Among the Darkness Stirs

“I think you know how this will end, Ms. Wakefield. But you have my word,” he pointed at her, “you and your lover won’t end up in the display. Even I draw the line there.”

“Bastard!” Audrey yelled out even as the doctor took out a gun and pointed it at her.

“What now?” Levi asked.

Dr. Beesley seemed to be thinking. “It’s too risky to transport her. She might cause a scene. Let’s finish it here.”

Audrey’s heart thudded. “Henry’s gone to fetch the law! You won’t get away with this. We figured out what was going on. You’ll all hang for this!” Levi seemed to waiver, so Audrey pressed on. “And my mother will seek justice for me.”

“Your mother?” Joseph laughed. “She can’t remember her own name. She didn’t even realize I was the shadow man that night at the concert.”

Audrey’s breath caught in her throat. “You!”

“Yes. Your mother kept watch at her window like some demented harpy. So that’s what I turned her into. A demented old woman.” He grinned.

“You evil—” Audrey lunged at him, but Dr. Beesley stopped her.

“No hysterics now, Ms. Wakefield. Let’s keep this friendly. This is ending one way and we all know that,” he assured them.

“You think if you stop Henry and I that you can continue to play the puppet master with the inmate corpses. But even if you silence us, someone else will stumble upon your despicable set up. It’s only a matter of time,” she told them, her breast heaving from the words.

“Yes, time. Of which you have little of,” Dr. Beesley taunted her.

“Well since I have so little of it left,” she flung back at him, “I spend my last moments telling you all that I think what you have done is beyond inhumane. To take these bodies away from a proper Christian burial and string them up here like some pig carcass is revolting!” She yelled the last word.

“I understand you feel that way, my dear,” Dr. Beesley nodded looking her up and down in a studying fashion. “You don’t understand the mind of an entrepreneur and even less the intricacies of an artist’s mind,” he said, placing his hand to his head for emphasis.

Audrey’s sharp laugh rang out. “An artist’s mind? You’re a freak! You have a disturbed mind! You should be with lunatics in the asylum! Just because these two,” she jerked her head at Levi and Joseph, “have followed you into this house of horror doesn’t mean it’s anything artistic. And people pay coin to see these human cadavers? You’re all sick!”

She glanced at the men before hoping that if she could cause in-fighting amongst themselves they would turn on each other and she could escape.

“This isn’t going to help you, Audrey. No one is coming to save you,” Dr. Beesley shook his head.

“Levi, Joseph. You are good men,” she addressed them. “You don’t want to hang for his scheme. I know you wanted the money, but this has gone far enough. Let me go and I’ll put a good word in for you.”

“Enough!” Dr. Beesley roared. “Enough! You modern women want the vote and to work and yet you can’t keep your goddamn mouth shut to save your life. Literally.” He took a step forward even as she backed away from him.

Suddenly, the gas lantern toppled over, and the room was plunged into darkness once more. Audrey heard sounds and immediately crouched down upon the floor, not knowing what was happening.

A shot rang out, then another. She remained still on the floor, trying to make herself as flat as she could. She heard a scuffle, footsteps ringing out in the building, and hoped it was Henry.

After what felt like the longest moment of her life, the gaslights flickered on around her,

and she saw uniformed police holding Dr. Beesley and Joseph. She breathed a sigh of relief.

“Everyone here, stop what you are doing!” a clear authoritative voice rang out.

The three men were taken outside. She would learn later that they would be charged with the crimes of murder and violation of the Obscene Publications Act of 1857, which branded all public display of anatomical specimens as potentially obscene.

Audrey walked into the alleyway, drained and shaken, and heard her name being called. “Audrey!”

In the middle of the alley, Henry strode towards her and caught her in his tight embrace. As the light rain fell down upon them, he kissed her softly, holding her tightly against him.

“You stubborn brat! I told you not to go inside!” he said roughly.

She shook her head. “I should have listened to you. It was awful. It was a nightmare what they were doing.” She shuddered. “Unspeakable.”

He tightened his hold. “I just spoke to the inspector.”