Title: An Immortal's Redemption by P'al Kwai isisbaast@aol.com
Author's Notes: Facts on Bethlehem Hospital found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlem_Royal_Hospital
I'm no medical professional, so Tom's condition is not based on any true medical
condition. It was inspired by a scene in the movie From Hell, where
Anne Crook was taken by agents of the Palace and locked away in an asylum.
January 31, 1901, London, England, Bethlehem Hospital
Stepping through the main entrance of the Bethlehem Hospital, also known by the vulgar term, Bedlam, Mina Harker was immediately assailed by the sights, smells, and sounds of England’s (in truth the world’s) oldest psychiatric hospital. Without thought her steps faltered a moment, not wanting to venture further.
“So explain to me again, why Mr. Skinner was roaming around the hallways here?” Wrinkling her nose in disgust, Mina resumed her steps, as she looked to her companion, Dr. Henry Jekyll.
“Oh, he was up to his usual,” Henry answered vaguely, trying to avoid speaking about Skinner’s unseemly habit of appearing invisible to young women, especially ones who were residents of institutions, as the Holy Spirit.
“You don’t need to be coy, Henry,” Mina huffed out. Plain speaking was what she preferred, unusual for a woman at this time. “He was seducing some poor soul, pretending to be the Holy Ghost. I know of his filthy secret and can only hope that someday he receives his comeuppance.”
“It surprised me that you have taken him in hand, and given him. . . .” Henry paused.” His comeuppance.”
“I have thought of doing so on many occasion, but just when I’m about to, he goes and does something heroic, and I feel I have to restrain myself.”
“Restraint?” Henry smiled widely. “Since when do you ever practice restraint?”
“Really, Henry.” Mina’s tone was that of disapproval, but her eyes sparked with amusement, as the two reached an attendant, who was leafing through the daily paper.
“Dr. Henry Jekyll.” Henry spoke with authority. “I’m here at the request of Doctor Lockhart, and have a missive from him, stating. . . .” He held out a sealed envelope.
“Right, guv.” The attendant cut Jekyll off, ignoring the letter, as he pulled out a large set of keys. It was no concern of his, who came and went; he was only annoyed at the interruption. Unlocking a large, barred door, he motioned them through, and then banged the door shut after them.
“The next time you have a chat with Dr. Lockhart, you must talk to him about the state of security here, and his employees’ attitudes” Mina looked back at the slammed door with disapproval.
“One matter at a time.” Taking Mina’s arm, Henry glanced around at the stone walls, and heavy steel doors. A large corridor, appearing like a long tunnel stretched out in front of him, while there were also corridors to his right and left. Hesitating, he considered in which direction they should proceed, but as usual, Mina took charge, steering him to the right.
“Do you know where he is?”
“No,” she answered, peering into the closest cell. “But we need to start somewhere.”
**
February 1, 1901, East End, London
“You did bring a bottle of your formula?” Mina asked Jekyll, as she pounded on the massive wooden door that was the entrance to Dorian Gray’s mansion.
“Yes, I did.” Henry fingered to stopper of the bottle that was sitting snugly in his jacket pocket.
“Drink it,” Mina ordered, as she continued her pounding. “Give Mr. Hyde the pleasure of beating Gray to bloody pulp.”
A small window in the front door slid open, giving Henry no chance of replying.
“Planning my demise, again, Mina?” Dorian showed no surprise at the appearance of Mina and Henry at his door. “You really must control that violent streak in you. It is so unladylike.”
Baring her fangs, Mina let out a growl. “I’ll show you how unladylike I am. Open this door!”
Raising an eyebrow, Dorian said nothing, only smirked. He had no intention of opening the door, but he prolonged the moment, as he did so enjoy baiting his former lover. “And if, I refuse? Will you have your. . . ?” His eyes cut to Jekyll. “Pet gorilla knock my door down?”
“Knock your door down, rip your limbs out, and tear off your head,” Mina threatened. “Tell me.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “As an immortal, do your limbs and head have the ability to reattach themselves? I really must know.”
“I grow weary of your threats.” Dorian executed an exaggerated yawn. “Now if you’ll excuse me, my breakfast goes cold. Next time you decide to call, please do at a more civilized hour.”
“You abandoned him!” Reaching up, Mina stuck a couple of fingers through the barred window, blocking Dorian’s attempt to close it. “Left him to rot in Bethlehem Hospital. You should have told me!”
