London Calling

Beneath the febrile coverage of the build up to the Olympics later this month, and the ongoing violence on the streets, there have been spreading reports of a supernatural leaping monster terrorising people in the alleyways and parks of the capital.

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A police evidence board with a number of documents pinned to it, connected with red string.

The first document is a newspaper clipping.
The headline reads: "Weird in Wandsworth".
The sub-header reads: "Jumping Giant spotted in Lavendar Hill".
The body text reads: "A student says she saw a very tall man jump clean over the former Battersea Arts Centre late on Thursday night. Mary Stevens, 20, claimed to have seen the baffling sight while walking home late from The Goat on nearby Battersea Rise. She took note of the man from a ways off, mentioning he "Looked freakish big like. Not hefty just real tall, be mental at basketball you know," but noted his strange clothing as she got closer. "Top and tails," she told the Wandsworth Mercury, "like some kind of Victorian rich bloke." Mary says she tried to get a clearer look at him by crossing the street, but was startled when he turned to face her. "It was weird, his eyes were, like, lit up. Like they were real bright but the rest of his face was all still dark." Before she could call out to him, the strange gentleman squatted down and jumped, "straight up and over the building", more than 30 feet high. Miss Stevens insists the story is entirely true, and while we can't say for certain, we do know that if it isn't Weird, then it isn't Wandsworth. If you or anyone you know has seen anything strange around Wandsworth, please phone or write our office and let us know."

There is a post-it note next to the newspaper clipping with "first confirmed appearance" handwritten on it.

There is a piece of red string connecting the pin at the top of the clipping to a second pinned clipping to the lower right.

The headline of the next clipping reads: "Weird in Wandsworth".
The sub-header reads: "The Jumping Giant hits the city."
The body text reads: "In our previous installment of Weird in Wandsworth, we recounted Mary Stevens' encounter with a peculiarly dressed man leaping over the former Battersea Arts Centre. In the week since then, the Mercury have received dozens of phone calls and letters from local residents claiming to have also encountered the Jumping Giant in and around the Battersea area. Terrence Jones, 42, told the Mercury; "9 foot tall he was. I saw him standing around near the tube station." Jennifer Keay, 37, claimed to have seen him perched on a shop roof on Battersea High Street, and said "It was like his eyes were on fire. I could see them clear as day even as he was all the way up there." And Barry, 63, who refused to give a last name, told our reporters he had seen the Giant up close in Clapham Common. "It was the claws you know. He's a creepy looking thing all over. But, I'm a big bloke myself so I figured I could take him if needed. Then he reached out with these big shiny claws and I scarpered. Didn't look back till I was home and locked the doors." It certainly sounds like there's something truly Weird in Wandsworth at the moment, so we recommend that everyone be careful walking at night. Try to stick with someone if you can, and avoid dark alleys wherever possible. If you do happen to see the Jumping Giant yourself, from a safe distance, and you happen to have a Kodak with you, the Wandsworth Mercury are willing to pay handsomely for the photos. But, please do not put yourself at risk in the process."

Next to the clipping, there is a post it note with "Battersea Power Station, Reporters look into?" handwritten on it.

Red string connects the second clipping to a third, shorter clipping to the lower left of the first two.

The Headline reads: "Spate of Strange Sightings in Southwest London"
The body text reads: "First reported in Wandsworth, near Clapham Junction, dozens of Londoners have claimed to have seen a giant man in the past few weeks. Exact descriptions have varied, but share features such as incredible height, some claiming him to be over three metres tall; exceptional agility, leaping over buildings and across roads with ease; and odd fashion sense, usually described as Victorian in nature. Other features include burning eyes, metallic claws, and a piercing laugh, but these are less consistent in reports. It remains to be seen if this is some sort of elaborate hoax, or a genuine individual."

A post it note attached to the clipping has "ideoform? Cat mentioned word, unclear meaning" handwritten on it.

This clipping is connected by red string to a clipping of a police testimony towards the lower right.

