Jack the Ripper

Chapter Five - Prisoners

With Mr. Weaversbrook and his son now reunited, safe and away from this place, Evie and I begin to make our way to Deptford docks, the hulk prison ships being our first destination.

"I'm glad we were able to save Mr. Weaversbrook's son." I said as we walked.

"As am I."

"I just don't understand how someone can be some sick and twisted to play a game like this, a game where innocent lives are lost. No matter how much blood is shed, it is still not enough."

"This will end soon, I swear it, (Name)." Evie placed her hand on my shoulder as she spoke. All I could do was send her a small smile, her words reassuring me just a bit, but not enough to elevate how I am feeling about the whole situation. It wasn't long before we reached our destination.

"These old Navy ships were hulked out to hold prisoners until they were assigned a convict ship leaving for the colonies." I said

"Let's see if Jack is paying a visit to his captives..." We begin to look around the area and found a group of hostages in the ship's haul. Without a moment's hesitation, we ran over to where they are being held.

"Jacob? Is that you?" Was the first thing I asked, looking around to see if he was among the group. Thankfully, and unfortunately, he was not one of the prisoners.

"Help me... Miss... Please, why am I here? No one will tell me!" One of them said.

"It's Jack! Jack the Ripper, I say! He's the one who abducted us." Another one added.

"He starves and tortures us until we write to our families begging them to do as he dictates, or we'll be slaughtered!" A third one said. As I looked around the place, my heart clenched in pain and agony at the thought of all the torture these poor people where put through, and still going through until we free them. A fire ignited within the deeps of my soul to do whatever it takes to finish this, and make sure these people are free of this place.

"Is he here? Have you seen the Ripper recently?" Evie said.

"Not for weeks, but he'll come back...and bring more poor sods to dance on the Warder's cord for him!"

"Evie," I begin to say as I turn to her. "Jack has locked them up like animals...they'll all die of cholera...if the Chief Warder doesn't hang them first. There must be something we can do for them. This is just horrible."

"They will not suffer much longer, come on." She said as we continued on, only to find another group of hostages on a ship's deck. 'This is just sickening. Jack, you will breathe your last breath soon enough.' I thought to myself,

"I beg you, don't leave us to perish... The Chief Warder is a vile, sadistic man... No one spoke to me for weeks, then the Warder's assistant came to ask me how much I weigh..." My fists clench in anger as the poor man speaks. How could one man do something so vile, so cruel, to all of these innocent people? What's the point of all of this? Why did this have to happen?

"We need to get into the main prison and find the Chief Warder before he hangs another man for Jack's entertainment..." With nothing more than a nod of the head, we climbed up to a viewpoint within the Garrison, where we spot a head guard standing near some laborers.

"Go and dredge the Thames, you lazy bastards! ...The Chief Warder wants privacy." We heard the guard say. We then spotted another group of prisoners who seemed to be discussing something. Curious as to what they were saying, I quietly made my way closer to where they were and listened to what they were saying.

"Don't lose heart, gentlemen, we can break out of here if we work together."

"It's no use, we'd need explosives to blast through those doors." Not much else was said between the prisoners. Looking past them, I glanced at Evie and saw her looking over somewhere. Looking to where she was looking, it was then I spotted who looks to be Chief Warder, John Billingsworth, who appears to be giving advice to the gallows assistant.