McQueen gets out of bed, puts an eye to the gap in the door to observe the above, then returns to bed.
The footsteps don’t seem to be stopping at each door and Stella comes to the conclusion that this might not be part of a routine check. She puts a bookmark in at page 37 and steps out into the corridor to see what is going on. She’s not one to be left out of goings on.
…if McQueen sees Stella following the others, that’ll appeal to his sense of humour and he’ll follow her.
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Outside, you see Celia reaching the top of the stairs. She’s trailed by Dr. Thorne, who seems to be observing her. Neither he nor you disturb her; you don’t think she’s noticed you at all.
assuming you don’t intervene…?
She begins to walk slowly down the stairs, murmuring to herself. Thorne stops at the top and leans on the railing, listening closely and taking occasional notes.
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Stella sees McQueen and automatically assumes he’s just as curious as she is. She walks over to the staircase railing.
Speaking quietly: “Where’s Celia off to, Dr Thorne? Is she quite alright?”
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He glances round as you speak. “Mrs Clairmont. I didn’t notice you there. And Mr McQueen, I see.” Like you, he speaks quietly.
“There shouldn’t be any need to worry. Celia has this habit; and as you saw earlier, the stairs are fenced in. You did raise the topic of somnambulism when we first met and, well-” he gestures “-there you have it. The staircase seems to hold a particular fascination for her unconscious mind.”
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“Have any of your other patients shared this… fascination?”
(Stella herself remembers the strong impression the winding stairs and glass dome had made on her when she first arrived).
“No, nothing like this. Celia has a habit of sleepwalking, you see. It was the main reason her parents wished her to come here. That isn’t so unusual, although her particular habit is curious.”
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Stella lets Dr Thorne carry on with his note-taking in peace but stays to watch Celia for a while to see what is so ‘curious’ about her sleepwalking. If she can, she’ll also try and see which direction Celia goes when she gets to the bottom of the staircase.
Is Celia still murmuring to herself? Can we make any of it out?
[does the spiral end at the ground floor or continue into a basement?]
McQueen is similarly trying to avoid causing disruption.
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You know the staircase ends at the ground floor. See map: Dreaming Ward maps 03.pdf - Google Drive
Thorne settles back into his work. His notes are pretty scanty, at a glance, but he seems to be recording any hesitation or glance around, with reference to his watch.
Although you strain your ears, it’s tricky to make out what Celia is saying - the sound of her footsteps and faint murmurs echo a little in the stairwell. But you quickly pick up the steady rhythm and pace, and your subconscious fills in the rest - she’s counting the steps.
As she reaches the foot of the stairs, Thorne whispers “Watch”. Celia suddenly stumbles, catches herself with a gasp, and looks around slowly.
–Perception if you want slightly more info
Then, staring fixedly ahead, she begins carefully stepping backwards up the stairs, in silence.
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@RogerBW asked for a die roll:
3d6: 4 + 5 + 3 = 12 vs 13
McQueen, to himself but audibly: “How do you fit an infinite descent into a finite space? Reflection, of course.”
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McQueen realises Celia tried to step down further than the staircase goes, causing her to trip. She seemed confused as she looked around.
Stella takes a long minute before catching McQueen’s drift.
“So, it’s not this particular staircase she finds fascinating, it’s the stairs she thinks she’s on in her dream?”
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“And this place is a better fit to them than anywhere else? I’m not therapist, but I am interested in how weird ideas form in the first place…”
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“And then I guess you put those weird ideas into your stories, Mr McQueen. Speaking of which, I really need to get back and finish chapter two… I think Janice is about to be discovered hiding behind the armchair.”
As she reaches the top of the stairs, Celia pauses, then murmurs “sixty-five” as she steps down again and resumes her descent, counting patiently.
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Something goes “click” in McQueen’s mind. When Celia next reaches the top, has that number gone up by the total number of steps, or twice that?
But after that he’ll retire.
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Knowing better than to disturb a sleepwalker, Stella had been about to discreetly return to her room as Celia neared the landing… but when Celia begins descending again, she stays a few moments longer.
With the careful counting and walking backwards, it all seems so deliberate and (quite literally) calculated. Which doesn’t tally with a traumatic dream. At least, not one Stella’s experienced. Remembering Celia’s comments at the group session, Stella is beginning to wonder if this is something else entirely.
Stella tries to gauge Celia’s general bearing. Tentative? Confident?
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