Geric | An Inspector Calls fanfiction

6

Mr Birling's footsteps echo as he strides across the working factory. Young girls sharply turn back to manning the machinery and give each other side glances as he passes. At the end of the room two men dressed in fine suits and holding clipboards have just stepped through the large entrance doors. 

"Ah gentlemen right on time." Mr Birling greets them with a nervous smile. He shakes hands with the two men, the palm of his hands sweaty. 

"Shall we get started Mr Birling?" One of the men says, his face very hard and emotionless. 

"Yes certainly." He says. "If you'd like to follow me." 

"Mr Birling if you could just tell us where everything is, we like to do the inspection alone." The two men stare at Mr Birling with snooty expressions. Mr Birling appears to be caught off guard and rubs his sweaty hands down the front of his jacket.   

"Ofcourse gentlemen...eh...this is the factory area...and up there is the offices, my son is working up there at the minute but don't mind him...or... or I can ask him to leave if you'd like." Mr Birling's voice trembles as he eagerly tries to impress the two men. 

"No it is fine Mr Birling, you can leave us to it now." Mr Birling nods and slowly shuffles away from them, gradually moving into a stride as he gets further away. He rushes right up to his offices and barges in, catching Eric off guard. 

"The inspectors are here." He says in a low voice and peeps through the glass window to watch the two strangers. 

"Police inspectors?" Eric asks. 

"No don't be stupid boy! Health inspectors, you know the ones that see if we're doing everything right. I told you about it last week." Mr Birling steps away from the window and glances at the work on Eric's desk. Eric stares up at him, cautiously waiting from him to say he's done it all wrong. 

"I bet someone heard about our Inspector Goole fiasco and decided to tip them off." Mr Birling says. 

"Or it could be the annual visit." Eric timidly suggest. 

Mr Birling frowns at the wall and scratches his chin. "No...someone is on to us, wants to get us shut down. I wouldn't be surprised if that Inspector Goole is behind it." 

"Father I highly doubt that's what-" 

"Quiet Eric." Mr Birling holds a finger up to silence his son. "You don't know what you're talking about. This is a tricky business to work in, anyone and everyone is out to get a successful business shut down." 

Mr Birling peers out of the window again, his finger still touching his chin. Then suddenly he seems to snap out of whatever trance he was in and turns to face Eric properly. 

"And anyway shouldn't you be getting on with your work? You've still got that money to pay me back, remember?"

Eric lowers his head and turns back to his work. He waits until Mr Birling has left the room before letting out a deep sigh. 

***

Gerald taps his foot impatiently as he waits behind a woman with severe burns on her arm. There only seems to be one receptionist at the front desk today and it is taking her forever to get through all the patients. 

He has come to the hospital to look for Eva Smith. He told Eric that he would help find her so that's what he is doing. And ruling out the hospital will mean that she is alive. 

"Can I help you sir?" The receptionist asks and Gerald steps forward, not noticing where the woman infront went. 

"Erm yes, I'm wondering if you could tell me if someone was brought here about a month ago. A young girl who was pregnant and swallowed some bleach." Gerald says. 

"What's her name sir?" The brunette receptionist asks. 

"Eva Smith...or she might have gone by the name Daisy Renton... I'm not sure." 

The receptionist frowns at Gerald and turns to the counter behind her. She pulls out numerous books from the cupboards and flicks through them. Gerald watches as she gets up and disappears through the double doors on the left. 

She returns several minutes later. "I'm sorry sir but we have had no one by any of those names come in here."

"What about a girl who swallowed bleach? Have you had someone like that come in here?" Gerald asks. He's starting to get frantic now. 

"No sir we haven't. I've checked all the patient logs and there appears to be no one matching who you're looking for." The receptionist gives Gerald a sympathetic look before moving onto the next waiting patient. 

Gerald leaves the hospital thinking that this means she is still alive. But then it means that she could be anywhere which makes the whole search even harder. Despite all that Gerald knows that Eric will be pleased to hear that there's a possibility she's not dead. 

He crosses over the road and gets into a high-wheel motor buggy, ordering the driver to take him to the Birling house. 

Once he gets there, the day has grown dark and chilly. Yellow light glows from the windows of the Birling house. He is greeted at the door by an old balding butler. 

"Mr Birling is through this way." The butler says and starts to lead Gerald down the hall but Gerald stops him. 

"Actually I'm here to see Eric." 

"Oh my apologise sir, right this way." The butler takes Gerald to the library where he finds Eric sat over a desk full of work. The butler announces Gerald's arrival then closes the door behind him. 

"I have great news." Gerald says, standing awkwardly by a soft red armchair. 

"Can it wait Gerald? I've really got to get on with this work, father is livid that I haven't paid him back yet." Eric doesn't look up from his work as he speaks to his lover. Gerald watches him scribble something down then move the piece of paper onto an exceeding pile next to him. 

"It's about Eva Smith." 

Eric finally looks up. 

"I went to the hospital to see if she was really taken there like the Inspector said, but the receptionist said they have no record of someone like her being there. So that could mean that she is still alive." 

A slow smile appears on Eric's face and he stands up. "That is great news Gerald." He moves round the desk and over to where Gerald is stood. Suddenly his face drops. "But I have searched everywhere I could think of, there is nowhere else she could be." 

"She has to be somewhere." Gerald says and takes a step towards Eric, gripping him by the arms. "We'll find her together."