished his drink and left to face the night's chill, to make an appointment…his latest woman. He wished that he didn't have to meet her. She wasn't expecting him but he had to meet her that night. He wasn't sure why it had to be her specifically; there was something at the back of his mind, driving him. After asking around for her, he eventually met her and went back to her place.
Their meeting was brief and followed by the sounds of screaming and whistles…just like his other appointments had been.
'Not long now…' he said to himself, as he left the scarlet stained scene, smiling.

He carried on with these "special nights" when he had the urge during the next few months but after one particular "appointment", for some strange ungovernable reason, he had this compulsion. He had no idea why, but something deep within his chaotic mind was pushing him. Obeying his instincts, he walked across town to, bizarrely, where it all started, where the first of his special encounters with these women began. Once he got there, the compulsion disappeared, like the flick of a switch. Dazed, he tried to understand why he had returned to this spot but couldn't. As he turned to walk away, he heard a sound which didn't seem familiar or welcoming until after he realised what it was – a sound not unlike a large concrete slab being snapped in half, slowly. He quickly turned to where the sound had come from, to be blinded by a light brighter than the sun. Upon hearing that sound, a huge revelation washed over him like a tidal wave. His dreams, his impossible dreams, were starting to make sense. For some reason, it made perfect sense to walk, no, run into this light, as fast as possible. As he entered this warm aura, memories he didn't know he had started to resurface as he began his journey to somewhere far away…

London, England – 2019
Still disoriented, Nathaniel emerged from the bright white light, framed by the portal's archway. The light slowly died behind him, which allowed him to see where he had arrived, although he already knew where he was thanks to his rapidly rebuilding memory. He was back in the control room of the experiment he had been working on with his friend, Daniel, who emerged from behind the console. Daniel, at 5ft 4 was dwarfed by Nathaniel's 5ft 11 but that didn't stop Daniel running up and giving him the biggest hug imaginable. Daniel was always highly emotional. Nathaniel surveyed the control room, sparking off more memories – his half of the control console, the hat stand, the kettle etc
'Thank God! I thought I'd completely lost you but I never gave up hope! I tried everything but I couldn't get you back but then the equipment suddenly sprang into life all by itself and now you're back…' Daniel, so excited and utterly relieved that Nathaniel had returned, was rambling, as he often did, which usually brought a smile to Nathaniel's face, but not this time. His eyes were cold, dead and soulless. Realising that he wasn't letting his friend get a word in, Daniel released his grip on him and stood back, as Nathaniel's lack of reaction, that he recognised this from their Uni days, was a sign that he wasn't in the mood.
'Daniel, it's good to see you. I need to lie down.' Nathaniel sorrowfully said before walking to his room. Daniel was full of questions and really eager to have answers but he knew how much Nathaniel needed his space, so he gave him a few hours.

After 2 hours, Daniel happened to be walking past Nathaniel's room, accidentally on purpose in case he was awake and ready to answer questions, when he noticed that there was a damp patch on the maroon carpet outside the room. Curious, he reached down and touched it. He could taste bile at the back of his throat as he pulled his now blood stained hand away from the carpet. Wide eyed and slacked jawed shock ran through him like electricity. Quickly coming to his senses, he reached for the door handle. Locked. With all his might he eventually broke down the door. The sight that lay before him would haunt him for years.

It wasn't until Daniel stopped throwing up that he realised that upon Nathaniel's self mutilated body was a note. He took it into his room and read it carefully through teary eyes, trying not to focus on the blood stains…

"When I first arrived in 1888, I was ready for "him" to appear and cut down the first victim, but he didn't. He never arrived. Worrying that my presence had altered the course of history, I ran back to the gateway, hoping that I could get back and the events would continue, only to find that the gateway wouldn't open… and the audio/visual implants in my head (I could hear you calling my name from time to time, by the way) weren't working. History had already changed and I was trapped in the past. After some hard thinking, I decided to find the first victim and cut her down myself, as per the descriptions in the history books, in the hope that history would be restored. That utterly sickened me. After that I returned to the gateway, but still nothing. So I murdered the next victim, and the next, and the one after her, but it made no difference; still no gateway.
It was then that I realised that I would have to continue until all of his victims were dead."

Daniel continued reading until his eyes fell upon the final sentences, which shocked him so much that he dropped the letter to the floor. Eventually regaining his composure, he closed the control room and went out for an hour. When he returned he went to the control room, and using some rags and the 3 large bottles of whiskey he'd bought, he made some fire bombs. The fact that the house was almost in the middle of nowhere meant that the fire services wouldn't get there in time.

As the fire tore through the house, Daniel closed his eyes, thinking over and over again the last words of the letter…
'I couldn't find out what I'd gone back in time for. In travelling back to find him, we created him. Jack The Ripper never existed. It's me. I'm Jack.'

