Play@YSDC

Monday September 16th, 6 pm

French Hill, Arkham

The companions meet outside the house of Elisa Phillips in the French Hill district.

The door is opened by a lady who announces herself to be Elisa’s mother, and shows our investigators to the parlor where Elisa is waiting. She offers refreshments.

Elisa herself is a rather plain, mousy young woman with in her mid-twenties with brown hair and spectacles. After rising to greet them and making introductions, she sits down and takes up some embroidery.

“I hope you don’t mind if I continue with this” she says. “I promised a friend that it would be ready as a birthday gift.” She deftly works her needle with the material.

“Beth said that you wanted to talk about Margaret” she continues. “Especially about her writing. I feel awful about what happened” she says sorrowfully. “I wish there was something I could do for her.”

Henry Glynn

"Yes, we understand you may have collected some of her work? I do a bit of writing myself - perhaps you've read The Ghastly Chamber or The Music of Dr Cazlab?"

Elisa perks up in surprise.

“Why, yes! Are you that Henry Glynn?” she asks.

Henry Glynn

"The very same. I hope you enjoyed the books."

"And I'm Alice Stanton," says Alice. "I typed, proofread, and edited some of his books. They are very good, aren't they? Dr. Cazlab is based on an actual acquaintance of ours. I knew Margaret from the secretarial pool at the university, but I hadn't known until recently that she was a writer. I'd really like to read her work. I've heard she's highly talented."

“You have a wonderful imagination, Mr. Glynn” says Elisa, impressed. “It’s hard to believe that such a bizarre person as Dr. Cazlab could exist in reality.”

“Yes, I’ve always admired Margaret’s writing” Elisa says in response to Alice.

Putting down her embroidery, she reaches down next to her chair and picks up a basket, which is full of papers and magazines. “I have a lot of what she wrote. Please take it, but promise me you’ll return it when you’re finished.”

Henry Glynn

"That's very kind of you. We'll take the greatest care of tbe material. Tell me, what did you think of the section where Dr Cazlab discover's Olivia's true identity? Alice suggested that bit."

Henry takes the papers and smiles at Alice.

“I was genuinely shocked!” exclaims Elisa. The conversation is obviously cheering her up.

“Don’t tell me that Olivia is based on a real character too!”

Henry Glynn

"A certain cousin of Alice's" confides Henry.

Elisa nods slowly, her eyes wide.

Henry Glynn

"Of course she's not a zombie." Henry adds.

Elisa blushes. “You’re teasing me, Mr. Glynn” she warns.

Henry Glynn

Henry starts to say something else but smiles and falls silent.

"Thank you, Elisa," says Alice. "I look forward to reading them. We'll bring them back when we're done."

Private to Keeper,SAN 57 [dice]0[/dice] .................. :shock: SAN loss [dice]1[/dice] Down to 56

Isadora Carmichael

Isadora has been awfully quiet and passive so far. She arrived slightly late to the meeting, and she looks terrible: there are dark circles under her eyes, her hands are trembling.

Then suddenly...

"NO! NO!! WHERE DID YOU GET THIS PATTERN?"

She screams at Elisa, and yanks out the embroidery from her hands.

Elisa shrinks back on the sofa, eyes wide.

“Wha… what are you talking about?” she stammers, staring at Isadora incredulously.

Alice & Henry & Harrison,You can't see anything strange about the pattern, it resembles paisley.

Isadora Carmichael

Isadora unfolds the embroidery, like an ancient scroll, and holds it up stretched out before the others.

"Can't you see?! This is the crawling madness, the same as the wallpaper in Margaret's room!"

Henry Glynn

"Perhaps you've read The Curse of the Gold Sarcophagus also? offers Henry lamely.

Alice puts a comforting hand on Isadora's arm. "Please, you're frightening her," she says quietly.

Elisa’s mother enters, looking concerned at the shouting. “I everything alright, dear?” she asks, looking around at the group.

Elisa is looking strangely at Isadora, and answers without looking at her mother.

“It’s okay, mother” she says. “Nothing to worry about.”

Mrs. Phillips withdraws with a suspicious glance at the group, but says nothing more.

Elisa addresses Isadora, who is examining her embroidery.

“You’re talking about that awful wallpaper in her room? She showed me once and I can assure you this is nothing like it? Why would I want to repeat that pattern? Margaret hated that wallpaper.”