The Campsite

[DrPeterson]

Henry holds on to Katherine's hand for dear life. He frantically crawls close to her, holding on to any bit he can and buries his face in her robes, crying and sobbing pitifully.

Between sobs, he mumbles: "I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to...No! No, please...Don't..."

[Cearlan]

Sharon,The men around Sharon ensure that she is safe and attempt to lead her away from this part of the site, back to where the tent is so she can sit down and get her composure back to where she feels comfortable ... but how is she going to break the news to her father. After all Richard was always the one who could stand up to him, always the one who the old man respected as a result. Fat lot of good it did him in the end though she murmurs to herself before reproaching herself for her wicked thoughts. The sounds of Jimmy screaming and Henry crying will stay with you for a long, long time.

Sr Katherine,The prone figure of the private investigator weeps into your robes, staining them with his tears ... not that that matters at all. At last a chance to do some pastoral work rather than spending her days looking after the sick and needy. Not that she minds that of course, it is God's will after all, but here is a poor lost soul that only she can help at the moment, her and the Creator. This thought fills her with a feeling she has only glimpsed at before and before she knows it she has tears of ... tears of joy being shed, despite the horror and carnage going on on this seemingly tranquil riverbank in New England. Despite your elation at this 'moment with God' the sights and sounds of Jimmy being restrained by the burly policeman, despite your knowing the reasoning behind it, appears to be slightly over-enthusiastic.

Henry,The comforting feel of the person holding on to you, yes being your anchor in this emotional and mental tempest, brings more relief than you ever thought you could feel. However, the terrifying images continue to flash through your scarred mind, the feel of the hand, at once bloated and yet skeletal repulses you beyond any of your previous wildest imaginations. The blind rage you felt as it grabbed you having been replaced by this nameless terror brought it all back to you - the one thing you thought you had buried so deep that nothing could bring the shameful act back to the surface once more. Once more you were in the fields of France during the great War and were being shelled by the German forces when a shell hit close by to your trench leaving scores of your companions dead and wounded. Not just companions but close friends as well. you could have ... should have helped some of them at least but you fled instead ... seeking to save your own life instead of those of your friends. You were taken in by a French farmer who tended your wounds as best he could before you returned to the last known base camp. Here they patched you up properly and you were informed that the rest of your company were either missing in action or lost. You tried to block it out of your mind but every so often it seeps out from between the cracks of your mental defences - bourbon deals with this the best you have found.

Jimmy,As the Avian nightmares continue to fly at you, and deposit increasing amounts of ichor upon your body you feel that your left arm is restricted in it's movements and then your right is also pinned as the glutinous putrescence from the crows sticks your arms to your body. Still they come towards you now hitting you as you cannot fend them off.

[DeeJ61]

Sharon Williams

"Oh! Errm ... yes, thank you" Sharon says as the two men help her up off the ground, as she is led back to the tent, she asks; "what will happen to my Brother now? if you leave him alone there the birds might come back and attack him!"
Back at the tent Sharon thoughts turn to how she is going to break the news of her Brother's horrific death to her Father ... Richard was always the one who stood up to their Father and he was respected more for it too.
'Fat lot of good it did him in the end though' she murmurs to herself before reproaching herself for being so wicked.
The things Sharon has seen and heard at the campsite will remain a haunting presence in her life always!

[Priest]

Jimmy screams, a long, drawn howl of terror. "Please...Keep away...NO!! Get them OFF!!!"

[DrPeterson]

The stench of the trenches was permeating his senses, he couldn't escape the reek of death or the taste of ozone and gas in the air. Henry held on to figure for dear life, as he looked up at her through bloodshot eyes, he stared in awe at her face. The sunlight casting a solid halo around her angelic face.
He stifled a sob and buried his face in sister Katherine's lap again, pushing down hard, trying to keep the images from coming back.

[Cearlan]

Henry,After several minutes, the fear subsides, but the images are burned onto your brain once again ... but at least you are able to function on some kind of level again ...noticing that you have been crying in the good sister's lap for ... how long was it? Groggy from your experience, and with joints and muscles stiff from spasms you stumble to your feet only to nearly fall once more.

