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Description
Beth's four-month sabbatical in Europe went great, up until all her money was stolen. Luckily the local newspaper had an advertisement for an assistant's position for a local pharmacist. Thinking to pick up some easy cash and replenish her funds she applied. The pharmacist, a Doctor Reihn, was a bit eccentric but had a wonderfully baroque house with a fully equipped chemical lab in the basement where he made medicine for the townspeople. The doctor had a cook and a groundskeeper on staff but his assistant had died a few days earlier. He seemed delighted that a woman had answered his ad and had her move into a room on the second floor.

She spent the next three weeks helping him set up his medicinal concoctions, and several strange experiments he was working on. When she asked him what the experiments were for he was evasive, and would not answer her directly. At times he would disappear into a sub-basement which she was forbidden to go into. The door to the sub-basement was not locked but it did have a motion detector that would sound an alarm unless a five digit code was entered within thirty seconds. Though curious, she was never able to go down there.

Townsfolk came to the house at all hours of the day. Beth was tasked with taking their money and giving them the medicines they had ordered. Beth took it as a wonderful way to better learn the local language. Soon she became quite fluent. The townsfolk seemed surprised that she, an American woman, was staying at the place.

After three weeks the doctor left the house to attend some sort of family reunion that was to last at least two weeks. Maybe longer. He tasked Beth with continuing to make the more common medicines and keeping the shop running until he returned. The formulas were fairly simple so she saw no reason she couldn't do that.

Five days after he left a severe storm hit the town. Lightning flashed repeatedly and the wind howled. Beth stayed in her room listening to the wind and watching the raindrops assault the windows.

Late in the evening the power went out. The place didn't have an emergency generator. The groundskeeper and cook knocked on her door to make sure she was OK. After they left she lit a candle and crept down to the basement. As she expected, the motion sensor on the door to the sub-basement was dead without electricity. Her curiosity was about to be slaked.

She opened the door and walked down a flight of stairs. The sub-basement was dank, completely dark and silent. It was larger than she expected. Other than a bed in one corner and a pile of books near it, the room seemed empty. As she explored the area however she felt eyes on her. Nothing in the darkness around her indicated that someone was there, but a feeling of dread came over her and she shivered despite herself. It was the storm, she told herself. It was making her fearful without reason.

Nevertheless, she made her way quickly back to the staircase. As she came to it however the door above opened. The groundskeeper stood there, candle in hand. "What are you doing down there?" he said. She was about to answer him when his face turned pale, his eyes shifted to focus behind her. She was suddenly aware of eyes on her again, a feeling of something standing behind her.

A large, cold hand clamped down on her left shoulder ...

Description
Beth's four-month sabbatical in Europe went great, up until all her money was stolen. Luckily the local newspaper had an advertisement for an assistant's position for a local pharmacist. Thinking to pick up some easy cash and replenish her funds she applied. The pharmacist, a Doctor Reihn, was a bit eccentric but had a wonderfully baroque house with a fully equipped chemical lab in the basement where he made medicine for the townspeople. The doctor had a cook and a groundskeeper on staff but his assistant had died a few days earlier. He seemed delighted that a woman had answered his ad and had her move into a room on the second floor.

She spent the next three weeks helping him set up his medicinal concoctions, and several strange experiments he was working on. When she asked him what the experiments were for he was evasive, and would not answer her directly. At times he would disappear into a sub-basement which she was forbidden to go into. The door to the sub-basement was not locked but it did have a motion detector that would sound an alarm unless a five digit code was entered within thirty seconds. Though curious, she was never able to go down there.

Townsfolk came to the house at all hours of the day. Beth was tasked with taking their money and giving them the medicines they had ordered. Beth took it as a wonderful way to better learn the local language. Soon she became quite fluent. The townsfolk seemed surprised that she, an American woman, was staying at the place.

After three weeks the doctor left the house to attend some sort of family reunion that was to last at least two weeks. Maybe longer. He tasked Beth with continuing to make the more common medicines and keeping the shop running until he returned. The formulas were fairly simple so she saw no reason she couldn't do that.

Five days after he left a severe storm hit the town. Lightning flashed repeatedly and the wind howled. Beth stayed in her room listening to the wind and watching the raindrops assault the windows.

Late in the evening the power went out. The place didn't have an emergency generator. The groundskeeper and cook knocked on her door to make sure she was OK. After they left she lit a candle and crept down to the basement. As she expected, the motion sensor on the door to the sub-basement was dead without electricity. Her curiosity was about to be slaked.

She opened the door and walked down a flight of stairs. The sub-basement was dank, completely dark and silent. It was larger than she expected. Other than a bed in one corner and a pile of books near it, the room seemed empty. As she explored the area however she felt eyes on her. Nothing in the darkness around her indicated that someone was there, but a feeling of dread came over her and she shivered despite herself. It was the storm, she told herself. It was making her fearful without reason.

Nevertheless, she made her way quickly back to the staircase. As she came to it however the door above opened. The groundskeeper stood there, candle in hand. "What are you doing down there?" he said. She was about to answer him when his face turned pale, his eyes shifted to focus behind her. She was suddenly aware of eyes on her again, a feeling of something standing behind her.

A large, cold hand clamped down on her left shoulder ...