Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Doctrine’s contribution to the Six Sentence Story bloghop.
Hosted by Denise, constrained by a sentence limit (high and low) of six, there are worse ways to spend the remaining time you have on earth.
Previously, in our tale…
Prompt word:
PLAN
The tall, thin man stepped forward, grasping the extended hand, “Feferil.”
Turning towards the distressed-green leather wingback chair currently the source of hospitality and succor to half of the pair of time/dimension travelers, he smiled while offering the hint of a bow, “Miz Brigid, the pleasure is entirely ours.”
Shifting focus to his fellow Proprietor, “Miz la Racontuese, I trust you don’t mind hosting our two Time Jaunters; according to a plan that I suspect was drawn up on a date not depicted in our current calendars by agency not yet identified,” interrupting him the sound of linen-on-cloth rustling, followed by a title card held with a certain mechanical sadness:
[But…but…but]
“…as much as I’d love to stay, I have certain responsibilities.”
Hearing, as much as seeing, the door to Room 215 begin to close, the Proprietor moved rapidly, “Hey, Frank I’m on my way to the staircase to the roof, care to join me?”
As the door swung shut behind the two men, the tall, thin man could be heard, “Jeez Louise, Frank, watch out for the… if we’re going to make it to the stairwell, you better stick close; I’d swear that the perpetual hallway darkness-thing has, for some reason, taken to disliking you.
I want to make sure that if la R and Reelika get it in their mind to go up to the roof, it’s safe for them; as safe as might is reasonable for any hundred and fifty year old mill roof that’s one-third Renaissance Observatory, one-third Medieval castle battlement and one-half whatever we want/need it to be.”
*
About clarkscottroger
We may all perhaps meet at the roof…
***Rubs her paws together like a raccoon…***
Hopefully she didn’t trip and fall or something…
Well, that’s part of the reason the tall, thin man (along with Frank) are inspecting the stairwell. These are classic, industrial stairways. concrete (with steel edges) pipes for handrails, steel doors (each with one little, square, wire-meshed window) and peeling paint on the masonry walls… echoes a lot too!
Echoes can be rather scary… I think.
this is very true
OK. So I’ve changed my mind about the dumbwaiter. Clearly, he possesses an emotional – um… clearly he possesses a sense of etiquette? lol He no doubt connected with Brigid and Felreil as also traveling from “somewhere else”.
Loved your last sentence, in particular “… and one-half whatever we want/need it to be.”
thanks, it will be interesting to see what other talents our dumbwaiter possesses
It looks like I’ll be going to the roof and I better follow closely so I don’t get lost again.
thanks for the company. quick inspection of the stairwells (I have been in too many old factories, industrial buildings to be aware of the risks of neglect
as to the roof! I really hope others have had the opportunity to visit such places i.e. gravel-over-tar for the primary surface, lots of brass and iron in the windows, skylights and (portions of) sawtooth roof sections
Nothing like fresh air and no place to hide, to clear up mystery, at an open air roof top.
The symbolism of a stairwell in time travel gave me jitters too.
I concur. Especially the types of staircase I’ve had experiences with… concrete walls, peeling paint, masonry dust and poor lighting.
Just as well that odd four-foot bellhop is looking after the two time-travel people. It seems that now everyone else has left the Room 215 (at least for the moment).
they’s people (and Proprietors) everwhere!
Judging by the architectural foundations as stated in the final paragraph- would I be right in assuming we are not in Kansas anymore, Toto?
No, we’re in late 1900s early 20th C mills and factories…so not Kansas
as long as you have a flashlight the way will open before you two… it sounds like theres boy scout history in the both of youz.. adventurers at heart… i alwayz remember to tread lightly as you go and stick to the sidez.. more stable.. of course the image of a rooftop garden has been firmly planted in my head (in the cloudz) mysteriously unkept by an unintroduced presence who maintained the garden as well as guarding the ancient rooftop territory from approaching invaders… go safely my dears and your arrival shall be your destination… waving a sparkly wand…
lol thankz
the rooftop I’ve described a number of different times and places…the original is pretty standard flat industrial roof but the garden! that credit goes to Chris. I have a sense of it but she’s the architect in that regard
(The math’s ain’t mathin’ which is a sure sign of enchantment!)
sure? (Like the Doctrine test to determine predominant worldview, i.e. How much is 2 + 2?) I counted sentae many times, mostly because I consider periods, question marks and exclamations to be the only ender of a sentence. (for me of late, ellipis are the new semi-colon)
To the roof! Should I bring refreshments up there?
Always welcome. Luckily there seems to be a dumbwaiter in Room 215 (along with a mute automaton)
I’ve just had a pint up on the roof of my local pub – I bet it’s not half as interesting as that one!
yeah, be glad you (I assume) haven’t had to spend excessive time on factory and mill building roof