CARNACKI: The New Adventures (21 page)

Carnacki.
Drifting in the distance, you say? Beyond these walls?
Examines
Florence
’s eyes.

Florence
.
Yes. Everything’s . . . Well, you seem solid enough, but any farther away than that . . . It’s as if the world’s disappearing around me and this other place is filling the gap. Do let’s be brisk about this, Mr. Carnacki.

Carnacki.
I can’t see anything wrong with your physical eyes.

Florence
.
I’ll trust my physical eyes to a physician, if you don’t mind.

Carnacki.
By all means. In the meantime, let’s concentrate on your mental eye.
Retrieves the jar of water.

Florence
.
My what?

Carnacki.
Could I ask you to close your eyes? Your physical ones.
Dips one finger in the water.

Florence
.
I . . . I don’t want to.

Carnacki.
It’s only water.

Florence
.
It’s not that.

Carnacki.
I know. The things you can see beyond the walls. You can still see them when you close your eyes. Brighter and clearer.

Florence
.
How did you know?

Carnacki.
It’s only when the physical eyes are closed that the mental eye can fully open. Closing your eyes won’t hasten their advance. It’ll just let you get a better look at them. Besides which it’s broad daylight.

Florence
.
What does that signify?

Carnacki.
There’s no power in the Unseen World that can manifest itself with any potency while the sun shines. And if anything’s fool enough to try, this should ward it off without much trouble.

Florence
.
You said it was only water.

Carnacki.
It is. Chemically speaking.

Florence
.
And speaking otherwise?

Carnacki.
What should that signify to a sceptic such as yourself?

Florence
.
You intend to daub me with it.

Carnacki.
That I do. The short answer is, this is water from Bath Spa, which I’m sure you know is credited with certain healing properties. Now, I’ve found no evidence of that, but I have studied the particular mixture of minerals and things suspended in it, and found that the whole mixture reacts rather curiously when exposed to certain frequencies of electromagnetic vibration.

Florence
.
That cannot be the short answer.

Carnacki.
The upshot is that you needn’t be afraid of anything your mental eye can see. None of it can harm you.

Florence
.
I never said I was afraid.

Carnacki.
Oh, fear and I are old acquaintances. I recognise him in every one of his thousand and one guises. He’ll be your ally, if you let him.

Florence
.
I’d rather have certainty on my side. But if you insist.
Closes her eyes.

Carnacki.
Thank you. This will feel a little cool.
Anoints her eyelids with water.

Florence
.
That tingles.

Carnacki.
Does it? How very illuminating. But take a good look around you. Remember there’s nothing to be afraid of. Do you see anything?

Florence
.
Not the house.

Carnacki.
That’s to be expected.

Florence
.
But I can see . . .

Carnacki.
As much detail as you can muster, now.

The sound of slow, titanic wingbeats, distant and barely perceptible, but drawing gradually closer.

Florence.
A void. No. A . . . a chasm. It’s dark. I mean, no, there is light. Just a little. Or perhaps it’s bright after all, only . . . I can’t tell. It’s an odd colour. I can’t describe it. It’s not a colour that really exists. It goes on and on.

Carnacki.
And do you see anything else in this chasm? How far down can you see?

Florence
.
Down? No. I’m at the bottom. But there’s nothing under me. I’m deep down. Floating. I can see the stars but it’s so far up. No, I can’t look. I could never climb that high, not even in a hundred years. But stuck down here wrapped in that colour . . . I feel so small. And the things . . . those bright specks, they’re more than that now. They’re the centres of . . . shapes? Creatures? Why couldn’t I see them before?

Carnacki.
Your physical sight was interfering. It’s to be expected. Describe these creatures.

Florence
.
I can’t.

Carnacki.
Nonsense. You’ve been quite eloquent so far. What do they remind you of?

Florence
.
Remind me? Nothing I’ve ever seen. Though . . . there’s one that looks like a feeling I had. Another with the shape of a sound I remember. I don’t know from when. Some of them remind me of . . . What was it? But not the same. It’s all spoiled. All the corners are inside out. I don’t want to remember now. They’re moving. Are you sure they can’t see me?

Carnacki.
It’s just possible they are aware of you. But you’re quite safe.

Florence
.
I don’t feel it.

Carnacki.
I know it’s unsettling.

Florence
. Do you?

Carnacki.
I've had my own experiences with esoteric sight.

Florence
.
I know they’re not real. But my stupid heart . . . My mouth is dry. I’m . . . They don’t even seem evil. Just all wrong. Fear of figments. It’s not seemly.

Carnacki.
You said the things were moving. With purpose, or at random?

Florence
.
They move like motes on the wind. But they know where it’s taking them. It’s where they wanted to go all along. They’re deceitful. How close they are, how small or vast, I can’t tell. I feel that at any moment one might swallow me that I thought was leagues away.

