Chapter 12: The Dog-Thing

[HoneyDog]

“Greta will recover. The man who shot her is in a catatonic state, and might remain that way. I’m not sure there’s any point in treating him. I think it’s an appropriate end for him, seeing what misery he caused.”

Blessing pauses.

“As for Rutherford and Niewicki, it’s just our word against theirs. They could easily claim that you assaulted them. We’ve been holding them prisoner for days – I’m sure that can’t be legal. It’s probably better just to let them go – they won’t go to the police, they’re basically criminals themselves.”

[Snapper]

Crozier:

Crozier looks about at the Seekers. "I bow to the wisdom of the Seekers of course but for my part I vote no police, we leave Miss Bayldon and the mad doctor here, let the other two ruffians go."

"The murders will be officially unsolved but that would not be the first time."

"It grieves me to let those two ruffians off Scott free but you can't have everything I suppose."

[Philulhu]

Vic pondered for a moment. “We known Miss Bayldon was the victim of Vandorff’s experiment but in court I think it would be difficult to prove. Given the creature has been driven away and both she and Vandorff are remaining here for the foreseeable future, I’m not sure what we will achieve by handing her over to the police. Women have a hard enough time getting justice as it is, nevermind handing her to the Police and telling them an invisible dog did the killing. If we try to explain what happened, we’ll be consigned here too!”

“With no more murders, then interest in the case will fade away. We will have solved it, but we won’t be able to take any of the credit.”

[HoneyDog]

Blessing nods.

"I will dispose of that vile Liao drug. But what will you do with the book?" he asks.

[Philulhu]

Vic looked to Isolde and Alexander. ”We should really get rid of it,” she said. “We wouldn’t want anyone else to suffer the way Miss Bayldon or poor Billy have.”

[aine]

“Unfortunately I fear we haven’t seen the last of the creature.” Says Isolde from the corner of the room. Her voice is somewhat stronger after the fortification of Crozier’s strong drink. “It came but went without a sacrifice. And we don’t have Joan to warn us next time. I will go over my notes again but I think we have to permanently banish it with the Crux Ansata.
“I will need the book to cross reference.” She ends pointedly.

[Philulhu]

Vic looked crestfallen. ”How long until it might return?” she asked.

[Mephistophilis]

Harry shrugs, 'If that's the decision of the group. I was going to suggest we frame Vandorff and his two lackeys. I suppose Dr Blessing will take over the asylum. But if this thing might return, shouldn't we keep the information on the only weapons we've got?'

[HoneyDog]

Blessing clears his throat.

“As I understand it, Joan, or rather Annie, believed that the sacrifices would placate the creature, or throw it off the scent, as such. The creature doesn’t require them as a goal. It was Joan it wanted. The sacrifices were just a stalling tactic, as the creature would always find her sooner or later. Well, it found her and came off the worse. I don’t think there’s any need for more sacrifices.”

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye, I agree," says Alexander. "The beastie is intelligent enough from what I've read not to come back for more. It will find easier prey that cannae fight back - as we would have been had we not had access to those books. That is why we must keep them rather than destroy them. I also must agree with Captain Crozier. It seems the only option."

[HoneyDog]

The companions depart Malbray Asylum, taking the two volumes with them.

The next days are quiet, allowing the investigators to rest. As no new murders are committed, the press gradually loses interest in the identity of ‘Jill the Ripper’, and eventually the story disappears, becoming another East End legend. Despite not apprehending the killer, the police are also grateful as the mood in the area begins to calm, and things return to a semblance of normality. The East End Citizen’s Committee disbands, but due to their apparent lack of success, the companions receive no reward from that body.

Dr. Blessing does in fact become the new director of Malbray. The official verdict on Dr. Vandorff is that overwork and ill-health resulted in too much mental strain, and he succumbed to the same madness that afflicts his charges. Blessing institutes a far more humane policy, seeing that patients receive proper care, and hiring more experienced staff, although Rolf and Greta continue in their roles. Blessing is pleased to report that Greta has changed through her experience, showing much more empathy and respect to her charges.

Sadly though, Joan Bayldon does not recover from her psychic trauma. She remains at the asylum, receiving close attention from Blessing, who continues to hope that one day she will return to normality. Maybe, somehow, he will find a way…

End

[Mr. Handy]

The defeat of the creature has reassured Alexander that even though strange and powerful things exist, science can be used to defeat them.

[Snapper]

Crozier:

The Captain was hoping for nothing more than a chance to know of the "other world" and, from this perspective, the mission was a success, albeit a very dangerous success. He has no desire for fame or public accolades. Furthermore, a murderer was stopped.

And he spent time in the company of interesting companions, so he's doubly happy.

By way of celebration, and true to form, the Captain will treat his fellow Seekers to high tea at Simpson's-in-the-Strand in a few days' time, once they are all rested.

[Mephistophilis]

A believer in spiritualism, Harry had been hoping for evidence of ghosts and communicating with spirits from 'beyond the veil'. After his experiences he is feeling a lot less willing to pull back that veil after all, it seems there's much more waiting there than he was expecting.

Having had the chance to mix with some of his social betters he's also shocked and more than a little scandalised at how casually they are able to ignore the mores and expectations that bind the rest of society.

[Philulhu]

Vic’s experiences with the Seekers of Enlightenment have left her chastened. She has seen things that she never thought she would, when she idly joined the Seekers on their adventures.

With Dr Blessing’s permission, she will take a role helping out at the Asylum, while spending her free time campaigning for a more humane treatment of those afflicted with mental illness.

[aine]

Isolde comes away from the asylum pale and subdued. Even during the party at Simpson’s she is not herself, being distracted with her own thoughts.
Now having an inkling of what horrors lie out beyond the boundaries of everyday, Isolde sees the insignificance of her theatrics with the paranormal. She places the Crux Ansata and the dust recipe away in a box in Moon St.
The books are placed in the Seeker’s library under lock and key and there they lie, tempting, waiting for ‘just one more look’.