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The Condemned.
The Patient
Arkham. Sunday, 21st August 1921.
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Sunday is the day to praise God and spend time with the family. As the good Catholic and family man Pietro Manzano is, this is what Pietro Manzano does. Pietro Manzano, his wife, Rosalina and their two children, have in the three months they have attended service in the St. Stanislaus Church, already become valued members of the congregation. Rosalina's beautiful voice have contributed a great deal to the choral singing. It is not easy to be a stranger in a strange land, and the church and the Italian community there is an anchor in Pietro's new life. After church coffee, the Manzano family's favourite activity is a countryside picnic and then a proper family dinner. A perfect Sunday is finished with family game, listening to a edifying radio show, or reading aloud. This Sunday however something happens. The telephone rings during the dinner. It is Dr. Hardstrom, the director of the Arkham Sanatorium. "Dr. Manzano. I am sorry to disturb you, but we just received an interesting case. I think you should come over to see." |
| Pietro Manzano |
"Certainly, Dr. Hardstrom. I'll be with you as quickly as I can." As he hung up the phone he started thinking about what made Dr. Hardstrom call him up on a Sunday afternoon. He figured that it was probably very strange and quite important since it couldn't wait until Monday morning.
"Rosalina, I'm afraid that I have to go to the Sanatorium this afternoon. Do you know if Paul (the driver) is around? I'd like him to drive me up there in 10 minutes." He goes upstairs to ready his doctor's bag while waiting for the response.
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Rosalina is still on the phone when Pietro comes down with his doctor bag. "I can't get in touch with Paul and nobody is answering at the cab service. I am afraid you'll have to go, husband." Rosalina hangs up the phone. "Try to be back this evening. Won't you, hmmm?" Rosalina kisses her husband on the cheek.
"Sure, I'll probably be back in a couple of hours. I'll give you a call when I know anything." Pietro grabs his bag and starts walking. Pietro rents a small house on E. Pickman St. Pietro takes left and crosses S. Parsonage St. Immediately on his right lies the Larkin Institute. "That's where I should have worked", thinks Pietro, his place of work on the other side of town, but immediately dismiss the thought. The Larkin Institute is a gigantic Victorian mansion converted to a private psychiatric hospital by Dr. Parker Larkin. "Although Dr. Larkin and his assistants are excellent doctors, the range of cases at the Arkham Sanatorium are much wider. I need that to complete my thesis." |
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| Rosalina Manzano |
When Pietro comes to S. Garrison St. the Arkham Historical Society lies to his left. Although the headquarters are supported by a private group, the Society's library and records are open to the public. "A shame I haven't had the time to drop by yet, later this week maybe." {This is what Pietro thinks every time he walks by.}
Pietro follows S. Garrison St. northwards, passes the New England School of Bookkeeping on his left, before he crosses E. College St. with Arkham SPCA (Organisation dedicated to the prevention of cruelty against animals).
On the other side of S. Garrison St. lies the gem of the Miskatonic University, the library, a three story gothic of native granite, with a repository for over 400.000 carefully chosen books and pamphlets. Besides the library, lies the President's house, a hideous neo-classic residence, and besides the president's house lies the Faculty/Graduate Residence.
When Pietro crosses the Church St., he enters the Merchant District. On both sides lies numerous stores. On Sunday, these otherwise busy quarters are quiet. Pietro crosses Main St. Old warehouses lie to his left. These great brick Georgian-styled warehouses have stood next to the river for century. Most are unused, although local businesses rent one or two for temporary storage from time to time. Watermarks five feet above the ground can be seen on the sides of these buildings, scars from the flood of 1888. On the opposite side of S. Garrison St. from the warehouses, lies an Esso Service station.
Pietro crosses the River St. and the Miskatonic River is next. The Garrison bridge is the second of Arkham's three road bridges. The south side of the river is featured by a long, dark and rotting waterfront. River Street is crowded and unlit at night, and stuffed with junk and litter, it more resembles a forbidding alley than a street. Pietro has occasionally seen a Hobo here.
By the time Pietro is crossing the bridge, he is dripping with sweat from hauling his heavy bag. He starts looking for one of the Arkham cabs, willing to pay almost anything to have a lift up the hill to the Sanatorium. "Where in the city are they? Only four cabs in the entire town, and how many of them are running on a Sunday? One…,or two?
