Reggie hasn't posted either for quite a while - you're still here PWO?
Search Posts
Murphy, Reggie?
Very good... he leans back in his chair and for the first time since the gruesome happenings in Dunwich, he seems to come to a rest. I guess I'll be heading up soon, get some sleep. I recommend you do the same. There is a sofa in the living room and a double bed in the guest room.
A photo lab? Good idea, we have one at the university? the professor takes a sip from his drink and ponders about that for a moment But it will take at least two days until they're finished - we could also do that in Boston, can't we? Oh and Reggie, I think that's a good idea, we just let the dust settle, for now, kay?
By that time, the professor has cleared the large table in the kitchen from old maps, tomes and other stuff that surely doen not belong in this room. He has made tartes for everyone and even looks a bit proud Guys, I don't have beer, but maybe sherbet is also ok?
I have a nice recipe for a tarte flambee. Grabbed it from an old farmer's wife when I was in Alsace during the war, heh. I'll bet you like it and it will surely drive some of the bad memories away...they will return soon enough. the professor gives Reggie a pat on the shoulder and tells Daniel where the bathroom is, before he goes into the kitchen.
Oh...Reggie...I wouldn't recommend telling the truth...I mean not even mention the burning...So, is your family one that sticks close together? Would they come to attend the funeral? Cause if not, you could just pretend she suffered a stroke, mhm? the professor says thoughtfully while fidgeting with some loose threads on his jacket.
No one else hungry? the professor appears relaxed - maybe even cheerful now that he is back in his safe haven. I could make some pancakes!
Uh, oh...Mr. Murphy...I'm an old man and I hoped for grabbing a few winks - hey, I could also need a hot meal. he grins and hopes to calm you down a bit.
The books the professor keeps in this room centre around several, rather uncommon topics: Atlantis, Troy, Mayans, etc.
But before you can inspect the volumes closer, the professor returns - in a better mood - and with several black and brown suits. He hands the pack of clothes to Daniel and says I just phoned my colleague, Dr. Andrew Spillard from Boston. I didn't go into detail and just told him I would like to visit him and the university with some of my best students - show you around etc. He has a chair in anthroposophy and I think he could help us in the long run - if we assume correctly that this Believer-sect has a certain history in the area. I guess we should start with finding out what happened to this painter I spoke of.
The professor nods, gives Murphy a nod and walks upstairs to fetch the suit and phone some people.
The professor notices Daniel's slightly incredulous look and comments dryly Try to imagine the home of someone as far away from the ideas of Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists and all these charlatans and you might land here in my living room - alcohol sometimes makes sense...this is one of these situations, heh. without knowing about Daniel's personal fate this might not have been the most sensible, but surely true answer.
The professor eyeballs Daniel for a moment and it dawns on him that his clothes are most probably in a similar condition Mr. Tauber, it would be an honour to lend some of my old suits to a gentleman from Hollywood - my late wife would have loved this story, heh. He leads you inside the house, through a dark corridor into the large living room. Dark mahogany bookshelves line the walls of the room - they nearly burst under the amount and weight of large volumes and old tomes stuffed into them. Mr. Tauber, I will look for a suit and then I will have to call some friends. Murphy, why don't you open the bottle of sherry over there and serve some drinks, mhm?
The walk to Arkham is accompanied by mixed feelings - you're glad and relieved that you were able to escape alive, but the wrath that was kindled by the Believers also fills you with determination - the cult has to be wiped out... Arkham, one of the larger towns in this part of Massachusets is about to wake up as you reach it. The first person you meet, a maybe 15 year old paperboy, eyes you with a mixture of wonderment and surprise Mhm I guess we don't look too fresh, heh. The professor snickers and stops the next taxi which brings you to his house in one of the better districts of the city. The brick-red, large house with a nice garden is well kept and lies in a neighbourhood where you would expect to meet the rather successful people from the city.
The professor lays a hand on Daniel's shoulder and brings him slowly back to the car. Once he has seated him inside, he returns to Murphy and Reggie Gentlemen, I think Daniel is right...we can't accept the Believers reign of terror. Do you remember that I told you about the painter in Boston? I think that he must have known more about all this - maybe what is behind the cult. ...I...I can only speak for myself, but I'm going to make a trip to Boston next week and I wouldn't mind your company.
No doubt that the unidentifiable tramp bodies found there will be them...
The Believers aren't stupid - they won't kill a whole squad of firefighters - the operation must have rused lots of attention, so I don't fear for these people...more so for our friends who have stayed there.
The tunnels? what do you think will the firemen do if...IF they find the tunnels? No one will investigate that...maybe archeologists, but surely not the police, they will tell them something about Indians and blabla...and the cars? They will tell just everyone that it is the village dump...I fear no one will ask many questions in Dunwich.
The fire engines pass, but the professor reacts quickly as a red bus is the next vehicle that follows the road towards the Dunwich. He races over to the centre of the road and forces the car to stop. Quickly he exchanges some words with the driver before the car moves on. As he retrurns to you he seems disappointed They were called by a policeman from Dunwich, the sawmill is ablaze - most probably because of some wild camping tramps, who didn't take care with their fireplace...
I agree, let's rest here... the professor says and joins you on the backseat of the car...quickly you all fall asleep, a sweet dreamless sleep, something your body has longed for...suddenly you are all woken up by the siren of a fire engine zooming past you...then follows another one and another one, all from the Arkham firefighter department.
Yes, Arkham is a good choice. I'm teaching at the university there - Kingsport is a place for tourists in summer, we won't find much help there. the professor explains. He seems quite relieved now and yawns. Uah...these were the worst two days of my entire life... The drive to Arkham stops about ten miles away from the town - at least that is what Armitage guesses. It's about three hours to dawn and you are surrounded by dark farmlands. You haven't met a single car on the road since you left the Dunwich hinterlands.
