Press "Enter" to skip to content

A Meal at Brunel Hall

The cat had spent his time going about the city and trying to improve his general mood after he had been released from service on Friday.  He had considered just going back to Mondrago, Dr. Maddox was waiting for him there and that was probably one of the reasons Dr. Solsen had sent him away.

But before he made his decision to just abandon the city he wanted to see how he felt about it after a few days.  Also he was hungry and figured he would make better decisions after he ate.  

When deciding on where he remembered his conversation with Victor earlier in the month.  While talking about the zombie cure the cat had realized he had never dined at Brunel hall.  Mornington was there and greeted him warmly in the restaurant above the Muirsheen Durkin.  From the look of it he was getting ready for an upcoming party, signing a few documents and assuring everyone he was buying locally, but the hotel owner still made the time to ask about how he was doing.

“I’ve had a rather bad day, Victor. I would like to order that fish now.” He pointed into Mornington’s prize fish tank.  “The pretty blue one in there will do.”  Mornington was too shocked to say anything, his eyes going wide.  The cat pretended to not notice, “I can eat it fresh if the kitchen is closed.  As for sides how about….I don’t know…do you have any catnip?”

“Ummm, no.  I cant say I do have any of that…”

“Oh well, just your fish then,” Arnold replied as he sat at a nearby table. “I need something to cheer me up.  I was fired from the asylum today.”

Mornington shouted in outrage, “You are not eating one of my prize fish from that tank, you realize how much it cost me to have those imported in…still alive?!” The hotel owner paused for a moment, “….wait, fired from the asylum?”

“‘Enforced leave’.” Arnold corrected himself yet again as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.  “It just feels about the same.”  

He went on to explain and Victor nodded along, listening,  “Ahhh well, I suppose everyone can do with a holiday now and again.”

“That’s pretty much what it amounts to…they want me to go away and stop being stressed.” Arnold couldn’t help but grin slightly. “So, I’m ordering one of your fish to calm down.”

“You are not eating one of my prize fish!”  Victor cried.

“Alright then, just get me a fish and tell me its a prize one.”  Arnold requested, figuring that he had played with Victors head enough.  He didn’t want him to actually get angry.

The hotelier mused for a moment as he studied the cat and then he grinned, “I got a better idea…Lobster Thermadore.”

The cat had to agree that sounded even better.  When the food finally came he ate it hungrily, and for a time the day seemed much less horrible.  Victor came around when he was almost done again, and stood next to the table, “So…enforced leave eh?”

“Yes.  I can’t go inside at all.”

“Ya know,” Victor mused quietly, a devious edge entering his tone, “It would be a shame if something…bad was to happen inside the asylum while you wasn’t there.” The ‘innocent’ hotelier smiled.  “Then you can publicly blame the other ‘doctors’.”

“That’s bound to happen on it’s own…with no help from you or me.” The cat replied simply, bitterly. “Haven’t you heard?

“Heard what?”  Arnold explained about the recent inmates and it became apparent that he hadn’t heard about it as he let out a prolonged, “Ohhhh dear…”

“Things are bad there right now already.  It doesn’t need anyone’s help to go wrong.”  He turned back to his meal, though he was sure it would no longer taste as appealing anymore.

“So…wait on it getting worse, make a public announcement condemning everyone working in the place, go back in, sack the staff, hire new ones….all sorted!”

The cat paused, and slowly lowered the lobster, “At this point…that might…it might happen…”  Not exactly how Victor suggested, but it was something the cat could cling to as he started to think.

Victor grinned broadly, “See!  And in the mean time you get a good holiday!”

“You’re right.”  The cat nodded as he bit into the delicious meal in front of him once again, “I’m going to make the best of it.”

Victor had once last piece of advice to give though, “Ya have to look at the positive things in life, Arnold.”

The cat had heard this many times in his life, but when Victor said it felt more genuine for some reason…”Why are you a better psychiatrist than the doctors I’ve talked to?”  

“Cause I’ve been around for a while,” Victor said cryptically.

Arnold shook his head, “I think it’s cause you’ve given me fish….Lobster.” Arnold corrected himself yet again before he started to lick the plate clean.  About halfway through he realized that might bother someone who came after him, but then continued anyways.  They were going to scrub the plate either way.  

When he was finished he turned back to Victor, who was still looking rather pleased with himself, “How much do I owe you?”

Victor waved his hand dismissively, “Its on the house.”

“I’ll owe you a favor then…a small favor, but a favor.” The cat said as he turned to leave. “I’ll see you around Victor.”

The feline ran off, knowing that there was only one problem with waiting around and doing nothing until the situation fell apart.  Rasend and the others would still be at the old man’s mercy, along with the bells and everything else.  

But with a little help perhaps it could fall apart sooner, before it was too late.  The cat knew every way into that facility, since he had intentionally left himself a few emergency escapes…like the windows in the roof where he had insisted they remove the bars when he returned.  He still remembered having to jump off of the roof in his desperate escape from the metal raptors….and there were two others which were even less pleasant.

But he couldn’t afford to break into the facility.  If he was caught that would defeat the purpose…and he would also probably be the first person they suspected.  Still…Tepic had wanted to help Rasend as well…and he was likely already planning on doing so…

Spread the love

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply