𝐜 𝐡 𝐞 𝐦 𝐢 𝐜 𝐚 𝐥. | 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭.

i.

so we lay, body to body, as
close as two bodies can be,

It was the seediest place he had ever laid his eyes on. Who would have thought that Arkham had a brothel, he had thought, when he had done his research on just how he might try out Dan's experiment, and had found out about this place.

A couple of men and women had dipped out past him as he was making his way towards the door of the place, their heads down, walk of shame, not wanting to be noticed.

The outside was nothing really, it just looked like an ordinary house, similar to the one he shared with Dan. He supposed that made sense, inconspicuousness and all that. But the inside, the inside was different. It was exactly everything you would expect one of these places to look like. How stereotypical it all was almost made him chuckle. Just like the ones in movies and such, lots of velvet and suede all around the place, on the sofas, stools and things, quiet dark apart from the neon signs and lights hung all around the place. And lots, lots of scantily clad people coming and going between different rooms.

Herbert West was not really sure what he was doing or why he was doing it. He didn't know why he was here, but he was here now, just like that. It was as though something had possessed him, carried him here. Animal or human? Was it curiosity, was it desire? He didn't know. He was unsure, of everything, of himself. Something that didn't come to Herbert West very often. He was taken over by so many thoughts and feelings, most of them foreign to him, uncharted waters he had never before visited. And, whether he was aware of it or not, he had resigned to it already. He had already given himself over to it.

A red haired woman had answered the door to him, an older woman, she must have been in her late fifty's at the least, Herbert guessed. She was the Madam, the owner of this place, the one in charge of it all, whatever it was.

She welcomed him inside, to a reception room, his first look at this seedy, ridiculously cliché place.

"Hey darling" She said, she was chewing on a piece of gum, a wide and friendly smile on her face. That must work on most people, Herbert thought. Not him. He wasn't here for niceties, he wanted to make use of her very useful business, wanted to test Dan's theory and get out of there. Quick as. "I'd ask you how I can help you this evening, but I think we both know." She followed up, a laugh in her voice.

Herbert attempted to hide a scowl. He was having second thoughts. This was ridiculous, why was he here? He really should get back, back home, back to the basement, back to normality, back to his work, back... But his he stayed put, his feet firmly planted to the spot they were on.

"Hmm yes" He said, a sarcastic smirk on his face. His eyes darting around the place, unable to believe that he, Herbert West standing here, doing this.

"First time?" The woman spoke again, raising an eyebrow, still chewing obnoxiously on her piece of gum.

"Uh, pardon?" He didn't know what to say, unusual for him. He was lost in his thoughts. Lost in this confusion within him.

"I mean at a place like this, sweetheart" she laughed.

"Herbert. Please. And yes" He said. She seemed slightly taken aback by his response, his directness was never lost on strangers. Something Dan had constantly tried to correct him on, told him maybe he should try a softer approach, to no avail. For the next few moments she asked him some questions. She said it was so she could make sure his needs were met, as best as possible, that was her job after all. And so she began to probe him; what did he like? Not certain. Type? Not really...