Night Watch Valiantly Protects Citizens

CREATURE CAVORTS THROUGH CITY

NIGHT WATCH PURUES HORRIBLE BEAST

ACTING MAYOR'S ORDER VINDICATED

NEW BABBAGE, NB — Wild and varying reports of attacks by a wild beast in the Babbage Square area inundated the office of the Free Press this morning.  According to sources, at least one large and terrifying animal rampaged, for an undisclosed amount of time, on city streets last evening during curfew.

Descriptions of the beast, by eye witnesses to the event, conflict drastically.  Some have described to reporters from the Free Press a man-shaped aquatic monstrosity, others a large mechanical rhinoceros, while still others depict the animal as a large creature of the lupine persuasion.

By all accounts, the lusus naturae was closely pursued through the dark quiet streets by members of the Night Watch, organized recently by upstanding acting mayor Mr O Onderby.  Several vollies of ammunition were discharged at the creature to keep it moving, resulting in some minor fires in the extreme — and potentially hazardous — clutter of the Port area.

'Couldn't help it, boxes and crates were everywhere.  We had to keep the monster moving toward the city gates.' stated Mr K Hoolihan, a member of the Night Watch.  Miss N Nimly, another member of the Night Watch, stated, 'Just goes to show that the Night Watch is necessary.  And those dock workers will get someone killed, if they keep this up.'

The dock workers went on illegal strike earlier this week, at the behest of wealthy citizen Mr V Morningtown, crippling the local economy and putting citizens at dangerous risk, should they choose to stroll through the increasingly congested area.  Mr Morningtown was unavailable for comment at the time of printing.

Rabid Wolf Slain In Wheatstone

SHOT DOWN UNDER A BLOODY MOON

WOLVES UNCOMMON IN WHEATSTONE

MAULING DEATHS AT AN END?

NEW BABBAGE, NB — Shortly after the midnight hour, exceedingly early on Friday morning, a behemothic wolf — which was thought, by doctors, to be suffering from acute hydrophobia — was shot down by bullets on Fae Way, in West Wheatstone Waterways.

As the midnight hour loomed closer, clocks across the city began chiming independently one by one, when they once had chimed in unison as the clock struck twelve; the queer absence of the clockwinder felt keenly on the hour, made queerer in Wheatstone when the quiet following the chiming was shattered by the howling of a wolf at the blood red half moon peering down through the soot.

According to city records, the last time a wild wolf was spotted in Wheatstone was 78 years earlier, during the 'Ice Wolves Massacre' when, during a particularly long and cold winter, a large pack of wolves from the Fells stormed the city gates and ravaged the entire city.

Young Master C Rayna was up, outrageously late, reading to an infirm and bedridden friend at the time.  'Miss Book and I heard a blood-curdling howling just outside her house.'  The two, using perhaps questionable judgement, ventured outdoors to investigate the sound. 'Since there had been numerous attacks recently, Miss Book brought her gun.' Master Rayna confided.

Soon after Miss B Hinericks — a volunteer member of the New Babbage Militia — investigated the street   outside her home, the immense wolf emerged.  'The wolf charged at me,' Master Rayna excitedly recounted. 'But luckily Miss Book shot it down within inches of me.'  Miss Hinericks was unavailable for comment.

Local zoologist Dr R Millar stated to the Free Press: 'Wild wolves seldom pose a threat to people, though there are times when they will attack men, due to hunger or perceived threat.  Unfortunately, rabies is both the most common reason, and also the most deadly.'  The corpse of the wolf was taken to Militia Headquarters, where it is assumed the animal will be tested for rabies.

It is believed by some that this rogue lupine was to blame for some of the recent mauling deaths which have, as yet, gone unexplained.  Reports that the wolf was clothed at the time of the attack have not yet been confirmed at the time of printing.