Swamped

"Gah!" a nurse cries out. It's the one you were talking with earlier. Guess you weren't the only one checking these latrines out.

"Sorry, didn't realize you were already here," you say. "Um, are there supposed to be wooden boards to cover these up? I saw one in the latrine on the right, but it seemed a bit out-of-place."

"No, wood's too much of a fire hazard. We've got metal covers for when the stench is too strong." She motions down to the one she just put in place. "Absorbs most of the heat. Trouble is, it's heavy and takes a while to drag them all the way over here. Maybe you can help me with the third one."

There are slightly more beetles in this room, you notice.

"Beetles aren't worrying you, are they?"

"We've had an infestation for two weeks. I'm used to them now." She grumbles. "About as used to them as one gets, I suppose."

Now that gets your attention.

"Seems a bit odd to let an infestation run free in a hospital," you note.

"We don't have the spare budget for an exterminator. And they mainly stick to the latrines, which are a good distance away from the patients. As for staff, we normally only empty the chamber pots at the end of our shift." She looks at her hands. "We do have a washing station just in case, though. Suppose you'd better come with me to it if you've been hanging around here. But first, we'll get the last cover."

The fact that the beetles aren't new just seems stranger - they should have found some sort of wood by now. Maybe they aren't orchard beetles after all? They've got the same pattern on their backs, though. Pretty hard to mistake that.

Well, you suppose that's something to ask about.

"Sure. By the way, do you know what sort of beetles these are?"

She looks lost in thought.

"Well, my wife and I had a friend over for tea the other day who's fascinated by insects. I was focused on making the tea, but now that I think about it, I believe the subject came up. Now, what was it he said they might be again..."