Dell and Rodchester Dell and RodchesterIC: Jason watched as the large dark man left the looney group and walked back towards the theatre end of the city. He followed him to the apartment the kindred resigned at carefully not to arouse suspision. After the kindred had gone in Jasone sat and watched him through a window for some time appreciated his taste in literature. He walks to the door and opens it very carefully and walks in starting to quote'Othello'.
"For Michael Cassio,I dare be sworn I think that he is honest, " he pauses for a reaction to which is answers swiftly and w/o excitement about the intrusion.
"I think so too," responds Tyrone and he continues to play the game pausing as well.Jason smiles at this
turn of events and continues with the next line.
"Men should be what they seem; Or those that be not, would they might seem none!"
Jason responds.
"Certain, men should be what they seem." Tyrone
continues smiling also now as well.
"Why, then, I think Cassio's an honest man." Jason now moves with his lines making any actions that are
reasonable for the line.
"Nay, yet there's more in this:
I prithee, speak to me as to thy thinkings,
As thou dost ruminate, and give thy worst of thoughts
The worst of words." by now Tyrone has gone full force into character as well and the two are enjoying
themsleves.
"Good my lord, pardon me:Though I am bound to every act of duty,I am not bound to that all slaves are free to. Utter my thoughts? Why, say they are vile and false;As where's that palace whereinto foul things
Sometimes intrude not? who has a breast so pure,
But some uncleanly apprehensions
Keep leets and law-days and in session sit
With meditations lawful?" Jason continues but is
quickly becoming bored.
"Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago,
If thou but think'st him wrong'd and makest his ear
A stranger to thy thoughts." Tyrone answers back but
notices his guest's lack of enthusiasim. The pause
grows into a silence until it is broken by applause
from Jason Ellison.
"Bravo! Bravo!" Jason says clapping with a bit of sarcasm, "Its not everyday you can walk into a house and quote Shakespere and have it answered back so eloquently. Jason stood there waiting to see how this actor type would respond.
Somewhere in Toronto.....
IC:
Water was dripping onto his face. It prevented him from both sleeping and concentrating on much of anything. It was dark and he couldn't
see much, only the pipes that ran past his arm and traversed the darkness inches from his head. He could hear running water move through them, and the sound of it frightened him. The rushing noise reminded him of the fact that he couldn't move. It was like a pulsing
heartbeat, urging him onward, but he could not respond with action.
He was immobilized, prehaps tied up, or somehow restrained, although he could not discern the nature of his immobilization in the darkness. His mind whirled around ideas, unable to grasp a thought for more than a second or two. He hurt physically, as well. At least one of his legs was broken, from what he could tell, but the pain was beginning to dull as it, too, became part of the monotonous capophony that was his subterranean prison. Most of all, he was HUNGRy....the desire for sustenance boiled up inside of him, consuming his thoughts....prehaps that was why he couldn't focus. But this hunger was, well,....strange. He was hungry for something unfathomable. He could feel the way his tounge strained at his lips after it- a desperate, insatiable craving. He was hungry for blood, and he didn't know why.....
"Is everything in readiness for the meeting tomorrow night?" That voice again. Dell knew it, but the hunger in the pit of his being was preventing him from concentrating. Also, the acoustics in this seeming prison kept sending the sound waves echoing like crazy. Not only could he not figure out where he was, but he couldn't get a fix on his jailers, either. But that voice, it could only be one person. A person he had trusted. A person he had even loved, perhaps. But ultimately, a person who had betrayed him for her own gain. More water dripped down onto his face, rolling into his mouth. He coughed and sputtered, trying to expel the foul ichor from his mouth. Despite his thirst, water was not to his taste- especially this water with its stench of decay and oily coloring.
"I trust our guest is comfortable? You do know that I would never want harm to come to my love, of course?" Perhaps that was true, but right at this moment Jason was wishing a world of harm on her. He swore then that, if he ever managed to live through this, he would do everything possible to see her suffer for this. Nobody did this to him! He was the Prince, after all, wasn't he? And all those who were involved in this plot would share her fate for having the impudence and arrogance to think they could usurp his power! The only problem was that, right now, they actually had the power. Dell struggled against his bindings again, a vain effort but nonetheless a necessary one, if only for his own slowly-ebbing sanity. At this moment, he would not be surprised to find the Malkavians behind this, since it seemed a perfect way to drive him as crazy as they were.