Carnacki.
Then the stars you mentioned up above—they might not be as far away as you thought, isn’t that so?

Florence
.
I suppose that’s right.

Carnacki.
Would you look for me?

Florence
.
I don’t think I want to.

Carnacki.
Miss Allenby, if we can tempt your psychic body out of that abyss we’ll be well on the way to ridding you of this affliction. It’s quite natural to be afraid, but I assure you nothing you see can harm you.

Florence
.
That’s right. There’s nothing to be afraid of.

Carnacki.
That’s not quite what I said.

Florence
.
They are closer. The stars. A great glittering crack in the ceiling. They’re sinking into the dark, or . . .

Carnacki.
Miss Allenby?

The sound of wingbeats is suddenly close at hand.

Florence.
Hide me.
Crouches, arms above her head, defending herself from the unseen thing above.
Hide me! Before it sees!

Carnacki.
Dips a hand in the jar and flicks water in
Florence
’s
face.

Silence.

Florence.
Opens her eyes.

Carnacki.
What is it? What did you see?

Florence
.
What did you do to me? You made it worse.

Carnacki.
How do you feel? Any queer sensations?

Florence
.
It was just specks. Now it’s shapes and stars and shadows. They’re not going away. Carnacki, they’re not going away. What did you do?

Carnacki.
Catching
Florence
’s
left wrist. On it is a curious talisman made of feathers.
Hello. What’s this?

Florence
.
Are you listening? Let go of me.

Carnacki.
The instant you felt threatened, you put this between yourself and the threat.

Florence
.
It’s just some lucky charm Mother insists I wear.

Carnacki.
No. You trust it. Instinctively.

Florence
.
It was Uncle Robert’s. Everyone gets given it. Everyone who’s meant to be cursed. It’s supposed to protect me from whatever’s coming to get me.

Carnacki.
And what is coming to get you?

Florence
.
Nothing’s coming to get me. I’m not cursed. I’m either hallucinating or mad.

Carnacki.
I mean what is it you saw?

Florence
.
I don’t know. It was too big. I suppose it looked like a bird. It wasn’t real. What does it matter?

Carnacki.
Nothing conclusive. But perhaps with a little—

Florence
.
No buts. You’ve made me worse. Doctor. Now.

Carnacki.
If I could just take a look at that—

Florence
.
You gave me your word.

Carnacki.
And I intend to keep it. But would you mind if I had a closer look at that charm in the meantime?

Florence
. No!

Beat.

Florence.
Mother would never allow it.

Carnacki.
I understand.

Florence
.
Wait. There’s a note that goes with it. Sort of explaining how it’s meant to work. It’s superstitious nonsense, of course.
Hands it over.

Carnacki.
Thank you all the same.
Turns to leave.

Florence
.
Carnacki?

Carnacki.
Miss Allenby?

Florence
.
Are you leaving?

Carnacki.
Shall I ring for someone?

Florence
.
Leaving the house, I meant.

Carnacki.
Well, I don’t feel my business is quite done, but it all rather depends on your mother.

Florence
.
I think perhaps you ought to stay at least a little longer. To confer with the doctor and things.

Carnacki.
I’ll be sure to pass on your recommendations.

Florence
.
Yes. Yes, I would like for you to ring for someone, please. I shouldn’t like to be alone in this condition. I might fall over something or walk into a wall. It’s still up there, Carnacki. I can’t look but I know. It’s just waiting for me to float up to the top and then it’s going to swoop and make me like Uncle Robert.

Carnacki.
Nonsense. You’ve got far more on your side than he did. You’ve nothing to fret about.

Florence
.
You are the most awful liar.

Carnacki.
Am I?

Night.

Dodgson.
Yes, as a matter of fact you are. God blessed you with an honest face, Carnacki.

Carnacki.
A blessing, is it?

Dodgson.
If not I’d find it hard to credit anything you said.

Carnacki.
I should hope you don’t judge truth based purely upon physiognomy.

Dodgson.
Well, no. I do have a mind of my own.

Carnacki.
Good.

Dodgson.
Well, what about this note? Did that shed any light on things?

Carnacki.
Only enough to reveal the full depths of the obscurity, I fear. But see what you make of it: “Whosoever of my kin doth find himself in need of more than earthly protection: herewith I enclose that talisman I gained of the eastern sorceror, who, being wise, did imbue its rude and humble aspect with magicks of exceptional magnitude. Imbued afresh with the faith of the bearer, it is proof against that most evil of things. This I have myself proven. The cry harries my sleep no more. Hold fast to faith, kin of mine, and endure as I endured.” And it is signed only with a letter G.
Refolds and stows the note.

Dodgson.
I confess it sounds like so much hokum to me.

Carnacki.
I thought so too.