Katherine,For several minutes Henry sobs uncontrollably into your lap, holding onto you, perhaps a bit too comfortably considering your vocation, but the fact that he is not comprehending his actions at all removes any potential embarrassment. You can feel his muscles contract as he spasms, like a petit mal, and the sun on your shoulders makes this a good place to be ... where you are needed the most.

Henry & Katherine,Henry tries to stand and stumbles and it is with a great effort of your will that you are able to catch him before he falls onto some exposed rocks nearby. With your support he stands and tries to straighten himself, crying out in pain as his cramped muscles protest. His cries are echoed by Jimmy's plaintive wails which fortunately are becoming less vocal and urgent.

Jimmy,The birds continue to fly at you but slowly, ever so slowly they seem to slow down and eventually stop other than the odd one every so often. Your body is coated in the mucous from their weeping wounds and your nose and mouth are all but covered, making breathing very difficult. But at least the carrion are not as rabid in their attacks as they were. Slowly through the murk over your ears you can hear someone shouting at you to ... was that to calm down - were they insane??? Even slower your eyes seem to clear and you find that your face is not as thickly covered as you thought it was, in fact it is not covered at all. Looking down at your chest you can see that your shirt is sweat drenched, and a bit muddied from freeing that ... oh no - don't go there again. Two policemen seem to be standing over you making sure you are alright - they must have helped drive the birds away - that's it. You focus on one of them and strain to hear what he is saying ... something about having handcuffed you to stop you flailing your arms around ... he asks your name and why you are here. With a sore throat, you give him your name and explain the reason that you are on the riverbank, to look for clues concerning Richard Cardigan. He nods to his companion who tells you to remain calm while he removes the handcuffs. Once free of the shackles, you can see that there is no evidence that you were ever attacked by murderous crows ... which in a way is more disturbing than if you had of been!

[DrPeterson]

Henry croaks "thank you..." to sister Katherine, his voice as broken as he looks, and winces as the pain throbs through his legs and muscles. He tries to stamp his feet, rubbing his arms and legs to get the juices flowing again as he looks around to assess what happened during his madness.

He pats down his pockets, locating his cigarettes, and lights a smoke.

"I'm very sorry for that... Could anyone tell me what happened here?"

[Priest]

Free of the handcuffs, Jimmy slowly climbs to his feet. A quick investigation shows no evidence of Crows or the horrid green stuff they had covered him in, and other than an assortment of bruises and a liberal coating of mud from his rolling upon the ground, he bears little trace of his recent malaise.
With a mixed grin of grattitude and suspicion towards the cops, Jimmy bends to retrieve his hat from the ground, then using his fingers as a makeshift comb for his hair first he pushes it firmly on his head, allowing his fingers to momentarily re-shape the brim. Having finished that task to his satisfaction, he turns his body slightly away from the cops and checks his wallet, satisfied of its safety, he turns back to the others, "So, what happened?"

[Cearlan]

"As for what happened here Henry," says Sr Katherine with a gleam in her eye that betrays that she is close to tears, "You were afflicted with shock at seeing the terrible sights we have just witnessed and it affected you badly, but not as badly as Mr. Vecchio seemed to be suffering. The two policemen had to handcuff him because he was flailing his arms around something terrible." She looks down coquettishly and as she blushed she continued. "I ... I was able to offer you some small comfort in your time of need Henry, it was a moving experience for me as I ... well I'll just say that it moved me closer to my true calling."

Officer Peartree assists a visibly shaken Officer Oxley back to the campsite where he sits him down so that he cannot see the bodies. He returns and escorts Jimmy back to the clearing and sitting him down beside Sharon he tries to answer Jimmy's question as best he can. "We a-dug the body awp - beg'n pawd'n ma'am - 'n there were sahm kindah critter aneath 'im. We'll get him and you brothah wheor they aneeds t'be. Fair shook t' manfolk up fer certin."

After making sure that everyone is settled and that the civilians are looking after the group and Oxley whose face is the same colour as the sand beneath his feet, Peartree, with his experience showing, returns to where the bodies lie and directs the officers to start to move the bodies, Richard to the Morgue and the other gruesome wretch to the hospital after he had been freed from the riverbank - though he would probably end up where poor Atwater ended up in the Asylum.