IC: Sarah stood amazed by what their host did next after comming to an agreement with Sydney. Jennifer smiled and leaned back and reached for a book on the shelf behind her. As she took out the book the group gathered closer to her like a group of children who want to see what little treasure a friend had hidden. She thumbed through the pages until thin piece of paper fell out. She picked up quickly before
Christian did since it fell near his foot.
"No, no, no," Jennifer replied in a motherly tone,
"Not yet." Jennifer walked over to another room
leaving the three puzzled and staring at each other.
Jennifer returned a few minutes later with a couple of shovels and a wide grin that reminded Sarah of a
jack-o-latern.
"What is that for?" Sarah asks angerily not looking
forward to more games.
"You'll see, just a minute," Jennifer replied softly. She opens the paper and holds each side down a shovel. There on the ground is a map of Toronto about a 150
years ago with several things written in languages
that Sarah recognized but couldn't read. There was
also a path made out in glitter pen that was very
treasure mappish. "You have shovels and the treasure
map, go find the treasure." They looked at each other
like she was nutz not them but then Sydney looked at her and began to ask some more questions and things fell together a bit.
They got up to leave but Jeniifer stopped them short. "Rochester Sydney..." Jennifer called to them. Sydney's shoulders dropped again.
Maestro smiled. It wasn't everyday that a person would meet someone who knew
Shakesspeare so well. However, the man was intriguing even with his so-so
acting ability but what bothered Tyrone was who was this embraced fellow and what did he want. So Maestro asked him.
"That was fun, have a seat and tell me who you are." He said with a smile and a dash of a silver tongue.
IC: Jason looked perfectly calm as he took a seat in the chair that Tyrone had pointed to. Jason smiled at Tyrone," Why don't you start my friend." Tyrone was
rather offended by Jason's attitude but kept a cool
head about it.
"No your please first for you are the guest and it
would be rude if i was to go" Tyrone answered. Jason
smiled and brought his fingers together forming a bit
of a triangle thinking for a moment.
"My name is Jason Ellison, and as far as who i am that is simple, no one of consequence to you." Jason sat there pompusly like a cat who has the bird. "The question now is who are you and what do you know
of those lovely Malkavians?"
IC: Christian got up quickly, almost knocking over that same God-awful gold vase again. He hurried over to see the crude map that promised to lead to adventure. He really couldn't say why he was so ready to jump at this turn of events. Perhaps he'd been feeling like a 5th wheel in this group that seemed to not be needing him for anything. Granted, they weren't the most homogenous, well-put-together group of characters that he'd ever seen... Still, he didn't want to feel useless to them, even though they'd only just met. Perhaps here, his keen perception and maybe even his visions would become of some use, as they had woefully never been to Teresa. Of course, they never just showed up to help him when he needed it, as he'd tried to tell her countless times. In fact, they usually just served to confuse him even more than he already was.
After grabbing a shovel, he stood there beside the others in a gesture of mock bravado, chest heaved out, head held high, shovel placed firmly at arms' length like the great explorers of old. Perhaps he and Tyrone had something in common after all.
"I feel like one of those guys you see on the Discovery channel, ready to face the Great Unknown of wilderness. (In his cheesiest, commercial announcer voice) Adventure awaits the intrepid explorers as they venture into the wild and dangerous streets of the sprawling metropolis, in search of the mysterious Lost Prince of Toronto." Strangely enough, this foolish display seems to lighten everyone's mood and they all begin to giggle a little. Christian, looking around and beaming as if he'd just gotten a date with the prom queen (not that he'd ever want to date the prom queen), again put on another spectacle and, holding aloft the shovel pointed toward the front door, donned his proper English gentleman's voice, and quoth "Tally ho, old chaps, pip pip and sally forth!"
But it looked as if the others were not quite ready to head out just yet, all standing around kind of like sheep waiting for the slaughter, especially Sydney. Jennifer stood in front of the door, the end of Christian's shovel a foot from her ratty face, standing there tap-tap-tapping her fingers on her crossed arms. Perhaps the nosferat wanted those answers now. For Christian, the big 'mystery' of Rodchester was just that. He was clueless about it, and kind of wanted to stay that way. Everyone's been blaming something or other on the Malks for as long as he's been one, and it's not likely to change. What's one more thing to the downtrodden? But like all things in his life, he had a feeling this would not turn out the way he wanted it to, either. So he sat back down, crossed his legs, and once again half-way listened and half-way headed back inside his own head to wonder if after this he'd be looking for a new city to live in once again.
