Time to Go

.                                                                  Time to Go  

“What do you mean we are to vacate the premises immediately,” a visibly upset Rosamond Perkins said to Whiskey Jack in the Dunsany’s main foyer. “Captain Digby just run off not ten minutes earlier shouting some nonsense about us all staying put. What was it he said exactly, Audrey?”

 “Said we’d be facin’ significant legal repercussions if we was to let anyone out,” replied Nurse Audrey.

 “It’s on account of the killin’ that went on down there in the cellar,” Nurse Harriet added.

 “Killin’ monsters I bet!” piped up Little Wally.

 “Listen, I’m not talking about monsters or killing right now; ain’t right to talk of such matters with children present,” said Whiskey Jack, glancing at Little Wally and his baby sister Elvira. “I’m just telling you what Dr. Foehammer and Father Moonwall told me to tell you is all.”

 “Foehammer?” questioned Randall Flax with a quizzical tilt of the head. “Didn’t that blow-hard Digby say he was leaving Foehammer under armed guard for crimes against humanity?”

 “That’s what he said,” Whiskey Jack affirmed. “But the doctor don’t seem to be of a mind to stay put. He was preparing to operate on his wife just a few moments ago; and  besides, that young cadet he left behind seems more concerned with the Chandler boy than guarding Foehammer.”

“That cadet is Mary’s boy, Donovan.” said Nurse Audrey to the other two nurses. “You heard she was killed in the fire this weekend when her house collapsed on her?”

 “Go on! I hadn’t heard. Builder, Builder, Builder, that’s so sad,” Nurse Rosamond shook her head. “I knew Mary quite well. She is one of the Spurgans from Dairy. Her family and mine has been marrying cousins at least once a generation as long as anyone can recall. Me and Mary used to run barefoot together across the Fells when we was just tots.”

“Harriet, take this baby would you,” said Randall handing Elvira to Nurse Harriet. “I need to converse with Jack for a moment.” He then nodded to Whiskey Jack and the two men stepped away from the nurses and lowered their voices. “Some bad stuff went on down there in that cellar, eh?” Randall asked when they were out of earshot.

“Oh my thundering bollocks, Randall,” Whiskey Jack shook his head and let out a whistle. “I’ll tell you about it later. But first I gotta warn you, I’m privy to some information about matters that is grave. We got to act fast and decisive, you understand? Now, I’m off to get a lorry from one of the lads I used to bootleg with over in the old quarter. You need to go through this whole hospital and make sure there ain’t no one here but them that is in the cellar and in the ward on the second floor. But don’t go in there, it’s under what they call strict quarantine. Father Moonwall will be up in a moment to tend to them that is up there. Also, don’t forget the Foehammer baby, Cecil’s it’s name. Make sure to get the nurses and everyone else out by the front door and wait for me to return.”