The report reads: "Testimony of PC Trotter, Metropolitan Police. On 03/07 at approximately 0100 hours, I overheard a commotion in Brockwell Park. When I approached, I found Mr. Henry Jones, Mrs. Anna Barnes, and Mr. Owain Smith crowded around Mrs. Joan Botham, who was lying on the path next to a bench. Jones reported to me that he had seen a figure jump from a tree, land infront of Botham, and had begun to attack her. Jones, Smith, and Barnes each corroborated that they had run towards Botham when she began to scream, and that the figure had jumped away when they had gotten close. I radioed for assistance and for an ambulance for Botham. Once Botham was in the ambulance, I escorted Smith, Jones, and Barnes back to the station for questioning. There is nothing further to report."

Red string connects the testimony to another newspaper below.

The headline reads: "Lord Mayor Addresses Jumping Giant Attacks"
The sub-header reads: "Sir Christopher Walford spoke out today against the increasing attacks across London"
The body text reads: "What started as just another series of strange and spooky sightings in Southwest London has rapidly become a burgeoning crisis. The Jumping Giant of Wandsworth has since been seen across the City, and has reportedly begun assaulting women and girls, leaving at least one woman comatose. Today, speaking to assembled press, The Lord Mayor of London has condemned the attacker and urged caution on the streets. "Claims have been made as to the supernatural nature of these attacks," Walford began, "and I am hopeful that these are exaggerations, and not the presence of a devil on this Earth. But I can say with certainty that villainy is present on the streets of this city, villainy which must be condemned and stamped out with extreme prejudice." The Lord Mayor would go on to say; "I fear that the earliest reports may have emboldened so-called copy-cat attacks. Depraved individuals using the hysteria around the fantastical sightings as cover to, themselves, dress up in absurd garb and commit heinous atrocities against innocent women and girls. If that should be the case, I promise that those responsible will be found, and punished to the full extent of the law." He closed by promising to do everything in his power to increase funding for the Metropolitan Police Force in order to combat the increasing prevalence of the attacks."

Below is a newspaper front page.

The splash headline reads: "All Eyes on the Torch"
The splash standfirst reads: "The Olympic Torch reached for the sky today as the relay reaches its closing stages. Carried by decorated middle distance runner Sebastian Coe, currently the Member of Parliament for Falmouth and Camborne, the torch shone out over London from the top of the newly opened London Eye."
The splash body text reads: "Coe, who brought home gold for Team GB in the 800 and 1500 metres in 1980 and 1984, received the torch from recently released Unionist activist Billy Hutchinson early in the morning. Carrying the torch from Elephant and Castle to Westminster Bridge, Coe described bearing the torch to the highest point on the river as "the greatest honour of my life". Full story on pg. 4"

The off lead headline reads: "Thousands Gather to Commemorate Former PM Thatcher Across UK"
The off lead body text reads: "On the fifth anniversary of her assassination by the Provisional Irish Republican Army, thousands of mourners have gathered at memorial events across the UK. The largest gathering, in Thatcher's hometown of Grantham, was officiated by Archbishop fo Canterbury George Carey. Attended by the majority of the current cabinet- including PM David Mellor- along with some two thousand other citizens, the memorial lasted for six hours. Full story on pg. 7"

The frame in the centre of the page contains an image of a riot.
The frame caption reads: "Violent thugs swarm London streets ahead of the Olympic Opening Ceremony"

To the lower left is a newspaper clipping from a local newspaper.

The headline reads: "Leaping into Lancashire?"
The sub-header reads: "London Ghoul Reportedly Sighted in Manchester"
The body text reads: "Readers invested in the margins in the national papers won't have failed to notice some particularly paranormal goings-on in London of late. Beneath the febrile coverage of the build up to the Olympics later this month, and the ongoing violence on the streets, there have been spreading reports of a supernatural leaping monster terrorising people in the alleyways and parks of the capital. Well, as of last night, it appears that these attacks are no longer contained within the M25, as the Manchester Gazette has today received a report of an assault near Piccadilly station that matches many of the claims made about the Leaping Giant of Wandsworth. The attacker is reportedly nine feet tall, with metallic claws, and capable of clearing the station building in a single bound. We are hopeful that this remains an isolated incident, but if you or anyone you know has encountered the creature within the city, please reach out to us with your story."

