Jane of London

Chapter 1: The Foggy Morning

London was never quiet, but on some mornings it could be peaceful. Jane Thompson woke up early that day to the sound of pigeons tapping against her window. She lived in a small flat above a bakery in Camden Town. Her parents were artists who had moved here from Bristol when she was five, and ever since, she’d felt like the city whispered secrets just for her.

That morning, there was fog so thick it looked like cotton candy outside. Jane opened the window and breathed in the cool, damp air. Something felt different today – not wrong, just… unusual.

Downstairs, the bakery smelled of cinnamon and fresh bread. Mrs. Patel, the owner, handed Jane a warm croissant with a wink. “You’ve got that look again,” she said. “The one where you’re about to stumble into something magical.”

Jane smiled. “Maybe I will.”

As she walked through the streets, she noticed things others didn’t – a cat watching her too intently, a door painted the same green as her grandmother’s garden shed, a poster advertising an art exhibit that hadn’t been there yesterday.

Chapter 2: The Red Umbrella