Page 1 (1/2)

Part One

Hunkered shoulders and skinny, bent knees cast a crooked shadow from the back corner of the laboratory, where the old man tried to remember the next step in his formula, or possibly–as Edas forced to consider–the scientist siainst the wall, the once esti his test tubes with spittle and becoitated until Edwin called out, "Doctor?"

The doctor settled hi hisaway fro work apron with his feet "Who’s there?" he asked

"Only me, sir"

"Who?"

"Me It’s only…nition he asked, "The orphan?"

"Yes sir Just the orphan"

Dr S in a circle on the sious set of ed a ed metal arm, and he used it to peer across the rooed in a pile of discarded machinery parts

"Ah," the old doctor said "There you are, yes I didn’t hear you tinkering, and I only wondered where youOf course, I remember you"

"I believe you do, sir," Edwin said politely In fact, he very strongly doubted it today, but Dr S to appear quite fully aware of his surroundings and it would’ve been rude to contradict him "I didn’t mean to interrupt your work You sounded upset I wanted to ask if everything was all right"

"All right?" Dr Sinal position, so that it no longer shrank his fluffy white eyebron to a taoatee quivered as he wondered about his own state "Oh yes Everything’s quite all right I think for a moment that I was distracted"

He scooted around on the stool so that he once again faced the cluttered table with its vials, coils, and tiny gray crucibles His right hand selected a test tube with a hand-lettered label and runny green contents His left hand reached for a set of tongs, though he set them aside almost immediately in favor of a half-rolled piece of paper that bore the stains and streaks of a hundred unidentifiable splatters

"Edwin," he said, and Edas just short of stunned to hear his naone and confused myself"

"Yes sir"

Edwin lived in the baserace of Dr Smeeks, who had asked the sanitarium for an assistant These days, the old fellow could not reement and could scarcely confirm or deny it anymore, no matter how often Edwin reminded him

Therefore Edwin made a point to keep himself useful

The baseroup ward on the top floor, where the children of the patients were kept and raised; and the boy didn’tmental state, since as left of hi flash between moments of pitiful bewilderment, Edwin saw the doctor for who he once had been–a brilliant man with a mind that was honored and admired for its flexibility and prowess

In its way, the Waverly Hills Sanitariuination

The hospital had incorporated many of the physicians’ favorites into the daily routine of the patients, including a kerosene-powered bladed machine that whipped fresh air down the halls to offset the oppressive su Mechanical Doors that opened with the push of a switch; and Dr Se hit in the kitchen His Sheet-Sorting Slings made hi Manure Chutes had od to the stable-hands

But half-finished and barely finished inventions littered every corner and covered every table in the baseenius lived out the last of his years

So long as he did not reotten, he appeared content

Edwin approached the doctor’s side and peered dutifully at the stained sche along nicely, sir," he said