Visible from the Garrison St. bridge is small uninhabited island ,which is never visited. It is low and swampy, and covered with thick undergrowth On its eastern tip, visible from the bridge, are a series of gray standing stones, covered with green moss. An altar, of similar substance, rests in the center of the smaller stones.
On the other side of the river, the railroad dominates the scene. The railroad station lies left to N. Garrison St. Garrison Street Bridge crosses over Water St. and the rails.
At the end of the bridge lies Penny Arcade. Pietro shivers, by the thought of his son frequenting here. Ernesto is still only nine, but the magic of hand crank movies, claw machines and mechanical boxes can be mesmerising to little boys. Pietro will absolutely forbid Ernesto to go here.
First National Grocery store lies on the other side of High Lane. Pietro has done a lot of shopping here. The manager, Arthur Anderson, is a pleasant person. On the other side of Garrison St. lies Sander's Wax museum. Pietro with family visited it two months ago. It contained all the standard scenes, Caesar and Cleopatra to Lucky Lindy. It also sported a small chamber of horrors - not to Pietro's liking - a guillotining, an iron maiden with piteous occupant, a witch in flames, as well as ten edifying Biblical brutalities.
Pietro passes the Amherst Theater, which is newer than the Manley. Amherst is dedicated to feature talking films before he crosses Armitage St., and passes the Telenews Cinema before he crosses Hyde St.
Pietro passes Curwen street and when he comes to Derby St. and to the end of town. Pietro takes left, crosses Derby St. Before he comes Peabody Avenue, he is there, Arkham Sanatorium. "This better be an interesting case, Hardstrom", Pietro thinks when he climbs the stairs to the Sanatorium.
"Now Dr. Hardstrom, show me the patient." Pietro is both a little irritated and expectant at the same time. "Hello Dr. Manzano, I know it wasn't a convenient time to call you, but it is seldom that we get a case like this. Follow me and I tell you about it."
"The police brought him in. He was found wandering along West River Street, in a disturbed state of mind. Police took him to St. Mary's Hospital, where he was questioned. I am afraid his condition hasn't improved much yet. Oh, here we are." Hardstrom stops before room no. 117.
In the bed lies a young man with dark hair an blue eyes in the beginning of his twenties. He isn't' strapped down but a male nurse sits beside his bed. "How is he Grant?" "He is babbling without intermissions, but I can't understand what he says, is it as it is another language. I understand one word though, which is repeated often, and that is 'lightening'"
"Dr. Manzano, he is yours, for a short time. We haven't put him to deep sleep yet to see if he would respond, but he needs rest soon. You have an hour." "Thank you Dr. Hardstrom" Dr. Hardstrom leaves and Pietro starts his examination.
Pietro asks the male nurse: "Do you have any idea whate language he is speakinge? Has he mentionede any namese, either of places or people? Was he dressede like this whene he came here?" (OOC: Yes, I know Pietro's English isn't perfect - he's Italian...)
"I think he speaks English, but I ain't good at languages"
Pietro then turns to the patient and asks him simple questions in simple English. "Hello, my name is Dottore Manzano. Do you understande my English?" The patient looks at Pietro, but continues his low babbling.
"Do you have a name?" No response.
Pietro searches his bag for a piece of paper and a pen. "I will now write down my questions in the hope that you can understand my writing," he says, and starts scribbling the same questions on the paper using capital letters. He shows his writing to the patient, hoping that he knows how to read.
If the patient can read, he doesn't give any sign that he understands the message. Realising this, Pietro sits down beside the patient, and starts taking notes of what the patient is mumbling.
After a while, he calls for Grant to come over. "Do you know if the Sanatorium has a dictating machine? I should like to record the patient's mumbling for later examination."
"Of course we have a dictating machine. I'll go and get it." A few minutes >later Grant returns with a dictating machine. "I'll set it up for you. Do you want me to show you how it works?" "Yes, please do." Pietro watches intently as the nurse sets up the device.
Dr. Manzano starts to record the mumblings of the patient.
A while later Dr. Hardstrom enters the room. "How are you doing, Dr Manzano?" When Dr. Hardstrom spots the dictating machine, "A brilliant idea. Do you have enough material? I think its about time to give the patient medications. He needs rest."
