The Doctor Professor


Polly thrust the door open of the next room to see Henry sparking up his rod and striking a nearby desk. It fractured the wood and papers scattered everywhere.


"Come out, sir, let's get you off to the correct realm." He said as he steadied his weapon.


"What in God's name are you doing?" Cried Polly.


Henry turned to face her through the expansive goggles, "Nothing to fear, miss, I have it all under control. Please step back." He turned again and struck the wall, forcing debris and dust to scatter about the room.


Just then, the spirit appeared in front of them both. "Leave me alone!" It wailed.


"Sorry, chap," Henry raised his arm. "This is for your benefit, not mine." He was about to strike before a shout of, "Father!" The sound came from behind and he felt Polly leap onto his back and pull him down to the floor.


Geoff's spirit disappeared again and Henry fumbled around his belt, checking his contents before getting up or seeing if his attacker was ok. With a sigh of relief, and a prayer to Jesus, he stood up and helped Polly to her feet. Somehow he was not disappointed with the intrusion, "Are you hurt?" He asked.


Polly let go of his hand and stood up straight, "I'm fine," she replied. "I'm really sorry I had to do that, Mr Neville."


"That was a dangerous move. One that bore a lot of risks, the contents I carry on my belt could have blown us both up."


Polly inspected the bottles hanging by his hips under the coat, "What is that?"


Henry smiled, "Let's just call it liquid dynamite for now."


"What!" Polly gasped in shock horror. She took several steps back.


"We survived, take that as a blessing and a warning not to be too hasty again, Mrs..."


Polly looked him in the eyes, the man seemed so calm and serene for someone announcing death by explosion. She collected herself before replying, "Miss Polly Alexander." She announced confidently, although she did not feel much confidence in front of this gentleman.


"Miss Polly, pleased to meet you," he bowed humbly. "I know I don't need to ask why you stopped me, but may I ask why you are here?"


"Mr Neville..."


"Henry, please."


"Henry. I have no idea what is happening. My father has died, why am I seeing him now? Why are you chasing him around his work place?"


Henry paused before speaking. "Polly, I know you are taking a lot in right now but please let me explain a bit of it to you."


"Go on," answered Polly.


Henry took a chair nearby and ushered to Polly to take a seat in the nearest wooden chair that had survived Henry's onslaught of splintering wood. He pulled a small bottle out of a pouch from the rear of his belt and offered it to Polly.


She declined immediately, the thought of liquid dynamite was still on her mind.


"It's just gin," he shrugged and placed the bottle onto the table. "Your father; a great man I'm sure, is trapped here in our world."


"Our world?"


Henry nodded, "Yes; he should have crossed over to the next realm, like every other spirit when the body dies."


Polly perked an eyebrow. "You mean Heaven? Is Heaven real?"


Henry quickly removed his goggles as if remembering he should have removed them at the beginning of the conversation, his blond hair flowed out past his ears. Polly was enamoured at just how blue his eyes were. They gave a piercing faint glow even in the dim light of the room.

"I don't know about Heaven," he replied. "But I have discovered a realm where the dead go after departing this world. Sort of an in-between world between ours and the next."


"How?" Polly replied skeptically.


"It's quite a long story, but to keep it short, I built a machine to open portals to prove to my science colleagues that there were other worlds out there. World's with life quite like ours, maybe even better. What I found was quite different..."


"The world between worlds?" Polly asked eagerly.


Henry nodded, "The world between worlds. Are you sure you don't want some gin?"


Polly grabbed at the bottle hungrily and downed a mouthful, "This is too much. I buried my father today and now I'm seeing him again because you tell me there is an afterlife and he is not quite there. Is that right?"


Henry kept his calm composure which Polly found to be quite annoying, "In a nutshell, yes," he smiled. "Unfortunately, your father is one of many I have recently discovered that have not crossed over. I have been employed by Mr Picking, secretly, to send Mr Alexander on his way. His means are not humane, even for the dead, but I have my methods to get ghosts to move on."


"You mean to kill him with that stick of yours?" Polly fumed.


Henry shook his head, "He's already dead, my condolences. No, my job is to help him cross the threshold and move on. When talking and reasoning fails, I use electromagnetic energy to gently nudge them onto the correct path." He reached into his long pockets to pull out a card and pushed it along the table to Polly.


Dr Henry Neville

Geist Therapist

56 Hugon Road

Fulham, London


Polly studied the card. In the corner featured a cartoon of a sheet ghost behind bars like a jail cell. She must be going mad she thought if she believed this. Problem was, she was always open-minded and did believe the young doctor.


"One question?" she asked.


"Go on," replied Henry.


"By the balcony, you said you were a Professor, but your card claims you have a doctorate. You look far too young to be either, but which is it?"


"Thank you for noticing, I am six and twenty. I was disgraced in my field for my findings, claims of falsehood would you believe. I currently give lectures in Psychology at the University College near Euston."


