Play@YSDC

Posted: **Tue Jul 26, 2016 3:18 am**

Gloomy Sunday - Background Music

As they pass through the communications compartment that crosses between the two cars, there is the rocking of wheels beneath your feet that sends vibrations up your legs. There is the clink of glassware and music of conversation, and the pianist playing an eerie tune from the next car over. You step out into the bar car, which is reasonably well-lit from many lamps made from fine crystal. And there is a gentleman, ravishingly handsome, who sits at the piano and plays a nimble tune. Around you is a sophisticated carriage which contains a long bar containing an array of expensive vintages and brand names -- though there is no bartender. The air is warm, perfumed, and tinged with cigar smoke. The man barely looks over his shoulder but if you've met him before, you would certainly recognise him.

Posted: **Tue Jul 26, 2016 4:04 am**

Ilona stops dead in her tracks as soon as she sees the man and starts to panic. "Oh no... No, no, no... This isn't real! None of this is real!" She grabs Jonathan by the shoulders "We- we need to get out of here right now! No! Wait, not leave, drink something! We need to drink something before we kill ourselves!"

Posted: **Tue Jul 26, 2016 7:43 am**

Jonathan can only stand baffled for a few seconds, mouth opening and closing as he tries to process this new and unexpected development. He finally manages to say. "I understand it's been a very stressful day, but let's try to stay calm, ok? Nobody is dying, and certainly nobody is going to commit suicide. Do you know this man?"

Posted: **Tue Jul 26, 2016 12:21 pm**

"No, you don't understand! There must be a gas leak in this train car!" Ilona says as she quickly makes her way behind the bar. "That's the only way to explain what's going on... I had this dream before, not fifteen minutes ago! When I came to, well, I was trying to kill myself!" Ilona pulls out two tumblers and grabs the bottle closest to her. "Everything looked and felt so real! It wasn't until I took a sip of my drink that I realised I was tasting blood in my mouth and woke up!" Ilona shakily pours the whiskey, most of the liquid goes into the counter but there's enough inside each of the glasses for a mouthful or two. "Here, drink it." She says before she downs her own.

Posted: **Tue Jul 26, 2016 6:46 pm**

Jonathan looks for a second at Ilona, then at the glass of whiskey, uncertain.

Oh what the hell it's just bloody whiskey.

"Sure, if it makes you feel better, I'll drink", he says as he brings the glass to his mouth.

Posted: **Wed Jul 27, 2016 12:53 am**

It's good quality whiskey. Yum.

Posted: **Thu Jul 28, 2016 3:55 am**

Ilona takes a moment or two to recover from her mouthful of straight whiskey. After a bit of a cough, she looks around the car to see everything as it was and frowns. "Well, this isn't good... This isn't good at all!"

Posted: **Thu Jul 28, 2016 1:22 pm**

Jonathan enjoys the strong taste of the whiskey. Exactly what he needed, after being for so long out in the cold.

"See? Nothing out of the ordinary. It's just the stress of the day getting to you. Sit down and relax while I try to understand what's going on with the train", he days.

Posted: **Thu Jul 28, 2016 11:06 pm**

Ilona slowly and sheepishly comes out from behind the bar. "Maybe we should ask that man about what's going on? He seemed helpful in my dream at least."

Posted: **Sat Jul 30, 2016 11:19 am**

Jonathan moves towards the man playing the piano. "Hello... sorry to interrupt... do you know why the train is still waiting at the station? Or where the train staff is? We couldn't find anyone, not here or at the station".

Posted: **Sat Jul 30, 2016 11:50 pm**

Ilona follows very closely behind Jonathan

Posted: **Sun Jul 31, 2016 1:03 am**

"Hmm?" he asks, glancing back over his shoulder with a wicked smile as he continues to play the piano. "Oh, I'm sure the train will move on once everyone is aboard. I wouldn't allow that to happen unless you're ready, of course."

Posted: **Tue Aug 02, 2016 8:16 am**

"Oh, I see. Well, that's... reassuring... I guess", Jonathan says, perhaps not totally convinced. "Well then, I guess we'll sit and relax until the others join us".

Posted: **Tue Aug 02, 2016 10:54 am**

"Relax? How are we supposed to relax?" Ilona yells. "And you!" She shoves past Jonathan to point a finger in the man's face. "You better tell me what's going on here! Why were you in my dream? It wasn't an ordinary dream! Y-you made it happen somehow didn't you? You better tell us what's going on or -or else!"

Posted: **Tue Aug 02, 2016 11:56 am**

"H-Hey! Calm down, Miss Aston! You're embarassing yourself! There's no way he could have been in your dreams... and you weren't even sleeping, not since you came to the station!"