~END ~

Description
The light in front of him was blinding, perfect white, burning, stinging his eyes but towards it, he ran. With each step forward, he felt more and more like he was awaking from a dream; a nightmare of his worst imaginings, a vision of Hell. He knew what lay on the other side of this light for him. As much as he didn't want to face the consequences, he had to pay for what he had done…and make sure that no-one made his mistake again. He knew what he had to do…

London, England – 19th Century
Fog crept into the Inn as the haunted figure stepped inside. Closing the door after him, he stalked to his stool in the corner, knowing that his usual drink would be in his hand soon. Nursing his tankard of ale had become customary on these "special nights". Since the last one, a good few months ago, he had been eagerly anticipating tonight. He was waiting for someone; someone who would make a difference…a woman – one of several in his life.
He always used to be very shy amongst women, but over the last 12 months he'd become a lot bolder and confident, even though his relationships would only be fleeting. They were all women of a special kind, common to the area. He felt dirtied by them, just like the squalid, rat infested back alleys of London in which those relationships occurred.
It seemed like a life time ago since he'd started his "mission" but it was far too late to turn back now. For some reason, he started thinking about his dreams again. Confusing dreams; impossible dreams, dreams which questioned everything. They ate at him everyday but he knew he had to continue.
'This isn't the time to crack now! Once it's finished, then you can.' he thought to himself, sensing that he was losing his grip on reality again, at which point he thought he heard that distorted voice in his head again – 'Nathaniel! Where are you?!' he shook his head to clear it but for some reason it made sense. Nathaniel? The name seemed familiar. Was it his own? He was used to calling himself something completely different…

Shaking himself back to reality, he finished his drink and left to face the night's chill, to make an appointment…his latest woman. He wished that he didn't have to meet her. She wasn't expecting him but he had to meet her that night. He wasn't sure why it had to be her specifically; there was something at the back of his mind, driving him. After asking around for her, he eventually met her and went back to her place.
Their meeting was brief and followed by the sounds of screaming and whistles…just like his other appointments had been.
'Not long now…' he said to himself, as he left the scarlet stained scene, smiling.

He carried on with these "special nights" when he had the urge during the next few months but after one particular "appointment", for some strange ungovernable reason, he had this compulsion. He had no idea why, but something deep within his chaotic mind was pushing him. Obeying his instincts, he walked across town to, bizarrely, where it all started, where the first of his special encounters with these women began. Once he got there, the compulsion disappeared, like the flick of a switch. Dazed, he tried to understand why he had returned to this spot but couldn't. As he turned to walk away, he heard a sound which didn't seem familiar or welcoming until after he realised what it was – a sound not unlike a large concrete slab being snapped in half, slowly. He quickly turned to where the sound had come from, to be blinded by a light brighter than the sun. Upon hearing that sound, a huge revelation washed over him like a tidal wave. His dreams, his impossible dreams, were starting to make sense. For some reason, it made perfect sense to walk, no, run into this light, as fast as possible. As he entered this warm aura, memories he didn't know he had started to resurface as he began his journey to somewhere far away…

London, England – 2019
Still disoriented, Nathaniel emerged from the bright white light, framed by the portal's archway. The light slowly died behind him, which allowed him to see where he had arrived, although he already knew where he was thanks to his rapidly rebuilding memory. He was back in the control room of the experiment he had been working on with his friend, Daniel, who emerged from behind the console. Daniel, at 5ft 4 was dwarfed by Nathaniel's 5ft 11 but that didn't stop Daniel running up and giving him the biggest hug imaginable. Daniel was always highly emotional. Nathaniel surveyed the control room, sparking off more memories – his half of the control console, the hat stand, the kettle etc
'Thank God! I thought I'd completely lost you but I never gave up hope! I tried everything but I couldn't get you back but then the equipment suddenly sprang into life all by itself and now you're back…' Daniel, so excited and utterly relieved that Nathaniel had returned, was rambling, as he often did, which usually brought a smile to Nathaniel's face, but not this time. His eyes were cold, dead and soulless. Realising that he wasn't letting his friend get a word in, Daniel released his grip on him and stood back, as Nathaniel's lack of reaction, that he recognised this from their Uni days, was a sign that he wasn't in the mood.
'Daniel, it's good to see you. I need to lie down.' Nathaniel sorrowfully said before walking to his room. Daniel was full of questions and really eager to have answers but he knew how much Nathaniel needed his space, so he gave him a few hours.

After 2 hours, Daniel happened to be walking past Nathaniel's room, accidentally on purpose in case he was awake and ready to answer questions, when he noticed that there was a damp patch on the maroon carpet outside the room. Curious, he reached down and touched it. He could taste bile at the back of his throat as he pulled his now blood stained hand away from the carpet. Wide eyed and slacked jawed shock ran through him like electricity. Quickly coming to his senses, he reached for the door handle. Locked. With all his might he eventually broke down the door. The sight that lay before him would haunt him for years.

It wasn't until Daniel stopped throwing up that he realised that upon Nathaniel's self mutilated body was a note. He took it into his room and read it carefully through teary eyes, trying not to focus on the blood stains…

"When I first arrived in 1888, I was ready for "him" to appear and cut down the first victim, but he didn't. He never arrived. Worrying that my presence had altered the course of history, I ran back to the gateway, hoping that I could get back and the events would continue, only to find that the gateway wouldn't open… and the audio/visual implants in my head (I could hear you calling my name from time to time, by the way) weren't working. History had already changed and I was trapped in the past. After some hard thinking, I decided to find the first victim and cut her down myself, as per the descriptions in the history books, in the hope that history would be restored. That utterly sickened me. After that I returned to the gateway, but still nothing. So I murdered the next victim, and the next, and the one after her, but it made no difference; still no gateway.
It was then that I realised that I would have to continue until all of his victims were dead."

Daniel continued reading until his eyes fell upon the final sentences, which shocked him so much that he dropped the letter to the floor. Eventually regaining his composure, he closed the control room and went out for an hour. When he returned he went to the control room, and using some rags and the 3 large bottles of whiskey he'd bought, he made some fire bombs. The fact that the house was almost in the middle of nowhere meant that the fire services wouldn't get there in time.

As the fire tore through the house, Daniel closed his eyes, thinking over and over again the last words of the letter…
'I couldn't find out what I'd gone back in time for. In travelling back to find him, we created him. Jack The Ripper never existed. It's me. I'm Jack.'

~END ~