Part 2: In a Different Light (Midnight Snack-Attack)


[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 this work? Do I just start blabbing, do you hypnotize me or medicate? Should I start with the vision of Michael Farr or do you want me to begin with my Europe tour and all that trauma?”

Dr. Joseph frowning at his medical book in Jonah’s hand and his couch doilies sticking out of Jonah’s pocket, “Let’s begin with you putting MY stuff back where they belong. But yes, tell me about Europe and the reported death on your return sailing.” Donald can’t help but notice Jonah seemingly starring past him, as if someone else in the room. Jonah indeed starring and talking to someone standing behind the doctor. The dwarf Clyde who now seems to tower over the doctor, before sliding down into his lap. That is, only his upper torso, considering Jonah’s last vision of Clyde was him bitten in half by that serpentman thing aboard ship!

Dr. Joseph being a fly-on-the-wall taking notes as Jonah seems locked in conversation with someone else. Rambling comments: Einstein’s theory, German brewhouses, blackshirts, coffin, skeet-shooting, insults, bathing suit, foul smell, gunshots. [Sanity check: pass; Jonah able to realize it but a delusion.] Donald summarizing what he’s heard, “So let me get this straight; you shot Clyde in his bathing suit aboard ship? Oh, you saw him killed? Gerald’s death, then Clyde, now Farr gouging his own eyes and you concerned you too might harm yourself. Yes, I think the more you talk thru these issues, the easier it will be to cope. In the meantime, before our next appointment, I’ll prescribe Risperidone [today’s drug; then would be laudanum] to ease your anxiety. But I must warn you its side-effect: drowsiness.”


[Dr. Joseph is stuck in his office treating more patients. At least the doctor rolled an extreme Psychoanalysis to aid Jonah, giving some relief to his delusional visions.]

2:30pm: As coordinated, Jonah joins Arthur in the lobby of the Engineering building, “Sorry, but Dr. Joseph is swamped with patients and can’t join us. Who’s this old biddy you’ve brought along; your mother?” Exasperation, “MOTHER?! I’m Carol Walker; Miss to you, you impertinent snot.” Arthur scrambling to ease the tension, “Carol, please excuse his rudeness; obviously over-medicated. Just look at his drowsy eyes. Jonah, I thought Ms. Walker would be a valuable addition to our efforts to solve Michael’s self-mutilation. She’s a renown explorer having trekked Egypt and Africa, and just returned to the states to deliver an African fertility statue to the MU Art department. From my brief description, Carol theorizes Michael may have contacted a rare tropical insect known to lay eggs in human dermis, causing severe pain. And thus, his uncontrolled need to scrap the parasites out of his body to include his eyes.”

Introductions aside, and consulting the MU Engineering building directory, they appear at the Department-Head’s office. Jonah asking, “Is Dr. Hayes in? I’m one of his students; well, I took a class of his. The secretary looking down her glasses at the young man (Credit Rating 10), “You’ll have to schedule an appointment; the professor’s preparing for his next class.” Arthur speaking up, “Excuse my associate, but being a valued donor to the school, I was hoping for his time regarding a lighting project he presented to the city council last year.”

“Yes, yes Mr. Cottar, please come in. Ms. Walker, what a pleasure. Sit. I’m Dr. Hayes. What can I help you with? Ah, Mayor Peabody’s light project. No, that wasn’t my idea. Actually, that was a prototype of Professor Graham Duncan of Boston University. Don’t know who he stole… sorry, don’t mean to imply. It’s just that old geezer hasn’t had one original thought in all the time I’ve known him. Now, a new light conceived and fabricated in less than 12 months! The City Engineer got me involved to present 3 options. Imagine my surprise at reading that product design. Mr. Endicott swore he’d seen it in operation; exclaimed how it was brighter and cheaper to produce. Seems the light used a phosphorescent coating applied to the inner surface of the glass sphere.”

