Collections of Madness

FROM THE BEGINNING :  https://rigglew4.blogspot.com/2019/12/part-1-in-different-light-by-dean.html [Having discovered records of the November 1921 City Council Special Session approving a new light project for the southside, they now turn their sights toward MU’s Dr. Hayes who presented the 3 options that included the new light. But first…] [Brian/Herbert (reporter) was absent; Max decided to retire Dr. Joseph and play Ms. Walker instead; Jonah suffering a ‘Bout-of-Madness’ and currently experiencing Underlying Insanity resulting in delusions. In addition to his kleptomania.] Monday, 17 April 1922; 1pm : Dr. Joseph’s secretary looks up as Donald enters his office with Jonah close behind, “I thought you’d forgotten. You already have 2 patients waiting whom you rescheduled from yesterday.” Donald pausing to check his schedule, and apologize to the men waiting, “I shouldn’t be long. You’re next.” Donald enters his office finding Jonah already settled on the couch, “Now how does t

“With five feeble senses we pretend to comprehend the boundless complex cosmos, yet other beings with a wider,  stronger or different range of senses might not only see very differently the things we see, but might see and study  whole worlds of matter, energy and life which lie close at hand yet can never be detected with the senses we have.”                                                                                                                                   — H.P. Lovecraft Part 1: Don’t You be Eyeballing Me Man! Jonah Franklin (Keith): MU grad student who traveled Europe with Gerald who was killed by Brownshirts in Germany. Kleptomaniac. Arthur Cottar (Matt): Gerald’s fraternity brother who went on to become big-game hunter. Wealthy family. Donald Joseph (Max): Doctor of Psychiatry (mad doctor); Professor at MU. Gerald took a class under him. Herbert Stratton (Brian): Daily Herald reporter who is following up on Gerald’s o

1938 : Japan has been at war with China for over a year. Hitler has seized control of the German army which soon rolled across the Austrian border to restore his homeland (and a chunk of Czechoslovakia) to the Third Reich.  The Nazis took over Austria and expelled all Jews and other political opponents from the universities.   March, 1938 (west of Manaus, Brazil aboard the Lady Rita ) : “Click. Slap. Click, slap, slap. Click.” Bob Kemfer launches into another tirade, “Damn mosquitoes and bugs. Can’t take a decent picture. Soon as I get the scene framed, another bite just as I’m snapping.” His complaints fall on deaf ears…3 straight days’ worth and you tend to tune him out. In a strong German accent, Dr. Schultz rings out his handkerchief causing a sudden downpour at his feet, “Oppressive heat. Why couldn’t we have gotten a boat with a cabin? Mr. Kemfer, I suggest you lather up like I told you; these tropics hide an abundance of still undiscovered tr

His eyes flutter as he slowly begins to gain consciousness. Someone screaming at the top of their lungs? He slowly lifts his head and the screaming stops. Realization that wasn’t screaming, but rather a car horn. His head was resting on the center pad of a steering wheel. Of a van cradled on the shoulder of a road; teetering above the shoulder storm drainage. Memory… faded… amnesia… who is he? Why was he in a van? Where was he? Pain. Reaching for his nose, he finds blood. A glance in the rear-view mirror to confirm his nose broken. And that’s when he realizes he’s not along. Three others tossed about on the back bench-seat, another slumped in the passenger seat beside him. All unconscious if not dead. He reaches for his wallet, reading his driver license, “John Hastings of Los Angeles, CA.” Moaning foretells at least someone else alive, “What happened? Who are you? Who am I?” John can only offer, “I’m as clueless as you little lady; but I’d suggest you check your purse for an ID.

As the grandfather clock grew silent after chiming for the 13 th time, the kids’ whimpering filled the void…crying due to being scared shitless or from the injuries of their tumbles down the stairs. Panicked, Harry jumped up and ran to the front door jiggling the handle feverously but without success. “It’s stuck! Where is Roger; I want to get out of here…now. Did you hear noises coming from the basement? Fighting? Is Roger with the others downstairs having scared them with another ‘Jump Scare’?” And that’s when Harry and Charles notice Joey calmly stroking a purring slate-grey cat he was holding. “Is that what rushed in front of you at the top of the stairs causing us to tumble?” Charles had to blink twice and shake his head still groggy from the tumble…for he could almost swear the cat’s lips were moving as if talking to Joey. “Poor thing. I think we scared it. I think it lives in the basement and needs us to go down to fill its water dish and food tray.” As if Joey had lost

