Of Lakes, Mysteries and the Odd Lunatic

Chapter XVI: In which the tragedy deepens - but not as deep as the lake

Chapter XVI

In which the tragedy deepens - but not as deep as the lake

Removing the book mark, Lawrence made himself comfortable upon the chair and once more began to delve into the journal of Thomas Oakland.

February 18, 1808

How could I have been so foolish? To think that I could reverse the natural processes of the life and death cycle, to change the course of nature! Truly I am a rash and ignorant man!

The experiment upon Marie, of course, did not work. She sat there on the chair whilst I tried to re-animate her body, but to no avail. I have decided never to set foot in a laboratory to work ever again, I have only cause more pain and suffering for myself. It is a worthless pursuit.

February 19, 1808

We buried Marie today in the House grounds, under the oak tree after which my family is named. Neither she nor I had relatives who had interest in us, so there was only myself, the Vicar, and the heads of staff.

February 21, 1808

I made myself go into by laboratory for the final time today. There I hauled the Machine onto a porting trolley and removed it from the laboratory. Once I was out I shut the main door as tight as I could, locked it, and placed the key in my personal safe. I will entrust the key to the next owner of the House in my last will and testament, with a warning of what it opens.

I took the Machine all the way to the end of the jetty at the port in Little Vale, and hired a small fishing boat to take me out onto lake Enderslew. He made me pay a surcharge for the heft weight of the Machine, but money is really no object to me.

We sailed out to Withering Point, and there I hefted the Machine onto the side of the boat, nearly capsizing us, and let it fall into the lake, down into the water blue. I watched it until it was out of sight.

I suppose I could have kept the Machine on and melted it down, perhaps, as there was a large amount of precious metals in it. But I preferred to see the wretched thing at the bottom of the lake, where it can be used by no one else.

I am tired now. I must rest.

There the diary ended. Lawrence knew from reading about the history of the Institute that Thomas Oakland disappeared soon after his wife’s death. Something was bugging him about what he had just read. That is, apart from the gruesome tale of the experiment upon Marie.

Lawrence re-read the last few entrances again, and when he was halfway through the last, he realised.

The Machine at the bottom of lake Enderslew, below Withering point. The Machine that, the journal said, contained a large amount of precious metals. Not only that, but is was an item of scientific significance, surely.

Lawrence knew how to save the Institute.