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Chapter 12
“Cynthia.” The detective called for the A.I. As he entered the hall.
“I am here detective.” Called the fair speaker gentle.
In the absence of the concierge the Grande had a formidable atmosphere of a hospital. White, sterile and clean. “Where is Galileo?”
Discomfort swelled in this barren light. The detective took it all in impatient with being held up. “Galileo is currently in confinement in his room.”
“In confinement? You say it like he is a prisoner.”
“Galileo said. Cynthia, I am confining myself to my room.” The recording was intoned with Galileo's unmistakeable inflection, the emphasis on I. The detective could almost picture the butler raising his finger to the air as if deciding on a matter of great importance. Informing the court of his final and profound decision. A slight flourish as the hand turned half-circle to illustrate further the issue before being brought back into a fist held close, but loose, to his chest. Puffed and distinguished. Almost a caricature of regal blood in older times.
“And when was that?”
“It was at Twelve twenty-seven pm.”
“So about three hours ago.”
“That is correct.”
“Can you tell him I am here please.”
“I have already taken that liberty detective.”
“His response.”
“He wishes you to come to his room.”
“That’s the first invitation I’ve ever got from him to come further into the hotel. Is he alright?”
“He is suffering detective.”
“Suffering?”
“Life has not availed itself to him.”
“What do you mean.”
“He is alone.”
“Galileo said that? Said he was alone?”
“Abandoned was his phrasing.”
“What abandoned him?”
“Reason.”
“So, he has gone crazy…er?”
“His reason is gone. His mind is stable.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Galileo said he has no reason. His truth is not here. He will not leave though.”
“Are you being deliberately cryptic Cynthia?”
“Galileo has instructed me on the merits of ambiguity.”
“And what merits are those?”
“Firstly. To be ambiguous is to say more in less words. Secondly. To be ambiguous is to remain in power. Thirdly. To be ambiguous is….”
“Is?”
“Is.”
“Is?”
…
“I hate that man sometimes.”
“I can inform you he does not reciprocate your animosity. Aside from myself you are the closest approximation to a friend.”
“That is both sad and troubling.”
“I do not understand the implication.”
“Friendship is necessary to people Cynthia. Galileo needs to realise that.”
“Do you wish me to provide directions towards Galileo?”
“I will get to that. Firstly, who is she?”
“She?”
“The one the inmates talked about.”
“Who is she?”
“Yes, who is she?”
“I do not understand the implication.”
“Okay, I’ll make it easy for you Cynthia. There is something else here, something that does not go near Galileo. Is there another resident here?”
“There is something.”
“This is not the time for ambiguity.”
“I am not being ambiguous detective.”
“Then what is the something here?”
“I do not”
“Yes, yes, alright. The something, can you tell me about it?”
“It remains active in rooms unoccupied by Galileo. It is corrupted data.”
“Finally, we’re getting somewhere. What is this corrupted data?”
“It is the thing you refer to as she”
“What is it?”
“A corruption of data.”
“What does it look like?”
“It has no physical representation.”
“So, it’s on the walls?”
“Presently it is manifest in the drawing room.”
“What?”
“Currently the corruption exhibits a likeness to itself within the drawing room.”
“Is the corruption doing anything?”
“I do not understand the implication.”
“Bring me up a feed of the drawing room.”
The detective looked on as a black square appeared on the desk in front of him. The room was pitch black.
“Can you put some light on it? The corrupted area.”
A light came on in the room.
There were legs. Black, thin, and wicked. The angles of the spider-like legs were sharpened into serrated points of onyx.
“What is that?” The aghast detective’s vitality was drained with the hue of his skin.
“That is she detective.”
“Does it know I can see it?”
“I believe so detective.”
“Ask Galileo to meet me outside. Tell him I have seen her.”
“As you wish detective.”
The detective ran towards the door. Black tendrils spun across the floor of the Grande. The door stubbornly rejected his initial impact before forcing him to wait a proper distance before it began moving. As he waited, desperate not to move, his heart willed nothing more than movement. Don’t turn, don’t look, just leave.
….................................................................................
“Not exactly a looker is she detective.” Galileo exited onto the concrete steps of the Grande.
“You’ve seen it?”
“Not live. Just a photo. I’ve seen how she works.”
“What do you mean?”
