The Boss in the Wall: A Treatise on the House Devil (1998) by Avram Davidson; Grania Davis

Author:Avram Davidson; Grania Davis [Davis, Avram Davidson; Grania]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Science Fiction, General, Action & Adventure, Space Opera, Alternative History
ISBN: 9780575127937
Google: -N8lDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Hachette UK
Published: 2017-06-28T21:00:00+00:00

Bagnell to Larraby: “When was Ephraim Mackilwhit. . . that is, where was the Paper-Man found? Come clean.”

“Basement storeroom, in an old private girls’ school in Gainsboro, couple years ago. Mustee was picking up a little extra money there as a weekend relief watchman,” said Larraby.

Thither went Dr Claire Zimmerman, at Bagnell’s request, to interview the headmistress, Mrs. Sidwell:

“Yes, this is one of the oldest houses in town. It is well-preserved, and consequently required no major restorations. It has made an excellent private school building.” Mrs Sidwell stopped and thought. “Do I recall anything odd happening a couple of years ago? Well, there was a ... I suppose the word I have to use is prank. It’s difficult to say when a prank gets out of hand and becomes . . . something more. Dr Rose Bennett asked me into her Advanced English class during a morning break. She said there was something on the blackboard she didn’t like. Of course I expected what we used to call a naughty word. Are there anymore naughty words? I haven’t quite grown used to hearing sweet girls talking like sailors. Well, no, it wasn’t a naughty word. The words Nothing but Death were written on the blackboard, and the writing was odd . . . somehow wrong. The next day the same words were written on a blackboard in room A-6, and the following morning, there it was again. Security and maintenance promised to keep a close watch on room A-6, and the next day the words Nothing but Death appeared in room C-12! When that happened, everybody began to get nervous. Well, we photographed the words, sponged all the blackboards, and read the riot act to security and maintenance, but still it appeared. Of course you’d like to see it . . .” Mrs Sidwell rummaged in a drawer and handed an enlarged photograph to Claire, who studied it intently.

“Then Rose Bennett remembered that those were Jane Austen’s dying words. But the handwriting bore no resemblance to samples of Jane Austen’s, and we weren’t even teaching Jane Austen that year. So our school was being haunted by a spectre with a good knowledge of early 19th century English literature. But who?”

“Judging from the cramped and wavering writing, it must have been somebody very sick, or very tired,” said Claire.

“Oh my, I don’t like the sound of that, though you’re probably right. I must say, the whole thing gave me the creeps. Do you think somebody very old wrote it? The writing looks so weak and old fashioned. But why would an old person come creeping in like that? I asked Rose Bennett what the class had been discussing, the day before the words appeared. She remembered that she had asked them; ‘If you could be granted only one wish, what would you wish for?” The next morning, the words began to appear: Nothing but death. Then just as suddenly, it stopped.”

Claire examined the photograph closely. “What’s that down at the bottom of the blackboard? It looks like the letters ‘E.

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