MAG 96: Return to Sender

Statement of Alfred Breekon, regarding a new pair of workers at his delivery company.
==Statement==
Alfred Breekon opened Breekon & Hope by himself, although there was no owner by the name Hope. The depot had done well, delivering all over the United Kingdom.
Three years before this statement was given, two solid Russian men came to his office. Alfred offered his hand, saying "Arthur Breekon at your service, who might you be?" The first man repeated this phrase to the second, in a cartoonish Cockney accent that sounded like an imitation of Alfred's own. The second man respond in kind and identified himself as Hope. They went back and forth repeating themselves. A butterfly flew in through the window and landed on Hope, who ate it. Breekon asked for keys, which Alfred gave him, feeling his rubbery skin.
They took a van and started to make deliveries, which became more and more troubling. They delivered boxes and once a bag of hair. Between deliveries they would stand in the staff room facing the walls, occasionally laughing. Alfred's other deliverymen started to disappear.
The two men have had other people come to the office, including someone dressed as a circus ringmaster. Alfred noticed that the manifest and accountancy books have been filled in, although he does not recall doing it.
After several years they were gone. On his desk was a box with the address scratched out and the message 'Return to Sender' written in his handwriting. The box was spongy and cold, and sounded like shifting sand when touched. He found the package in the manifest with the description 'Goodbye'. The box seemed to have a strange gravity to it, drawing him in.
In the past, Alfred's brother came to the Institute to give a statement and found it freeing. Alfred thought he would follow his brother's example to help him sort the problem out in his mind. He leaves knowing he will open the box.
== Post-Statement ==
Jonathan found Breekon, where he was eaten by something, presumably small, from the inside. The Newcastle depot for Breekon & Hope appears to have been abandoned for a long time. John found this statement, recently delivered on top of the unopened post by the door, presumably from Elias.
John notes that the men Breekon and Hope are tied to the Circus, and therefore possibly The Stranger and The Unknowing.
From log books he found, it seems the company continued to deliver after Breekon & Hope were shut down in 2013.
Later, Daisy and John have managed to detain Sarah Baldwin, although it confirms it is merely her skin and a few memories. It confirms that it went to the Cambridge Military Hospital with Melanie King, and that it inadvertently trespassed. It now runs 'The Trophy Room', a taxidermy shop in Barnet, because that was where it was told to be.
John asks it what the significance of the taxidermy shop is, and Sarah explains that the only significance is what people give it, making it a place of power for The Stranger. It allowed them to store powerful items there, including books and skins. John asks about the ancient taxidermy that Scaplehorn found; Sarah confirms that the Gorilla Skin is important for The Unknowing and that Gertrude killed Daniel and took the skin. When John explains that he does not know where the skin is, Sarah escapes and flees. Daisy shoots her, but she only loses some sawdust stuffing and cloves.
==Continuity==
*Related Entity: The Stranger, and likely The Corruption
Category:The Magnus Archives Episodes