The strange events of Rue Ruine

Chapter VI: Chapter 40

>Wednesday 15 April 1874

To Doctor Jean-Martin Charcot.

I'm sorry to inform you that the article hasn’t been accepted by the board, they asked everyone that worked on it to resign their positions.
Starting from Monday 20 I will no longer work at Salpêtrière along with 3 other colleagues.
I asked the board to give my patients to you but don’t worry, they’re just a couple.
I’ll go back to my estate in Provence, I’m sure there’s still something I can do there.
Please take care of Katie, I’m afraid she might not be as strong as she says.

Your friend, Zayra La Roulière.
<

Raphael didn’t sleep much, his sleep was haunted by visions of the girl falling out of the window, he imagined walking down the street of rue Ruine and hearing her scream and fall on him.
When he woke up he didn't feel rested at all, he had cold sweat running down his forehead and didn't feel like going to work.
Of course he dressed up anyway, he didn't come here to be as homeless as in London.
He quickly ate a quiche for breakfast.
He grew fond of this small meal, it was basically an english breakfast in a little cake after all, he also could easily eat it while walking and without losing any time cooking.
After all, Rue Ruine was in the middle of Marclame, not exactly the nearest to his workplace.
He was about to get going but then he remembered last night, he knew Zayra must've felt really impotent, he was used to being mistreated by the police but he's room mate surely wasn't even accustomed to talk to them.
The night before he didn't say anything because he thought he wanted to be left alone, who wouldn't?

Not for a second he thought that the commissioner would’ve focused on Zayda.
Raphael walked toward his room and knocked, but there was no answer.
“Doc… Are you okay?”
No answer.
“Listen… I know that policemen can be… jerks, trust me… I know, things like that happens all the time in London”
Still no answer.
“Just… don’t think about it too much Zayra”
He took the accounting book, his coat and went for the door.
He heard strange sounds coming from outside the door, something heavy getting dragged up the stairs that brought to their door and then fell heavily on the floor.
Then whoever was outside started fiddling with the lock.
Raphael took the coathanger, wielding it like a pole arm and pointed it against the door, sweat running from his forehead in anticipation.
The lock clicked and the door opened, Raphael began to scream and charged with the coathanger hitting Zayra and launching him down the stairs making him fall and scream.
"WHAT THE FUCK?"
"I SHOULD BE THE ONE SAYING THAT RAPHAEL!"
"I THOUGHT YOU WERE INSIDE. I EVEN MADE A CARING SPEECH TO YOU"
"CLEARLY I WASN'T AND I CLEARLY YOU DIDN'T, WHAT YOU DID IS CHARGE AT ME AND LAUNCH ME DOWN THE STAIRS ALMOST BREAKING EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT"
"I WAS DEFENDING THE APARTMENT"
"FROM HIS OWN DAMN OWNER?"
"What owner fiddle with the lock of his apartment!?"
"ONE WHO HAS THE KEY!"
Raphael took a deep breath and rushed towards Zayra to help him get back on his feet but he wasn't looking too pleased anyway.
"Did I break expensive equipment?"
"I hope not” he said, looking worried at the box.
"What is it?"
"A slab of ice"
"Oh... is that even considered equipment?"
"As long as it is useful to my experiments, yes"
"Cool cool cool"
Zayra looked at him and at the box a few times before Raphael caught up what he was saying
"Right, let me help you"
"Thank you"
Raphael took the box, which was surprisingly heavy, with relative ease and brought it inside.
"Do you want me to bring it to your laboratory?"
"No, leave it on the coffee table"
"So, what are you working on?" Asked as he followed the instructions and deposited the box on the table.
"I think I might have found out something about the mysterious liquid but I need it to be solid to understand better"
"Oh nice, keep me updated"
"Sure oh and Raph'..."
"Yes?"
"Do not use the coat hanger as a weapon ever again, its mogan"
"Of course" he said, blushing from embarrassment.