"You came here to ask me that?"replied Tyrone."I have no clue what you're talking about." Jason sat there with an amused know it all grin on his face.
"Don't give me that, I saw you talk with them out in the open a half hour ago."said Jason,tapping his finger togther in the triangle he had in his lap.
"Well,"said Meastro,"What about those malkavians I talked to in the street." Jason's face fell.
"Did they say anything to you?"
"Nothing but spittle and gibberish."Said Maestro,"Now please get out of my home."
"Very well, but be warned..."
"Warned about what?" Maestro became angry. "Those damn malkavians said nothing to me and I don't take easy to threats! Wanna go outside and have words?" Maestro's fists balled up and his beats began growling and snarling beneath him. His blood working to make him stronger.
"No need to be upset..."Jason tried to repsond with the presence discipline but he choked. Something of maestro's anger actually made him scared, so with a gracefeul bow he retreated.
IC: Jason used the blood that flowed through his veins to convince this large kindred to let him stay much to his dissapointment though it failed. Jason had a strange sense of forboding fall over him and decides to leave.
"I'm sorry our time has been so short we'll have to get together again sometime," Jason says through a partially forced smile and leaves Tyrone's apartment. Jason hear a slight slaming of the door and chuckles happy that he got to the kindred.
He immediately heads to a dark portion of town out
near the railroad tracks and bums of the streets of
Toronto. He moves quickly not wanting to be seen in
such a place of decay and foulness. He moves towards
a faint light on the far side of the tracks were a
small shack is and enters quickly.
The room is rather empty except for a light hanging
from the ceiling, a small area rug that used to be
green and yellow, and a stool in a corner. On the
stool is a cell phone the only modern thing in the
room. Jason picks it up and hits the redial button on
it.
"I'm back" Jason replies to the grunt that answers.
Maestro stood by the door in his apartment cracking his knuckles in frustration. He had tortured and killed men for what the stupid toreador had done however now Maestro was more curious than ever to what the malkavians are doing. Something was nt right but something told Maestro it wasn't time for him to be involved yet. Somehow in his gut he feltthey would come to him soon.
~Damn, that was a long drive. That rich kid's bike made it in pretty good time, though. Glad that little prick's daddy could afford to buy him such a nice Harley, or I could still be in that little hick town.~
Talbot has always loved motorcycles. The wind in the hair and the freedom
of insanely high speed almost brought back that panicked rush of artificial
adrenaline and harsh chemicals. ~Ah, who needs that shit, anyway? Now
that I can do all this stuff, with hardly any consequences.~
And, of course, what could be better after such a long ride, than the
comforting glare of flashing lights in the rearview? "Oh, just what I
need. It's almost dawn." The roar of the Harley's V-twin engine is
deafening as Justin opens the throttle to full. ~Ok, mister policeman,
let's see if I can do that little trick again, huh?~ Justin cuts the turn
way too sharp to stay on the road, but the cop speeds up, passing right by
without so much as a sideways glance, eyes intent on the bike still
cruising ahead of him. ~Damn, it was easier when I made the newspaper
shreds look like cash. What did that old man call it? Chemiskry?
Mimiscry? Hell, who cares, it comes in pretty handy.~
Talbot checked into the little motel just as the sun peaked over the
horizon. He'd had only a few minutes to explore the city. Not much here,
a few clubs, but not really the kind of music scene that guy had told him
about. ~What made me believe him, anyway? I didn't even know the guy.
Maybe I was just tired of the 'Beach, but why Toronto? Who the hell even
considers Toronto? But still, there's something about this place.~
And as he drifted off into his undeathly slumber, his final thought was of
that psychotic, scraggly looking guy rampaging through that little
bookstore around the corner. ~Hope that's not someone tryin' to tell me
something. Go the f**ck home comes to mind. What a weirdo.~
IC: During the day Talbot has a strange dream, an interesting dream...
~As Talbot stands in the middle of an empty street he is approached by two kindred. One is dressed very
well and the other like an artist kinda. They walk
around him several times eyeing him up and down. They
nod to each other and then walk away.
Next Talbot is suddenly in a theatre where a large
dark kindred is performing skapespere. He looks to
him curiuosly wondering why he is there. Tlabot tires
to say something but is unable to and the kindred
leaves.
Lastly he is in the bookstore again and watching a
kindred pace back and forth in the end of the store.