“Left who to rot?” Dorian’s attitude switched suddenly from boredom to interest.
“What do you mean, him? Tom. Of course.”
“Sawyer? Are you speaking of Tom Sawyer?”
“Dorian!” Mina’s eyes flashed red with anger. “I’m in no mood to play games. I do understand how you eventually would tire of the boy, but to put him away in Bethlehem Hospital! You have money. Why did you not pay for a private facility? I could kill you for. . . .”
The sudden and unexpected opening of Dorian’s front door cut her off.
“Believe me when I say to you.” He looked first at Mina and then Henry. “The last time I saw Tom Sawyer was back in November. I left him safe and relatively healthy in the town of his birth, St. Petersburg, Missouri.”
**
It was less than an hour later when Mina and Henry found themselves climbing into Gray’s private brougham. Sitting across from Dorian, Mina noted that he was looking his usual impeccable self, not a hair out of place, even though he had readied himself in record time. ‘Must have taxed him excessively,’ she thought uncharitably to herself. The notion cheered her up considerably, as she fought to keep a smile off her face.
“Just how is it?” Henry asked, as the three settled in, and the brougham started with a jolt. “That you were able to leave Sawyer? I thought he was dependent on you, your. . . .” He waved a hand around, searching for the proper phrase. “Blood.”
“When we arrived in America, he seemed to be less and less reliant on. . . .” Dorian paused a moment. “Me. Which caused him to have a change in attitude.”
“He began to defy you,” Mina guessed correctly. “How wonderful.”
“Our relationship became strained, and the final breaking point was when a childhood sweetheart was murdered. I believe her name was Becky Thatcher.”
“Murdered?” Jekyll scowled at Gray with suspicion. “And a former sweetheart of Tom’s? Didn’t like the competition?”
“Humph.” Dorian snorted with contempt, as he settled himself back in his seat. “I do not find anything threatening about a small town, American twit. The day I do, is the day I’ll take a long look at my portrait.”
“How exactly was she murdered?” Mina asked. Her suspicions were also aroused, but unlike Jekyll’s, they were not aimed at Dorian.
“Stabbed to death.” Dorian shrugged, wondering why they had to belabor the subject of Becky Thatcher, a person he had found to be an annoyance when living, and in death, the cause of his emotional parting from Tom.
“Multiple stab wounds?” Mina asked.
“Yes.” Dorian held back a yawn.
“Similar to the Ripper’s victims?”
“Oh, for God’s sake!” Dorian immediately picked up on Mina’s train of thought. “You can’t be suggesting that Old Jack followed us to America, and then to the speck on the map that is St. Petersburg?”
“Tom is the only living being, who has seen Jack,” Henry added. He, too was skeptical of Mina’s theory, but as a man of science, he did try to see both sides of an issue.
“He saw his legs and feet,” Dorian continued to argue. “Hardly helpful in identifying the man.”
“Jack doesn’t necessarily know that,” Mina pointed out.
“All right.” Dorian tried another tactic. “If Jack is so concerned about what Tom may or may not have seen, then why not just murder him? This Becky Thatcher had nothing to do with. . . .”
“That’s exactly how he operates,” Mina interrupted. “He likes to torment and tease. Killing an old sweetheart of Tom would not only hurt him, it would also send a warning. He’s a cat, playing with a mouse. And you left him there by himself!” She leaned forward to stare Dorian directly in the face.
“Mina.” Dorian heaved a sigh. “I certainly have no inkling that Jack the Ripper was following us across an ocean and then around the dirt bowl that is America. If I had, I would have. . . .”
“Would have what?” Mina broke in. “Saved him?”
“Saved him?” This was the first hint that Dorian had that something was seriously wrong with Sawyer. “What do you mean, saved him?”
“From what was done to him,” Henry answered, his face grim.
**
Entering Bethlehem Hospital for a second time Mina was again assailed by the hospital’s depressive atmosphere, but this time her step did not falter. She would burn in hell before she displayed any weakness in front of Dorian. Walking up to the same indifferent attendant, she announced their presence with a, “we’re here to see a patient, a you need to accompany us inside and open a cell.”
Heaving an exaggerated sigh, the attendant leaned back in his chair and scowled darkly at them. “Yer again? I'm a wee busy here, so. . . .”
A hand grabbing him by the front of his collar cut him off. “Now!” Dorian ordered with a smile that held no humor.
