In the dark and murky waters of the River Lea, adjacent to the densely urbanized world of London’s East End, there lies a legend that has been whispered amongst the locals for centuries. The story of The River Lea Monster: a nightmarish leviathan whose ominous presence has shadowed the hopes, ambitions, and fears of the local populous since the era of the industrial revolution. According to local lore, this elusive creature can be seen occasionally breaking the surface of the water at the stroke of midnight, before vanishing back into the depths from whence it came. The local fishermen, whose livelihoods depended heavily on the bounty of the River Lea, often told stories of their encounters with this ominous creature when they’d bring their boats in after dusk. Using only the faint light of the moon and the distant city lights as their guide, they would navigate their way back to shore while keeping a cautious eye on the dark water below, on the lookout for the monstrous, snake-like silhouette that they believed to be the physical embodiment of a nautical curse. While no physical proof of the monster itself has ever been found apart from vague sighting claims and firsthand encounters, the powerful influence it had on the local consciousness can be seen in the myriad of tales passed on from one generation to the next, often used as cautionary tales warning children about the dangers of the river.