Everything worked out for John and the doctor. After they finished, it was time for the doctor to return to where he had left off. When got ready to leave, he saw John sitting on a chair at the reception area.
"Need help?" The doctor said as he walked up to him. For a newcomer like john he wasn't very much vast in the town. The doctor could tell.
They exited the front entrance followed by the doctor trailing from behind. John stood by, just a moment, as he waited for the doctor. The sound of chains laced with the doctor's hands tied over, and around the door like a knot. Pulled from his bag a metal lock and he hooked it in place, turning the key and securing the door. To chain the door like it was a third-world country, it didn't seem weird at all. Because the town has changed so much; nothing has stayed the same, changes make due, and people adapt so as not to be found lost. The new norm - the new norm that everybody has to abide by- just for the town's people sake.
Pretty sure that Mother Maris would take care of John, since it was she who requested his help coming from Melina, it felt only fair to return the favor and guide John back to where who was responsible for his safety and well-being.
The doctor left John at the warehouse-like building this time it was front entrance. The door that John and the siblings came from was the backdoor. "I'll leave it to you, I'm sure you can manage," he said and bounced off.
10 minutes in and Doctor Elset has reached the point of his location.
Standing at the foot of a classical 1900s establishment there where soldiers guarding the front door. Fortunately for the doctor he showed them a permit card and they let him through. It was simple. For those that tried to get in without a permit had their chances ripped and thrown to the side. This was no ordinary establishment. This was the town hall. An important place for the mayor and his associates. And why the doctor is here for.
Back when the town had discovered the frantic arrival of the virus spreading within their territory, it was a matter of time before all hell let loose, the town's people fighting over each other, breaking and stealing goods, and if they didn't get what they wanted they stormed the town hall.
It took some time to subdue the riot, but when they did, the damage had already been done. It was a first, though. Things like that don't ususally happen around the town. So in case of precautionary safeguarding the establishment, the establishment was fortified with changes that would less likely hinder any sort of damages taking the toll - providing a second layer of defence. Window exteriors were sealed off with wooden planks, leaving only a few decks for certain aspects. Doors were also sealed with only two doors left for usage. In addition to the restoration, it had placed guards on watch duty shifts outside on either the exit and/or entrance. The town hall used to look prestigious and glamourous. But if one where to compare it, past and present, it is safe to say that things have gone for the worst. It looked different. It looked like an abandoned house that went through renovation but failed to do so and turned out to resemble a haunted house.
Inside the establishment, the place used to be as big and very spacious as that of a five star hotel. Decked with nice polished floors that reflected the light of the ground, marble pillars placed at specific areas adorned with extraordinary patterns, sendilar lights made of the purest material that shined like diamonds, and the sheer amount of wood work complimented around the edges from marvellous furniture and decorations coupled with lively forms of flowers - like indoors atuned in nature - scattered just near the entrance, the reception desk, and up the stairs on the rails. It was a wonderful experience to behold, especially for the tourists, and locals. To them it felt entirely different from any other places they've been. Just being in there makes their hearts flutter, their gazes above the cloud, floating.
But when doctor Elset saw the inside of the establishment for himself, as many times as he was there before, all the mood, all the excitement just kind of slipped off his head. He didn't blame anyone for it. He doesn't hate them for it. Him, in his heart, just doesn't like the state of what has become of a place that is so beloved get wrecked and transform the focus of the interior that has been around for years and years to nothing but utter disgust.
He's been here many times already and the view has grown into him. If it were someone else who still has reasons to visit the establishment, they'll faint right on the spot. It isn't an opinion but in reality a fact. The locals as old as they come and still kickin, have gotten to a point where they wanted to sue, or rather, take matters into their own hands for damaging such a piece of history. Fortunately, since the end of the of the world is coming and everyone is on high alert, the focus seemed to change in a dramatically sweep and fast pace.
Doctor Elset walked and walked. He sighed. "What a mess!"
Instead of the uniqueness of bright colours of the town hall when entering, what seemed captivating has been replaced by boxes, and boxes, and more boxes. What made everything pop out was packed, taped, and sealed. The walls are even dustier than ever before as Doctor Elset runs his fingers and rubs it in-between just to show the unsanitary nature.
What made the town hall special was not because of the amount of detail put into the design and luxury implementations to attract a wider crowd, but it was also the historical significance that was left behind that became a major part of the town, and it's people.
