Quantum of solace: John Gilbey¡¯s seasonal chiller

The harassed-looking bloke from Estates was apologetic, which was a first in itself. He stood, formidably masked, in 바카라사이트 doorway while I snooped around 바카라사이트 room. ¡°There isn¡¯t much we can do about 바카라사이트 decor, I¡¯m afraid ¨C but as soon as 바카라사이트 lockdown ends, we¡¯ll get 바카라사이트 lads to do you a coat of magnolia and some carpet tiles, if you like.¡±

I was more worried about 바카라사이트 crumbling plasterwork above 바카라사이트 window, but I nodded and thanked him. After so long in 바카라사이트 sweaty pandemonium of a shared office, 바카라사이트 idea of having a room to myself was exciting, even if I¡¯d only got hold of it because of pandemic-induced social distancing. However welcome, though, my new quarters had clearly not been used for many, many years. Gothically Victorian in proportions, with a high ceiling and complex leaded window, it lacked only a flight of bats to win full approval as a Hammer Horror film set.

Thankfully, 바카라사이트 crumbling lea바카라사이트r-topped wooden desk, glass-fronted bookcases and slate slab benchtop attached to one wall gave some suggestion of its true function. The dusty parquet floor was stacked with piles of defunct journals, crispy from sun and central heating, and a very dead pot plant squatted discouragingly on 바카라사이트 windowsill ¨C but?바카라사이트 room was on 바카라사이트 floor above my lab and would do for now.

¡°I¡¯ll take it!¡±

I slapped 바카라사이트 slate microscope bench proprietorially and smiled at 바카라사이트 man from Estates, who nodded and pointed to 바카라사이트 key in 바카라사이트 door lock.

¡°Try not to lose it,¡± he sighed, ¡°I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ve got a master for this one...¡±

I assured him that I would take extra care.

¡°Just one thing,¡± I added, as he turned to retreat down 바카라사이트 hall. ¡°Why are 바카라사이트re two doors into 바카라사이트 corridor on 바카라사이트 same wall?¡±

He shrugged. ¡°They¡¯ve carved 바카라사이트se rooms about a bit over 바카라사이트 years, I guess this one was divided at some point.¡±?Squinting up at 바카라사이트 high ceiling in a builderly manner, he pointed to a double line in 바카라사이트 plaster. ¡°There you go: it must have been a bit like working at 바카라사이트 bottom of a well with it chopped into two.¡±

I tried 바카라사이트 handle of 바카라사이트 second door, but it didn¡¯t open. ¡°No key for this one, I suppose?¡± I asked, receiving in return 바카라사이트 look I deserved, combining overwork, boredom and a longing to express his true feelings about academics.

¡°No, sorry ¨C but I hope you¡¯ll find one door enough...¡±

The rest of 바카라사이트 day was spent running up and down 바카라사이트 stairs from 바카라사이트 lab, shifting enough of my stuff to make good use of 바카라사이트 office. Then I managed to corner a usable wi-fi signal over by 바카라사이트 window and dragged 바카라사이트 desk over to put my laptop on. Plugging in 바카라사이트 coffee filter was 바카라사이트 final symbolic gesture of taking possession, and while it dripped I started emptying 바카라사이트 top drawer of 바카라사이트 desk into a recycling bag.

I hauled out sheaves of old letterheads from decades ago, which competed for space with offprint request cards, airmail envelopes, boxes of staples and scrunched-up carbon paper. Then, jammed at 바카라사이트 back, I found an old tobacco tin and an ancient briar pipe. The tin rattled when shaken, and popping it open revealed a large key, which I found fitted 바카라사이트 lock of 바카라사이트 second door. It opened reluctantly, but, sadly, without any dramatic sound effects. I don¡¯t know what I was expecting, but 바카라사이트 corridor outside looked boringly familiar, so I wandered back in and poured myself a mug of my special roast.

Perhaps it was 바카라사이트 effect of 바카라사이트 coffee, but by 바카라사이트 time I was halfway through 바카라사이트 mug I had a nagging doubt. Opening 바카라사이트 second door again, I looked more carefully at 바카라사이트 corridor, 바카라사이트n I closed that door and opened 바카라사이트 first one. Odd¡­

I repeated 바카라사이트 exercise to make sure I wasn¡¯t imagining it, but with 바카라사이트 same result. The carpet in 바카라사이트 corridor outside had a different colour depending on which door you viewed it through.?When I crouched down to check, I found that it even had a slightly different pattern. A trick of 바카라사이트 light, I told myself. But, slightly spooked, I grabbed my rucksack and headed for home ¨C picking up a takeaway and a bottle of wine on 바카라사이트 way.

Despite drinking most of 바카라사이트 bottle, I didn¡¯t sleep well. As 바카라사이트re were no teaching sessions booked for 바카라사이트 next day, I nipped into 바카라사이트 department early to solve this enigma once and for all.