The attendant’s demeanor immediately changed from defiant to obliging. “O'course, guv'ner, o’course.” Standing up he quickly snatched his ring of keys and opened the inner door. He continued to be helpful in a sullen manner, doing what he was asked, although with a constant muttered grumbling.
This time Mina led the way with certainly, no wandering around aimlessly, checking each and every cell. The door was duly unlocked by the sullen attendant, who again had an attitude change, when Dorian slipped him a few bills. “We were never here, and this incident never happened.”
Sullenness quickly transformed to gratefulness, as the money in hand was enough to pay a couple months’ rent. ““O'course, guv'ner, o’course.” A slight bowing of the head and the man was gone, taking no chance that there would be a change of heart, and the money taken back.
Stepping into the small cell, Mina couldn’t help but immediately step back, bumping into Henry, who had followed her in. “Bloody hell!” he exclaimed, as Mina stifled a gag, causing her to cough. The stench in the cell was a disgusting mix of sweat, urine, and feces.
Seemingly unaffected by the smell, Dorian could only stare at the young man, who had once shared his bed. Gazing blankly ahead of him, Tom showed no signs of recognition or even awareness of their presence.
“Tom!” Dorian moved closer, ignoring the filth and bugs that had infested Sawyer’s hair and body. A vacant look was his only answer. “What the bloody hell is wrong with him?” Gray turned to Jekyll.
“I’ll need to examine him,” Henry answered, his voice quiet and calm. “But here. . . .” He looked around in distaste.
“I’m taking him out of here. You can examine him at my mansion,” Dorian said, as he pulled off his coat, and wrapped it around Tom’s thin shoulders.
“The mansion?” Mina asked. “Is that the best situation for him? I would think that a private hospital, such as. . . .”
“The mansion,” Dorian repeated firmly, as he pulled Tom gently to his feet. “But I will have the driver stop to let you,” he addressed Mina, “off. I’ll need you to go to the chemists for sulphur, and. . . .” He looked over at Henry.
“Opium powder, and perhaps opium soap too.” Jekyll was thoughtful, as he followed Dorian into a corridor. “You’ll also need. . .need some medical equipment, if you’re truly going to take care of Tom in your home.”
“Make a list doctor,” Dorian said, as he determinedly made his way out of the asylum. “Make a list.”
**
Watching Grey clean Sawyer up, Jekyll couldn’t help but be amazed. The consciencelessness Immortal was caring for the young man with what Henry could only describe as loving consideration. After bathing Tom thoroughly, Dorian had declared that a complete removal of all body hair would guarantee the elimination of the various parasites that infected the young man.
“More soap,” Dorian directed, giving Henry a start, as he had been wrapped up in his contemplations of Gray and his relationship with Sawyer.
“But of course.” Jekyll immediately stepped up to rub more soap into Sawyer’s groin area, as Dorian continued to carefully shave the hair off. Their combined administrations soon had a very noticeable physical effect on the boy.
“Err.” Jekyll stepped back, feeling both flustered and embarrassed, as he watched Tom reach down to stroke himself.
Dorian didn’t bat an eye, as he temporarily halted his task. “I guess his sexual function is still in tact.”
“Something, I’m sure, you’re rejoicing about.” Jekyll said sourly, mortified that he had been disconcerted in front of Gray by Sawyer’s natural reaction to the situation.
“Tch, tch, doctor.” Dorian motioned at the bowl of soapy in Jekyll’s hand. “I would think that you would be happy for Tom. He may have been turned into a simpleton, but he, at least has the ability to feel sexual pleasure.” Dipping a small towel into the soap, he began cleaning up Tom’s hand and penis, removing the sticky fluid. Footsteps on the stairs prevented any further discussion, as Mina flew into the room, arms full of bags and boxes.
“Mission accomplished,” she announced, as she set all her purchases down on the sofa.
“What did you do, stop at every chemist in London and buy up all the opium powder and soap in the city?” Dorian asked, as he eyed the mountain of parcels.
“No.” Mina picked up a small box and opened it. “Just one chemist, but I did make quite a few stops at business establishments that you have accounts at. I quite enjoyed shopping at your expense. And here is. . . .” She began, as she stepped closer to the men, handing the opium soap to Jekyll, and then stopped as it came to her notice that Tom was completely undressed. She couldn’t help the exclamatory, “oh,” that fell out of her mouth, as she involuntarily took a step backward. A reaction that she would later kick herself for showing.