“Before driving to Boston, maybe we should visit City Hall to speak to the engineer and that councilman who seemed so adamant about the lights.” Arthur reminding Jonah, “No smoking in my car.” At City Hall Jonah takes the lead with the receptionist, “I want to speak to councilman Southcott, my district 4 representative for the MU campus.” Carol being more direct, “Yes, I’d like to know what kind of kickback the councilman received for supporting the project.” Jonah leaning in to whisper to the receptionist, “Don’t mind her. Sounds agitated and bossy, but she’s easily manipulated.” Carol overhearing and enraged, “WHAT?! What’d you say about me?” The receptionist explaining, “Mr. Southcott is out on the streets visiting his constituents. It is election season. But I’ll pencil you in for a 10am appointment tomorrow.”

Even the City Engineer Mr. Endicott is not impressed with Jonah [failed Charm; failed Push with Fast Talk]. Arthur stepping in, “Excuse my chauffer; he does tend to forget his place. I was hoping you could give us details about the Walnut street light project.” Thumbing thru his file cabinet, Endicott finds the folder, “Yes, the mayor’s project. Southside. Had my crew install the lights 2 weeks ago. Are there problems? Rabid dogs? Headaches? Come now; the lights were to brighten the area. It’s unfortunate we’ve dressed a pig so to speak. That is on the edge of the slums. Dogs and headaches sound like original issues common to those destitute Italians. But if you want to know more about the lights, I’d suggest you talk with Professor Duncan at Boston University.”

4:30pm: Realizing it’s a 2-hour drive to Boston, they decide to stay in Arkham and visit Walnut Street around midnight. See for themselves. Each goes their own way to pass the time. Carol to her hotel room to continue writing more chapters to her book about Africa and the Bontu statue she discovered. [failed Library Use] She not realizing she’d referenced the wrong notes as she penned her description of the fertility goddess. Meanwhile, Arthur off for a fancy dinner before returning to Frankie’s speakeasy for a relaxing drink. Or two. [failed CON check; drunk: skill penalties but immune to some Sanity events] Too many as he got distracted telling hunting stories to the gathered crowd. Loosing track of time.

Meanwhile, Jonah retired to his campus dorm room to sleep off his drug-induced drowsiness. [failed CON check; sleeplessness] Bad memories interrupting his Rem sleep. Each time rolling over to check the clock to realize only 5 minutes had passed. Now, already past midnight and Arthur’s Bentley not in sight. Calling Carol, “Arthur’s not here. If you’ll drive, I can introduce you to Frankie’s speakeasy. I’m guessing Arthur still there.” Carol reminding, “No smoking in my car.”

Tuesday, 18 April; 12:30am: [group Luck roll to actually join up] Spotting Arthur stumbling toward his car, Carol invites him as a passenger as they drive blocks southwest to Walnut Street. The street bathed in a yellowish-green hue from the lights. Jonah noting, “Awfully damn quiet. The paper mentioned rabid dogs, but I don’t hear anything.” [Natural World pass] Carol too concerned she doesn’t even hear the scurry of rodents or the flutter of insects around the lights, “Weird. Not even the cry of feral cats.” With flashlight in hand, Jonah steps into an alley searching for reported animal carcasses. Carol with flashlight and gun at the ready just behind.

Suddenly, the crash of cans. They wheel around spotting Arthur stumbled into trashcans. And that’s when they hear, “Who’s there? Come out and show yourselves.” Yet only Carol steps forward; Jonah still searching the shadows while Arthur tries to gain his balance and composure. Carol, having never met the milkman Caruso, engages in a standoff between unknowns till Arthur stumbles out, “Georgio? Hey, I missed you at Frankie’s. Sorry, me and the gal here were just doing our own research. Didn’t mean to scare you. Yeah, Jonah’s still back in the alley.” Everyone relaxed, Georgio resumes depositing milk bottles on the porch steps of his customers. The others resume searching the alley.

Minutes pass till a horrendous scream arises from down the street. “Was that a woman?!” They run towards the sound of someone being assaulted. There, on the sidewalk, under the corner light beside the Simpson Apartments, they spy Georgio in a struggle. [Sanity check: pass but even 1-point loss means ‘Bout of Madness for Jonah] His head missing in a void, his body enveloped by a large tentacle attached to thin air! Only recognizable as Georgio because of his milkman shirt and busted bottles at his feet. Jonah quizzically approaching as he questions, “John, is that you? I thought you dead all those years ago?” [Jonah delusionally thinking the man his brother in a drunken stupor with beer bottles at his feet; visible head, no constricting tentacle.]

