Of Lakes, Mysteries and the Odd Lunatic

Chapter XII: In which a musty smell fills the air

Chapter XII

In which a musty smell fills the air

The lock made a satisfied click and then a thunk as Lawrence turned the key into the lock. His three companions, two patients of the Institute and Mason, leaned sideways so they could see past Lawrence. The man himself turned the brass wheel, until he felt no resistance. He then placed a hand on either side of the wheel and pulled towards him. There was a slight shriek of rusted hinges, but then the door swung out smoothly and silently.

Lawrence was almost squashed flat as the heavy door sped towards him, and he nipped out of the way just in time before it hit the tiled wall quite hard, cracking a tile.

“Oh, dear. Yet another thing that needs fixing,” Mason said. This was no fault on Lawrence’s part, however, as the door was at least four inches thick and could gain speed quite quickly.

The space beyond the door was a dark tunnel, with needles of light spearing through from it’s degraded roof. Scraps of wood and building material were littered across the floor and hung down from the walls and ceiling. Dust and dirt layered the floor.

“The flashlight, please, Mason,” said Lawrence, reaching over his shoulder as Mason passed him the object. The flashlights of those days were metal and heavy, with fickle bulbs and unreliable batteries. Lawrence held his breath, held his tongue just right and flicked the switch. A beam of light shone out from the front, and there was a sigh of relief in the room.

Lawrence carefully stepped into the passage and began to walk forwards, watching for any weaknesses or dangers in the floor and walls. Clouds of dust and dirt plumed up as the four people’s feet disturbed the air. The passage continued straight on for a number of yards before ending at another door, this one made of wood and bound in iron. It had a handle left side and a keyhole below it.

Lawrence fitted his key into the hole, and turned. It fit. He grasped the lion’s head handle and pushed the door inwards, revealing the room beyond.

The first thing the explorers noticed about the room was it’s smell. It was a mixture of musty pages and medical fluids, one that seemed like it was meant to be clean and yet was not. As the four entered into the room, their eyes were drawn to the object in the center. It was a wicker chair with red strands interwoven with the natural ones.

Beside the chair was a table, with a tray and various metal medical instruments upon it. The room was not too big, but a door at the back revealed the possibility of another. Across the right wall ran a cabinet, with a sink and tap, workspace and sterilisation box. Above was three levels of shelves, upon which rested various paraphernalia of both chemical and medical use.

The left wall was home to a storage cupboard and posters depicting the anatomical aspects of rodents, birds, dogs, pigs, and, most chillingly, humans. The paper looked yellowed and curled upwards, and one had been splashed with a dark liquid. There were patches of damp of the ceiling, and occasional dark splotches stained the walls. The floor was made of the same white tiles as the entrance in the crafts room. A spotlight on an arm was positioned above the chair, but the bulb was smashed and only a few jagged pieces of blackened glass remained.

“What is this place?” breathed one of the patients. They all turned slowly on the spot, taking in the scene around them.

“It’s obviously something medical, but I can’t think of what exactly,” Lawrence said. The other patient walked to the back of the room and opened the door there. He was quickly joined by his companions.

“It’s a library,” said the patient who had opened the door. He ran his fingers across the spines of the books, squinting at their titles. “I...I can’t read book Lawrence.”

“That’s fine, Mark, no one expects you to.” Mark had a severe language disorder that affected his reading ability most acutely. “Here, I’ll read a couple for you.” Lawrence titled his head so he could make out the words easier. “A Complete Anatomy of the Human Body, Surgical Implements and Their Uses, Systems of the Body, Essential Needs of the Living Mammal. I recognise some of these, but most of the authors I’ve never heard of.” Lawrence had a background in general medicine before he specialised in mental health.

“Sir, if I may...” Mason was holding a thin hard-backed tome covered in dust. It was dark green and the title emblazoned in gold lettering. Lawrence took the book. “The Ledger and Journal of Thomas Oakland 1806-1808” He opened it to the first page, then flicked through to random places. “Gentlemen,” he announced, “I think it would be more suitable if we were to read this above ground. It is rather musty and old down here, and I worry for the quality of the air. Additionally, it is almost time for lunch.”

The party passed out of the library and filed past the wicker chair set in the middle of the floor. Mason kept his eyes straight ahead, intending to have a peaceful night, but Mark couldn’t help himself. He took a quick glance at the object as he passed, but then quickly looked away. He was sure he had seen something, a white shimmer in the seat which reached above into the air and to the ground.