50 Berkeley Square

**50 Berkeley Square** was a virtual representation of one of Jacob Frye and Evie Frye's genetic memories, relived by a Helix initiate through the Helix Navigator.

## Description

The Ghost Club investigated 50 Berkeley Square's haunting.

## Dialogue

The Frye twin headed to Charles Dickens' house.

* **Jacob:** *Well, Charlie, I suppose the Ghost Club holds some new horror for me today?*
* **Evie:** *How nice to see you again, Mister Dickens. Is it time for another of the Ghost Club's stories?*
* **Dickens:** *As a matter of fact, yes! Follow me! Number fifty Berkeley Square: four storeys high, and branded: "BEWARE ALL THOSE WHO ENTER." There have been many strange tales of this dreadful domicile. The earliest report of a haunting was said to be the specter of a small girl who was murdered by a servant. She could be seen at the attic windows, weeping and wringing her little hands in agony of despair. Come along! The house awaits!*

The pair drove a carriage to the haunted estate.

* **Dickens:** *Another legend claims the attic is haunted by the spirit of a young woman, who purportedly threw herself from the top floor windows to escape her abusive uncle. Her screaming ghost has reportedly been sighted hanging from the window ledge. This residence was briefly owned by a Mr. James Jasper. A choirmaster and an opium addict. His nephew, Edward, was betrothed to one of Mr. Jasper's pupils, the fair and delicate Rose. However, Edward disappeared under mysterious circumstances, followed by Jasper himself. Perhaps grief sent him back to the soothing arms of his narcotic mistress.*

Arriving at the house, the Ghost Club investigated the house for clues.

* **Dickens:** *Shall we? Though this house is vacant, some say it comes alive at night with screams of terror, ringing bells, and slamming shutters. Although eerie, this phenomenon is easily produced by pneumatic tubes and valves! There are claims that a young man was caged in the attic, his only connection to the rest of the world a tiny hole in the door - a young man who was reduced to madness by this extreme isolation. The legends all seem to focus on one room in particular.*

The Assassin discovered a rocking crib by the window.

* **Dickens:** *A sudden draft, nothing more!*

Suddenly, a child's laughter reached their ears.

* **Dickens:** *My word. Perhaps...perhaps I shall wait while you investigate the source of that laughter, which is not at all unsettling!*

The Frye chased one of the children who ran in different directions.

* **Child:** *Let me go, you moke!*
* **Jacob:** *Why were you hanging around that house?*
* **Evie:** *Charming. Now tell me, why were you at the house?*
* **Child:** *What's it to you?*
* **Jacob:** *Tell me, or I'll drag it out of you!*
* **Evie:** *Out with it!*
* **Child:** *All right, all right! We were there for the treasure. We found a key to the secret passage.*
* **Jacob:** *Secret passage?*
* **Evie:** *What secret passage?*
* **Child:** *Yeah. Number fifty's got a secret passage. Here, take it! Just leave me be!*

Receiving the key, the twin returned to Dickens to investigate secret compartments in the walls.

* **Dickens:** *I've found a lock but I haven't located the key.*
* **Jacob:** *Lucky for you, I've got it.*
* **Evie:** *It's here.*

With the compartment opened, the Ghost Club found suspicious equipment inside.

* **Dickens:** *Ah! So this is how it works!*
* **Jacob:** *How disappointingly dull.*
* **Evie:** *Impressive.*

The Frye twin opened a lever, revealing another secret passage wherein a madman came out and attacked them.

* **Jasper:** *Get out of my house!*
* **Jacob:** *Get clear, Charlie!*
* **Evie:** *Stand back, Charles!*
* **Dickens:** *Good lord!*
* **Jasper:** *I did it in my mind! And I did it over and over again! In this room! But it was all for nothing!*

The Assassin managed to kill the insane James Jasper.

* **Jasper:** *There was no one whose love for Rosa came near to equaling mine! It should have been enough to keep my beloved nephew away. My poor Ned. Forgive-*
* **Dickens:** *Alas, the myth has been discredited. There was no ghost in Berkeley Square. Just a wretched soul, driven to murder and madness by guilt and intoxication. I think this has the making of a rather fine novel. I wonder if I have one left in me...*

## Outcome

The Ghost Club discovered that there was no ghost in 50 Berkeley Square - only the makings of its mad and guilty owner James Jasper whom the Frye twin eliminated.

## Trivia

* The memory is a reference to *The Mystery of Edwin Drood,* the final novel by Charles Dickens, who died in 1870 before completing it. It is generally believed that the disappearance of the titular Edwin Drood is imputable to his uncle John Jasper, an opium-addicted choirmaster who is in love with Edwin's fiancée, Rosa Bud.