Sighing in sympathy, Jekyll could only count his blessings that Mina had not returned a couple of minutes earlier, while Tom had been pleasuring himself.
As usual Dorian was only amused by their discomfiture. “Come, come, Mina. You’re a scientist, and no young maiden anymore. It’s the human body. Nothing evil or unnatural about it.”
Regaining her composure quickly, Mina studied Tom, noting the prominent ribs and scrawny limbs. “Poor boy, he resembles a plucked chicken, and even more so since you’re. . .you’re. . . .”
“Removing his body hair,” Dorian finished her thought. “Then there will be no place for the lice and such to burrow into.”
“Of. . .course.” Mina took another step backward, instinctively wanting to distance herself from any kind of body parasite. “Good of you to be so, so. . . .” She had to think a moment to find the appropriate word. “Considerate of him. I never would have dreamed you capable of that an emotion.”
Moments passed, as Mina waited for Dorian’s usual nasty comeback, but the Immortal said nothing more. Brows drawn down in concentration, he merely continued his unsavory task.
“Anyway.” Mina decided it was time to break the silence that was rapidly becoming uncomfortable. “You’ll be happy to hear that although I was freely spending your money, it was on clothes and other items for. . . .” Her eyes cut back to the young man she had once called colleague. “Tom.”
“Thank you, Mina,” Dorian spoke softly.
Mina stared at Dorian in surprise. In all the years she had known him, she had never heard the word thank you pass from his lips.
**
February 2, 1901
Entering Gray’s dining room the next morning, Mina and Henry were greeted by the sight of Dorian hopelessly losing the battle of attempting to teach Tom to use a spoon to eat his porridge. The two could only stare at the usually immaculate Immortal, who was now covered from head to toe in cooked oatmeal. It would have been comical if the situation wasn’t so tragic.
“Well?” Dorian greeted them shortly. His tone and demeanor was that of a man, who was just about to lose his temper. “What did you find out from Lockhart?”
“He knows nothing,” Henry stated, as he gave a half smile at Tom, who made the most of Dorian’s moment of inattentiveness and began scooping up the porridge with his fingers.
“How can he know nothing?” Dorian stared in disgust as Tom picked up the almost empty porridge bowl and began licking it with his tongue. “The boy. . . .” He waved a hand at Tom. “Didn’t just appear magically in his hospital.”
“He claims to have no papers on how and when Tom was placed at Bethlehem, and he and everyone we tried to speak to seem to have memory loss about the boy.”
That’s not possible.” Dorian continued to argue. “Because Tom had to have come to them within the last three months, since he was with me. . . .”
“Of course it’s not possible,” Mina interrupted. “They’re being paid off or threatened to be silent.”
“Utter rubbish!” Dorian muttered, as he picked up a serviette and futilely tried to clean the porridge off of himself. “I’m supposed to believe that the Palace is still involved in a cover-up of Prince Albert Victor, who has been dead now for nine years.”
“Nothing can tarnish the Royal Family’s reputation, even in death,” Henry said quietly, as he noted that Tom, now finished with breakfast, was listening to then intently, porridge smeared over his face. Perhaps the boy still had some awareness.
“We need to know what was done to him.” Dorian was thoughtful, as he began wiping Tom’s hands. “How about if I hire you.” He turned his head to look directly at Mina and then Henry. “The Glorious League. You can investigate how and why. . . .”
“We can investigate nothing,” Mina broke in. “Taking on the Palace will only earn one a trip to the Tower. You may be Immortal, but you can still be detained at Her Majesty’s Pleasure.”
“Blast!” Dorian swore softly.
“Actually, Gray,” Henry, too had been considering the situation. “You’d be well advised to go abroad for a bit.”
“Yes,” Mina quickly agreed. “You can find a hospital for Tom away from England. Some place that will care for him with kindness. Perhaps in Amsterdam or. . . .”
“I’m not placing him in any hospital,” Dorian retorted waspishly. “I will personally care for him.”
“You?” Mina exclaimed in surprise. “Why would you, of all people compromise your lifestyle to care for a. . . .” She paused searching for the proper term. “A. . . .”
“I believe the word you’re searching for is simpleton,” Dorian finished her thought. “And I will care for him with kindness,” he emphasized the last word. “Because this boy.” He placed a hand on Tom’s shoulder is my redemption.”
****
Finis