This clipping is connected by red string to a newspaper clipping from a local newspaper to the right.

The headline reads: "Monsters in Midlothian?"
The sub-header reads: "English Ghost Story Reportedly Spreads to Scotland"
The body text reads: "Local goings-on in the English capital have likely not been at the top of reader's minds, beyond the excitement of the upcoming Olympics, but they may be closer to home than we thought. Over the past several weeks, there have been growing reports of violennt attacks by a claw-handed monster across London. These sightings had seemingly been contained within the city until just last night, when Rory MacAlasdair claims to have seen a peculiar creature perched a top Edinburgh Castle. "It was dark out, and it was a long ways off, so I couldn't get the clearest view of him." Rory has told the Edinburgh Post today, "But I could see its eyes. Burning they were, like coals set into its face." The description matches many of the reported sightings in London. But how, or why, the entity has appeared in Scotland remains unclear. If you or anyone you know have seen the roving monster, please contact us with your story."

Between the two clippings is a post it note with "multiple? both attacks same day" handwritten on it.

Beneath both clippings is a newspaper front page.

There is an advertisement block below the masthead which reads: "Modern Gene Therapy Lambeth Branch Grand Opening Special Offer, Details Inside"

The splash headline reads: "PADDY BIO-SOLDIERS ATTACK LONDON"
The splash standfirst reads: "BRITAIN is under attack by possibly hundreds of IRA super soldiers. Ahead of our Great British Olympics, dozens of innocent British girls have been assaulted by giant freaks across London and beyond."
The splash body text reads: "Our brave correspondents in the Met have told us that the attacks likely originate from newly unleashed Irish bio-terror weapons to disrupt the biggest celebration of British culture in years. We cannot let these monsters succeed. Full story on pg. 4."

The frame contains an image of two members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army holding assault rifles in the air.

The off-lead headline reads: "Police Failing to Contain Violence, Private Firms Hired to Protect London"
The off-lead body text reads: "RIOTS continue to spread across the capital. PM Mellor announced today that police response to the violence has been "entirely inadequate", with politcally correct PCs unwilling to use necessary force to put down ANARCHIST riots. From Monday, Securicor private security forces will be on the streets of London to protect the Great British people and ensure our Olympic games go off without a hitch. Full story on pg. 8"

Detective Leigh leaned back heavily in his chair. Unlit cigarette rolling between his forefingers, he stared up at the evidence board and willed the pieces to come to him. It was all in there. Somewhere. He could feel it, it just needed to fall into place. Too many agendas, too many motives, all piled up against eachother. The Red Barn case had been so much clearer, the threads had presented themselves and he had been able to pull on them until something unraveled. This was different somehow.

Slotting the cigarette back into its box, he let out a sigh, stood from his desk, and began pacing. It had all started in Wandsworth— that was significant, it had to be. But all the ground work he had tried to establish in the area was being roadblocked by OIS. That had to be significant too. The timing felt significant as well, that was the one thing all the coverage seemed to agree on. Everything kicking off while the eyes of the world were on London— that couldn't be a coincidence. The question was why. That was the piece that was missing, and everyone and their mother had their own crackpot pitch for what it was.

He was missing something, and it would eat away at him until he could see the shape of what it was. He knew what he was going to have to try next. He wasn't happy about it, but when the threads had exhausted themself in real life, there wasn't much choice in the matter. He shrugged on his overcoat, locked up his office, and made for the computer lab.

‡ Licensing / Citation

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page revision: 24, last edited: 01 Jul 2025 06:35

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