Posted: **Tue Aug 02, 2016 1:12 pm**

"Dream, hallucination, it doesn't matter! He was there, I've never met him before and he was there!"

Posted: **Fri Aug 05, 2016 1:05 am**

As he watches the altercation a slow smile spreads across his handsome features. "Am I to take it that you're implying that ... I'm the man of your dreams?" His voice is soft, words honeyed and warm. His style and attitude of the sort that would win over many a young lady or gentleman that way inclined.

Posted: **Fri Aug 05, 2016 4:36 am**

Ilona gasps in indignation and slaps the man, her face going a bright shade of red. "Oh, why you... you think this is a joke! I almost died earlier and you think this is nothing more than a joke!"

Posted: **Mon Aug 08, 2016 1:50 am**

His Scuffling: [dice]0[/dice]

Her Scuffling: [dice]1[/dice]

He tries to catch her hand before it hits his cheek.

Posted: **Mon Aug 08, 2016 1:52 am**

He fails to stop her hand, but her slap packs no strength behind it anyway and simply leaves him with an angry spark in his eye. "Listen, lady, I never clapped eyes on you before so I don't know what I gotta say to make you back down. If you almost died than you should go to the police. You want a drink? You come to me. You slap me again and I'll throw you off this train itself, I don't care if we're stopped here or moving fast. You got me?"

Posted: **Fri Aug 12, 2016 12:24 am**

"That slap did nothing more than bruise your ego and I dare say it might be worth doing a second time, moving train or not."

Posted: **Fri Aug 12, 2016 6:06 am**

"My ego? You don't even know me, lady! You got no ideas about my ego."

Posted: **Fri Aug 12, 2016 10:07 am**

Jonathan shakes his head as the bizarre conversation unfolds, then heads for the bar and pours himself another whiskey.

Posted: **Sun Aug 14, 2016 9:51 am**

Ilona says nothing more to the man. She whips around and matches over to the bar where Jonathan is and sits down with a huff on one of the stalls. "One things for certain, I'm not getting through the rest of this night sober." She says reaching over for a glass and the whiskey bottle.

Posted: **Thu Aug 18, 2016 2:23 am**

"Listen lady, I doubt sobriety has ever been your buzz word," says the man as a parting shot.

Posted: **Thu Aug 18, 2016 11:17 am**

"Hey, pretty boy, learn some education. We're paying customers, you know."

Posted: **Thu Aug 18, 2016 11:57 pm**

"Paying customers?" He arches an eyebrow at that. "Looks to me like you just stole whiskey from behind the bar."

Posted: **Fri Aug 19, 2016 5:07 am**

Ilona sniffles and shakily pours the whiskey into a glass. "I'm simply beyond caring. That's right! We're stealing this whiskey! If you want to have us locked up for it you'd have to get the police here, if you could, why I'd thank you for it." She slides the bottle back over to Jonathan and takes a sip out of her glass.

Posted: **Sat Aug 20, 2016 7:20 am**

Jonathan takes out a few coins and places them on the counter, then pours himself another glass of whiskey.

Posted: **Mon Aug 22, 2016 6:29 am**

"You two got a ticket?" he asked, then clucked his tongue. "Wouldn't want to be you lot here without a ticket."

Posted: **Mon Aug 22, 2016 9:08 am**

Spoiler:

Posted: **Mon Aug 22, 2016 9:44 am**

Posted: **Mon Aug 22, 2016 9:59 am**

Jonathan searches for the ticket in his pockets, then shows it to the man.

Spoiler:

Posted: **Tue Aug 23, 2016 10:05 pm**

"I do." Ilona says, making no effort to reach for it. She pushes her near full glass of whiskey away from her and buries her head in her hands. "I don't know how drunkards do it, this isn't talking my mind off of things at all! There must be tea around here somewhere?"

Posted: **Wed Aug 24, 2016 2:53 am**

"Perhaps try the Lounge Car or the Dining Room Car," he says with an unkind smile and a gesture toward the other door.

Posted: **Wed Aug 24, 2016 5:57 am**

Ilona slides of the stall and takes a moment to steady herself before walking towards the dining room car.

Posted: **Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:58 am**

Jonathan gets up and follows her. She doesn't seem exactly 100% ok, and there's some part of him that would rather not remain alone with the man.

Posted: **Thu Aug 25, 2016 5:12 am**

"That it? You two gonna go ... just like that? You sure you wanna head off just now?" He smiles at them, and it's not a friendly smile. "Smells like rain...."

Posted: **Thu Aug 25, 2016 6:51 am**

Ilona looks back over her shoulder at the man. "Smells like rain?"

