Play@YSDC

Maxwell's Sanitarium - London, England
9:00 AM - Tuesday, September 10, 1940

After Story, his companions, and Phyllis went upstairs, the others waited with Eugene for a doctor to arrive. She eventually showed up, a woman in her thirties with her brown hair tied back in a bun and wire-rimmed glasses. "You must be Mr. Thomson," she said to Eugene in a soothing tone. "I'm Dr. Agatha Sinclair, and I'm here to help you. I understand you have a fear of the dark."

"It's what's in the dark that's frightening!" said Eugene. "Jaegershrecks! The Father of All Bats!"

"Jaegershrecks? That sounds German? Is it the bombing that has you so frightened?"

Eugene shook his head. "No, that's not anywhere near as bad as the monsters!"

"Why don't you come with me, Mr. Thomson? We'll take good care of you."

"Thank you, Doctor." Eugene allowed her to lead him away.

About an hour later, as the clock struck nine, Story, Elizabeth, Brook, and Phyllis returned to the lobby and rejoined the others. At the same time, Anna walked in the front door with Madeline Steadman.

Phyllis is very glad to see Anna but concerned to see her companion. She walks up to them, "Is everything okay?"

Anna marches up to the others with a fixed smile. 'I have brought Mrs Steadman to see her mother.' She turns to Madeline, 'I will see if she is well enough to receive visitors, Mr Story, if you will join me'.

Elizabeth raises an eyebrow and looks quizzically at Story. She then turns and looks at Anna and Madeline carefully, trying to work out what is going on.

Story looks at Elizabeth and then to Anna, "Of course. How can I be of assistance?"

'Mrs Steadman, take a seat here please. Mr Story, walk with me. Tell me, how is Mrs Exeter doing after her ordeal?'. Anna takes Story back onto the ward.

Story,Anna explains to him that she has brought [b]Madeline[/b] to the hospital in order to provide an opportunity for the other two to break into her house and take a look. She tells him that Madeline has told her about [b]Mrs Exeter[/b]'s attempts to summon the black Pharoah but that she has not revealed anything of her current plans.

Madeline sat down in the lobby and leafed through a magazine lying on a table while she waited.

In an office upstairs, Dr. Agatha Sinclair wrapped up her intake session with Eugene Thomson. "Yes, Mr. Thomson," she said at last. "I think a stay here is precisely what you need. We have an excellent staff here, and we will have you right as rain as quick as can be. There's a war to be won, and we need every man we can get doing his bit."

Eugene Thomson,[b]Eugene[/b] has previously had a successful therapy session with [b]Anna[/b], I believe, so he derives no further game benefit from this one. His indefinite insanity is a fear of the dark. That is currently suppressed until 8:00 PM tonight, or eleven hours from now, but at that time it will return. It will take at least a month of care, and probably more, before it goes away, presuming no further shocks to the psyche (not a safe presumption). Note that you are currently at only 19 Sanity.

Phyllis looks carefully at Mrs Steadman to see if she is actually as nonchalant as she seems. She can't understand why they should be together unless Anna was somehow being coerced.

psychology,[dice]0[/dice]

Story looks at Anna and raises an eyebrow hearing her reference the Black Pharaoh. After a moment he says, "Yes, yes... so many years ago. You were curious how my companions and I knew Mrs Exeter. Believer me or not, but if it wasn't for me and my friends Nephren-Ka, the Black Pharaoh, would have been summoned and the world would be a different place. As far as her current plans with the Jaegerschreck, Catherine seems to think it's the only way to stop the Nazis... and she's hellbent on her insane plot, regardless of the loss of life." Story shakes his head, "Her mind is as cracked as Winston's was. No good will come of her evil plot. She must never leave this place."

'Is Mrs Exeter awake yet?' asks Anna. 'We need to find out what the Steadmans are planning but I've not managed to get much out of her. She seems willing to help her mother but hasn't told me of any current plot. As soon as she talks to her mother the cat will be out of the bag'.

Story nods at Anna's question and says, "Oh yes, she is indeed awake and spitting venom. Not literally of course. I can't say she was happy to see me."

'I seem to have developed a little rapport with Mrs Steadman' muses Anna. 'Perhaps if I accompany her to see her mother I can learn something more about their plans?'

Mr. Handy wrote:In an office upstairs, Dr. Agatha Sinclair wrapped up her intake session with Eugene Thomson. "Yes, Mr. Thomson," she said at last. "I think a stay here is precisely what you need. We have an excellent staff here, and we will have you right as rain as quick as can be. There's a war to be won, and we need every man we can get doing his bit."

"Thank you Doctor, I certainly hope to be do my bit for the war effort. When I get my call-up papers, I want to be ready - nothing can be as bad as what I've been through."

Eugene shivers, supressing memories.

"So how do I start? What is my first step?"

"You're quite welcome," said Agatha, "Well, if you feel you're up to it, perhaps it would help you to meet the other patients. Knowing that you're not alone here and that others have been through similar distress and are overcoming it can be helpful."

'And how is Eugene?' Anna says to Story. 'Were the hospital able to tend to his wounds? That was very...very...distressing to watch, I'm not sure I understand what happened to him, how Mrs Exeter was able to do that to him, almost like...well...magic I suppose'.

Story nods while saying, "Perhaps accompanying Mrs Steadman wouldn't be a bad idea. As far as Eugene, I'm afraid I don't really know. He seemed to be alright, perhaps some marbles loose. By the time we came back here he was already being seen by the doctor."

Mr. Handy wrote:"You're quite welcome," said Agatha, "Well, if you feel you're up to it, perhaps it would help you to meet the other patients. Knowing that you're not alone here and that others have been through similar distress and are overcoming it can be helpful."

Eugene nods.

"Right you are; I'll take a stroll around. I suppose there's a garden or a common room where I can meet people?"

Assuming there's somewhere he can mingle, the salesman goes for a walk, wincing occasionally when his healing sores catch on a seam. He nods cordially to anyone he meets.

"That would be the day room," said Agatha. "I'll take you there." She led Eugene to a room where bright sunlight came in through large windows, though the windows were crisscrossed with tape. One other patient was there, a white-haired man sitting in an armchair reading the morning paper.

"Good morning, Sergeant MacDonald," said Agatha. "This is Eugene Thomson. He's new here. Mr. Thomson, this is Sergeant MacDonald of the Home Guard."

The sergeant looked Eugene in the eyes, a shocked expression on his face. "Have ye seen it too?" he asked. "The red eye?"