The history goes back in the 1800s that the establishment was previously owned by a respectable figure in the days of the founding of nation. Carlos Van Vannesse. He was a talented and renowned artist, much appraised for his paintings that received admiration from both the locals and the wealthy. It goes without saying that before the artist died of old age, he dedicated himself to paint the walls of his home whether it be the side walls or the ceilings, he did it for the joy of it. He also wanted other people to experience his art. Then at the age of 78, lying in bed with one final breath, he finally closed his eyes.
A sad story. It really is.
In his will, he wrote to his inheritance to his son to take up the mental of his work. The son took it effectively; but in his own way. To commemorate his father's legacy, the son turned the establishment into a hotel whilst also keeping the paintings in top notch shape, which in turn attracted a lot of customers as well as tourists who were still fans of Carlos Van Vannesse's artistic paintings.
Generations pass and the hotel business is booming. In the heart of the founding of the nation, where Vanesse Hotel resided, the population grew and business too blossomed. From then on - immediately - the birth of Lossiemouth Town was born. Later on, the hotel would then be turned into the centre of the town: The Town Hall.
Doctor Elset was on the stairs, climbing, by one step at time (in no hurry). While he placed his hand on the wooden rail, he noticed that the paint on the walls have faded and the wrappings have peeled deteriorating into lump pieces thorn from the source.do
As he was at the top, the second floor, there wa seriousness and calmness before he walked over down a hallway passing by a series of doors (left) and windows (right). "They should at least fix this place." He commented on the state of the establishment.
When the Doctor came close to the end of the hallway, a pair of deep voices rang in an oddly but familiar tone he couldn't put two together. It sounded yelling and shouting.
The doors he stood next to were pretty big compared to the common doors designated elsewhere. It was two doors, closed in a manner guarded like a castle with two beefy handles.
He knocked on the door and the sounds on the other side settled down.
"Come in," a man on the other side spoke.
He opened the office room door and closed it. "I'm sorry mayor, I hope I'm no disturbing," Doctor elset shuddered.
"No it's alright Doctor, " the mayor said normally as if he had to control his behaviour whilst he sat on his chair and just where his desk was, "Besides, our friend here was just about to leave," he eyed the other man.
"Tch," the other man sneered. "I'm out of here!"
The other man passed Doctor Elset as he stood still. When he passed the doctor, they both exchanged glances. The strangers stare, only for a few seconds, was like a sting of a bee. The Doctor was not tempted. He just let him pass.
With the strange man out, the door shut as hard as thunderous clap - Boom!
Doctor Elset knew something was off with the mayor and, the stranger which he recognised. The name going around: Letchad. Why was he here anyways? What did he want? What was his purpose with the mayor? The mayor just acts like nothing happened, but there was certainly something around. What was the beef between them?
"Don't worry about him, he's not important," the mayor leisurely said. "So what is it that you need?"
Now was not the time to think. The doctor needed to follow up on why he exactly came to see the mayor. The more, the better.
As Doctor Elset moved to the mayor's desk, he took out a pile of papers attached together and slid it on the desk.
"What's this?" He asked the Doctor.
"Read it," the doctor replied. He wanted the mayor to read the papers that he compiled.
And so, the mayor regardless if was told or not, read the papers. He read with a silent voice and skimmed through each of the papers back and forth just to clearly understand what the information he was reading. When he came to the end, the mayor felt like as if was going to have headache from just reading. He sweated slightly as well at the very end.
"Doctor I don't think this is right," the mayor questioned, confused if what he read was true.
In the doctor's defence, he elevated the mayor's mind, "It's true....." He said as she stood at a window and looked outside. Then looked back to the mayor.
"My meds are running short on supplies."
"But you're always full!"
"Not this time," the doctor nodded, his hands slipped in his coat.
"The clinic was scheduled for a resupply. This was months ago, by the way. So I waited day after day after day. It never came. I even called the company for a renewal but the signal was out. So maybe I thought to just wait it out and hope to get a reply. During that time it was when that incident happened. Best I could do now was to make do of what I had remained." The doctor explained, and the mayor listened indiscriminately.
"The remaining supply is not that bad though. But what I'm hoping for is that we talk to the people if they could spare some meds for the long term." He finally said.
The mayor breathed out tired and rolled his chair back to the rear and leaned back. "I'll see what I can do."