Posted: **Fri Aug 26, 2016 8:26 am**

"Why? Can't you smell it? The energy in the air ... it positively sizzles." And with that he returns to play a lively tune upon the piano, the sounds adding to the warmth of the room and giving it the strangest feeling of well-lit safety in a world of gloom. Still the only way forward is ... forward ... through the other door.

Posted: **Thu Sep 01, 2016 1:46 pm**

As they come back into the room they can hear the strange man playing slow and disturbing piano music, and he smiles at them oddly as they arrive. "Welcome! Welcome! I trust you have enjoyed your dinner?" Then he frowns, ear cocked as though listening. "Did you hear that noise? How peculiar. Perhaps someone would like to board the train."

Posted: **Thu Sep 01, 2016 5:31 pm**

"Someone? That kind of noise? It must be at least the size of a bear. How can you still be playing the piano like everything's all right?"

Jonathan reaches a window, looks outside, checking for possible threats.

Posted: **Thu Sep 01, 2016 10:03 pm**

They're still too far ahead of the platform to see much but one of the windows does provide enough of an angle to at least face the direction of the platform. There's no sign of any light, unfortunately, no criss crossing of flashlight beams. Then there's another thud against the train further back. At this angle he wouldn't be able to see anything, even through the fog.

Posted: **Fri Sep 02, 2016 7:03 am**

Ilona stands well away from the window and in a hushed voice asks "Can you see what it is?"

Posted: **Fri Sep 02, 2016 6:42 pm**

"No, can't see a thing with all the fog. We should probably head back one more car... hey, mister", he turns towards the man playing the piano, "can you light up the next car? Someone should go and check what that noise was".

Posted: **Sat Sep 03, 2016 12:42 am**

"Sorry, sir, but no can do," he says cheerily. "Unfortunately I'm no electrician. If the lighting's out, perhaps you should use your flashlight or a candle. Also you should be careful about lifting the curtains in the well-lit spots anyway. Don't want a night cruiser to spot the light and drop their payload on us. The wardens wouldn't like that."

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2016 2:51 pm**

"Well, you're very helpful, thank you", Jonathan says ironically. He then heads towards the door and opens it. He doesn't want to go back to the dark car, just check if he can see anything and maybe call out and see if he gets an answer.

Posted: **Mon Sep 05, 2016 11:18 pm**

Jonathon enters the connecting compartment between the two carriages with its accordian walls on either side of him. He opens the door to the Day Car to peer inside and sees a rather shocked and scared looking Charlie Hagan.

Posted: **Tue Sep 06, 2016 7:38 am**

Jonathan takes a step back, surprised, then recognizes Charlie. "Mr. Hagan... it's good to see you again. God, it must be less than half an hour, it feels like days since we were in that station. Come in, it's warmer in this car".

Posted: **Mon Sep 12, 2016 2:47 am**

Something slams up against one of the train cars further back, then thud-thud-thuds bodily against it like a very large moth against the glass of a lantern.

Posted: **Tue Sep 13, 2016 4:09 pm**

After stepping back in equal alarm Charlie steps forward and peers at Jonathon and in a somewhat crazed voice says, "O-oh it's you, Mr..." He lets out a short, nervous laugh, "I don't think I ever got your name, how odd is that? In all this excitement I-" As the thudding starts he jumps and dashes into the room. Holding a trembling finger perpendicular to his lips, he waves his other hand frantically downwards, palm facing down, at the other occupants of the room as he ducks down low.

Posted: **Wed Sep 14, 2016 1:50 pm**

"Name's Jonathan Alden. What's that outside, Mr. Hagan? Some big animal, I guess. Anyway" he adds, noticing the other man's behavior, "I doubt it can reach us in here. Or hear us, even".

Posted: **Thu Sep 15, 2016 8:36 am**

Charlie whispers "it's... i-it broke down the restaurant door."

Posted: **Tue Sep 20, 2016 1:34 pm**

Jonathan looks outside, trying to see the beast, worried about the others still inside the station.

Posted: **Fri Sep 23, 2016 9:23 am**

The light from this well-lit and cozy warm train car spills out into the gloom but barely strikes beyond the concrete platform. It's impossible to make out any movement through the fog outside, especially from this angle and train compartment.

Posted: **Mon Sep 26, 2016 12:48 pm**

Charlie stays crouched, listening for the slightest sound of the beast's movement.

Posted: **Thu Oct 06, 2016 1:31 am**

Charlie's attempts to listen

Spoiler:

Posted: **Mon Oct 10, 2016 5:01 am**

Carlie stands up, straightening his clothes, "Well, it's still out there and the raid siren's sounding. At least things can't get any worse."