He has a package in his hand about the size of a
romance novel and it is wrapped in brown paper. He
looks to him and his eyes panic...
FLASH! back to your room now where you see the two
kindred from earlier standing over your sleeping body
reading from a book that you cannot read the title of.~
Talbot awakes quickly and finds a piece of paper next to him with two addresses on it, one of a community theatre and the other of a bookshop.
IC:
Anique settled back in the hideously colored, yet comfortable arm chair. At least this Nosferatu knew a lot more about comfort than she
did about interior decorating. The Nos produced a map- it looked like the map of some underground passageways or something. Christian jumped up and grabbed a shovel, looking like he was going to dig
through the floor if they didn't get going soon. Anique was cool with that idea. She wanted this mess to be over with. Even better if that meant she got to slit Jason Ellison with her knife, but, regardless,
they should DO something, she thought. No one moved.
She looked imploringly over at the Nosferatu and Sydney. They were not paying attention. In fact, they were busy talking about 'Rodchester'....what the bloody hell was RODCHESTER? Anique thought that it sounded like a name out of one of her hideous romance novels. She began to fidget, drumming her fingernails on the coffee table.
She looked up at Christian, and saw that he looked just as puzzled as she was. She gave him a pleading look, and crossed her eyes while pointing at Sydney and the nos, who were lost deep in conversation. Chistian laughed and pretended to hit sydney's head with a shovel. Sydney did not notice. Anique sighed in frustration and began to play with her knife.
IC: Once again, Christian settled himself onto the threadbare carpet to await the whim of the powers-that-be, in this case Sydney and the Nosferatu
chick. He hated waiting! He needed a bumper sticker to wear on his ass that said "I'd rather be painting" or something like that. He leaned back and retrieved his almost-forgotten bag of goodies and pulled out a
box of charcoal and some sketch paper. He then begandrawing while he waited for someone to tell him what to do. He hated waiting, but he also wasn't the kind of person to jump up and take command, despite his
false bravado a few moments earlier.
~Why on earth does the woman pick now to be soincessantly curious about Rodchester? Doesn't sheknow our asses are in a royal sling here, and the longer we wait to find out why, the closer we come
to... what did she say?... brightening ourselves a
sunrise. I swear, sometimes I think if I'd never
learned to draw, I'd go nuts. Of course, now would be
a good time for a vision. But does one come? No,
because it would be convenient now. Now when the last
thing we need is a delay and all because of something
that nobody....~
All of a sudden, a thought struck him. Why the hell WERE they waiting? None of them knew about Rodchester, so far as he could tell, except Sydney. Why couldn't Syd spill his guts and catch up to them
later? He dropped his drawing without another thought
and turned towards Anique and Sarah. "Hey you guys,
what are we waiting for? We have a map, and none of
us can help Sydney on this Rodchester thing. Am I
right? Why don't we just let him catch up to us
later? We can go now and maybe get a head start on
finding whatever it is we're supposed to find. Besides, it's getting early and we might not get
another chance at this since we're supposed to be at
this meeting tomorrow night. What do you say?"
IC: Anique watched as Christian began to sketch, furiously scribbling at his scetch book. SHe was frustrated too. Damn RODCHESTER. were they going to sit here all night like slugs. blech. Suddenly, Christian jumped up, and suggested that they go searching with the map themselves, without sidney. Anique jumped out of her chair with a start, her knife clattering to the floor.
"Hell Yes!" she proclaimed, her grey eyes sparkling. "Christian, I whole-heartedly agree! Let's GO! I'm tired of sitting around! What about you, Sarah?" she asked. "Are you with us?" Without waiting for Sarah's reply, she lept accross the room, and dragged Christian up off of the floor by his shirt. "C'mon, let's get going!" she said, with a big smile on her face, as she grabbed for the map and made for the door.
"I'm back." Ellison replied to the grunt that answered him.
"About time." came the answer.
"Yes yes, dear boy, charming as ever, aren't you? Well, go lance your boils or something and let me talk to Monica, would you? Thank you so much."
After a momen't pause, a beautiful feminine voice comes on the line. "Well, what news?" The brusqueness of the voice would indicate either a woman in a hurry or one who does not beat around the bush with her servants. "Did our little rats take the bait?"
"Oh yes dear. They were scared out of their tiny little crazed minds. You should have seen it. I thought poor Will would positively crack to pieces! The new boy was there, along with the ghostly one and the child, as well. Awfully convenient of them to convene all in one spot, don't you think?"
