Pressure Vessel

The weight on my chest was excruciating, crushing, suffocating, pushing the air out of my lungs even as I fought to draw another breath. I tried to move, but my limbs refused; paralyzed and helpless the pressure only intensified until my head hurt, my mind screamed and every nerve was strained to breaking point, I was trapped within myself.

Tears streamed down onto my pillow, sweat stung at my eyes and all my efforts to fight off whatever possessed me were in vain and so... I gave myself up to an agonising death. 

I sat bolt upright and with a ragged gasp for air I threw myself out of bed. My knees buckled, I collapsed to the floor, as cold as ice, and what little breath was left in me burned in the back of my throat. Whimpering pitifully I could scarcely drag myself along the floor on my belly, my fingers scrambling to find some purchase on the smooth marble floor. The bagnio- if I could just reach the bagnio! 

I hauled myself upright and splashed my face with cold water, I blinked hard, shook my head, gripping the sides of the washstand with white-knuckled desperation. I looked into the mirror, only to be

faced by a hollow, featureless image of myself. I gasped, squeezed my eyes tight closed then opened them again, but the image remained unchanged. 

I recoiled, spinning around as if tapped on the shoulder by an icy finger that chilled my bones to the marrow. I peered into the bedroom; all was silent, dark.

Who is there?! What do you want of me?!”

The answer came as a soft mocking laughter. My body began slowly floating up to the ceiling. "NO!

NO! Let me GO!”

I dropped to the floor. The jarring impact slammed through me, jolting me upright in my bed, gasping, sweat pouring from every pore, heart pounding behind my ribs.

I was completely alone.

I dared to cast a sideways glance toward the mirror in the bagnio, the faceless image was still there and, for a fraction of a second, before I tore my gaze away, I was unsure the reflection moved with me.

I had barely regained some presence of mind, realising this was just another night-terror when the door between our adjoining rooms flung open and Miss. Gerehardt was beside me.

"Doctor!" Valkyrie sat beside the bed and took hold of my wrist in one hand and raised the other to my forehead. "This will not do!" She stated. "I have watched you and kept silent for too long, but no longer!" She calmly removed a handkerchief from her cuff and dabbed my brow. "You are running a fever, Doctor, yet your extremities are chilled. This crisis has been escalating for weeks. Your average daily caloric intake has dropped by nearly 30 percent, and I have observed the tightening of your throat when you attempt to consume meat. Furthermore," she held up my trembling hand, her gaze locked on mine, "I have charted the frequency and amplitude of the tremor in your dominant hand- a tremor you have tried to conceal from me with increasing desperation. This is not mere fatigue, Thaddeus. This is a systemic breakdown." 

She was right, I had been foolish to think she would not have noticed my symptoms and I gave in to her ministrations. She bade me lay back down and covered me with the covers. I shivered uncontrollably, fatigue and exhaustion weighing down mind and body. "I will leave you to rest, sleep if you can. The door will remain ajar. I have preparations to make." 

"Preparations?" I asked weakly. 

"We are going home to Caisteal Inbhir Lòchaidh." I made to protest, but she had already expected it before I could speak the words. "I will brook no protestations, Thaddeus, We are going home."

Some time later I was awakened, I had not realised I had been sleeping. Miss. Gerehardt stood by the side of my bed, bedtray in hand. I raised myself upon my pillows and she placed the tray over my lap. 

"I want you to eat this Thaddeus." She lifted the lid; porridge. "It will be easy to swallow and digest. You will need it for strength for the journey. It has fortified us Scots for centuries."

I looked at her, albeit somewhat confused. "We are leaving now?" 

"Aye, very soon. It is just after 5pm and we will board the evening train for overnight travel to Gare du Nord. I will return shortly... and I expect that dish to be empty."

The repast eaten, and I may even say relished, I commenced with my ablutions. My eyes were dark ringed and my complexion sallow. My friend and saviour was indeed correct in her examination of me. A knock at the door and Miss. Gerehardt entered. "You are ready then." this more a statement than a question. I nodded. "I have procured tickets for the first part of our journey. A telegram has been sent directly to Mrs. McLinney at the village post-office and it will be delivered direct to Seonaid. She will direct further assistance in our journey home. It will be long, but it will be very pleasant and comfortable."

go to Chapter 2- The First Attack