The Boston Tunnel Affair - Preparing to Return

Part 5
The Boston Tunnel Affair: Beneath the City, the Tunnels are Alive!

Bridgette’s Dairy
Wednesday, 14 January, 1925

               Mr. Smith suggested we retire for the night and plan our next move. Obviously we cannot go much farther in the tunnels without the acid fumes affecting us. Our lungs felt a bit scalded as it already was from our exposure. Mr. Rasicci wondered if we could access gas masks, perhaps there were some war surplus ones available somewhere in the city? To do so, however, would require waiting for daylight.

Mr. Smith also wondered if I would be willing to analyze the contents of the paint can. Obviously it was in the tunnel for a reason. It might be helpful if we could figure out what that reason was and put it to our advantage. I’m not sure how well I will do, but I did indicate that I would try. However, I needed access to a proper lab, which is how I wound up on the campus of Harvard University today. I can assure you, dear journal, that my sleep was not the most restful last night. I kept fearing that metal monster would come crashing into my room at any second, trying to prevent all of us from telling anyone what we had witnessed.

          Needless to say, we all survived the night, even if we got little sleep. Come morning, Mr. Smith made some phone calls and here I am, trying to remember how to do what I need to do. In all honesty, though, I have done chemical analysis several times in the last few years. I’m conducting tests on stone and even some of the plant matter around them, all the time. Occasionally, in a pinch where we are really curious, I’ll even do some analysis on other finds, including organic remains, at the sight. So I’m not completely rusty, just out of serious practice. Especially with a completely unknown compound. I’m going to start with the petrol family as my reference point, simply based on the smell of the contents. One has to start somewhere and that would be as good a point as any at this moment. With that, I’m off to continue with my work. I’ll return to write more as time allows.

  

This substance is proving quite baffling. I’d hate to think Mr. Smith’s efforts to get me in here are all going to come to naught for us. And regardless of the outcome in the lab, I will still need to do a future lecture on my research with the lithic monuments in Ireland and northern England. Not that I mind. To lecture at Harvard would be quite nice; however, I would also like to know what this substance is made of and just what it does, and the bloody thing isn’t cooperating.

While I am stuck here in the lab, the others have gone shopping for added equipment for later. I believe one of them located a supply source for the gas masks we’ll need to go farther into the tunnels. It might have been Mr. Rasicci using some of the resources available to him through the American Detective Association. Who knew there was an organization just for detectives? I suspect it often comes in handy, such as now. They are also going to purchase more electric torches and, if possible, some powerful ammunition with which to take on the vampire. There was even talk of silver bullets if at all possible.

Back to the chromatograph. I believe there are some results for me to interpret before I figure out what other tests with which to subject this intriguing fluid. Oh and Mr. Smith informed us this morning, in his own colorful manner, that these silver metal vampires are quite rare. I’m, of course, now wondering if there are non-silver metallic vampires out there running around. Boy did I call this one wrong. Intriguing.

 

I’ve got it! Well, I’ve got what chemicals are present in the mystery fluid. I just can’t figure out how to create more of it. Fortunately, there looks to be enough in the can for all of us. When applied to skin and clothing, it serves to protect them from the ravages of the acid present in the tunnel. This will be important, as the depth of the liquid looks to get progressively deeper. If we need to go very far in our explorations, we will be wading in the stuff at some point. Not really a prospect I relish, but it may be unavoidable. And if there is one thing I learned about myself during the War, it is that I can tackle that which I would rather not, if it is indeed unavoidable.

My analysis complete, I need to sign off for now. I suspect I shan’t be writing more until after our trip to the sewers. Hopefully I’ll still be alive to write it.