Statement of Harold Silvana. Rachel Turley. Alfred Bartlett. Gerard Keay.
Renovations, buildings of historical significance. “Takes three times as long, cost ten times as much.” Small team.
100 Pall Mall, the Reform Club.
About 2 in the morning when the kid showed up.
Teenager. Dressed in black. Hair dyed black. “Found any of Leitner’s pages?”
Leitner had an office in the building next door. Portly, middle aged, short blond hair in the process of going grey. Bare office.
Wanted us to dig a hole through the floor. He screamed at us in Norwegian.
“There are some things that are too important, too powerful, to be owned.”
Can you smell it? And for a moment, I could: damp old stone and musty paper
Hammer into the wall, heard a scream. Behind the wall, just darkness.
[soundscape starts, very quiet]
Name was Gerard. Said his mother knows about this stuff.
Alfred curious. Opened up the wall. Passageway. Draft.
Stone walls in good condition. Mid 19th century, remains of the Colton Club. Would be under JL office. No, not getting narrower.
Crossroad, more precisely a star. 13 doorways not counting the one we came in. All 14 entities represented.
In the center: “Robert Smirke, 1835, Balance and Fear”
Did build Carlton Club.
Gerard ran down a tunnel. He followed, tunnel got slick, hand tinged with red [flesh]
Heard Alfred scream in terror. Gerard comes running back with a book. Something clatters out... small bone.
End of the corridor, small round room, mostly empty bookshelves. One book had a mummified hand on it, with Alfred’s body in front of it. Tiny bones.
Vaguest memories. Pile of paper covered with cobwebs. Stranger meant me harm. Skin burning hot. Choking smoke.
Directed to rebuild the wall. Doesn’t seem right.
The kid, assume to be Gerard Keay.
Leitner, dealer of rare and antique books. Basement - where they were found, or where they were stored?
Tim fascinated by Smirke. “A master of subtle stability.”
Smirke connected to cults, churches.
Ugh, worms. JS leaves. “Martin!”
Delivery from B&H. “Package for Jonathan Sims.” “Stay safe.” “I’ll try.”
“Your recorder’s on by the way.” “Thanks” “No problem.”
