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You can read more original fiction from Emily Chesley in the Meanderings of the Emily Chesley Reading Circle<

The Transcript of Eldred Thunk
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The Transcript of Eldred Thunk
-- a speculative fiction by Scott Hill

--page 3

When I arrived at the pier it was later than I thought and probably later than is safe for a man to be in those parts. The fog was particularly thick as you might recall, and it only added to air of mystery. I must confess to throwing more than a few glances backward but I never saw anything untoward. As I made my way down the pier I gradually made out the bulk of The Preussen. Did I mention how massive a ship she is? Anyway as I got closer I was suddenly aware of voices approaching. Then, just at that moment, I tripped over the gangplank. Thinking quickly I made my way up it, meaning to go back down as soon as the voices passed. But imagine my horror when they began to follow me up to the ship! There was no choice but to continue on up until I was on deck. And then in my efforts to escape detection my luck got even worse. I stumbled into an open cargo hatch and was fortunate just to be able to throw an arm out and catch the ledge before I plummeted to the bottom. Or a least I would have plummeted had the hold's contents not broken my fall. I suppressed the scream that threatened to give away my position and a good thing it was for the voices passed by me not more than two or three feet away! I couldn't quite make out what they were talking about, as their voices were fading in and out, making no sense at all. With a start I realized it was my mind that was playing tricks on me. That hold's awful cargo was delivering noxious fumes that threatened to render me unconscious. So it was with my last remaining strength that I pulled myself out of that place and stumbled to my feet, covered in guano, for that was what it was. Yes sergeant I was covered from head to toe in bat droppings.

As I made my way down the gangplank I assessed my situation. I would have to go straight to the police with what I knew, but I couldn't expect to be taken seriously in my present condition. So a little way down the pier I climbed down a ladder to a landing and removed my clothes in an attempt to clean them in the river. Unfortunately I was still a little dizzy and when I attempted to regain my balance I dropped my clothes in the river. As embarrassing as this was I took some comfort in the fact that at that time of the morning, in that dense fog, I should probably be able to get home unseen, whereupon I could change and proceed to the precinct. It was on my way home that I discovered that the ammonia in guano produces quite a burning sensation on the more delicate parts of one's anatomy. I quickly grasped the affected member and began shaking it since the cool breeze that created was the only form of relief available to me. Still it was uncomfortable enough to bring tears to my eyes. It must have been when my vision was so occluded that I ran into that poor charwoman.

And that Sergeant, is exactly what happened, as God is my witness.

The End