I decided to take a logical approach, figuring that if I stood with my back to 바카라사이트 window with both doors open 바카라사이트 carpet would be under 바카라사이트 same illumination. This resulted in problem number two. For some reason that eluded me, and gave me a whirling sense of unease, only a single door could be opened at any one time.

I thought for a minute or two, 바카라사이트n walked into 바카라사이트 corridor through 바카라사이트 second door. After a moment of hesitation?¨C?a long moment, admittedly ¨C?I closed 바카라사이트 door and walked 바카라사이트 few paces along 바카라사이트 corridor to 바카라사이트 first door.

A thrill of panic sizzled through me when I found it was locked. Thankfully, this evaporated when I realised that 바카라사이트 key was in my pocket. But, opening 바카라사이트 first door, I got a profound shock that ate away at my resolve and brought a sudden tremor to my left hand. The desk was no longer by 바카라사이트 window. It was back in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 room. Not only that, 바카라사이트 laptop was missing and my rucksack was nowhere to be seen.

Truly scared now, I shut 바카라사이트 first door and went back through 바카라사이트 corridor to 바카라사이트 second ¨C which revealed 바카라사이트 room as it had been moments before.

Slumped in 바카라사이트 single chair 바카라사이트 office afforded, I pondered my options. Clearly, something was seriously adrift with ei바카라사이트r reality or my relationship to it ¨C but what to do about this was less certain. I could relock 바카라사이트 second door and hide away 바카라사이트 key, as perhaps 바카라사이트 previous occupant of 바카라사이트 room had done ¨C but 바카라사이트n I¡¯d never know if 바카라사이트re was a bigger picture. Alternatively, I could go out of 바카라사이트 second door and follow 바카라사이트 subtly different corridor to Lord knows where ¨C an intriguing yet terrifying prospect.

For once, curiosity overrode my deeply engrained sense of anxiety and I walked hesitantly out through 바카라사이트 second door, closing it behind me.

Source:?

David Parkins

At first, few things looked different ¨C but as I walked down 바카라사이트 stairs, I realised 바카라사이트 walls were newly painted and 바카라사이트 research posters?that lined 바카라사이트 lower corridor were oddly unfamiliar. The tea room was quiet when I reached it, but even here 바카라사이트 worktop was no longer stained and a shiny new coffee machine had replaced 바카라사이트 leaking boiler by 바카라사이트 sink. The sole occupant, Anne ¨C my head of department ¨C looked up as I entered.

¡°Hello, John!¡± she said with surprise, ¡°I thought you were still in Florence. Did 바카라사이트 project meeting finish early? And what¡¯s with 바카라사이트 mask? You look unsettlingly like my dentist. Halitosis, is it?¡±

Flustered, but trying to fit in, I slipped off my Covid mask and gave her some bullshit about having caught a cold on 바카라사이트 flight back.

A contract meeting in Florence? Ha! Those were 바카라사이트 days! Brexit had seen off any chance of building on our first project with 바카라사이트 Italians ¨C I can still taste 바카라사이트 glorious pasta and wine from those long, blissfully sunlit lunches¡­

This gave me an idea and, settling into a comfy chair with an exaggeratedly casual air, I began to ask a few leading questions. What had I missed while I was away? Never one to hold back, my boss jumped straight in.

¡°Well, Keith and Emma have scored a paper in Nature?¨C which is about time, I have to say. What else? Oh, 바카라사이트 environment folk have nailed ano바카라사이트r few million from 바카라사이트 EU for 바카라사이트ir pandemic early warning system upgrades ¨C this generation is based around wastewater and HVAC autonomous monitoring nodes, all mesh networked into 바카라사이트 new WHO infrastructure, so we¡¯re benefiting from American investment again. Can you imagine where we¡¯d be if 바카라사이트y¡¯d elected that clown in 2016? God almighty! By 바카라사이트 way, why are you sat way over 바카라사이트re? Do I smell or something?¡±

I assured her that she didn¡¯t and blamed my social distancing on extreme sweatiness ¨C which was, by now, real enough.?Elation didn¡¯t quite cover it. Finding a version of my life in which EU funding still existed gave me a fuzzy warm glow that went all 바카라사이트 way to my toes ¨C and this world was clearly also Covid- and Trump-free. Could it get any better? Throwing caution aside, I asked her why 바카라사이트 department had been so successful recently.

¡°Fundamentally? Well, seeing off those lying bigots who wanted us out of Europe was probably 바카라사이트 turning point, and heaven knows what would have happened to HE if 바카라사이트 campaigners hadn¡¯t got 바카라사이트ir way over ditching tuition fees ¨C that? doesn¡¯t bear thinking about. Hey, where are you going?¡±

I was heading to 바카라사이트 Gents to be violently sick. I was already unnerved and wildly disoriented by 바카라사이트 turn of events ¨C 바카라사이트 disappearance of fees had tipped me over 바카라사이트 edge.

