On the subject of severed canine heads...

Narrowly avoiding death with a creature yet again, I finished my business in the damned cellar that was storage and moved on to the Study, where another of the levers to fix the elevator was kept.

The study, thankfully, was devoid of monsters, but was no less disturbing. I found evidence that seems to connect Alexander to these monsters, named "Gatherers". What were they gathering? It may be that they were gathering people to bring to Alexander. If that's the case then in addition to The Shadow hunting Daniel, Alexander is the one sending these monsters to find him. Find him, and kill him.

The study showed Alexander was working on obtaining some sort of life essence/energy. A flashback revealed him using a saw blade to decapitate a dog, remarking that he can defiantly feel it. Apparently though, animals don't possess enough of what he needed. I'll give you three guesses as to what would, and the first two don't count.

Acquiring the last pieces for the elevator required a short walk outside along the window ledges, my first trip outside since this damned thing began. Outside was not the place to be; far from civilization and shrouded in fog, I wouldn't last a day out there. If journal entries were to be believed, the Gatherers were outside as well. Even the trees themselves seemed malevolent, their branches just barely out of reach like a predator just barely unable to reach his prey because of cage bars. 

Regardless, escape was out of the question, so I pressed on and found the pieces, making my way back to the Machine Room to fix the elevator with newly acquired skills and pieces. Along the way I noticed The Shadow had escaped from the sewers and was slowly infecting the main atrium with its growth. In addition, a fountain near one of the windows had been turned into a grave.

The body rests with its upper half on the legs.

I hurried to the Machine Room to escape before I could be consumed by the darkness. With the keys I needed, fixing the machine was simple.

Proper flow achieved.

 

 

The panel for the levers, apparently designed by a five year old.

I solved this one with no problem. Thanks Fisher-Price!

With the equipment set up and the boiler full of coal, I started the machine up and was thrilled to find that, for once, things were going my way.

All systems go!

I left the Machine Room in high spirits, but was quickly reminded of how hopeless things really were. In the short time it took me to start the elevator, The Shadow had encroached on the elevator room and enveloped everything in sight. With haste, I entered the infernal machine and made my way down. More aggressively than ever, the growth of The Shadow followed me, transforming the elevator shaft as I rode down, causing mechanical issues. The elevator malfunctioned and fell uncontrolled as I fell with it into darkness.