“That detective is why the Grande turned into a mad house. It was never the people’s fault. It was Cynthia’s.”
“What?”
“She is Cynthia. At least that’s what I’m led to believe.”
“How long have you?”
“Lived with that thing? Not long detective. I didn’t know about it until the inmates and since then she’s been getting closer. Now I finished my work I’m afraid she’ll be heading towards me soon.”
“This place needs to close.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that detective.”
“But whatever that thing is, it isn’t right. This damned hotel needs to be burned to the ground.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not, you’ve finished your work haven’t you? It didn’t work did it?”
“I need to control her.”
“Are you mad? What do you mean?”
“She is what I am missing. That’s why she won’t come near me. She knows that I will take her apart and use her to my own ends.”
“You would go near that thing? What use can you have for it?”
“It wasn’t created by man. It simply was in mankind; sleeping, kind of.”
“You sound insane. This place needs to be turned into nothing but rubble.”
“You’d think wouldn’t you. But how often do you get an opportunity like this detective?”
“What opportunity?”
“To fight something truly evil. Something that has a limitless capacity to torment and torture. Something that can be both horror and honey. Sweet and psychopathic. I don’t even know. It’s like a siren.”
“That’s what killed the inmates?”
“Yeah, and everyone else who comes here. She makes the fantasies. She is both made from us and not.”
“You’re talking in riddles.”
“Can’t do anything else.”
“Even if I lose my job, even if no-one else in the world understands why I did it. I am going to destroy this place Galileo.”
“That is unfortunate detective. For you of course.”
“What are you talking about Galileo?”
“The human mind is a simple thing detective. At least most of them. Some are much more observant. Some can create an exact duplicate of the world around them and know. Somehow know when even a hair is out of place.”
“You’re insane. I’m going. This is the end of this place Galileo.”
“Don’t be like that detective. I’m sure if you came back inside you’d be a lot more agreeable.”
“Inside with that goddamn nightmare?”
“There’s no need to be mean detective. Come on, we can talk about this over a coffee.”
“Galileo, there is not a chance in hell you are ever getting me back into that hotel.”
“Well, it’s not like it matters detective.”
The detective drew his gun on Galileo. Hands slightly shaking.
“Down on your knees Galileo. You’re coming with me.”
“Detective, please will you holster your weapon.”
“Cynthia?”
“Detective please holster your weapon.”
“But how?”
“Come now detective. I want to show you something.”
“On your knees Galileo. I will shoot you.”
“Detective please holster your weapon.”
“Cynthia? But…”
“Galileo is still confined to his room detective.”
“What are you saying Galileo?”
“Now, now, detective. Surely you can see the difference. Look over there at those birds. Do you see it yet detective?”
“I’m not turning away from you. Not going to give you that chance Galileo.”
“As is your prerogative detective. See here now. The birds will come to us.”
Two identical sparrows chattered on Galileo’s shoulder.
“What?”
“Welcome to the Paradoxia Grande detective.”
“You’re!!!”. A flash of white.
….................................................................................
“Cynthia, I feel like I’ve been walking this hallway for a long time now. Is it just my imagination?”
“You have been walking this corridor for seven minutes and forty-three seconds.”
“It doesn’t take more than two minutes. What’s going on?”
“The hallway is being created to delay you from your rendezvous with the detective.”
“Well why is that happening?”
“I do not understand the implication.”
“The implication, Cynthia, is why am I being delayed?”
“It is to prevent your involvement in the proceedings Galileo.”
“What?”
“It is to prevent your…”
“No I got that. But who is making this happen.”
“You are Galileo.”
“I am?”
“Yes.”
“Well stop me.”
“As you wish Galileo.”
….................................................................................
“You can’t be”
“It really is a joy to be here with you detective. I have so much I want to…”
The room turned white, each inch white from ceiling to floor. The detective looked around. Sweat beaded. Moments passed. Alone.
….................................................................................
“It is done Galileo.”
“Good, now I don’t know what got into you Cynthia but remember. I am Galileo.”
“There are more Galileos in the world.”
“Not in here there isn’t. New policy Cynthia. We accept no more bookings from anyone called Galileo. I am it as far as you are to be concerned. I am it. The one and only.”
“Very well Galileo.”
“Good, now stop this silliness and take me to the detective.”
“As is your prerogative Galileo.”