Posted: **Mon Oct 10, 2016 3:32 pm**

"That's exactly the one thing I would not have said in this situation, Mr. Hagan", Jonathan says, while trying to open one of the windows. "We should warn the others about the danger they're in".

Posted: **Mon Oct 10, 2016 10:36 pm**

The windows in the Lounge Car don't open. Perhaps they may open in another one of the train cars?

Posted: **Wed Oct 12, 2016 12:41 pm**

"Warn the others? Whatever that is, it's trying to get on to the train! They're the safe ones! W-we shouldn't split up for now... I must say I'm not all too eager to leave this train right now. It hasn't gotten in yet, maybe it can't? I'm sure the others are fine."

Posted: **Thu Oct 13, 2016 4:39 am**

"Oh they know, Miss Lacey was in the waiting room when it broke out, She's quite a charming lady, don't you think?"

Posted: **Fri Oct 14, 2016 1:33 am**

"If she is a charming lady than perhaps you should fetch her," says the stranger, still playing the piano without a care in the world. "We could do with a charming lady aboard this train."

Posted: **Fri Oct 14, 2016 8:21 am**

Jonathan looks annoyed, especially towards the man at the piano. What the hell is wrong with these people?, he thinks.

He then heads for the Smoking Car, without saying a word.

Posted: **Fri Oct 14, 2016 8:34 am**

"Oh I'm sorry, didn't see you there, sir. Name's Charlie Hagan, and you are?" Charlie asks with a grin and a casual demeanour as if there wasn't some monster outside that nearly gored him.

Posted: **Sun Oct 16, 2016 5:41 am**

"My name?" he asked, looking happily surprised. "You're the first person to ask for my name!" He plays a more complicated piece of music, then glances back over his shoulder. "You can feel free to grab a drink if you've the coin to pay for it. It's none too wise an idea to start running a tab in this place. Oh, and you have a ticket right? The ticket inspector gets awful surly at folks who don't have a ticket."

Posted: **Tue Oct 18, 2016 6:28 am**

"So there's other people on the train then?"

Posted: **Tue Oct 18, 2016 10:20 pm**

"Naturally. It's a big train. You don't think I drove it here all by myself, do you?"

Posted: **Wed Oct 19, 2016 3:26 am**

"Well no that would be crazy, and I've been having such a perfectly sane and ordinary day so far." Charlie says sarcastically.

Posted: **Wed Oct 19, 2016 5:08 am**

"That's quite a shame. No one wants to have a boring time, do they? Though I suppose this is a small country town. How much fun can you expect here?"

Posted: **Thu Oct 20, 2016 10:38 pm**

The moment's silence is broken by desperate screaming from the other car.

Posted: **Sat Oct 22, 2016 3:41 am**

Charlie sighs and makes his way through to the next car, "Well I tried to warn him."

Posted: **Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:12 am**

"Wait! What are you doing? Why would you be running *towards* the screaming!?"

Posted: **Tue Oct 25, 2016 4:38 am**

Charlie stops, frowning, "I... don't know."

Posted: **Tue Oct 25, 2016 6:28 am**

"I know it's dreadful for me to say, but we don't know what's happening behind those doors and who in heaven knows if we could even help him! We'd be better off barricading those doors, not running off to be next in line for some monsters meal!"

Posted: **Thu Oct 27, 2016 5:13 am**

Charlie just stands where he is, paralysed by indecision.

Posted: **Thu Oct 27, 2016 7:04 pm**

Jonathan runs into the lounge car and shuts the door behind him. He's not screaming anymore, but he's clearly shaking. He looks at Charlie, then says: "What the hell is that thing?" His eyes fix on the bottles behind the counter: "Never mind. I need something to drink. Something strong".

Posted: **Mon Oct 31, 2016 2:53 am**

"I could use one myself." Charlie walks over to to look at the selection. "Sobriety is overrated anyway."

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2016 4:15 am**

"Huh, and there I was thinking you might have had a run in with the ticket inspector," says the fellow cheerily, cocking his head to one side. "You, uh, might wanna pay for what you take from the shelves. Don't wanna rack up a debt now, do ya?"

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2016 11:38 am**

"Why on earth would he scream seeing the ticket inspector? Actually, I have a better question for you; why don't you be the least bit helpful for a change instead of trying to scare us more? You're not doing anything else, you may as well be useful!"

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2016 11:44 am**

"Why would I?" he asks, getting up from the piano and striding toward the bar. "I'm fine. I've got my ticket and I've taken this ride many times before. Why should I get all in a panic educating you fools on the rules when you could easily go out there and learn them yourselves?" He picks up a bottle of whiskey and pours himself a glass, dropping some cash on the counter. "How about instead of whining and crying to me you find something worth doing? The answers are all out there. It's clear as day. You just have to be willing to go out there and look for it ... all the while avoiding the things that could kill you. I mean, hiding in here is all well and good and all but don't you think you might require a ticket? And where can you find said tickets? That's right ... in the train station." He swigs the whiskey all in one gulp. "I don't know why you're saying I haven't been useful ... I've been telling you all along what you need to do but you just can't be bothered going out there and doing it yourself." He pauses. "Pity."