Thus, you can imagine Jonah’s screams when he sees a now sober [adrenalin rush] Arthur charge with a knife, slashing. Carol too slashes with her knife as the tentacle falls to the ground, leaving a stump suspended in air. Jonah now rushing to his brother’s aid, trying to get between ‘John’ and Arthur. But the larger/stronger Arthur stands firm which means Jonah stumbles backwards and falls. Just as the dismembered tentacle melts from sight, replaced by another tentacle swinging from nothingness. Just as Georgio’s body slumps to the ground, revealing his head cleaved from top to chin exposing brain matter. “Run!”

Indeed, Carol running for her car while Arthur grabs Jonah’s foot to drag him to safety. “What are you doing?! That’s my brother John. He’s back from the dead.” Carol pulling the car up beside them, Jump in.” Almost. Arthur realizing southside residents now stand in their doorways or windows starring at the scene. Mrs. Cilauro at the front door; recognition. And that’s when the police whistle squeals from around the corner.

Carol drives away despite the cries of, “Halt. This is the police! I said stop-in-the-name-of-the-law!” Arthur raising his hands while letting the policeman know he carries a knife and gun. Cuffing the suspects to step railings, sergeant Jackson lifts the receiver from the callbox, “Send more officers. There’s been a murder on Walnut and I have 2 suspects in custody.” Another 15 minutes under the lights, then another 20 minutes while the scene is marked off by the other policemen. The police questioning witnesses till finally they are driven to the police station. Medication getting the better of Jonah now snoring in the backseat. Arthur reminding, “I want my call once we get there.”

Another half hour before Arthur is brought to the front desk for release; his bail paid by the family lawyer. “I’ll also pay the bail for Mr. Franklin. And yes, once I see the woman again, I’ll send her your way. Sorry that we didn’t know her last name nor address. I’d just met her at a bar… I mean restaurant, this afternoon. I hadn’t gotten that far if you know what I mean.” Jonah vaguely aware of his surroundings, “Can I get my cricket bat? Evidence? Another 24 hours? But I’ve got a match tonight and need it. Fine, 24 hours. Arthur, if you’ll please pick it up when you return for your knife and gun.”

4am: “Bert, thanks again for getting us out of jail. I assure you; we are only witnesses to the crime. Now if you’ll drive us to the Belvedere Hotel on Dickman Street, I need to tell Ms. Walker the police need to speak to her. We can then drop Jonah off at the campus before driving back to French Hill Street where I left my car. Naw, it’s OK. I paid a couple of guys to watch it for me as I frequented a speakeasy.”

6am: Jonah drooling on his pillow, deep in sleep. His head pounding, pounding. Slowly waking to realize someone at his door. It’s the reporter Herbert, “Jonah. Why the heck didn’t you call me?! My gosh man, give me the details so I can scoop this murder. My boss is on my case to produce results since the Advertiser seems to be first to print. Yeah, yeah. Walnut under the lights. Your brother was there? Arthur and Carol attacked him?! Why? Did he offend the woman? Did they kill him?”

Herbert settles at his Daily Herald desk as he drafts his article. Two tries before he’s ready to go to the boss. Just in the doorway when the boss screams, “Damn it! The Advertiser beat us again. Read this.” A milkman, Georgio Caruso murdered. Suspects apprehended; a Mr. Franklin and another anonymous man. The boss now scolding Herbert, “So whadda ya got for me?” Herbert hiding his draft behind his back, “Ugh, nothing yet. I just need your permission to write an article questioning the Advertiser beat writer’s sources and facts. Great, I’ll get right on it.” Herbert tosses his draft in the can as he reaches into his desk for the bottle and glass, “That was a close one. What the hell was Jonah smoking for such a ridiculous story?”

12:02pm: Arthur makes the rounds picking up his associates, “Did you have the chance to read the noon paper hot-off-the-press?”

Jack Carlton writing for the Advertiser suggesting Arkham’s own ‘Dr. Jekyll’. How Dr. Joseph was brought in for questioning and considered a prime suspect. The clinical precision of the attack removing something called the ‘pineal gland’. 

Herbert Stratton writing for the Daily Herald questioning adequate testing before the new lights were installed. Suggesting the Walnut street residents ‘guinea pigs’ in the experimental project.

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