Ch.12a. Arkham

[Philulhu]

Emily spoke in a monotone. "I brought the book back to Mrs Webster’s. I waited for Mr Brophy to write like he said, but he never did.” She paused for a while then spoke again. ”I thought if Mr Brophy was going to use the book to bring James back then I might be able to do the same. I tried to read it, but it didn’t make any sense to me.”

She paused again, longer this time, and her face twisted into a frown. ”I put it away but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Every day, everywhere I went, it was all I could think about.”

[jp1885]

Ivy takes notes in shorthand.

“Did the book tell you to write the letters? What else did it say?” she asks, certain that the girl wouldn’t have done such things of her own volition.

[Philulhu]

Emily shook her head.

"It was not easy to read, but I tried my best for James.” Her face screwed up in concentration. ”There were many words... spells... ... One said it could be used to speak to someone else... ... I tried to speak to James... ...” She gave out a wracking sob and Dr Roy quickly moved to her side to check on her well-being.

”Be careful!” he whispered to Ivy. ”The trauma of re-living these events could damage her mind. Precede cautiously!”

[jp1885]

Ivy considers her next question carefully.

“But you spoke to Brophy instead of James? If he made you write those letters, it’s not your fault - you don’t have to feel bad.”

[Philulhu]

Emily nodded tearfully.

"I saw James but there was fire and pain! So much pain!” she sobbed. ”I cried out to him but he didn’t hear me, someone else did!” Emily’s eyes were wide but couldn’t see anyone in the room; she was re-living the nightmare again.

"There was a man, crawling in the ditch, trying to escape! And people were hitting him, trying to drown him! I felt his ribs break and... and then he was gone...” With that, she slumped forward, as if in a faint.

[jp1885]

Ivy sighs in irritation, partly at the girl's obviously wishy-washy spirit and partly at her own impatient and pushy questions.

"Perhaps you'd better make her comfortable Doctor. With your permission I'd like to try again - my colleagues are still missing after all an I need to find out the story behind all this."

After presumptuously ordering Dr. Roy to confiscate the girl's writing supplies, she dismisses him with a curt good-night. Then, following a brief check-in with Captain Keats, she will head home for the night, the accursed book tucked firmly under her arm.

[Philulhu]

It was well after 1.00am before Ivy returned home.

Dr Roy had two nurses help Emily to her room where she would be kept under observation overnight. Much to Ivy’s annoyance, Captain Keats had insisted on being briefed by the doctor before he consented to driver her back to Arkham. Ivy really wasn’t sure why she couldn’t have briefed him in the car!

When he eventually dropped her off at home, she placed the book on her dining table before completing her bedtime ablutions. When she was ready for bed, she returned to the dining room, where the leather-bound tome waited for her...

[jp1885]

Ivy pauses for a moment, looking at the book as if it were an animal poised to attack.

“Somehow I doubt you’ll let me sleep for long, but I intend to try,” she snaps. “I’m no foolish, lovelorn slip of a girl.”
She locks the book in her writing desk before settling into bed.

[Philulhu]

Saturday March 15th, 1930 8.30am.
The home of Ivy Ripley, Arkham, Mass.

Ivy slept much better than she anticipated. If the events of the previous evening had impinged upon her dreams, she had no recollection of it by the time she work.

The day was bright and dry, with early spring sunshine coming in through her bedroom window.

[jp1885]

Ivy washes, dresses and breakfasts with her usual brisk efficiency.

"No use putting it off Ripley," she says to herself over her grapefruit.

Still, she is honest with herself enough to give a nervous sigh as she opens her desk.

"Now, what can you tell me about all of this nonsense?" she asks the book (assuming it is still there).

[Philulhu]

OOC, What are Ivy’s plans? Does she intend the read the book, skim through it? Anything else she plans to do? I’m trying to keep this thread and the other roughly synchronous so knowing what you’re planning to with Ivy will help.

[jp1885]

Ivy will read the book. Not necessarily cover-to-cover though; she’s looking for a way to contact the others and find out where they are (if indeed they’re still alive). If she can recreate the ‘hole’ so they can come back, then all the better.

[Philulhu]

It was soon apparent to Ivy that skimming the book wasn’t going to give her the answers she wanted. After just half an hour her head hurt - the strange symbol from the letters sent by Emily Livingstone predominated but there were others that Ivy couldn’t look at for too long without feeling nauseous.

The language in the book varied from English to Latin to some other strange tongue. Ivy found herself murmuring, ”Iä! Iä! Gla’aki! Iä! Iä!” before catching herself. A shiver ran down her spine and she quickly looked around as she felt she was being watched.

[jp1885]

Ivy clamps her hand over her mouth, the alien syllables somehow leaving an unpleasant taste in her mouth.

"I can see how the girl was influenced by you," she mutters to the book. "Perhaps I'm in under my head - I must consult an expert I think."

Closing the book and locking it back in her desk, she picks up her phone and, glancing nervously out of the window despite herself, dials the university, hoping to speak to Professor Jackson, assuming she's contactable at the weekend.

[Philulhu]

The operator at Miskatonic University said she would put the call though but couldn’t guarantee that the Professor would be there, but, when connected, the phone only rang twice before it was picked up and Ivy heard a voice at the other end.

“Professor Jackson speaking. How may I help you?”

[jp1885]

"My name is Ivy Ripley," says Ivy without preamble. "You spoke to my colleague Mr. Preston regarding an unusual symbol, drawn from memory from a poisoned letter. You should also have received photographs of the same."

She pauses for a second.

"Well, I've come into possession of what I believe is the source of these symbols: to wit, a book. A very dangerous book it seems. I wonder if we can meet, so you can inspect it. I... well... Mr. Preston and our associates have disappeared and this book has something to do with it."

[Philulhu]

“Well, I’ve come into the office today to do some research,” replied Professor Jackson. “If you’re happy to come into the office, we can compare notes?”

[jp1885]

"Very fortuitous; I shall arrive shortly."

After arranging a suitable time with Professor Jackson, she calls Mr. Fraser to keep him abreast of what's happened. She spares no details, however weird.

[Philulhu]

Mr Fraser had seemed nonplussed at Ivy’s update of event. ”Disappeared? You mean they actually disappeared? Seems rather far-fetched to me!’ he had grumbled, but nevertheless he told her to continue with her investigation. It was only after the call ended that she realised he hadn’t asked her about Emily and Ivy wondered if he was getting information from Captain Keats as well.

Shortly before 11.00am, she made her way to the Miskatonic University. There were a few students around and one of them was kind enough to take Ivy to Professor Jackson’s office. Really, it was little more than a cubbyhole and it felt smaller because of all the shelves full of books that crowded the walls. Ivy could just about squeeze herself into the spare chair so she could sit down.

Professor Jackson had the photographs of the strange image in front of her. “This is quite interesting,” she said. “What can you tell about it? Let’s start with how you came to find it.”

[jp1885]

Ivy gives the Professor an abridged story of what has transpired over the last few days: the murderous letters, her hallucinations, the girl Emily, her colleagues’ disappearance, the patient’s artwork and finally the hypnosis session.

“...and at the heart of it all, I believe, is this.”

She puts the book down in front of them and sits back to gauge her reaction.