Chapter 7 – A Discourteous Career
Jekyll didn't get much sleep that night. He spent most of it tossing and turning in bed. He was confused; what was going on? Bet seemed to really like him, and he could feel himself being draw to her charms. What was she doing sniffing around with Skinner? Was she taking them both for a ride? There was something wrong about the way he had kissed her too. Was it just because he was invisible? Jekyll imagined that it must be very awkward kissing someone who was invisible. But why was she with Skinner, Jekyll kept asking himself.
He slowly climbed out of bed and changed into his day clothes. Still Bet lingered on his mind. He had to find out what was going on.
Jekyll knew he could never confront Skinner himself. Skinner knew too many smart answers and he would demolish anything Jekyll said to him. Jekyll needed someone on his side.
He had put Hyde off last night, but now seemed a vital moment to release him. He pulled out the box of formulae and took a vial out of it.
"Come on, Edward." He spoke to the vial. "I need you to help me now." He uncorked the vial and tipped the contents down his throat.
Letting out an almightily scream, he started writhing about as the formula started to kick in. Insufferable pain started to surge throughout his body, but this time it was more bearable as Hyde was going to help him with confronting Skinner. Although Hyde had no smart remarks for him, he could threaten Skinner if necessary. Skinner would have to talk.
Edward Hyde bounded out of Jekyll's room and headed down the corridor, making a beeline for Skinner's room. Reaching his destination he grabbed onto Skinners door and ripped it from the frame.
"Skinner!" Hyde growled. There was no reply, but Hyde knew he was there. "Come out and talk to me, you cowardly slime bag!"
The sheets on Skinners bed moved and Hyde heard a tired groan emerge from the room.
"Do you have no respect?" Skinner cried. "Its only just gone half seven. How is anybody able to function this early in the morning?"
"Come out here now, Skinner!" Hyde called. "Or do I have to come in there and make you?" There was a frantic rustle of sheets, but Hyde couldn't see him.
"What is it?" Skinner spoke from the now empty doorframe. Hyde growled.
"What have you been doing with Bet?" Skinner was taken aback.
"Really Hyde," He replied, cheekily. "I didn't think you were the type to care!" Hyde flung his arms out at the empty space in front of him and grabbed Skinner.
"What have you been doing with her?" He repeated. He could smell that Skinner was getting nervous.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Skinner told him, but Hyde shook him violently by the shoulders.
"Don't play games with me!" He cried. "I saw you last night with her!" Skinner was starting to get scarred. What would Jekyll do to him if he just avoided the question? He didn't want to find out.
"Alright, alright!" Skinner yelped. Hyde stopped shaking him but he didn't let go of him. "I was only helping her get along more easily. If you have to know this all started when we first met. You know, Fagin suggested her to me. He knew she was unhappy and thought she's be more likely to volunteer than anybody else." Hyde started to get impatient.
"Don't avoid the point. What were you doing?" Skinner looked shocked.
"You do know what she is don't you? What she does for a living?" Skinner asked. Hyde looked puzzled. Skinner smirked. "She didn't tell you did she?" Skinner started to laugh.
"What are you talking about?" Hyde growled. "Bet was a thief along with the rest of them. You know that as well as I do."
"But that wasn't all she did." Skinner continued. "A young, pretty girl like Bet would get a lot more revenue for other things you know. Her body earns a lot more than any thief could. She walks the streets. And who would I be to turn down such a thing!" Hyde let out a great roar and threw Skinner back into his room. He hit the bookshelf and some of the books fell out on top on him.
"You disgust me! If you're just lying to me, Skinner, you won't know what's hit you!" But Hyde knew that he wasn't joking. It made sense. Why had he never realised before? Hyde moved forwards to attack Skinner again.
At that moment, a stabbing pain started in Hyde's stomach. His formula was running out. He started to gallop his way back to Jekyll's room, but the throbbing was slowing him down greatly. He had just made it back to Jekyll's room before the formula had worn off completely.
Jekyll fell into the room and collapsed onto his bed. He was totally shattered. Gaping for breath he rolled onto his side and gazed at the desk. His books were still all over the desk from yesterday where he had given up. After a short rest, he slowly pulled himself up and stumbled his way over to the desk. If he could bury himself in his work, he could forget about Bet for now. He couldn't believe that such a sweet, charming girl like her could have such an awful career. Jekyll though that she wasn't the type.
He continued to read the paragraph he had left off at. A few minutes later, Jekyll spotted something and froze. What was that he had just read? He backed up to the start of the paragraph and read it again.