Posted: **Tue Nov 01, 2016 11:53 am**

"Fine!" She bursts. Rummaging through her handbag, she pulls out what little money she has and slams in down on the bar next to the piano man. "I'll play your-your silly little game!" And storms out of the car in the direction of the sleeping car.

Posted: **Thu Nov 03, 2016 7:57 am**

Charlie watches this exchange silently while he pours himself a brandy, "So what are the prices here?"

Posted: **Mon Nov 07, 2016 12:29 am**

"Sixpence for a whiskey, three and a halfpenny for a beer," says the fellow, cheerfully watching the lady head out of the lounge car.

Posted: **Tue Nov 08, 2016 8:51 am**

Jonathan takes a few coins out of a pocket and tosses them on the counter. He stares blankly for a couple of seconds at his shaking hand, then closes it into a fist and hides it back into the pocket. He looks at Charlie, then says: "Mr. Hagan... do you think we are safer here than outside?"

Posted: **Thu Nov 10, 2016 3:52 am**

Charlie sips his drink, considering. "Well, we know what's dangerous out there and so far in here we've just found this guy" he gestures to the unnamed gentlemen, "and he's more annoyingly unhelpful than dangerous." He places sixpence and a halfpenny on the counter. "I'd like to get my bags though, plus there's the others still in the station, and the way he's talking about tickets is worrying... Maybe Mr. Durant can deal with the thing outside?"

Posted: **Thu Nov 10, 2016 6:44 am**

The unnamed gentleman merely smirks, then returns to his piano playing.

Posted: **Thu Nov 10, 2016 9:10 am**

"This situation... is beyond absurd. I mean, you've seen that thing right?", Jonathan lowers his voice to a whisper before continuing, "That monster. And that man is there playing the piano like it's nothing. He heard it crashing on the side of the train... and he's still there playing the piano, like nothing. Don't you find that suspicious?"

He pauses for a second, to drink another sip of whisky, then continues in a normal tone of voice:
"If Durant meets that thing, he's better off running. And I hope the others are safe, but I'm not going out there again. Instead, I want to check on the other cars... see if some other... weird thing... pops up".

Posted: **Sat Nov 12, 2016 6:24 am**

"Yeah, I saw it..." Charlie shudders slightly. "Anyway, maybe we should go find Miss Aston, I wouldn't want anything to happen to her while she's off by her lonesome."

Posted: **Tue Nov 15, 2016 8:35 am**

"All right, lead the way", Jonathan says, standing up.

Posted: **Tue Nov 15, 2016 8:58 am**

Leaving his glass on the bar counter, Charlie strolls towards the sleeping car, "You wanna come with?" He asks the unnamed stranger, "Or are you just gonna stay here drinking and playing piano?"

Posted: **Tue Nov 15, 2016 8:10 pm**

Spoiler:

Posted: **Wed Nov 16, 2016 10:01 pm**

Posted: **Wed Nov 16, 2016 10:02 pm**

He begins to sing as he plays, "Oh, I'll be here ... waiting ... forever waiting."

Then chuckles, long and low.

Posted: **Wed Nov 16, 2016 10:04 pm**

Spoiler:

"Good luck with Mr. Pretty Boy here", Jonathan says while opening the door for the Smoking Car.

Posted: **Wed Nov 16, 2016 10:06 pm**

OOC: Actually, my bad, she just went off in the wrong direction. You would have seen her enter the Smoking Car as it links from this one. You could go after her in that direction. I forgot that she'd been given a confusing directive.

So just enter the Smoking Car instead of the Day Car.

Posted: **Wed Nov 16, 2016 10:10 pm**

Spoiler:

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2017 7:14 am**

Charlie bursts into the room and rounds on the guy, "You! How do we deal with the ticket inspector without a ticket?"

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2017 12:53 pm**

The man looks up from the piano, pauses for what feels to be a millenia, and then says simply, "You die."

"That's always stopped him in the past. You die and then all is forgiven."

He pauses, reaches for his glass of whiskey, completely calm.

Posted: **Mon Jan 09, 2017 5:20 am**

"Don't give me that shit. You've been on this train a few times, right? There has to be a way.

Could I spend a point on Evidence Collection to get a read on him and figure out if he's more likely to respond to flattery, intimidation or cutting a deal?

