Story Excerpt - A Meeting of Gremlins

1934 TA - Ahlden

Journal Entry by L. Hunt

I had not been expecting too much chaos this Saturday morning. I was proved wrong by roughly ten o'clock when a gunshot rang through the air. I jumped violently enough to send my coffee all over the floor, the biscuits followed a few moments after, as another quickly followed. Hands over my ears, I raced out into the corridors of the Greenleaf station. I knew exactly where those gunshots were coming from. I had told her to keep her hands off the guns, but did Newton ever listen to me? Of course not, her genius far surpassed my inferior mind.

There was someone else out in the corridors, looking around for the source of the noise. I recognised him immediately. There was only one Greenleaf with dark skin in Kory, in addition to that, we had been friends for many years, during the time I spent in Endo-Nulden. We had both travelled over to Ahlden last year.

            “Are you alright?” I nodded, scanning the corridor behind him “I heard gunshots?”

            “As did I,” A third voice responded. I didn't recognise it. I had to do a double take when I saw it's owner though. Having walked into the hall, attired in the same green uniform as Lewis, plus a disgusting apron was another Greenleaf officer, armed with a Bunsen burner and a cup of coffee. His dark blond hair would have reached his shoulders if it hadn’t been tied back, and a look of urgency was fading from a stern face that had definitely seen many days in the sun, quite a feat in the miserable climate we live in. This, as I was soon to learn, was Greenleaf Ford.

            “I don’t think I’d like to face gunfire today,” Lewis said, tiredly. Neither of us were new to gunfire. Endo-Nulden had never been peaceful in his youth, constantly fighting for independence. Peace was still relatively new to those islands. Arguably peace is relative, and I can confirm that being anywhere near Miss Newton is far from peaceful.

            “You won’t have to,” I said, "It's just Newton," He sighed in relief, I probably mentioned her too much in my letters for him to have that reaction. Ford, however, was assessing me, in the same way Newton had when we’d first met.

My attention was drawn to the coffee that he had just drank from after he’d placed the Bunsen burner, still burning, on top of a shelf next to us. I couldn’t help but stare, and even now cannot quite believe what I saw staring back at me from dark liquid. An eyeball. It was bobbing leisurely across the surface, he only seemed mildly surprised,

“How was your coffee?” I asked, in a state of frozen confusion. He gave his coffee some thought.

            "Decent, interesting flavour, not the usual, I'd say," We were reminded of the purpose of our coming to this hallway when another gunshot rang out. I turned in the direction of the noise. That woman was going to do someone an injury if she carried on like this. Lewis flinched back a step, and Ford held his coffee out like a weapon, the eye bobbing menacingly, like some macabre buoy.

            "Lewis, grab another coffee for me," Ford ordered. Lewis opened his mouth to protest, “please,” Martin took the order with the added pleasantry, and went towards the kitchen. I was rather confused as to how easily the order was followed. Of course, this was before I learnt that Ford was who Lewis had been apprenticed to. I had more pressing matters to be concerned about.

            "Was that an eyeball?" I had to ask.

            "Yes,"

            "A human eyeball?"

            "No?"

            "Should I ask?"

            "Probably not," I stared, first at him, then the coffee, then back at him. This man was far too similar to Newton; there was no comfort in that thought. I started walking again, determined to find the aforementioned maniac I lodged with. Ford followed me. I decided I wouldn’t ask about the redder stains on his apron.

            We came to the door that I knew Beth was behind and had to take a deep breath before entering. Newton, or dealing with Newton generally takes a little mental preparation at the best of times.

            I tried to open the door, but there was something in the way. Something I assumed that was short, ginger, and somewhat doolally. I managed to squeeze through the gap. Ford managed to squeeze through behind me.

            "Miss Newton, what on Racë do you think you are doing?"

            "Trying to assemble this - misfortune of a weapon," She answered, not looking up, and refusing to move from her seat, I had guessed right as to what had obstructed the door. She had removed her jacket and in her endeavours had covered her blouse and skirt in grease and gunpowder. She looked frightful. She had somehow acquired the grease in her hair.

            "May I?" She gave me the gun and watched wordlessly, grey eyes wide, as I disassembled it. "It's a miracle you only disturbed a few of us," Looking over again, I amended my statement, "It's a miracle you didn't shoot yourself," I watched in concern, as Ford took another sip of his coffee. He met me with a confused look, before he realised what he’d done. He placed the coffee down. I couldn’t see the unfortunate organ, but was distracted by Newton’s dramaticisms, as she flopped sideways onto the floor. I would have been concerned she had been taken by a faint, if it hadn't been her.

            "Such an injury might take my mind of the boredom,"

            "Newton," I said warningly.

            "I was joking. There's just nothing to do!" She pouted. Honestly, the woman was a child, "Give me time, and I'll work out how to assemble that gun with the silencer," Gathering herself together in a most unladylike fashion, she stood up, reaching for the gun. I stood my ground, planting myself in her way. She looked around, probably to distract me, and found a way. "What's a man doing here?" She pointed at Ford. I knocked her hand back down to her side, hissing about pointing being rude.

            "Ford," He introduced himself. We'd both heard of him before, and it was easy to put the name to his face, "I work here,"

            "Well, that's something to intrigue me," Oh no, "The curious case of Joseph Ford, the Greenleaf who seems to be all reputation,"

            Ford raised an eyebrow in response, having for some unknown reason picked his coffee back up. I still couldn’t see the eyeball. Ford was studying the coffee curiously, as Newton continued talking.

            "I've been trying to meet you for a while now, yet never had the chance,” She seemed to assume the coffee was for her, as she took the mug. Ford gave it freely. "Is it poisoned, officer?" She asked. I was ready to warn Beth, except I am somewhat ashamed to admit, I was intrigued, and Newton had been particularly annoying recently.

            "Not exactly," He replied. Beth looked back down at the coffee and was met by the eyeball popping back out of the liquid, staring at Beth unblinkingly. She watched it blankly as it bobbed about.

            "It's burnt,"

            "I was conducting an experiment. The coffee wasn't part of it," He took the mug back and put it down on the side. Beth nodded to herself, and I had seen that nod once before. Right before she had come over and introduced herself to me at the boarding house.

            “Newton, amateur detective" She put her hand out to shake.

            "Pleasure," Ford shook her hand.

            I could see a friendship forming, and sighed. There was no way this would hold Newton back in her crazy endeavours. If anything, this would spur her on. The door opened as Lewis walked in with a coffee. At least someone else here has a modicum of sense.

Considering Ford and Newton were already talking too fast with words I could never hope to understand, I took the coffee from Lewis, thanked him, and left the room. I took the gun with me.