That was it! That was how to become visible!
Jekyll didn't get much sleep that night. He spent most of it tossing and turning in bed. He was confused; what was going on? Bet seemed to really like him, and he could feel himself being draw to her charms. What was she doing sniffing around with Skinner? Was she taking them both for a ride? There was something wrong about the way he had kissed her too. Was it just because he was invisible? Jekyll imagined that it must be very awkward kissing someone who was invisible. But why was she with Skinner, Jekyll kept asking himself.
He slowly climbed out of bed and changed into his day clothes. Still Bet lingered on his mind. He had to find out what was going on.
Jekyll knew he could never confront Skinner himself. Skinner knew too many smart answers and he would demolish anything Jekyll said to him. Jekyll needed someone on his side.
He had put Hyde off last night, but now seemed a vital moment to release him. He pulled out the box of formulae and took a vial out of it.
"Come on, Edward." He spoke to the vial. "I need you to help me now." He uncorked the vial and tipped the contents down his throat.
Letting out an almightily scream, he started writhing about as the formula started to kick in. Insufferable pain started to surge throughout his body, but this time it was more bearable as Hyde was going to help him with confronting Skinner. Although Hyde had no smart remarks for him, he could threaten Skinner if necessary. Skinner would have to talk.
Edward Hyde bounded out of Jekyll's room and headed down the corridor, making a beeline for Skinner's room. Reaching his destination he grabbed onto Skinners door and ripped it from the frame.
"Skinner!" Hyde growled. There was no reply, but Hyde knew he was there. "Come out and talk to me, you cowardly slime bag!"
The sheets on Skinners bed moved and Hyde heard a tired groan emerge from the room.
"Do you have no respect?" Skinner cried. "Its only just gone half seven. How is anybody able to function this early in the morning?"
"Come out here now, Skinner!" Hyde called. "Or do I have to come in there and make you?" There was a frantic rustle of sheets, but Hyde couldn't see him.
"What is it?" Skinner spoke from the now empty doorframe. Hyde growled.
"What have you been doing with Bet?" Skinner was taken aback.
"Really Hyde," He replied, cheekily. "I didn't think you were the type to care!" Hyde flung his arms out at the empty space in front of him and grabbed Skinner.
"What have you been doing with her?" He repeated. He could smell that Skinner was getting nervous.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Skinner told him, but Hyde shook him violently by the shoulders.
"Don't play games with me!" He cried. "I saw you last night with her!" Skinner was starting to get scarred. What would Jekyll do to him if he just avoided the question? He didn't want to find out.
"Alright, alright!" Skinner yelped. Hyde stopped shaking him but he didn't let go of him. "I was only helping her get along more easily. If you have to know this all started when we first met. You know, Fagin suggested her to me. He knew she was unhappy and thought she's be more likely to volunteer than anybody else." Hyde started to get impatient.
"Don't avoid the point. What were you doing?" Skinner looked shocked.
"You do know what she is don't you? What she does for a living?" Skinner asked. Hyde looked puzzled. Skinner smirked. "She didn't tell you did she?" Skinner started to laugh.
"What are you talking about?" Hyde growled. "Bet was a thief along with the rest of them. You know that as well as I do."
"But that wasn't all she did." Skinner continued. "A young, pretty girl like Bet would get a lot more revenue for other things you know. Her body earns a lot more than any thief could. She walks the streets. And who would I be to turn down such a thing!" Hyde let out a great roar and threw Skinner back into his room. He hit the bookshelf and some of the books fell out on top on him.
"You disgust me! If you're just lying to me, Skinner, you won't know what's hit you!" But Hyde knew that he wasn't joking. It made sense. Why had he never realised before? Hyde moved forwards to attack Skinner again.
At that moment, a stabbing pain started in Hyde's stomach. His formula was running out. He started to gallop his way back to Jekyll's room, but the throbbing was slowing him down greatly. He had just made it back to Jekyll's room before the formula had worn off completely.
Jekyll fell into the room and collapsed onto his bed. He was totally shattered. Gaping for breath he rolled onto his side and gazed at the desk. His books were still all over the desk from yesterday where he had given up. After a short rest, he slowly pulled himself up and stumbled his way over to the desk. If he could bury himself in his work, he could forget about Bet for now. He couldn't believe that such a sweet, charming girl like her could have such an awful career. Jekyll though that she wasn't the type.
He continued to read the paragraph he had left off at. A few minutes later, Jekyll spotted something and froze. What was that he had just read? He backed up to the start of the paragraph and read it again.
That was it! That was how to become visible!