The foul smelling creature is dressed in tattered rags, gaunt, nearly bald and severely hunchbacked. Due to his emaciated state he weighs next to nothing.

[DrPeterson]

"No small comfort, Sister Katherine."

He looks the nun deep in the eyes, visibly shaken, and hugs her sincerely.

"Thank you."

He nods to emphasize his severity and then turns back to Peartree, as he brushes of his suit and regains some of his composure.

"That sure as hell wasn't lightning that grabbed me, Albert, now was it. If you guys are taking them downtown or to the morgue, we'd like to tag along or at least visit later on. Can you get me a clearance?"

[Priest]

Hearing Henry's question concerning the morgue. Jimmy takes a couple of deep breaths to fortify himself, and, keeping his eyes averted from the scene of his recent escapade, he rejoins the group.
For a second, and because its second nature he finds and opens his notebook then licks the end of his pencil ready to note down the happening for the paper, but after a moment he thinks better of it, "They wouldn't believe me anyway; big viscious birds, green ichor, half dead bodies buried beneath dead ones..."

[Cearlan]

"We could shore use a hand to get the two unfortunates to their respective destinations ... " Officer Peartree intones gravely, " ... so any help would be 'preciated. I fear that the womenfolk might not be too keen on going to the morgue just now." He leaves it unsaid that the two men may not be the best people to go to the hospital with ... what ... no with whoever the other person is. He leans in closer to the two men.

"The poor brother is most definitely dead and he is a'headed for the morgue whereas the other 'un's off to the hospital, though mind you, I reckon he'll be in th' asylum afore long."

Sister Katherine and Sharon sit close to each other and Katherine asks with a sad look on her face. "Sharon, you have the unfortunate task of informing your father of this, would you like some support when you tell him? I'd gladly give you any support you need."

[Mr. Handy]

Katherine glances over at the living man that was pulled out of the hole. "Before we go, perhaps I should give that poor soul whatever medical aid I can," she says. "He must be dehydrated after being down there. Starving too, from the looks of him. He'll need to take it slowly, though."

[DrPeterson]

Henry lights a cigarette, and despite himself looks at the wretch he dragged from the hole. Not being able to look away he feels a cold, creeping sensation rises in the small of his back as stares transfixed at the figure.

Sister Katherine, I understand your concern, but I doubt there's much we can do here. Perhaps you could accompany him to hospital, while young Jimmy and I help escort the late Mr Cardigan to the morgue?


He looks at Sharon and sighs.

"I'm sorry we didn't arrive in time, but it looks like Mr Cardigan's been dead for some time. We'll get to the bottom of this, Miss, you have my word."

[Priest]

Doing his best to keep his back to the operation at the hole, and a wary watch on the sky, Jimmy says, to no one in particular, "Say, does anyone have a cigarette I could have, today seems like taking up smoking may be in order?"
Then as Henry reassures Sharron as to the future investigation, he adds in a solemn whisper, "Amen to that"

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, Amen indeed," Katherine says. "I too will help you however I can, Sharon. If you need me to accompany you, I'll do that. I'm sure Dr. Weedon can look after that poor man in my absence. Or, if you'd rather, I'll go with the man. He was in that hole with your brother, and he may know something about what happened and who is responsible."

[DrPeterson]

Calamy hands Jimmy a cigarette and lights it for him.

Here kid, you'll find no lover more true or rotten in this barren land.

[Cearlan]

OOC,Right ... so if I have the long and the short of it - Henry and Jimmy are going to the morgue with Sharon's brother and Sharon and Katherine to the hospital, or is there somewhere else you have in mind?

[DrPeterson]

OOC: I believe that's the general idea.

[Priest]

Trying his best not to be sick or convulse into a bout of choking, Jimmy, squints through the cigarette smoke to Henry, "So, (cough, cough) did we find anything of value over by the bridge (cough, cough) or not?"
He stares for a moment at the glowing tip of the cigarette as if it was something malignant, "Only we were disturbed before we had a chance to look around."