"Yes, I thinke that will be goode for both of us... I've been strugglinge withe the phonetic language for a good half-hour, and I think I've got enough materiale to study without disturbinge the patient anymore. Where can I use the dictatione machine? I intende to gete one of these machines for my private use soon, so that I may study the recordings back at home." "When we are finished here, I'll have Grant bring it to your office where you can study your material. I look forward to your conclusions"
Dr. Manzano picks up the equipment and leaves for his office while Dr. Hardstrom and Grant medicate the patient.
He studies the material for a couple of hours before he decides to walk home in the sunset. His mind is busy digesting the material he's recorded, so the walk is refreshing to his thoughts.
When Pietro comes home, the children have gone to bed. He has only a moment ago sat down on the couch when the phone rings again. "Hello Dr. Manzano. Something just happened. Detective Ray Stucker dropped by to see the patient. I declined of course, but he told me who the patient is. His name is Henry Atwater and he is a student at the Miskatonic University. Together with a fellow student, Richard Cardigan, they went Thursday morning to camp along the river. Cardigan is missing but the police has found their camp site. The police believe that they may have been struck by lightening. I guess you wanted to know. Atwater will sleep through the night. See you tomorrow, Dr. Manzano, bye."
*****
Northwest of Arkham. 0730, Monday, 22nd August 1921.
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Len looked at himself in the mirror and cringed a little his eyes were badly bloodshot and his head was pounding unmercifully. He let out a loud groan and very slowly stretched, nearly all his joints popping as he did so. Groaning again he leant forward and turned the faucet on, wincing a little as the water began to pour into the sink, he lathered up some soap and covered his jaw in the slippery substance. Picking up his cut-throat he began to shave slowly and deliberately, carefully cleaning the razor after each stroke, soon the soap was all gone and his face, less the whiskers that were there but sporting a couple of pieces of blood-soaked toilet paper, where he had nicked himself. He walked slowly back to his bedroom and dressed in his hiking suit and slipping his hunting jacket over the top. He grabbed his flashlight and his shotgun, putting about 20 shells in his pockets as he headed for the door. On the way grabbing his trusty .45 Automatic from the small table near the door, along with his car keys. |
| Len Colson |
Gently he eased himself into the car seat and placing his shotgun in the passenger seat he started the engine, again wincing and groaning as the powerful little sportscar's engine roared into life. Flicking his lights on (because the sun had not yet risen) he drove out of his front yard and headed west along Aylesbury Street and then before long turned into Sutton road.
He thought back to the previous night, hard now to remember what else he had done but he remembered talking to Dale Long about the missing boy, in the comfortable lounge at the Miskatonic Athletic Association's rooms. He remembered saying yes to Dale's request to join the search but that was about the sole extent of his memory of the previous night. He couldn't remember why he said yes? Perhaps the mysteriousness of the boys' disappearance or the fact his companion was found suffering from amnesia? Who knew or could remember now.....
He reached into his glove box as he turned left onto Aylesbury Pike and popped the top of the Asprin bottle he found there. Lifting the bottle to his mouth he let three tablets slip into his mouth and he began to crunch them down. All of a sudden his mouth was dry and the powdery aspirin began to make him cough and choke. Driving with one hand he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his hip-flask and after removing the top he took a big swing and swallowed a couple of times. As the "burning" liquid slipped down his throat his stomach began to settle and by the time he turned into Cabot Road, his mouth was clear and his head was beginning to clear, slowly. Just as the sun came up he pulled to a stop at the end of the road and saw Dale approaching him from a group of men.
*****
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Daria woke early on the dismal day, but today she had a feeling of duty. She had known Richard Cardigan as one of her fellow classmates and had talked to him often. She dressed slowly into a riding skirt. And as she walked out of her room the legs made a swish swish as they brushed together. She figured that a riding skirt would be easier to walk in. She walked outside and got into her mum's car. It wasn't much but it did the job. By the time she had reached Cabot Road dead-end the sun was already over the horizon. She parked the car and ran over to the group of men that looked like they were about to leave. |
| Daria Rose |
*****
Early morning and Charles W. Cochroft and Tom Hacket are readying for their daily ride. When Charles is home at his estate he takes comfort in his daily routines. After the ride he spends an hour of chemical experimentation in the basement of the Cochroft cottage. Then two hours a day of research for his next project. In the evening he occasionally drives through the country in his sportscar.
