The Reliable Narrator [For The Love Of Chéri Epilogue]

Part 5 : Mad Mercy's Bizarre Madhouse And The Obsidian Kill Room

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[As related to Mercy and the circle by Monique. Then related to/recorded by Javier]

Wisconsin University.

Madison's campus lecture hall.

Chemistry catch up lecture.

"When you place..." he said as he wrote on the whiteboard behind him, "a small amount of a solution of a metal ion on a Bunsen burner flame, the resulting flame will turn a colour that is characteristic... of the metal ion. So, a sodium solution gives a yellow colour, a potassium solution results in a violet colour, a copper solution gives a green colour so on and so forth..." He said in a warm and quiet tone to the hundred seated observers of his lecture, as he threw his hand backwards at the massive ten foot wipe-board behind him.

"Such an experiment which unsurprisingly, we call the flame test, has been used in conjunction with other tests in many qualitative analysis schemes for metal ions. Whatever colour our eye perceives, indicates what metal ion is present. When more than one metal ion is present, viewing the flame through a coloured glass filter can help cloak any interference and the..." He paused and then blinked rapidly a moment as he stared off into space while looking a bit lost, "Erm... er, er, evaporation of solvent NaCI, atomization...through a prism... " he said as the large purple marker squeaked against the board in the echoey lecture hall as he continued to write.

A student held their hand up a moment and spoke, "Sir, Is that classed as an atomic emission?"

"Good question! You're listenin'! Yeah, the name sounds misleadin' as it's a solution of metal ions and not atoms that are bein' tested, but we call... it... that because of the process occurring in the flame. One of the steps of the process is an anatomization step, that is the..." He said as he paused a moment, "Sorry, what did I just say...? Aww, yeah, the err, flame converts the metal ions.." He said as the bell rang loudly throughout the hall.

He shouted over the loud shuffle of all the students leaving the bleachers while he wiped clean the board behind him, "Read your papers and the study material! There's more information on the campus-net! I'm available from half three to half four for all y'all questions in my office. I'll see y'all in the lab, Wednesday morning! Be there with your equipment, sharpish!"

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Cannes, France.

The mansion family residence of Marcel and Mercy L'Estrange.

Javier's Journal.

The text that arrived to my phone stirred my emotions. Mercy must have given the boss my number, and he must have decided to text me. I wanted to reply but I managed to stop myself. I felt I should be careful about my response, but I had to respond back quickly saying something at least, so I simply text back, 'Welcome back... to life, Boss! - Javier.'.

Then I thought about it, I didn't know if maybe he only text me because Mercy had pushed him to, even though I knew he wouldn't do something if he didn't want to do it.

"That was Marce, wasn't it? I hope you don't mind but I gave your number to him, and I broke it to him that you're here... sorta, in the house." Mercy said.

I looked up at her with a mixture of emotions, "Wha-what did he say? Is he upset? Is he just going to throw me out when he gets back? What did he say?!" I asked with urgency.

"Oh, he said... 'Uhh'." Mercy announced casually as she looked at her phone.

"What?!" I asked back confused, "What does that even mean? I've never heard him answer via means of a grunt?! What tone was it in?!"