Lock and Key [Marcus Whitmore]

Blood and Absence

A man with stares down at people. A voice can be heard "Once the world was full of wonders, but it belongs to humans now. We creatures have all but disappeared ... demons, vampires, and witches...hiding in plain sight, fearful of discovery ill at ease, even with each other." The man is the one saying this. He then turned "But, as my father used to say in every ending...there is a new beginning."

In another part a blonde woman holds books closer to her. People are crossing and one looked to the other. "Hi, Fred." Someone waves to Fred. The woman passed them behind her were two teen girls. One with blonde curly hair and the other a brunette. Fred waved "Good morning." The woman smiled a bit and waved "Good morning." The woman goes up to some bikes that were hooked onto the bike post. A surge of wind blows her papers everywhere and her hands buzz picking them up and places them back into her hands.

The twin girls look at each other with a look the both of them can agree on. "Did you see that?" The blonde whispered. The brunette nodded "of course I did, I told you she'd start." The blonde rolled her eyes "No I told you that, even after she denies her heritage it always comes out." The woman then heads into a building. The teen girls go down an alley way as they weren't staff.

In the building a bunch of smart looking people are talking. The woman from before sits at the bottom of the steps. An important looking woman approaches the microphone. " Please, join me
in welcoming back to Oxford...this year's visiting research fellow. As many of you know, she took her DPhil in the history of science here. And after publishing two prize-winning books she was awarded tenure at Yale one of the youngest ever
to have been awarded that distinction. We are delighted to have her back amongst us. Dr Diana Bishop." Clapping can be heard as the woman now known as Diana steps up.

She smiled "Thank you. Thank you so much." A projector can be seen and she looked at it "Alchemy. In the 17th century, alchemy was at
the very heart of the study of nature and a precursor to modern chemistry.....and death. All parts of the natural world, be they animate or inanimate were believed to experience
these stages." She pointed to what she was talking about. She looked back at the audience "Although these images were often interpreted as allegorythey actually represent the chemical processes...With access to the Bodleian Library's collectionof unique manuscripts owned by Elias Ashmolethe 17th-century antiquarian, astrologer and alchemist I will continue to explore the role that alchemy had in 17th-century thought and how it influenced great scientists such as Isaac Newton and Robert Boyle." She smiled and then closed her book "Thank you." The audience applauds.

A group of people go up to her and congratulate her. She smiled as the head of the facility comes up to her "Very stimulating." She said. Diana smiled "Thank you." The woman looked at her "There's an opening coming up soon in the faculty. I'm drawing up a shortlist of candidates. Would it interest you?" She asked Diana. Diana looked shocked and then nodded "Er, yes." The woman smiled "We'll need to evaluate all your work. The talk that you just gave today - I assume it's ready to be published?" She asked. Diana nodded "It is, it is. It's almost finished." The woman nodded "Well, I'd need it by late October." Diana smiled "Absolutely." The woman started to walk away "I look forward to reading it." Diana called out to her " Thank you."

A woman with red hair comes up to Diana "Diana, that was brilliant." Diana looked at her "Gillian Chamberlain at a lecture for alchemy? What a lovely surprise." She smiled
"It's been, what, four years since I've seen you?" Gillian nodded "Almost six, actually. Can't believe it." She looked at Diana "When did you arrive?" She asked. Diana smiled "Over a week ago. I've been practically living in the library. I haven't even unpacked." They walked out the place and to a coffee place and sat down.