Free Shell Shocked (The Cosmic Carapace, #1) by Barnaby Yard

ceiling. The central section was clear glass and behind this, a woman sat reading a magazine and twirling her hair.
    Becky approached and Spencer was surprised to hear sniffling noises coming from her.
    “Excuse me, I, er, I think my sister is here. She... She... was... brought here yesterday, she was hit by a carriage.” She pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and blew her nose loudly. Spencer was staring at her, caught off guard until he remembered his solemn constipation face and gave it everything he had.
    The lady behind the glass picked up a brass tube which had a funnel at one end and spoke into it without looking up.
    “Mr Bulber, I have two people to see the girl who fell in front of the carriage.” She continued to flick through her magazine until a voice appeared from the tube in reply.
    “Send them through Miss Pague, to the Blue Wing if you would be so kind.”
    Without averting her eyes from the magazine she reached below her desk and passed them a large umbrella.
    “Go through the double doors, turn right and follow the corridor round until you reach a staircase, go down the stairs and open the umbrella before you go through the double doors at the bottom. Then it's your second left.”
    They exchanged a look which communicated that neither of them had a clue what was going on here, but they may as well get on with it.
    They followed the disinterested receptionist's instructions until they reached the doors at the bottom of the stairs where Spencer stopped Becky as she began to open the umbrella.
    “Hold on, isn't it bad luck to open an umbrella indoors?”
    “I think that's only if you believe it is.” Becky shrugged and opened the umbrella fully and held it above her head as she entered through the double doors. As soon as she crossed the threshold a huge crack of thunder rang out and what seemed to be lightning flickered around the pitch black room, suddenly, rain began to fall steadily as the thunder now became a low rumble which was building in the pit of her stomach. Wind had also joined the scene and was blowing her hair everywhere, including over her eyes. She turned to see if Spencer was still with her and managed to hit him in the face with the umbrella.
    “What the hell is going on?!” she shouted at him over the roar of the weather.
    “It's all just effects,” he shouted back, “keep going!” They huddled under the umbrella and pushed on through the squall until they reached the second door. They burst through, closing the door behind them, into complete calm and serenity compared to the hall they had just left. A man stood in front of them holding two cups of steaming tea with a beaming grin on his face.
    “Welcome! I see that you ha...oh.” He looked at the umbrella Becky was holding, as she collapsed it, his smile folded in with it.
    “I do wish Miss Pague wouldn't spoil my little games with umbrellas you know, it's really not on.” He rallied quickly and the smile was back.
    “Would you like some tea?” Becky took the mug from his hand, it was in the shape of a coffin.
    ”What the hell was that?!”
    “Oh just my little joke! Isn't it marvellous?!”
    “Hilarious,” answered Becky sarcastically before noticing Spencer waggling his eyebrows at her suggestively. She suddenly realised she was meant to be in character. her voice took on an immediately, suitably saddened tone.
    “I believe my sister was brought here last night?” Albert's expression suddenly changed to one more befitting his position. Spencer looked on in admiration. Now that was solemn.
    “I doubt it. Please have a seat.” He waved at two leather backed chairs which sat facing what they assumed was a desk hidden somewhere under the mountains of paper. He sat the other side in a large leather office chair which slowly rocked as he sipped his tea. The room looked like the office of an academic rather than a mortician. Books lined every wall and each surface was covered in books and illustrations of the