The Kreizler Institute | The Alienist + Mphfpc [Complete]

Chapter Six | The Peculiar World

Jade's POV:

Caleb and I stood on the doorstep for a little while before the door opened. A young man I already knew the name of appeared in the doorway. The only reason why I knew him is because he's Stevie Taggert, Dr. Kreizler's ward and carriage driver. He was wearing a blue buttoned shirt and black pants with suspenders. The hair on his head was a light brown just like the color of his eyes. The eerie part is that he looked just like Matt Lintz. Matt is the boy who played Stevie Taggert in the tv show based on Caleb's book, The Alienist.

"Mr. Carr, back so soon?" Stevie said in a questioning tone. There was small smile on his face, but it faded once he spotted me. "I have some things to discuss with Dr. Kreizler. Is he free?" Caleb replied in a calm, yet gently urgent tone. "Yeah, he's free. Let me go and tell him you're here." He said, stealing a curious gaze at me before he motioned for us to follow him inside.

We stopped and stood in the foyer while Stevie went to inform Dr. Kreizler that Caleb was here to speak with him. The atmosphere in the house was a contrast to what it was like outside in the streets. In here it was surprisingly cool and quiet. You could hear the occasional carriage pass outside, but other than that it was quite peaceful. I looked around and took in my surroundings as we waited.

The house looked exactly the way it was in the tv show, and except there were some differences. It closely resembled Caleb's description in his book. I couldn't help but wonder if this place inspired the writing he had done for The Alienist and The Angel of Darkness. My thoughts were interrupted when Stevie came into view and said that the doctor was waiting on us.

A rush of anxiety soured my stomach and my heart beat quickened. I always wanted to meet Dr. Kreizler when I thought he was a fictional character, and now that my wish was coming true I wasn't sure what to think. All I knew was that I was feeling nervous as hell. "Thank you, Stevie. Don't work too hard in the stables." Caleb said as he ruffled Stevie's hair slightly. I nervously followed my writer friend deeper into the house. We turned into a room on the left of the hallway, which was the sitting room. My breath was taken away when my eyes fell upon Dr. Laszlo Kreizler. He was wearing a black suit with a white buttoned shirt.

His dark hair was slightly slicked back out of his face and into a side part. The beard he had only accentuated his handsome features, and I was pretty sure I was staring at him. I couldn't help but to stare at him though. He looked exactly like Daniel Brühl when he played Dr. Kreizler in the tv show. I was starting to wonder if everyone here looked like the actors who portrayed them.

Caleb and Dr. Kreizler shook hands and said their hellos before the doctor's attention turned to me. My heart skipped a beat when we made eye contact. Those big brown eyes of his were breath taking. I felt my face heat up with embarrassment and hoped he didn't really notice it. I tried to avoid eye contact, but I couldn't. I got lost in those captivating orbs; they seemed to be alight with a slow burning black fire in them.

"Kreizler, I'd like you to meet my friend Jade. She's Alfius's niece." Caleb said, introducing us to each other. "It's a pleasure to meet you." He said to me in his pleasant voice. There was a small trace of a German accent, but not one that was overly obvious. The small smile he gave when he shook my hand gave me butterflies. "It's a pleasure to meet you too." I replied shyly. Dr. Kreizler offered us a seat and asked Cyrus's wife to make us a hot cup of tea.

Caleb casually mentioned the fact that I already knew Dr. Kreizler and his friends, because I had read the books he had written. That comment made the doctor glance at me with a look that I couldn't decipher. "So, why have you brought her here? It's obvious you didn't visit me just to introduce us." Dr. Kreizler said with slightly furrowed brows. "She can see hollows, Laszlo. She's how I found out about the hollowgast in present day New York city." Caleb replied, and Laszlo looked at me with an intense fiery look in his gaze.