Polly went to hand back the card, "You certainly seem to live an extraordinary life, Dr... Henry."


Henry raised his hand, "Keep it, you never know when you'll need a Geist Therapist."


Polly stuck the card in her pocket, thanking him, although uncertainly, "So you reason with the dead?"


"Yes," Henry said proudly. "If they haven't crossed over it is usually because there is unfinished business they must see to the end. I help them find out what it is, accomplish their desires and they move on."


"Interesting," responded Polly, genuinely interested.


"Your father, however, is being quite the stubborn escapist. I could not reason with him so I'm giving him that little push. He'll be able to rest a lot more easily when he is in the right place."


Polly began to shuffle uneasily. She did not like the idea of Henry chasing her father around to send him on his way. "Let me talk to him," she said without truly thinking what she was saying.


Henry thought for a moment, "I'm not sure that's a great idea."


"Yes it is!" Exclaimed Polly. "Before you swung at him on the balcony he tried to talk to me. I think he was going to ask for my help," she paused. "I don't believe it was to help him from you. He wants my help here, in this factory."


"Hmm," Henry pondered. "It wouldn't hurt to try I guess. Follow me, we'll attract your father's attention to the main hall. That will give you plenty of space to make contact with him." He was intrigued as to whether a connection could be made between Polly and her father, it would be great for his studies. However, his motives were a little more sinister, hoping he could catch Geoff unawares while Polly had his attention. Although Henry had no intention of telling his new companion that.


"Ok, Professor Neville, let's go. I want to see him again, now."


"Again, Henry please. Professor Neville is my father."


"Sorry, Henry." Polly stood up, "Let's go."


Henry noticed Polly had picked up the bottle of gin to take with her. He did not mind for the time being, he had a strange inkling that her services will be required in future as payment for the bottle. He returned his goggles to his head, picked up his devices and eagerly followed Polly out of the room.


Polly was already at the foot of the stairs by the time Henry had checked his miniature machines and made it to the balcony. He admitted Polly's enthusiasm; working with another living person was a nice change of pace for him, and he felt like he could enjoy the moment.


"Well?" Polly called. "How do we find him?" She stood between two large looms near the centre of the room.


As if answering for her, the looms began to shake vigorously. The iron machinery behind her rattled and jolted from side to side. A powerful and loud wind picked up about them. Pins and needles flew from the shelves landing at her feet or hurtling past her ears. The loom to her left splintered and then shattered, wood chippings struck her dress and would have cut her hands if not for the gloves.


"Take cover!" Henry shouted, even though too late. He was down the stairs at this point and was almost within touching distance before the loom exploded between them.


"I told you to leave me alone!" Came a booming voice.


"He's found you!" Henry shouted over the noise of the rattling iron, the wind seemed particularly stronger around him to keep him from reaching Polly.


Polly stood firmly and looked towards the ceiling, "Father!" She shouted. "If you wish to talk to me then stop this madness!"


"I will not speak to the young master!" The brutish tone bellowed.


Henry stood firmly, "I command you spirit to show yourself!" He raised his rod up and flipped a small switch. Two smaller sticks struck out horizontally to form a cross. "In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit. Show yourself!"


Geoff responded with shattering chairs and tables around the room, "You both need to leave!"


"Father!" Polly cried desperately.


"Stand your ground, Polly, it maybe your father's spirit but he isn't quite all himself." Henry stood closer to Polly. "We need him to show himself. Call him again."


"That's quite enough from you!" The voice bellowed. Henry was suddenly lifted into the air by an unseen force.


Polly gasped, "Henry!"


"I'm al- right. Ge-get your father- to you," he said with a struggle.


Polly panicked. "How do I help you?"


Henry was still suspended in the air with his arms pulled out to the sides, "I'm fine... This happens... More than you... Think. Call him."


Unsure on Henry's advice and cursing his generic placid nature. Polly made several attempts to call her father. Slow seconds passed but eventually Geoff Alexander's spirit formed in front of her.

"Now... Talk to him. Find out... What's keeping him... Here," Henry advised, still suspended.


"That's enough," Geoff said coldly. He raised a transparent arm and Henry flew through the air and struck the brick wall. His rod fell to the floor where he was initially hung. The therapist made no further sound and Polly could not see his whereabouts.


"Father," repeated Polly with a tear in her eye. "I have missed you."


Geoff watched her with a gormless withdrawn face. "Poll," he now spoke softly, "I need you."


"I need to see if Henry is ok," replied Polly. There was no explosion from the liquid dynamite which provided some relief.


Ignoring Henry, Geoff focused entirely on Polly. "Let me show you," he said as he moved closer to Polly.


Polly went to step backwards but found she could not. She searched the room for a sign of movement from Henry but saw none. When she looked back towards her father, he appeared just an inch from her face. The room got steadily darker, when she blinked she was looking at a room that was very different from where she stood.

***