"Mr. Cochroft. Mr. Cochroft is you there? Mr. Cochroft?" Ray Stuckey stands in stable door. "Hello there. Come in we're reading the horses." Charles replies.
"Hello Mr. Cochroft. My name is Ray Stuckey. I am a Police Detective. We are organizing a search for a missing student and…"
*****
The Sanatorium, Arkham. 0830, Monday, 22nd August 1921.
Monday morning, Dr. Manzano is driven to the sanatorium. Hardstrom has worked most of the night and sleeps on a coach in his office. Dr. Manzano goes right to the patient's room. "Hi, how are we today?" The man in the bed looks at the doctor. He is evidently recovered some after his sleep and is not mumbling in delusion any longer.
Dr. Manzano goes over to the patient and places his hand on the forehead. "The fever has come down during the night. With a little luck you'll be out of here before long. Do you remembere your name? The man looks at Dr. Manzano again with an empty stare.
Dr. Manzano sighs, "Well, I'll come back later and see to you." Dr. Manzano goes to his office to listen to the recordings from yesterday, again. To Dr. Manzano it is all gobbledegook. "I need help on this."
The sanatorium doesn't normally have many visitors since most visitors tend to arrange an appointment for their visit. The visiting hours are normally from 0900 to 1400, with a break between 1100 and 1300. Special arrangements can of course be made by personal contact with one of the doctors. Due to this, there are practically no facilities set aside for visitors, and the visitor may have to wait at the gate for one of the staff to attend to him or her.
Doctor Manzano is busy analysing his material in his little office, when one of the nurses alerts him to tell that there's a young man wanting to see the patient, Atwater. He tells the nurse to show him in, then go and check in on how Atwater is doing (nice to know if he's under medication, or if he's fit to see a visitor).
A slender man with dark hair, eyes, and a thin mustache, wearing a thick leather jacket, a tie, dark pants, and boots, enters the doorway and notices the man walking towards him.
"Goode morninge, mister...?" Pietro welcomes the visitor in the door, and extends a hand to shake. "My name is Dottore Manzano, whate can I do for you?"
"Good morning, Dr. Manzano, I am Stuart Slade, and I wish to talk to you about one of your patients, a boy by the name of Atwater."
Dr. Manzano points to a chair, and goes to sit down behind his own desk. Doc Slade steps over to the offered chair and gently sits down. Then looking directly in the eyes of Manzano, with clear and precise diction, he begins to explain.
"This morning, I was reading the news when I came upon an article about the boy lost in the woods." He reaches into his jacket and pulls out the article that he had cut out earlier and hands it to Manzano. "I immediately decided to offer my assistance in finding him. While I was getting dressed, I realized that your patient might have information that would make the search much easier. The article stated that he was suffering from amnesia. In my experiences, which are quite extensive, I have found that this sort of amnesia is usually caused by a severe trauma that the mind does not want to accept. I assume that you would concur with this?"
Manzano nod's affirmingly.
Slade continues, "I am familiar with a number of techniques useful to help people deal with these traumas and to help them remember, or to share what they know without remembering. I would like to question Atwater and find out what he knows about what happened."
"Signore Slade," Manzano interrupts, "I hope you understande that this ise not a hotelle where anybody can come and goe as dey like. I'm sure you understand that I must have a looke at youre credentials, and then I would like to have you describe to me the methodes you intend to use."
After a slight pause (and possibly a comment), he continues, "I understand your hesitation. Let me provide you with some of my credentials and some of my background." Slade pulls out a brown leather document envelope out of his jacket, and hands it to Manzano. It contains a letter from the Head of the Psychology Department at Boston University describing briefly my abilities in the field of psychology including his degrees and lectures series and a couple of letters from well-known Boston psychologist vouching for my expertise.
Manzano briefly reads the letter, and glances through the others.
"Let me tell you a little about myself. I received my doctorate in Psychology from Boston University about 8 years ago, and continued afterwards to teach there while doing some freelance investigations into unusual occurrences. Recently, I moved to here to set up a small investigative business under the name, Discoverer of Secrets. Perhaps you have seen my ads in the local papers. I am that Doc Slade."
A pause and then Slade continues "I specialize in the extraordinary, and has an extensive knowledge of the occult and bizarre happenings. The services I provide range from the mundane finding of lost items to investigating unusual occurrences. I also have arranged to give some lectures at the local university. Briefly, that it who am I. Are you satisfied with the background or do you have further questions?"