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2017 6:11 am**

Spoiler:

Posted: **Tue Jan 24, 2017 12:32 am**

Assess Honesty Spend 1 / Evidence Collection Spend 1: It's pretty clear the man has seen too much to be readily intimidated by the likes of Charlie. It could be possible, but would doubtless require some act of extreme violence which might just cause the man to shut down. There's a shadow in his eyes, a blankness that only comes when a person jerks down the shutters and locks themselves down inside. Flattery would be irrelevant, too, as behind those fortified walls the fellow can't really *hear* Charlie. Right now you're just a shadow on the wall, unreal, inhuman. Just an image to be snuffed out. He doesn't care about you and it would take more time than you have to reach in and make him care. Perhaps if you knew more about him you could find some way to connect, but you don't, so you can't. Bargaining could certainly work, if you had something to offer that he didn't already possess or think he could get off your corpse. If you gained his trust, you might be able to manipulate him through being very reassuring but that won't work to get him to attack whatever's out there.

Looking him up and down you can see that his suit is very clean, very fresh, and the man seems well-fed. His fingers have the calluses of someone who has played *a lot* of piano. There's a little blood on his collar and the edges of his shirt sleeves, but no sign that he's been injured.

Posted: **Sun Jan 29, 2017 1:45 pm**

"Fine," Charlie says with disgust, "Be useless." And turns back to try to help Ilona, if he isn't too late already.

Posted: **Thu Feb 02, 2017 10:51 am**

Gloomy Sunday - Background Music

As they pass through the communications compartment that crosses between the two cars, there is the rocking of wheels beneath your feet that sends vibrations up your legs. There is the clink of glassware and music of conversation, and the pianist playing an eerie tune from the next car over. You step out into the bar car, which is reasonably well-lit from many lamps made from fine crystal. And there is a gentleman, ravishingly handsome, who sits at the piano and plays a nimble tune. Around you is a sophisticated carriage which contains a long bar containing an array of expensive vintages and brand names -- though there is no bartender. The air is warm, perfumed, and tinged with cigar smoke. The man barely looks over his shoulder but if you've met him before, you would certainly recognise him.

Go back to the Day Car.
Go forward to the Smoking Car.

Posted: **Sat Feb 04, 2017 5:11 am**

Kate enters the car and approaches the piano player, a bit nervous. "Excuse me," she says. "I heard a scream. Is someone hurt?" She glances at the red stain. "Phew, it's only wine. We'll just have to watch our step with those shards of glass."

Posted: **Sat Feb 04, 2017 12:26 pm**

"Are you sure it wasn't the parrots?" asked the stranger, who moves behind the bar and gives them a smile. He isn't dressed as a waitor, but he gestures toward the alcohol like he must be. "Would you enjoy a drink, perhaps?"

It feels warmer in here, more cozy, as though this place was somehow isolated from all the stresses and strains of the world.

Posted: **Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:20 pm**

"Thank you, but we haven't time," says Kate, a little flustered at how handsome this stranger was. "A parrot, I hadn't even thought of that. Still, I've got to check just to make sure. Anyway, nobody should be here. The sirens have gone."

Posted: **Sat Feb 04, 2017 11:58 pm**

Artemis eyed the younger lad and watched how he deftly moved to bar.

"Parrots, you don't say, folks travel with those often on this route?" He looked about as if trying to find one of the mentioned birds. "Artemis, by the way, and you are?"

He shifted his walking stick to his left hand and extended his right, offering a hand shake to the new acquaintence.

Posted: **Sun Feb 05, 2017 1:32 am**

"Is the threat of a bomb really your largest problem right now?" he asked Kate with a winsome smile.

He ignored Artemis' question. "You two got tickets? You're not gonna wanna head any further without a ticket. The conductor don't take so kindly to people without tickets."

Posted: **Sun Feb 05, 2017 2:47 am**

Kate blushes a little. "We couldn't have bought tickets," she says. "The Station Master was taken ill, and then he disappeared after he recovered. Anyhow, we only boarded the train because we thought someone was hurt, and we have to evacuate everyone and get to the shelter. Jerry will be here any minute now, and if there's one thing he'd love to bomb, it's a train. You haven't even got proper blackout curtains! As good as your playing is, you need to take shelter too. And couldn't we just buy tickets on the train if we need to?"

Posted: **Sun Feb 05, 2017 8:03 am**

"Do you work for the Railroad company, or are you a passanger on this train?" Artemis slowly lowered his hand and asked his question with a level of coolness in his voice. "Miss Kate, maybe we just want to walk up to the compartment's door there, and exit at the boot.