Oh yeah, good idea! Franks says like it was his own idea - Reggie keeps on driving and quickly you pass the Whateley Farm which looks like a bulbous blain in the darkness. The car rumbles down the road and more than once you fear that the front axle will break when you hit the next pothole. But Frank was right, his ford is a good car and after about two hours of driving through the dark hinterlands of Dunwich you reach a larger road with street lights. A road sign reads Left: Arkham/ Right: Kingsport
You know Mr. Whateley, too? Weird fellow, eh? All these strange books and drawing on the walls, heh....a rather nervous laughter...
Oh yeah, I'm a Hoover salesman - met the old man this noon, very friendly, but sadly he didn't need a Hoover. By the way, my name's Frank, Frank Willard. he puts his hand forth and fishes a Hoover brochure out of his jacket.
Yeah, It's a Ford, good car, very reliable! My uncle, Jim, he bought a Ford when they were pretty new, the car never let him down. He was in Flanders during the war, part of the US motor corps, and he also had a Ford there - funny, eh? Yeah, and when he came back, he was all freaky and... the man talks and talks - most probably his way to cope with the situation. You follow the small road for about half an hour unchallenged, then after a knoll, you can make out the yellow lights of the Whateley farm. and my nephew, a good boy, he wants to work as a mechnaic and I told him...oh, the Whateley house!
You people are crazy...I...oh feck...ok, I'll join you. Who drives?
Even though he's drunk, the man notices that something is wrong with you. He raises his hands, backs away some more steps and says No problem, whatever you say is cool with me. Just take the car, I will walk to the next village and won't tell anybody about you, I promise!
Wh...what? Who's Miller? the man pales and backs away from the car and you.
You remember seeing a road that went past the Whateley House into the hills, most probably it will later meet with larger roads leading to Boston.
The confused and slightly drunken man turns around and peers into the darkness... Ok, better with you, than being alone, I guess - so where do you want to drive to?
The man stumbles backwards as he spots the gun in your hand You're highwaymen? his voice is a mixture of real fear and a bit of exhilaration What about a deal? I give you my money, but you leave the car here? You knwo, I just drove past some weird looking guys with long legs and strange voices who followed me, shouting all the time, for about half a mile - they didn't look very friendly and I wouldn't want to meet them here in the hills...at night...
The professor nods and helps Daniel and Reggie - just in time the driver notices the obstacle and with screeching tires manages to stop his car before it runs into your makeshift barricade. A man in his thirties, wearing a cheap brown suit and a crumpled head, throws open the door of his car and shouts What are you crazy people doing here? his voice is a bit coarse and his movements lack control - he's probably drunk.
You're lucky, there's a tree, once struck by a lightning, nearby and you can easily rip large branches off it to block the road if you hurry. We should not endager the driver?!
Hurrying through the darkness, racing through fields and over hills, Dunwich becomes smaller and smaller behind you and after about 30 minutes you can't make out its lights anymore. Breathing heavily you try to orient yourself. To your left lie the dark woods where Reggie's aunt was burned - the supposed cult place of the goatmen, somewhere ahead of you is the Whateley house now and to your right the mountains loom in the darkness. See that? the professor breaks the silence and points ahead, about 1500 ft away two lights dance through the darkness, most probably a car on the road that connects the Whateley farm and Dunwich.
Funnily the choice of Whateley Road leads you safely out of town, even though the torches appear here and there behind you, they're never close enough to threaten you. As you pass the last house of Dunwich, a dog starts to act up - quickly you pass the house and at the time when there's suddenly light behind the windows you are already at least 300 ft. away. Now, once again, the dark hinterlands of Dunwich lie before you. A cold shudder runs down your spien as you remember your first meeting with the murderous goatmen in the woods not far away from here.
The professor grabs your hand and pulls himself up. As he spots the open door, his expression becomes somber A brave boy...stuntman he is, eh? I hope he's a good one and we see him again. As you look out of the chapel door you can see the dancing lights of the torches to your left. They're already about 300 ft. away and you should be able to leave the cemetary unseen now.
Charlie's vopice cracks as he shouts in panic They're coming closer! Quick, I'll distract them! Then you hear how he pushes open the door and yells something at your pursuers before he runs out of the chapel and into the dark, followed by the shouting villagers. What a brave man. Quick, hurry now. the professor forces out of his mouth while he continues to gather the papers.
As the professor kneels down to take another look at the pile of sheets, you suddenly hear Charlie's alarmed voice from above Hey, there are torches coming nearer!
Together you start to sort the material, but after only about two minutes Reggie suddenly pulls a sheet of newspaper (from the 16th of August 1861) out of the pile - besides some uninteresting small articles, there is a large headline that reads: Assembly ends in turmoil! Yesterday, during a meeting of the local council, Noah Whateley caused a turmoil when he claimed that the current mayor, Geoffrey Bishop, was an undead - or rather walking dead monster. While at first most attendees believed this to be some kind of macabre joke, Noah was adamant in this statement. Since Geoffrey was not present, his cousin Humphrey Bishop demanded a proof for such a strange statement in his name. Noah W. told the other members of the council that he had found an old painting of the first mayor of Dunwich - also a Geoffrey Bishop, when he bought old Mrs. Moore's house on the attic. The man portrayed there looked exactly like the current mayor. The council, not at all persuaded but Noah's strange ideas has scheduled another meeting for the next Saturday - then Noah Whateley shall bring the portray along so that it can be compared to the mayor - a thing his brother comdemned as childish and a waste of time. |