Last Fragment

When Barbara was institutionalized, all of her drafts, works and assorted papers were collected. Those of a strictly personal nature, such as the letters between her and Derek Sheridan, were returned to her grandmother. The rest went into the care of Dr. Emmeline Leith-Thabit (Ph.D. English Metrics), of Eastern Oglethorpe Academy. She has painstakingly organized and annotated the documents. The Last Fragment was found folded in fours amongst a box of cheap jewelry.

 

Barbara wrote in a distinctive cursive script, capitalizing the first word of every line. She also favored a blue ink pen. What she didn’t like, she scribbled out and wrote below in smaller cursive atop the next line.

 

The Last Fragment was written in black ink, by hand, using all capital letters. Again, the words beginning each line had a larger letter, denoting capitalization. And while the tone nearly matches that of Barbara’s work, it is clearly not.

 

Although the obvious route would be to ask Barbara directly. Considering her current state, her medical team has deemed it too dangerous, as it may induce a panic attack.

 

The single page begins with the title Last Fragment and consists of 12 sections. 

 

It looks - it locks - me in the eye

Frozen is the body before it will die

Not from within but outside

Returning - beware the void outside

The Restoration 105 was a summer program where young artists assisted with repairing and maintaining the Shoreline 105 lighthouse. In return, they held workshops and presented art works or plays in the evening. It is possible Barbara obtained from another member. Dr. Leith-Thabit contacted most of the participants in the hopes of finding the author.

 

Co-Founders, Arthur Sterope (landscaper and carpenter) and Dr. Freya Bryar (theater workshop organizer), were approached first and neither had any notion of it. Dr. Bryar did recall a few of group did continue into the night after workshops. At the time, she thought it was young adults star gazing and random coupling.

 

 

Some will wait, will make the observations

The rites, not so old as the void, will be done

As a beacon, before flesh decays

And the spirit calls - come this way!

This section of the poem may relate to a location in the sky, namely the star Arcturus. This star is approaching our solar system from beyond our galaxy. We are not sure if the Last Fragment warns that it brings something else with it.

 

Beware the arrow pointing

From the celestial queen’s gamma

Past her ghost, due north, through the bear

To what comes closer - from the void outside