Th Cardinal, the Don, and the city of Rats Chapter 1
Matthias Pridgeon
Set in early 19th century Baltimore, this pulpy, serialized story details the exploits of the Cardinal and his nefarious nemesis, the Don.
Chapter One: The Don Flew Over the Cardinal’s Nest
From the Cardinal’s perch atop the Baltimore Basilica, the city’s streets seemed paved with slush and mud in place of cobble. An early December snow twirled through the sky, dappled by the flickering light of freshly lit streetlamps. A few poor souls hurried home through the miserable night, bundled up against the biting air, top hats or caps wet with melted snow, boots or heels slick with mud. The sky above them was grey, cramped with clouds, both those gravid with snow and those pumped from stoves and ovens. Even the rats seemed intimidated by the frigid weather.