The Angels of Carrigan Castle

The Angels of Carrigan Castle: Chapter 24

               The rain was falling so hard Lex could hear it all the way in the basement of the house, not that the sound of the rain falling would tell him the weather in the windowless basement, the heavy flow of water leaking through the foundation was a big enough clue. From the moment it had started raining outside, Lex had been in the basement stopping the water flow from spreading.

                He needed to rebuild the foundation, or at least reinforce it. The house was so old now that everything was falling apart. The lights began to flicker violently, a casualty of the weather, and the terrible lighting. Lex had built the house and everything that went into it, including the wiring and pluming, which even he could admit though his stubbornness needed some work.

                Sighing another stream of water began flooding on the other side of the room, balancing the towel he was holding to the waterfall in front of him, he grabbed another one and jogged over, blocking the new stream.

                Maybe it would be easier to knock it down and start again. Thinking of everything  he had to do before all the water took out the foundation gave him a headache. They didn’t have the money to fix the house, they barely had the money to keep the lights on. With him unable to work for a few more years, and Ashley a student and unable to have a career just yet, the money was not flowing through his bank accounts.

                For years Lex studies medicine, going in different directions getting his PhD in more than one area, on the walls of the basement, water damaged and yellowed, were several degrees in medicine. He had become an expert in several, writing reports and text books, his research had found a breakthrough in cell regeneration stroke patients had been a milestone, making him famous in the medical community. As it stood, he was still contacted about his research and coming to run more tests with new equipment at hospitals. The problem was he was suppose to be reaching senior citizen ship and showing up as young as he looked would be another medial milestone he would have to explain.

                Now he was in a basement in a falling over house stopping water from spreading around the floor. How the mighty had fallen, so many times now.

                “Lex,” a distant voice from upstairs called, “There’s nothing you can do, put the tarps down and come upstairs.” Ashley was right, there was nothing more he could do in the basement. Sighing and accepting defeat he pulled the tarps out from the cupboard and covered everything up, before leaving the basement he turned off the electricity.

                Thankfully only a few weeks ago he had fixed the roof and all the leaks. When there was snow falling part of the roof had caved in from the weight, he went up the next day and fixed the entire thing. “It was fine, the water wasn’t too bad in the basement, I really don’t care if I spend my night down there.”  He said pulling off his jacket and throwing it on a hook, “I don’t want the basement filling with water, its bothersome to clean up.”

                “Yes but as Ruby is sound asleep we could have an epic game of scrabble now that the power is out, was that you or the weather, by the way?”

                “Me, no point of holding off the inevitable, I am actually amazed that the lights have lasted this long.”

                She laughed and pulled out the old game box from the shelf, blowing the dust off the top, “I am amazed with this weather. I know its spring but really this rain is excessive.” She began setting up the board, “And no cheating by the way, flipping over your difficult letters or sneaking a swap out.”

                Lex threw up his arms in an ‘I am innocent gesture,’ before taking his seat across from Ashley, “You always think I cheat, I maintain that I am just naturally gifted at this game.”