So how would YOU sneak out of your house on Halloween night? The bully Roger Simmons had targeted his prey for his “I double-dog Dare you” to spend the night in the haunted old Barnaker house. For Joey, it was simply walking out the backdoor leaving his younger siblings in charge of their parents drunk on the couch. The athlete Darren said he was tired from his late ball practice; so, went to bed early for his early morning weekend practice. Then just waited for silence downstairs to slip out his window. Rich had recorded himself snoring and looping that, he placed the tape-player under his pillow, arranged other pillows to shape a false body and left home. Harry…as normal his parents fell asleep on the couch so he just walked out the front door. Charles picked through his Halloween collection of candy, leaving his single-dad with his favorites to munch on while he too watched TV. Allowing Charles to slip out his bedroom window. Each by his own means made it to the old house

next session 22 June

Tuesday, 14 August, 2018 : the mixed collection of restoration experts arrives in Portland, Oregon having flown in from across the states. 28 yr old William Mason, engineer, from Chicago; 33 yr old Bruce Porter, archaeologist, from upstate New York; 42 yr old Patrick Burford, master electrician, from Massachusetts; 63 yr old Nick Thompson, master mason, from Maine; and 43 yr old Prof Amanda Dogood, historian, from Boston. Sara Vegas having coordinated the flight arrivals to be near as possible so they can all climb into one car (chauffeured limo) for the almost 2 hour drive to the coastal town of Emerald Cove. Enough time for introductions and sharing of what little info they have. “So, what do you make of the friction between Reinhart and the community? You’d think they’d be happy someone is pouring money into their town coffers. Making another landmark to increase the tourist trade.”

18 Aug 1921 : Dinner was a bit awkward trying to talk with other guests around the table. Who to trust? Thus, our quiet attempts to talk around the topics we’d each researched. Finally, dinner wrapping up around 6:30pm and the other guests pushing away from the table to retreat to their rooms. Sarah clearing the table and thus in the kitchen. Finally a chance to open up, “So you went to the quarry and asked about the meteor? Did you happen to ask about the star falling into the bay as the newspaper reported?” And that’s when we learned we weren’t exactly alone; the downs-syndrome boy Tommy chiming in, “I saw it fall. And those men and things dragging something out of the water. Froggies and yellow-shirts pulling that huge octopus ashore. The reverend directing them. I drew their pictures; I can show you later.” And with that, he and Ethan ran out the door to play. As if talking about monsters and frogmen wasn’t that big a deal. Kids…and their imaginations…and their purity of souls. Ju

17 Aug 1921 : Lazy smoke-rings cloud the air as Sean O’Bannion puffs on his stogie while reading an old Springfield newspaper, “There goes the easy money. So much for rigging baseball games. Now they’ve appointed a commissioner of the league; Judge Kenesaw Landis. And to see despite the acquittal of the ‘Black-Sox 8’ by the Chicago courts, HE’s banned the boys for life. Guess I’ll have to find another source of income.” A knock at the door interrupts his thoughts, “Boss, the team is here.” Four men and two women entered his office: Victoria - Tori (Bill) Mob accountant assigned to questionable businesses the mob suspects of cheating them or holding out. "Plain Jane" is rarely given a 2nd look which allows her to go about her business as needed. No prying eyes. She must be good at her work as she lives in luxury. Wealthy but never showing it. Unless you take notice of her expansive shoe collection! Homer (Brian) Union teamster/organi

July, 1921: O’Bannion crumbles the newspaper tossing it aside, “Kyern, get your crew in here! I sent O’Leary (Hammer) down to Boston to secure a safe-house for us but now I read about him gagged and floating in the ocean. I thought I’d coordinated with Zeke Crater and his mob; as long as we’re not selling. Get down there, check in with our accountant Mr. Keeting about the old house for sale, and confirm Crater had nuttn to do with Hammer’s death. Don’t need a gang war, but if he’s starting, I’ll finish it.”

FROM THE BEGINNING :  https://rigglew4.blogspot.com/2019/01/trans-atlantic-terror-part-1.html DAY 3 late evening : Elizabeth is done with her crying and now determined to get others to listen to her bold accusations, “Look at her slink away from the table. I tell you THAT is not Joanna! The real Mrs. Ostermann was kinder and SHOULD be ten years older! And knew how to dress.” But her words fall on deaf ears as each passenger is wrapped in their own thoughts. Dr. Evvie wracking his brain for those missing minutes of today, Judith now sobbing for all the distractions tainting her coming wedding. Lorelei pinned between to the two emotional women and out of consoling words for either. A new passenger (played by Brian) having joined the table having overheard the soap opera and trying to console the women. Jonah finally returning to the table while detective Fenster (played by Tony) passes up his chair. A pause and quizzical look by the new passenger till the lightbulb shines, “Mr. Frank

DAY 1 : Jonah stood silent at the chain fence as he watched the casket pulled from the hearse and loaded into the bowels of H.M.S. Adriatic anchored in Liverpool, England. It was going to be a long and somber Atlantic cross taking his departed friend Gerald Feinstein home to his mother in Arkham. A joyous summer break from college, spending their last dimes (well, their parents’ last dimes) traipsing across Europe. Jonah intent on furthering his education attending lectures by some of the greatest minds, such as Einstein. Gerald more intent on the breweries and barmaids. Till that fateful Munich rally they chanced upon. Those hooligans clubbing the protesters. Good-ole chivalrous Gerald rushing to aid the poor girl being beaten. The ‘Brownshirt’ club cracking his skull. A life cut short. How would he explain events to Mrs. Feinstein?