"I'm not concerned with that. They have been told about the meeting by now, I'm sure. Let them cook in their own paranoid delusions for a bit. Any other news?"
"Indeed yes. There's another new player in town. A big black fellow of Shakespearean design. Quite handsome he was, but utterly boring in the end, like all the rest. And here's one more for you. I'm sure you'll love this. A Ravnos, I think. He came drifting into town only moments ago. Saw him on my way here, as a matter of fact. I could kill them for you. Really, it would be no trouble."
"No. Why bother yourself with that nonsense Jason. Just make sure they show up to the meeting tomorrow night. That way we can take care of the whole lot at once. Now, what about Remington?"
"What do you mean Monica?"
"I mean, you're sure he doesn't know anything- about Dell, about our involvement in his disappearance, about the plans? He could screw everything up."
"Remington?!! Oh my, he doesn't have the slightest hint. He's a fool dear. A complete fool. He doesn't have a clue."
"You'd better be sure of that. Even a fool can be dangerous. In the meantime, just keep circulating the rumors that Dell was in league with the Sabbat. That should ensure that what few supporters he had will think twice about opening their mouths tomorrow. Better to be beaten than to be accused yourself, yes?"
"Ooh, you are so wicked Monnie! I love it! Alright then, don't worry about a thing. Ellie's on it, love, and you know I always do everything with style and pizazz. Those nasty little Malks won't know what hit 'em. Now do take extra special good care of our lovely Mr. Dell, won't you?"
"He's just fine, 'Ellie', although I'm sure he's well on his way to becoming deranged by now."
The both share a light giggle and then Monica Freewater hangs up abruptly. "Fool. He'll never know what hit him, either." She hands the phone back to her protege and walks toward the shabby elevator tucked away between some steam pipes. "Now, it's time for me to go. I don't think I could bear to sleep in this horrid place. Be sure everything is prepared for the meeting, and if anything goes wrong, I hold you personally responsible. Understand?"
A low grunt is her only answer, and she ascends the elevator away from the muck and filth- a fitting place for the work she has planned.
IC: Maestro in his apartment, turned on Lettermen. He laughed at the top ten list and would shout periodically at Paul Schaffer's singing on how he was flat or stale. After half way through the show Maestro came to his windw and stood on the sil From his place he could see the entire city, his city! he loved it! Tomorrows was another showing of the play. Hopefully the malkavins will find him.
IC: Sarah jumped (literally) at the oppurtunity to get out of the nos' place. She had known of Sydney's disapearance during the Rodchester fire and mysterious reappearance, much to Sarah's relief, but she did not know what happened during the time he was gone. Sydney had come back rather frazzled and nervous but never spoke a word to her about what had occurred or where he had been.
~yes! finally we get to go some place!~ Sarah thought
as they left the room and went outside. She could
tell it was close to day break and that they did not
have much time. They quickly tried to determine the
place they needed to be on the map.
"This is where we need to go." Christian pointed out
looking to Sarah and Anique for directions there. The
location was an old pub near the one set of train
tracks that went through Toronto when the map was
made. He looked at them impatiently as if they knew
exactly where it was, "Come on we haven't much time,
where is this?" he asked.
"The map was made before i was born adn i'm new to the
area." a frustrated Sarah responded and then looked to
Anique as well. "Do you have any idea?" Sarah asked
hopefully.
Talbot's groggy eyes snapped wide open as he spotted the note crumpled on his bed. He scanned the room quickly, pulling the 9mm out from under his pillow...
After searching the room thoroughly, Talbot pulled on his clothes, stuffed
the 9mm into his pockett, and went down to the front desk to have a talk
with the clerk. "Where's the guy that was working last night?"
The old woman was startled from her gossip show, "Oh! Who? Oh, Nick has
the night off. Haven't talked to him all day. What do you need?"
"There was someone in my room last night. I want to know what he saw, or
if he even let them in. I don't like surprises like that. Where can I
find him?"
"Nick's in a rock band, and I gave him the night off, 'cause he said
something about him and his friends playing at the bar tonight."
"What bar? Did he say?"
"No, sorry. But, how many bars can there be with a live rock band?"
"Yeah, ok. Thanks anyway. By the way, I don't know how long I'll be
staying here, so here's the money for tonight. I'll just pay by the night.