"I cannot remember seeinge the advertisemente you mention, no piu importante. You receive your doctorate 8 years ago? Then you must have been a very young man?" Manzano looks puzzled.
"Yes, I was 22 when I received my doctorate, I entered college at 16 and took heavy loads. It was only when I started investigating unusual occurrences did I truly start to fully use my talents and hone them from the academic knowledge to the practical skills."
"This sounds very interesting," Manzano politely responds. "Could you now tell me what you intend to do with the patient?"
Doc Slade provides a technical summary of the psychological procedures that he plans to use including hypnosis if necessary to get to the subconscious mind. All of these procedures will not hurt the patient at all. It starts will assessing what he does recall, then attempts to determine where memories fade.
"Permezzo, ... would you listen to this," Manzano says after a while, and turns his attention to the dictating machine at his desk. He starts the machine with the cylinder already in place, and looks expectantly at Slade's face.
After listening to the recordings for a few minutes, Doc Slade says, "It is unintelligible. I can understand a few words. 'Lightening', as you said is recognisable, and I think he says williwaws" I cannot recollect to have heard such a strange dialect before. You should give these recordings to a linguist. It could be he could give us a clue to what happened to Atwater."
"We won't gain anything listening more to this recording. Shall we have a look at your patient Dr. Manzano?"
"Sure thise waye. Dr. Slade." Dr. Manzano leaves the room after Dr. Slade and locks the room.
"We have hade an intensive care on the patiente until thise morninge when he recoverede from hise fevere. We haventene been abele to communicatone white him, thouge. He ise still ase in hise own worlde. I ame curiose what you cane do, Dr. Slade."
Slade attempts different stimuli, including sight, sound, smell, and touch stimuli, to see if Atwater responds. He tries a variety of each to see if any response comes from any of them. The idea is that it will give an indication of how repressed Atwater's conscious mind is.
Atwater responds to all the stimuli, but Slade experiences the same as Dr. Manzano. He does not respond to questions. It is as he is autistic, except that sometimes he follows what Dr. Slade does with interest.
Seeing how little response Atwater gives to the treatment, Dr. Manzano turns to Dr. Slade, saying: "Mi dispiace, but he's beene like this all morninge. I ame afraide that we cannot get any informacione from him now. We should perhapse give him some rest? I have business downtown and you woulde perhapse care to join me? I had planned to visit the University to see a linguist about the recordings from yesterday."
He asks the nurse to look out for any changes in Atwater's condition, and notify him immediately if anything happens. Should anything happen while he's downtown, they should take care to note everything down that he said.
Doc Slade then adds, "I do not believe I can be of more help right now. If he draws anything, I would be curious to see what he has drawn."
Atwater takes the crayon and paper and studies them with curiosity, draws some circumlocutions, but then he puts the paper and crayons back on the table, and lies down on the bed and looks up at the ceiling.
Dr Manzano shakes his head. "Whate do you make of thise, Dr. Slade? Lete us returne to mi offize. I have made an appointment withe Albert Wilmarth, who will listene to my recordinge."
Slade comments, "I believe that he has a mental block affecting his communications centers in the brain. Maybe latter drawings will tell us more."
"Hello professor Wilmarth. Thise is Dottore Manzano. I have the recordinge I talked to you aboute."
"Hello Dr. Manzano. I am afraid something has come up. I have to attend a special matter. I am very sorry about this. If you leave your recordings at my office, I promise I will listen to it later today."
"Sure, I am going downtowne right now in some other businesse, so I will droppe by and leave the recordinge with youre sekeretary. Do you have the equipment to use with these cylinders?"
"Of course. Promise I do it ASAP. Ok?"
"Very well. I expect to be there in about 30 minutes. Good bye!"
"Good bye. Dr. Manzano."
Professor Wilmarth hangs up. Manzano picks up the recordings and is ready to leave. "Well, it seems as if the professor is unable to see us, but can I offer you a lift downtown anyway?" he says to Doc Slade.
"Thank you, but no Dr. Manzano. I drive a car. I think I will head out to where the other boy is missing. Maybe I will find a clue there. I will contact you later. Thank you very much for your attention, Dr Manzano."
Please read the missing Student, or go back to the table of contents.