Patchwork Universe

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 145 Location: The Museum

Dr. Odom studied the same things as Dr. Jewel with a more dubious squint. How she could tell for certain that it was not the same village was beyond him.

"This is more your kind of terrain than mine, Doctor. I guess I'm just along for the ride for now. Mr. Trubshawe?"

Trubshawe · Good Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 111 Location: The Zoo

Trubshawe shrugged eloquently.

"I think we would be failing in our duty as scientists and explorers if we left this locale without a clear idea of its nature," he said. "If Dr Jewel is certain that there is nothing of interest here I would be willing to take her word for it, though I have to say that 'car types' and 'bicycles' sound quite exotic to me.

"Perhaps we could make a quick recce beyond the village to ensure there is nothing more here than meets the eye, and if that proves the case, proceed on our way. Thanks to the rope bridge from the Museum, we can always return here later."

Dr Jewel · Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 9:30 pm Post subject:

Dr Jewel led the way along the nearest pavement. She explained, with some care, how the pavements were for pedestrians and the roads for vehicles. She hoped that she had made herself clear.

Fortunately, there were no moving vehicles around. Plenty of parked ones on either side of the road - Jewel reckoned that there were at least two per house - but nothing more dangerous. Equally fortunately, there weren't many houses. After five minutes her little party had reached the other side of the village.

"If this place is anything like Maypole Hill, another five or ten minutes walk should give us a view of the centre." She said, striding forward. "And I can already hear something."

She started to frown.

"It sounds like some sort of crowd." Jewel suggested hesitantly. "Possibly of children. Ummm. I could be wrong, of course."

Dr Jewel · Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 4:31 pm Post subject:

Dr Jewel continued for another couple of minutes, then halted again.

"Look." She pointed. "I can see a large field over there. It looks like some sort of team game. Hockey, possibly. I think that's a playing field. I think that we must be approaching either a sports centre or a school. Do either of you want to continue?"

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 145 Location: The Museum

The sky and fields were closing in on him again as they walked farther from the Museum but, a little more used to the phenomenon now, Dr. Odom walked with his back straight and his chin up, although he still fumbled a bit with his tobacco.

"As long as either of you feels there is anything to be learned here I am willing to continue. As soon as neither of you feels we have anything to gain by staying then I will eagerly proceed to the next phase."

Miss Mercury · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 1:56 pm Post subject:

A dreadful crescendo of clattering and an uneven bell ringing shattered Dr Odom's careful composure.

The cyclist approached from behind, a woman, perhaps in her fifties, with brown cloak swirling behind her as she rode.

"What Ho!" she cried. "Are you here for the School's parents' evening?"

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 145 Location: The Museum

Dr. Odom dropped the match he had been holding to his cigarette and whirled around, nearly dropping his tin of matches and his cigarette as well. In time-honored fashion, him brain was replaced by that of a squirrel. First he froze. Then he lunged to one side to get out of the way of the hurtling shape. Next, almost safely out of the way, he lurched back in the other direction, crossing the bicycle's path in the process. Finally, he froze again and gaped.

Miss Mercury · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 3:18 pm Post subject:

The cyclist screeched to an ungainly halt next to Dr. Odom.

"I say, I'm dreadfully sorry. I didn't mean to give you such a start. I don't think we've met, have we? Mrs Clarysage; I'm Miss Mercury's assistant?"

Mrs Clarysage took the unprotesting Dr. Odom's hand, and shook it, then smiled heartily at the other visitors.

"Lovely, lovely. SO good to see you all. You'll be wanting to go to the Great Hall, I imagine, for the displays? But, you know, the parents' consultations won't start till later, and the children are still in lessons, of course. Such a busy day. I had to be over at the Music Centre" (gestures South-East) "earlier to set up for this afternoon's Synaesthetic Symphonia concert, then right the way up to the HMP block" (gestures North-West) to deliver more candles, then a stop at the village to pick up some apples and bananas to take down to the farm" (pats the full basket on the front of her bicycle and gestures Southish) "because, you know, we always get through extra on the Open Days. Well, well, listen to me talking, and you hardly getting a word in edgeways. Do feel free to have a good explore - I'm sure there'll be someone to show you around if you need any help. If you've got any questions, I'm happy to answer, but then I really must be off, so much to do, and if nothing else I'll see you later in the Great Hall for tea, yes? Delightful to meet you."

Mrs Clarysage came to a rather breathless stop, and beamed at them all again.