And, I found this note laying on my bed when I woke up. I don't know my
way around here, so do you know where these places are?"
"Well, I'm not too big into theatre, but, this bookstore's right down the
street."
"Thanks." Talbot turned and walked out. ~Why did they leave this note?
What the hell do a bookstore or a theatre have a damn thing to do with me?
Well, might as well go check 'em out, nothin' else to do. Right down the
street to the bookstore huh? I'll just find the theatre later."
The old woman's heart jumped again as the Harley's V-Twin roared past the office, heading toward the bookstore.
IC: Anique literally bounded out of the nosferatu's place, giddy with excitement at finnally DOING something. She had been twiddling her thumbs enough. Ha. Maybe things would get interesting. She liked the idea of adventure. Christian was pointing to the map. There was an old pub near train tracks, somewhere in Toronto, or at least it HAD been about 100 year revious, when the map was produced.
"Where is this?" Asked Christian. Sarah appeared not to know. Anique thought a minute. She hadn't been living in Toronto long either. However, there was this old building she had passed by a few times, by an old set of decrepit train tracks. She remembered that it was still a bar...hmmm...could that be the place?
"I think I know what the map is refering to!" she said...."follow me!" Then, Anique stopped dead (or undead) in her tracks. "Wait a sec. Isn't it almost dawn? Should we be going back to the bookshop, or should we continue? I dunno you guys, I don't wanna get a suntan. On the other hand, I want to know what the hell is going on here....what do you think?"
IC: Christian, after being bodily pulled outside by a very enthusiastic Anique, tried to look over the map in the glow of the streetlight. He, Anique, and Sarah had at last determined where they should go, but now it seemed that fate had thrown yet another obstacle in their path.
"You know, sometimes being a vampire really bites."
Christian commented, in reference to their current
problem of an impending sunrise. "I'd guess we only
have, at most, another hour or two before sunrise. If
we do go check this out, and things get hairy, we're
almost surely screwed." Sarah looked over the map
again, trying to sort out where they were and how long
it would take to reach their destination, a run-down
bar in the middle of the old part of town.
"Plus,"
she added, "I don't like us all not being together.
If anything does happen, Sydney could come walking
into a trap, and we'd have no way to warn him. But
then, we might not get another chance to check this
out." They all looked at eachother, hoping one of
them would make the choice easier. It was like the
proberbial rock and a hard place dilemma. Christian
had once again been the instigator of action, but now
had no clue as to how to proceed. They were just as
lost as they had been to begin with, and maybe a
little more confused now than before.
"Let's just go back to the bookstore" Anique
suggested, "We don't have enough time to check this
out properly, and we still need to tell Will about
this. As much as I loathe that prospect, he is just
as much in this as we are. Best to keep him in the
loop. What do you think?" Anique looked to the others
for comment on her suggestion; Christian and Sarah
looked to eachother in turn, and nodded their assent,
as well.
"Ok, I'll go tell Sydney" Sarah said as she
went back into the Nosferatu's place. She emerged a
few moments later, looking a bit frazzled, like she'd
seen or heard something that didn't quite fit in with
her conception of reality. "Yes, that's what I
thought, too" she said to the air beside her.
"What
did you say, Sarah?" Anique asked, only to get a
confused look back from Sarah.
"Huh? Oh, nothing..
um, Sydney said that's fine... probably for the best.
He'll meet us there." She trundled off in the general
direction of the bookstore, still not quite aware of
the world around her. Christian and Anique quickly
caught up and headed back to where it all began.
"Let's just hope tomorrow goes a bit better, eh?" Christian offered. Anique just solemnly nodded, her concentration lost on the unsheathed knife running back and forth across her palm, and Sarah seemed not to hear, at all. Of course, none of them expected tomorrow to be any better. In fact, just about all of them were dreading what the next night might have in store for them. Although they didn't know what to expect, they certainly knew enough to surmise that it wasn't going to be good.
IC: Sarah was glad to be heading back to safety. After
losing Julian to the morning sun she really had began
to dread sunrises even more than before. Sarah seemed
to slip a little bit from what was around her lost in
thought.
~Why couldn't i save him?! I just don't understand why
Machi was so upset. Julian was part of the group too,
why let him die and not me? It makes no sense at
all... Julian i wonder where are you now exactly? Did
you even realize what was hppening to you? I wish is
could've..~ BOINK! Sarah hit the door of the nos'
place.
