Conversation · Central Furnace

"We should ask the lady in the bookstore what's going on with these curtains."

"Wait, really?" He looks up at the ceiling. "We should investigate, see if someone's upstairs."

"I'm hallucinating."

"Wait, really?" The lieutenant sounds concerned. "Take your head out of the chimney, please. It's not safe."

It feels safe to know that the lieutenant's got your back, now and always.

This sounded real, not imagined.

"I hear the murderer of the hanged man talking."

I'm getting carbon monoxide poisoning.

Maybe it's coming from behind those safety curtains you saw upstairs? You should investigate...

Or maybe you're just hungover again.

Could it be psychological? Because your physical health is fine.

This sounded real, not imagined.

Maybe it's coming from somewhere upstairs? You should investigate...

What's happening?!

I'm hallucinating...

I hear the murderer of the hanged man talking.

Kick it with your foot.

A hollow ring echoes through the furnace. Your toe hurts.

"Kim, what is this thing? Is it a furnace?!"

"Looks like it. Looks like an old central furnace used to heat the building. It's connected to the chimney..." He opens the door and gingerly peeks inside.

"No one has used it in ages... No signs of any recent fire, only dead rats."

A thick layer of coal dust covers the furnace, colouring it pitch-black.

Looks like this furnace has a face and it's a face of agony.