Callahan: A Gothic Tale

The Eleventh Hour

28 The Eleventh Hour

"Beauty lives in the extraordinary breadth, of Love known fully until one's death." -Angie Weiland-Crosby

11 am, Seven Weeks and One Day In, November 1994, Biochemistry Laboratory

Macy re-examined her labelled-by-number petri dishes—her newly-created ones, that is.

Sample A: 0% agar/100% pumpkin jam—result: Scythe remnant consumed, mess-free

Sample B: 25% agar/75% pumpkin jam

Sample C: 50% agar/50% pumpkin jam, and

Sample D: 75% agar/25% pumpkin jam.

Agar's volatility could be of use provided it didn't scorch a building, and pumpkin jam was an effective agent against Scythe bits. If she could mix the two together in just the right amount, perhaps two good things would make something...great.

Time to prepare Sample B.

How much volatility was sufficient? Was there enough pumpkin jam to balance possible ensuing chaos?

Only one way to find out.

Her mind continued to wander, thinking of the day before, and how, years ago, it was the last time she'd seen her father alive. If she had been in a better state, she would've wondered why no other family member, direct or otherwise, paid a visit besides her. But in the family she knew back then, it had always been just the two of them. And she, for one, knew better than to question anything her father said of their family history, of which he noted was somewhat Portuguese Azorian.

Flashback, Early Afternoon, November 2000, Vaughn Residence

"As in, the Azores? Like, as in the islands?" she recalled her kid self asking as Dexter had nodded.

"But why haven't we ever gone back?" her inquisitive nature shone through. "Why?"

"Because, Macy, there's a thing called money and we've got enough, but travel like that costs thousands of dollars. Thousands of which," he added, "could be used for other things. Like a college education."

"Still," reflected a young Macy. "It'd be nice to go back sometime, right?"

"Maybe," Dexter smiled enigmatically as they went back to building a puzzle together on their living room coffee table.

1 pm, November 1994, Biochemistry Laboratory

Sample A: 0% agar/100% pumpkin jam—result: Scythe remnant consumed, mess-free

Sample B: 25% agar/75% pumpkin jam—result: ditto, slight smoldering, 1x1x1 cm across

Sample C: 50% agar/50% pumpkin jam—result: smoldering, untenable, miniature storm cloud

It seemed as though the golden ratio of the experiment was somewhere around A and B, which meant extreme precision and perhaps just a drop of agar essence was sufficient. Macy wiped her brow, realizing she was the only scientist left in the room, as Dima had the day off and Cora was on her umpteenth coffee break. Phase 2 was complete...right?

But something seemed to be missing. Even if she'd gotten the proportions right, certain tweaks could be added so that the formulary would be improved. Pumpkin jam, 1 tiny drop of agar essence...she paced about the room, wracking her brain...

Flashback, 11 pm, November 2017, Hospital Near Vaughn Residence

"Did you give her the letter?" Dexter didn't have to open his eyes to know who was speaking. Soley.