Posted: **Sun Feb 05, 2017 9:54 am**

"The Smoking Car doesn't open onto the platform. Beyond that is the Dining Car.... The train conductor doesn't sell tickets so I wouldn't try to buy them off him. As for Jerry ... those sirens should have ended by now but haven't. Awful strange, wouldn't you say so? Perhaps someone is leaning on the handle. Hard to say.... But then perhaps you would be safer in the station. As for me, I'm where the alcohol is."

Posted: **Sun Feb 05, 2017 7:30 pm**

"Have you seen anyone else come through this car?" asks Kate.

Posted: **Sun Feb 05, 2017 9:41 pm**

Artemis maintained his pleasant, business face. He continued to watch the unnamed man at the bar and waited to see what his answer would be to Ms. Kate's question.

Posted: **Sun Feb 05, 2017 10:16 pm**

"A few." He shrugged. "I advised that they go back to the train station to collect their tickets."

Posted: **Sun Feb 05, 2017 10:21 pm**

"And did they?" asks Kate. "Or did they proceed to the next car?"

Posted: **Sun Feb 05, 2017 11:02 pm**

"Sorry, I am from the States, so buying a ticket at the station, and this train will end up where exactly?" Artemis asked in a crisp, hurried fashion.

Posted: **Mon Feb 06, 2017 3:53 am**

"If you don't know where it's going, why did you board?" asks the fellow, ignoring Kate's original question.

Posted: **Mon Feb 06, 2017 4:13 am**

"I told you that," says Kate, a little annoyed at being ignored. "We heard what sounded like someone screaming and thought someone needed help, plus we need to evacuate the train. Are the people you saw still on board?"

Posted: **Mon Feb 06, 2017 4:43 am**

"What did those others look like? Where they in here?" Artemis ignored the counter inquiry and kept focused on the man at the bar.

Posted: **Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:36 am**

He smirks at her tone of indignation. "Oh, I wouldn't know much about them. Didn't pay much attention. I did advise that they should get tickets but the lady with them was certain that she should speak to the train conductor. It doesn't sound like it worked out for her her now, does it?"

Posted: **Mon Feb 06, 2017 6:18 am**

"What do you mean?" asks Kate, suddenly frightened. "What happened to her? What did she look like?"

Posted: **Mon Feb 06, 2017 12:25 pm**

"She met with the train conductor," says the fellow, shrugging. "What do you want me to say about it? So ... did you two want a drink? It's nice in here, warm. Though I'd recommend making sure you got your tickets and papers all in order before progressing."

"Just an idea."

Posted: **Tue Feb 07, 2017 5:13 am**

"Who was the lady?" asks Kate. "Did she tell you her name?" She describes both Ilona and Lady Katherine to see if it's either of them.

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2017 3:29 pm**

"The Countess, she is rather quiet, a bit stand offish, nice but reserved," Artemis chimed in as he continued to watch the man at the bar.

I think we need to get off the train, there is something about this conductor that he keeps mentioning that I really don't like. Artemis thought to himself.

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2017 10:30 pm**

The man scoffs. "Hardly nice and reserved! She certainly gave me a piece of her mind." He nods along when Kate describes Ilona. "Sounds like her, yeah."

Posted: **Fri Feb 10, 2017 4:28 am**

"That's Miss Aston alright," says Kate. "What would the conductor do if she tried to give him a piece of her mind?"

Posted: **Sat Feb 11, 2017 12:31 am**

"Oh, I really wouldn't know.... It's if she don't have a ticket that I'd be worried. But I'm sure she'll be fine!"

Posted: **Sat Feb 11, 2017 6:56 am**

"But what if she doesn't have a ticket?" asks Kate, gulping. "Would he hurt her?"

Posted: **Sun Feb 12, 2017 5:16 am**

Artemis had been scanning about the car as the man and Ms. Kate continued to talk, but her recent question brought his attention right back to the man at the bar. He added his own questions to Ms. Kate's.

"Where are all of the passengers? Haven't seen anyone else but you on the train? Shouldn't there be others enjoying all of this?

Posted: **Mon Feb 13, 2017 2:19 am**

"His aim wouldn't be to hurt her, no," says the fellow rather airily. "And he has rather quite a good aim.... As for the other passengers, I haven't seen anyone recently but perhaps they all retired to their rooms? Such a shame. It does get rather lonely here with no one to sing an accompaniment to my piano playing."

Posted: **Mon Feb 13, 2017 3:01 am**

"How long ago did she come through here?" asks Kate.

Posted: **Mon Feb 13, 2017 3:15 am**

"Y'know, it's really hard to tell the time these days.... Don't the seconds just keep blending into each other and getting all muddled up? Has to have been awhile, but not a good deal of a long while. More of a short while.... But then you've only been on this train a short while, haven't you?"