Walking into the nos' place she suddenly realized that
Beacky had not been with them when they had headed out
earlier. She walked over towards Sydney and the nos
and found a pale Becky sitting near them. "what are
you doing?" Sarah demanded from Becky. Sydney and the
nos looked to Sarah suddenly noticing her presence.
"Somehting wrong Sarah?" Sydney asked looking rather
puzzled. The nos stood there terribly interested with
who Sarah had talked to.
"No nothing is wrong, we were just wondering if we
should check out things tonight or wait since its
close to dawn" Sarah answered quickly making a quick
glare of quiet to Becky. To that motion the nos went
nearer to Sarah and Becky and just stared at the air
beside her and then thought for a moment about it. "We
were thinking of heading back to the bookshop..."
Sarah trailed off looking to the nos strangely, "Why
are you looking like that at Becky?" Sarah asked the
nos.
"Becky?!" The nos asked.
"Yes Becky my twin sister." Sarah answered matter of
factly. The nos turned to Sydney who made a looney
person had gesture back and the nos smiled in
understanding.
"I see, your sister, hi Becky" she said in a sweet,
condesending voice. Sarah frowned at the response but
whated to hear what Sydney thought.
"Yes dear, head back to thte shop we'll discuss this
more tomorrow." Sydney said at last and ressumed the
conversation with the nos.
Sarah grabs Becky's hand and they head out into the
evening until Becky stops. ~"Do you know what they
were talking about?" Becky asked.~
"Rodchester" Sarah stated.
~"No, do you know what was being said about
Rodchester? What happened?" an eager Becky stood
there waiting to tell what she had heard.~
"Well tell me" Sarah demanded impatiently. The two
contnued towards the rest with Becky explaining what
she had heard to Sarah, who was unsure of what it all
meant. As they approached the group Sarah was
respondng to part of the story when Anique heard her.
"We can go back guys" sarah told them and continued
walking listing to Becky oblivious to the world around
her.
Before they were back Becky had finished her story and
Sarah as watching the skyline as Dawn approached. Her
thoughts returned to Julian. ~I wish i could talk to
you love... If i could just see you one last time...
i hate dawn. its so ugly and bright and terrible...
i miss you Julian.~ With that last thought Sarah went
to sleep for the day.
ic: Anique and Christian stared at Sarah as she walked past. She
seemed to be lost in her own little world. So she had talked to
Sydney about Rodchester? Why did everyone know what this blasted
'rodchester' thing was EXCEPT her...? Once again, out of the loop,
she thought. She walked beside Christian, as they made their way back
to the bookstore. Sarah walked ahead of them, a stricken, sad look on
her face. Anique ran the blade of her knife across her palm, watching
as the moonlight glinted off of it's steel surface. She and Christian
were silent as they contemplated the night's events. Their footsteps
echoed in the silent street. They got back to the bookstore. The
lights were off, and the door locked. Anique tried the handle, but it
didn't budge.
"Hey, does anybody have a key?" she asked. After a few
moments, Sarah's eyes lit up, as if she had just heard the words.
"Yeah, here, in my pocket!" She pulled out a keychain with a single
key, and unlocked the door to the shop. They stepped inside. It was
strange, the way the shaddows fell accross the floor, over stacks of
books and bookshelves. Anique headed for the door to the basement.
The others followed.
She turned to them "I think Sydney keeps
matresses or something down here, for 'guests'...I don't know about
you two, but I could really use some sleep!" Christian nodded. He
looked a bit worn out himself.
Coming back to the bookstore felt like returning home after a long vacation. The evening had been so strange and surreal that the familiar store seemed like another world. There were a couple of old matresses in the basement, with newly laundered sheets and pillows. Anique sighed at the thought of a soft matress. She went to the one in the furthest corner. She placed her knife beside the matress, kissing it lightly before laying it upon the ground. She removed her shoes and climbed into bed, facing the wall. When she closed her eyes and surrendered to the darkness, she could hear his voice, calling out to her as he died. She darkness was what brought on the memories...the smell of his blood as it ran red into the ground, the mercilless laughter of the Lasombra as they tore him apart...but most of all she remembered the look of betrayal in his eyes when he looked at her...she had not intended to be the messenger of death, but she had let him down...Javier had died because of her mistakes, and she would not let these new people die either...her new friends-she hardly knew them, but she did know that she could not betray them. A bloody tear ran down her cheek, and she stopped herself from crying so not to stain Sydney's new sheets.
