Read Lily Marin - three short steampunk stories for Free Online

left the room for a few
minutes, and returned with a small contraption that looked like a
light bulb the size of a teaspoon on a short flexible brass tube.
"This is what you would keep between your teeth, Miss Marin." He
handed her the device.
    Lily looked at it and decided this was not so
bad. She had eaten lollipops larger than that, but she did not tell
the doctor this. There were certain things a lady did not
divulge.
    "The light may be a bit alarming to you," the
doctor continued, "as it will change colours during the procedure.
This is however nothing to be worried about."
    Lily felt safe with the doctor. He was very
careful with his work, and he was clearly very dedicated to
whatever he could do for her.
    "The light," the doctor continued to explain,
"will be powered by the latest, state of the art power boxes, from
the well known company of Mr. Enderson."
    Lily recognised the name from somewhere. With
the doctor placing his trust in them, this too had to be a good
thing. "When do you think we can begin the procedure, if you do not
mind me asking?" Lily was very anxious to get her voice treated so
she would be a great singer.
    The man in the white coat smiled at her as he
arranged the light on his desk, next to the power box he had
pointed out. "Of course, I understand you are looking forward to
this, Miss Marin," he nodded, "but if you would like some more
tea..."
    Lily asked if this would be beneficial to the
treatment. As the doctor said that it would not make any
difference, she said she did not want to wait. Upon the doctor's
request she undid the high collar from her blouse so he could rub
her throat with the special cream he had told her about.
    The cream felt very cool on her skin. Lily
sat as still as she could, so the doctor could work in peace. He
almost startled her as he said that she was allowed to breathe
normally. Lily coloured red; she had not noticed she had been
holding her breath.
    "Now we have to wait for the cream to settle
on your skin," doctor Drosselmeyer said as he wiped his hands on a
fluffy white towel. "This will take a few minutes, Miss Marin. If
you feel anything that is uncomfortable, please tell me. In the
time we wait I shall prepare the table."
    "Table?" Lily was so surprised by this that
she forgot all rules of etiquette and blurted out the word
bluntly.
    Doctor Drosselmeyer, who had already started
walking away, stopped and turned. "Yes. Oh, I am sorry, I did not
explain that part, Miss Marin. The procedure should have the best
effect if you lie down. That will enable you to relax as much as
possible and should provide us with the best results. Which is what
we want, don't we?" Apparently he had not heard her bluntness.
    Lily nodded. "It is, indeed, sir." She
watched as doctor Drosselmeyer worked on what looked like a kind of
bed that was in a far corner. At least that was better than a
table, she thought.
    Her throat started itching. From the inside,
which was awkward as the cream was on the outside. She told the
doctor about it, who asked if the sensation was very bad. "No, not
very bad, but it feels strange so I thought I would tell you."
    "Good, good, I am satisfied with this, Miss
Marin," the doctor said as he turned back to the bed that was a
table.
    Lily waited.
    Suddenly the doctor rushed to the desk and
picked up a clock. He shook his head, mumbled something and then he
invited her to lie down on the table.
    Lily, wondering why he shook his head, then
noticed the leather straps on metal chains that hung from the bed.
"Excuse me, sir, but do you think these are necessary?"
    "These are merely a precaution, Miss Marin,"
the doctor assured her. "It is imperative that you remain lying
still, so a few supports for that should be in place."
    It struck her as odd to call these straps
'supports', but the doctor was the expert in this field, she told
herself once more, so she lay down and let him secure her arms. And
her legs. That worried her slightly, as the man was touching