Shadows thicken and seem to move to the east where there is no entranceway. Soft noises break the silence of the graveyard. Is that something slithering or merely a rustling in the longer untended grass near the wall?
Far off in the night the sound of a car labouring to ascend nearby Stone Hill, could it be Farmberger on a patrol? Or worse his oh so efficient deputy Cable?
Time slips slowly away, nearby the clock that adorns the crooked steeple of the town's church strikes one, the chimes fading into the moonless sky.
You can't help but think this is no night to be hanging around a cemetery.
We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
- Anais Nin
"By Moonlight Undying in pale repose, My body is dust and my bones shadows, My grave is no end nor ever shall be, By Moonlight undying I return to thee...."
Harry gulped. It had seemed a bit of typical Hezekiah romantic nonsense when read on a cosy summers day. Right now when he quoted it, it felt much more spooky. A ghost in moonlight, returning to his love...
He shook his head.
"Ladies and Gentlemen. Dark, wind and rain have a most turgid effect on the soul. And this is no hour for respectable folk. Perhaps we could retire to somewhere warmer and lighter? Perhaps the church could offer sanctuary whilst we swap tales?"
Harry had no particular love for the Gothic, crumbling church ahead, but on the other hand, it was more respectable for a gentleman to be found in a Church in the middle of the night than trudging around a graveyard in search of a shovel...
Last edited by Supercape on Sat Oct 10, 2015 4:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tommy joins his new companions in the short walk to the church, it looked like he would have to return tomorrow night to carry out his task and claim the signet ring. Their soft footfalls were swallowed by the dark to be replaced by the rustling of branches as the wind blew through the trees. After a few minutes the somewhat sinister shape of the church loomed out of the gloom. The large black oak door stood closed between the fluted columns of the entrance, the stained glass windows robbed of their colour by the night looked like blank staring eyes.
"Well, here we are then...." it looked like the church was locked up tight, so they weren't quite in the shelter that they sought.
Sister Frances Mary takes a thoughtful look at the group assembled in front of the church My what a strange gathering Mr Mason has roused, I wonder what they all want and more strangely what brought them all here at this precise same time
She approaches the church's door and tries the handle, smiling as she says This is God's house, a place of safety and sanctuary, the door should never be locked, the large handle turns in her hand, the door swings inwards on its hinges. She steps in and to the side and waves the group forward Come, come, there is nothing to fear here, God spreads His love to all
Last edited by Papa Gateau on Tue Oct 13, 2015 3:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
"God always struck me as a generous fellow with his Love" replied Harry, walking into the Church. There was a certain antiquity to the building, which stood defiantly despite the crumbling masonry. It looked like it had been patched up more than once.
Of course, in the dark and the rain, any Chruch would have a certain Gothic quality, but this one seemed awash with it. Footsteps and words echoed in a dull and sombre manner from its stones.
Rebecca sauntered up to the church with a sheepish look about her face, thoroughly defeated by the weather, pants covered in mud and one boot sloshing with water. The building's age surprised her, she didn't think there would be many churches around with gothic features. For some reason though, it reminded her of the unassuming little shrines and churches that would dot the pilgrimage roads, though that could just be because of the eclectic group that was gathering.
She carefully leaned her shovel against the stonework lining the door and smiled, "Room for one more, sister?"
Ah! A Shovel! And someone to do the digging! thought Harry, eyeing up Rebecca and pleased to do so. With a bit of luck, she could do all the hard work!
Sister Frances Mary smiles warmly at RebeccaOf course my dear
She looks out of the door Well it seems you're the last of our merry gathering she closes the door.
Shall we move further into the church, out of this draughty hallway and get to know each other a bit better? she walks down the church aisle towards the altar, genuflects and crosses herself before the iconography of Christ and then takes a seat on one of the pews.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
"Thank you, Sister," says Anne, beginning to relax a little now that she's inside the church and in the presence of Frances. If you can't trust a nun, she thinks, who can you trust?"My name is Anne Dewar. I own an antique shop." She looks around, admiring the old decor and unconsciously appraising it, though she has no intention of stocking any of it.
The interior of the church seems at odds with its neglected appearing exterior, obviously an attempt has been made to keep the interior in a relatively good condition. Although here and there an odd cracked floor tile or dark stain of water damage does reflect the building's age.
Luckilly a few candles are burning close to the altar making shadows dance with each draught. Little pinpricks of reflected light glitter in the high stained glass windows. The candle light is not enough to draw attention from without but sufficient to allow a limited view of the interior.
OOC: What does the inside look like? Is there anything odd within?.
We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
- Anais Nin
Anne peers at the darkened stains on the floor, adjusting her glasses. Something about the stains by the altar looks off, so she takes a closer look. "Are these stains...blood?" she asks, choking back a gasp.
Tommy shivers, the inside of the church feels distinctly chillier than outside. He spins round at Anne's exclamation, "Blood... surely not.." he says looking at the Nun, "You must be mistaken."Tommy doesn't move nearer to find out though.
Outside the unmistakeable sound of an engine is followed by the reflection of headlights in the side windows of the church. Fro the angle of the reflection it would seem the lone vehicle had just turned Cooper's corner ready to begin the slight decline of Main Street at the end of which is the church.
We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
- Anais Nin
"Expecting company, anyone?" asked Harry, peering out of the Church window at the light beams.
"'tis a funny question I grant you, as this night seems to have attracted more than its far share of odd folks" he suggested, gazing at the motley crew of would be grave-robbers.
"But still I ask it! I would hope none of you have particular fear of a fat buffoon like myself" he explained, pointing a chubby finger at himself. "And none of you have yet to raise fist or firearm towards my handsome face. But that does mean less scrupulous folks would not. Hezekiah had a mountain of Aztec Gold under his house, by the reputable account of the ocean of ill founded rumours that circled him. I would hazard a guess that means he would be attractive to the less charitable and polite type of Gentlemen..."
Harry had not come to the graveyard without fear. Not particularly of any spooky sort of stuff; he had written enough horror to fancy he would face a ghost with a degree of amusement. No, no, it was a fear of being punched in his face by a graverobber.
Which, technically speaking, he was too. And probably so were half or more of the folk in the Church. It was just they seemed gentlemen. Or ladies.
"You're right, it's not blood at all," says Anne. "It's water, probably from a leak in the roof. The discoloration could be due to rust." When she hears the vehicle approaching, she turns to look. "I'm certainly not expecting any more company, but like you said, it could be someone after some valued possession of Hezekiah Mason's."
The approaching cars lights halt on the road outside the church. For a moment the engine continues to tick over before it is shut off, followed by the lights. You hear a car door being closed with a thud, no attempt at being quiet there, followed a few moments later by the squeal of unoiled hinges and the unmistakeable sound of footsteps on the gravelled path outside... What do you do?
We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
- Anais Nin
"'Tis a night for skulking in the shadows it seems" commented Harry. "I'd scurry myself off into a Priests hole or something, if my fondness for beer and meat had not graciously given me such a formidable frame" he sang, patting his belly.
"Well, I hope this gentleman or lady is of friendly disposition. Or, if not, I hope they shoot me in the belly rather than the head" he said, boldly walking to the Church Doors and opening them.
"Come on in! God loves you!" he sang out to the darkness.
Anne looks on in shock as Harry deliberately exposes himself to danger. "Being shot in the gut just means a slower and more painful death," she says. Considerably slimmer than the corpulent man, she conceals herself behind a large stone statue, one that would also provide cover in the event that shooting did ensue.