“That’s my catch-line.”
“I am here detective.” Called the fair speaker gentle.
In the absence of the concierge the Grande had a formidable atmosphere of a hospital. White, sterile and clean. “Where is Galileo?”
Discomfort swelled in this barren light. The detective took it all in impatient with being held up. “Galileo is currently in confinement in his room.”
“In confinement? You say it like he is a prisoner.”
“Galileo said. Cynthia, I am confining myself to my room.” The recording was intoned with Galileo's unmistakeable inflection, the emphasis on I. The detective could almost picture the butler raising his finger to the air as if deciding on a matter of great importance. Informing the court of his final and profound decision. A slight flourish as the hand turned half-circle to illustrate further the issue before being brought back into a fist held close, but loose, to his chest. Puffed and distinguished. Almost a caricature of regal blood in older times.
“And when was that?”
“It was at Twelve twenty-seven pm.”
“So about three hours ago.”
“That is correct.”
“Can you tell him I am here please.”
“I have already taken that liberty detective.”
“His response.”
“He wishes you to come to his room.”
“That’s the first invitation I’ve ever got from him to come further into the hotel. Is he alright?”
“He is suffering detective.”
“Suffering?”
“Life has not availed itself to him.”
“What do you mean.”
“He is alone.”
“Galileo said that? Said he was alone?”
“Abandoned was his phrasing.”
“What abandoned him?”
“Reason.”
“So, he has gone crazy…er?”
“His reason is gone. His mind is stable.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Galileo said he has no reason. His truth is not here. He will not leave though.”
“Are you being deliberately cryptic Cynthia?”
“Galileo has instructed me on the merits of ambiguity.”
“And what merits are those?”
“Firstly. To be ambiguous is to say more in less words. Secondly. To be ambiguous is to remain in power. Thirdly. To be ambiguous is….”
“Is?”
“Is.”
“Is?”
…
“I hate that man sometimes.”
“I can inform you he does not reciprocate your animosity. Aside from myself you are the closest approximation to a friend.”
“That is both sad and troubling.”
“I do not understand the implication.”
“Friendship is necessary to people Cynthia. Galileo needs to realise that.”
“Do you wish me to provide directions towards Galileo?”
“I will get to that. Firstly, who is she?”
“She?”
“The one the inmates talked about.”
“Who is she?”
“Yes, who is she?”
“I do not understand the implication.”
“Okay, I’ll make it easy for you Cynthia. There is something else here, something that does not go near Galileo. Is there another resident here?”
“There is something.”
“This is not the time for ambiguity.”
“I am not being ambiguous detective.”
“Then what is the something here?”
“I do not”
“Yes, yes, alright. The something, can you tell me about it?”
“It remains active in rooms unoccupied by Galileo. It is corrupted data.”
“Finally, we’re getting somewhere. What is this corrupted data?”
“It is the thing you refer to as she”
“What is it?”
“A corruption of data.”
“What does it look like?”
“It has no physical representation.”
“So, it’s on the walls?”
“Presently it is manifest in the drawing room.”
“What?”
“Currently the corruption exhibits a likeness to itself within the drawing room.”
“Is the corruption doing anything?”
“I do not understand the implication.”
“Bring me up a feed of the drawing room.”
The detective looked on as a black square appeared on the desk in front of him. The room was pitch black.
“Can you put some light on it? The corrupted area.”
A light came on in the room.
There were legs. Black, thin, and wicked. The angles of the spider-like legs were sharpened into serrated points of onyx.
“What is that?” The aghast detective’s vitality was drained with the hue of his skin.
“That is she detective.”
“Does it know I can see it?”
“I believe so detective.”
“Ask Galileo to meet me outside. Tell him I have seen her.”
“As you wish detective.”
The detective ran towards the door. Black tendrils spun across the floor of the Grande. The door stubbornly rejected his initial impact before forcing him to wait a proper distance before it began moving. As he waited, desperate not to move, his heart willed nothing more than movement. Don’t turn, don’t look, just leave.
….................................................................................
“Not exactly a looker is she detective.” Galileo exited onto the concrete steps of the Grande.
“You’ve seen it?”
“Not live. Just a photo. I’ve seen how she works.”
“What do you mean?”
“That detective is why the Grande turned into a mad house. It was never the people’s fault. It was Cynthia’s.”