Dr Jewel · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 3:22 pm Post subject:

Dr Jewel glanced from Trubshawe to Dr Odom, then stepped forward quickly.

"I'm afraid not." She said, as brightly as she could manage. "We're just visitors to the area. Slightly lost visitors at that. I'm Dr Jewel from Cambridge University and these are my companions.

Jewel turned to Dr Odom.

"This is Dr Odom, Curator General of the Museum."

She then waved her hand to Trubshawe.

"And Head Zookeeper Trubshawe."

"Would be so kind as to tell us which school is up ahead, please? Err... Ms...?"

Miss Mercury · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 3:40 pm Post subject:

"Mrs Clarysage, dear. Well, Cambridge University? I do believe that's where Miss Mercury first studied! What a coincidence! We don't get all that many visitors around here, and on foot as well? I suppose you left your car in the village? Well, it's certainly a lovely area to explore. The school ahead is the Juniper School for the Gifted. Miss Mercury is the Headmistress. You've heard of it, I'm sure, Dr Jewel? I believe it's quite well-known in academic circles, and of course, we've supplied many excellent students to your colleges over the years. Splendid grounds, as well, as you can see; other than the two villages, this whole area really belongs to the school."

Mrs Clarysage paused for breath, and looked at the other two visitors.

"Well, an esteemed academic, a museum curator and a zookeeper! I'm sure you'll find plenty to interest you at our school. I know you're not parents, but if you want to look around, please do so - it's our Open Day, and we're always happy to show the school off to visitors."

Dr Jewel · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 5:17 pm Post subject:

Jewel smiled with relief.

"Yes I have heard of you." She said. "As you say, the university does get many good applicants from here. I've never visited before though."

She looked from Dr Odom to Trubshawe.

"We were here on other business." She said. "But we might well pop in, if you have an open day. It's just up ahead? That sounds straightforward enough."

Miss Mercury · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 10:03 pm Post subject:

Mrs Clarysage led them another 50 yards or so down the road, to the top of a slope. From here, they could see further into the school grounds.

"That red building in the middle is the main school. The music school is the building you can just see over to the south-east. The HMP is north-west of the school, you can get to that by taking the road North from the village you just came through. The farm is to the south-west of the school, down that road to the south. Past the school to the North-west is another school centre, but that's probably not open to visitors."

"Well, I'll leave you to decide. Good luck with your business, but I must be off."

With that, she settled herself back onto her heavy-framed bicycle, and clattered off down the road again, turning right at the nearby junction.

Trubshawe · Good Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 111 Location: The Zoo

The moment the bicycle hove into view, Trubshawe had thrust his hand into a pocket of his jacket, and throughout the exchange between her and Dr Jewel, he had neither taken his hand off whatever concealed item it was he held in his grip, nor unglued his gaze from Miss Clarysage for a single instant. But now that Miss Mercury's assistant had departed once again, he seemed to relax, and extracted his hand.

"Well, not a lot of that made much sense to me," he growled. "But well done for talking us out of a sticky situation, Dr Jewel. Have you really heard of this 'Juniper School' or were you just saying that to allay her suspicions?"

Without waiting for a reply he carried on musing out loud. "Isn't an HMP some sort of weapon? And I don't like the sound of this 'Open Day'. Could easily be a trap..."

Dr Jewel · Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2004 7:47 am Post subject:

"I really have heard of Juniper School." Dr Jewel nodded. "Before the mists it would have been fifty or so miles away from Maypole Hill. Also an 'Open Day' is a day when parents can come in and see the school, to decide whether they want to send their children there. I don't know what HMP stands for I'm afraid, but it's probably an abbreviation of the subjects studied there."

She stared down at the school buildings.

"I wonder if the whole of England is carved up into little pieces and scattered around the mists." She mused. "I initially thought it was just Maypole Hill after the incident there. However Mrs Clarysage seemed solid enough."

She glanced at Dr Odom for confirmation.

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 145 Location: The Museum

Dr. Odom shrugged and brushed ash from his vest.

"The Museum certainly wasn't a part of England, so these are not all parts of England, if that's what you mean. And the Museum seems to have been carved up a bit, as inconceivable as that is, and nowhere near its former size, if you meant that. As for the . . . incident, I don't know enough about this place yet, but Mr. Trubshawe here seems solid enough, and if it's something that happened at the Museum then I'm one of the ones carrying on in ignorance."