Part 2: In a Different Light (Midnight Snack-Attack)
FROM THE BEGINNING: https://rigglew4.blogspot.com/2019/12/part-1-in-different-light-by-dean.html
[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.
Comments
Post a Comment