“What?”
“She is Cynthia. At least that’s what I’m led to believe.”
“How long have you?”
“Lived with that thing? Not long detective. I didn’t know about it until the inmates and since then she’s been getting closer. Now I finished my work I’m afraid she’ll be heading towards me soon.”
“This place needs to close.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that detective.”
“But whatever that thing is, it isn’t right. This damned hotel needs to be burned to the ground.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not, you’ve finished your work haven’t you? It didn’t work did it?”
“I need to control her.”
“Are you mad? What do you mean?”
“She is what I am missing. That’s why she won’t come near me. She knows that I will take her apart and use her to my own ends.”
“You would go near that thing? What use can you have for it?”
“It wasn’t created by man. It simply was in mankind; sleeping, kind of.”
“You sound insane. This place needs to be turned into nothing but rubble.”
“You’d think wouldn’t you. But how often do you get an opportunity like this detective?”
“What opportunity?”
“To fight something truly evil. Something that has a limitless capacity to torment and torture. Something that can be both horror and honey. Sweet and psychopathic. I don’t even know. It’s like a siren.”
“That’s what killed the inmates?”
“Yeah, and everyone else who comes here. She makes the fantasies. She is both made from us and not.”
“You’re talking in riddles.”
“Can’t do anything else.”
“Even if I lose my job, even if no-one else in the world understands why I did it. I am going to destroy this place Galileo.”
“That is unfortunate detective. For you of course.”
“What are you talking about Galileo?”
“The human mind is a simple thing detective. At least most of them. Some are much more observant. Some can create an exact duplicate of the world around them and know. Somehow know when even a hair is out of place.”
“You’re insane. I’m going. This is the end of this place Galileo.”
“Don’t be like that detective. I’m sure if you came back inside you’d be a lot more agreeable.”
“Inside with that goddamn nightmare?”
“There’s no need to be mean detective. Come on, we can talk about this over a coffee.”
“Galileo, there is not a chance in hell you are ever getting me back into that hotel.”
“Well, it’s not like it matters detective.”
The detective drew his gun on Galileo. Hands slightly shaking.
“Down on your knees Galileo. You’re coming with me.”
“Detective, please will you holster your weapon.”
“Cynthia?”
“Detective please holster your weapon.”
“But how?”
“Come now detective. I want to show you something.”
“On your knees Galileo. I will shoot you.”
“Detective please holster your weapon.”
“Cynthia? But…”
“Galileo is still confined to his room detective.”
“What are you saying Galileo?”
“Now, now, detective. Surely you can see the difference. Look over there at those birds. Do you see it yet detective?”
“I’m not turning away from you. Not going to give you that chance Galileo.”
“As is your prerogative detective. See here now. The birds will come to us.”
Two identical sparrows chattered on Galileo’s shoulder.
“What?”
“Welcome to the Paradoxia Grande detective.”
“You’re!!!”. A flash of white.
….................................................................................
“Cynthia, I feel like I’ve been walking this hallway for a long time now. Is it just my imagination?”
“You have been walking this corridor for seven minutes and forty-three seconds.”
“It doesn’t take more than two minutes. What’s going on?”
“The hallway is being created to delay you from your rendezvous with the detective.”
“Well why is that happening?”
“I do not understand the implication.”
“The implication, Cynthia, is why am I being delayed?”
“It is to prevent your involvement in the proceedings Galileo.”
“What?”
“It is to prevent your…”
“No I got that. But who is making this happen.”
“You are Galileo.”
“I am?”
“Yes.”
“Well stop me.”
“As you wish Galileo.”
….................................................................................
“You can’t be”
“It really is a joy to be here with you detective. I have so much I want to…”
The room turned white, each inch white from ceiling to floor. The detective looked around. Sweat beaded. Moments passed. Alone.
….................................................................................
“It is done Galileo.”
“Good, now I don’t know what got into you Cynthia but remember. I am Galileo.”
“There are more Galileos in the world.”
“Not in here there isn’t. New policy Cynthia. We accept no more bookings from anyone called Galileo. I am it as far as you are to be concerned. I am it. The one and only.”
“Very well Galileo.”
“Good, now stop this silliness and take me to the detective.”
“As is your prerogative Galileo.”
“That’s my catch-line.”