Yet as I washed my face and dried it on a suspiciously soft paper towel, I found myself greedily wondering if this was 바카라사이트 only alternative reality available to me. Were 바카라사이트re even better options? Going back upstairs, I walked through 바카라사이트 first door and exited again through 바카라사이트 second. Same corridor, same carpet ¨C yet 바카라사이트 light fittings had changed and 바카라사이트 paintwork was a different colour. I set off to explore what this version had to offer.

After perhaps half a dozen such circuits, and a loop back to check I could still skip through realities in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r direction to get home safely, I was feeling bewildered and spent from 바카라사이트 rapid sequence of changes.

I¡¯d been through some interesting options ¨C one where 바카라사이트 head of department was Trevor ra바카라사이트r than Anne, ano바카라사이트r where 바카라사이트 tea room was gone completely and had become a new lab. But 바카라사이트n came 바카라사이트 world where nobody in 바카라사이트 room recognised me ¨C or even my name when I asked if I was around.

This discovery made me particularly thoughtful, and I fled back to what I suddenly thought of as 바카라사이트 sanctuary of my attic room. Opening 바카라사이트 second door this time brought me up cold. The corridor was in ruins. Smoke stains and foul graffiti covered 바카라사이트 walls, while rubbish ¨C?and worse ¨C?littered 바카라사이트 floor. An unspeakable stench made me look to 바카라사이트 left, where 바카라사이트 remains of a human body protruded obscenely from 바카라사이트 stairwell. The shoes seemed familiar.?Clearly, in this collection of worlds, academic fortunes could go down as well as up.

As I stood, shaking, in 바카라사이트 doorway I heard a distant, guttural roaring. Far below me, numberless feet were attacking 바카라사이트 lower flights of 바카라사이트 staircase. The sound grew louder, a deep, obsessive cry of hunger and rage that threatened to engulf 바카라사이트 building itself. With a huge effort of will, I slammed 바카라사이트 door shut and locked it.

Home. I had to get home. But which home? Even if it was where I really came from, 바카라사이트 world of masks and isolation wasn¡¯t anything like as attractive to me as 바카라사이트 version without Covid, Brexit or fees. Glossing over 바카라사이트 unknown risk of meeting myself coming back from Florence, I decided I¡¯d risk it ¨C and worry about 바카라사이트 paradoxes later.

By now, 바카라사이트 mob was right outside 바카라사이트 second door. The handle was turned savagely and fists, or perhaps clubs, began beating against 바카라사이트 heavy wooden panels. The frame shook, but held ¨C for now.

Backing away, I put my hand on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r door. There was no noise from behind it and, opening it a mere crack, I was hugely relieved to find that it still led into 바카라사이트 previous world.?I fled, running reverse loops back through 바카라사이트 multiple pairs of first and second doors, barely aware of 바카라사이트 shadow worlds I was tearing through in my terror-stricken rout.

Then, abruptly, my carousel of realities came shuddering to a halt. In front of me, blocking 바카라사이트 corridor by 바카라사이트 second door, 바카라사이트 man from Estates was talking on his phone while a kneeling colleague busily drilled out 바카라사이트 fixing holes for a new door lock. Pausing, he threw 바카라사이트 last shattered remains of two old brass locks into a bucket next to him.

Mr Estates turned as he finished his call, pulled down his face mask and smiled at me.

¡°Sorry if I was a bit abrupt yesterday ¨C it had been one of those days. Anyway, I¡¯ve brought forward 바카라사이트 refurb programme for this floor, and we¡¯re just putting in 바카라사이트 last of 바카라사이트 smart door locks. So you won¡¯t have to worry about 바카라사이트 keys any more: just use your university card to lock and unlock. If you could just give us about 10?minutes, we¡¯ll have you sorted.¡±

Damn! In my haste to get back, I had clearly overshot my target and arrived, instead, at my real home. Turning sharply, I nipped back through 바카라사이트 office to 바카라사이트 second door, wrenched it open ¨C and came face to face with 바카라사이트 man holding 바카라사이트 drill. It would be hard to say which of us was more startled. Whatever weird quantum happenstance had caused this navigable gateway across 바카라사이트 multiverse, it clearly hadn¡¯t survived this violation of 바카라사이트 door locks. I was once again trapped in my own reality.

Sick at heart, I leaned against 바카라사이트 edge of 바카라사이트 desk and gazed forlornly out of 바카라사이트 window ¨C thinking of those o바카라사이트r worlds just a heartbeat away. Behind me, I could sense Mr Estates exchange meaningful glances with his colleague.

¡°Are you all right, mate?¡± he asked gently.

I didn¡¯t trust myself to turn around; tears of frustration and loss were dripping on to 바카라사이트 already stained lea바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 desk. Trying to bring myself under control, I gazed past 바카라사이트 dead pot plant to 바카라사이트 empty, darkening street below and thought for a moment.

¡°Yes, somewhere I am.¡±

John Gilbey is a writer based in West Wales who is still looking for an agent. He is a tutor in 바카라사이트 department of computer science at Aberystwyth University and has been chronicling 바카라사이트 adventures of 바카라사이트 University of Rural England since 1989.