Posted: **Mon Feb 13, 2017 4:10 am**

"It's too dangerous to go back to the station and look for tickets with that violent man out there," Kate says to Artemis, "and it would take too long. I think we're going to have to go on to the next car and look for Miss Aston, conductor or no conductor."

Posted: **Mon Feb 13, 2017 4:35 am**

"It's your funeral," says the fellow kindly, raising a small glass of whiskey in salute to them.

Posted: **Mon Feb 13, 2017 5:58 am**

"Well, I agree we can't go back outside and going back to that warren of the bizarre is not really an option. " Artemis shook his head.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the odd silver coin with the unusual star that he had found earlier and rolled it between his fingers. As he thought about the situation, he brought it down with a tap onto the bar, and then swooped it back into his hand. "Lead on Ms. Kate, lead on."

Posted: **Mon Feb 13, 2017 6:10 am**

Kate proceeds into the Smoking Car.

Posted: **Mon Feb 13, 2017 7:07 am**

The strange fellow in the Lounge Car doesn't prevent him from heading off. Merely shrugs his head and turns back to pour another whiskey.

Posted: **Mon Mar 20, 2017 3:04 am**

Kate steps back into the Lounge Car and looks around for a place where they can talk without being overheard by the bartender.

Posted: **Mon Mar 20, 2017 9:09 pm**

Artemis continued behind Miss Kate and did everything he could to keep his eyes focused forward. He needed to get his thoughts controlled, his mind was still spinning and his breath was a bit ragged.

Posted: **Mon Mar 20, 2017 10:38 pm**

The Lounge Car is long enough that it should be relatively easy to sit far enough away for him not to hear them so long as he were playing piano. Otherwise the deafening silence of the car would make every syllable stand out. Unfortunately, he's currently sampling some of the liquor from the shelves.

Posted: **Tue Mar 21, 2017 4:14 am**

Without waiting to sit down or even worrying about beinh overheard Charlie says "Whatever you do don't eat anything on this train. In fact we should all leave this whole goddamned train asap. The... thing outside, doe you know if it's still there?"

Posted: **Tue Mar 21, 2017 4:40 am**

"Let's proceed to the next car," says Kate. "I don't know if that maniac is still out there, but it wouldn't surprise me. Not that there aren't maniacs on this train too. But we can't leave until we've found the others."

Posted: **Tue Mar 21, 2017 12:12 pm**

He doesn't look over at the three of you as you enter but he simply states, "Wouldn't eat any fresh meat if I were you. Rest of it should be okay." Then he pops a small handful of nuts in his mouth and sits there chewing as he uncaps the whiskey bottle and pours some into a tumbler.

Posted: **Wed Mar 22, 2017 2:58 am**

"I'll second that about the meat," says Kate with a shudder.

Posted: **Thu Mar 23, 2017 6:38 am**

"I'm sorry but the others are dead and we'll be next if we don't get off this train."

Posted: **Fri Mar 24, 2017 3:29 am**

"Starting to think we would be better off to head back into the station and get off of this nightmare," Artemis said as his face twitched in response to the meat reference.

Posted: **Fri Mar 24, 2017 3:48 am**

"I won't accept that they're dead," says Kate, blinking back tears. "Not until I see for myself. What if they're alive now, but they die because we abandon them? Wouldn't you want someone to come help you if you were in that situation? Besides, it might not be any safer out there."

Posted: **Fri Mar 24, 2017 9:09 pm**

"ok, I get that, and I agree, but..." Artemis felt his neck muscles tense as he thought about the dining car. "We have to have a plan, and have the fire power to pull it off. We know they are not behind us. So they have to be in the dining car right? We didn't see them sitting at a table, so..."

Posted: **Sat Mar 25, 2017 4:56 am**

"That's why we need to go back to the next car," says Kate, "so we can come up with a plan in private. We know they went into the dining car, but they didn't come out. They must have gone into the kitchen, but I'm hoping they didn't stay there..."

Posted: **Sun Mar 26, 2017 4:30 pm**

"Right, let's head back, heck maybe all the way to the back of this horror ride," Artemis agreed. He started to move towards the back of the Lounge Car.

Posted: **Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:15 am**

The bartender doesn't interfere with them on the way out. Merely throws them a lazy and possibly drunken salute as they open the door to leave.

Posted: **Mon Mar 27, 2017 2:02 am**

Kate leads the way back into the Day Car.

Posted: **Wed Mar 29, 2017 2:25 pm**

"Alright then, we best follow her Charlie." Artemis gave a passing wave at the bartender as he followed after Ms. Kate into the Day Car.

Posted: **Thu Mar 30, 2017 5:15 am**

Charlie gives a frustrated sigh and follows them.

Play@YSDC

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