Ch.12b. Caught somewhere in time

[Philulhu]

“I would refer you our previous encounters as proof of my character, but…” Brophy shrugged. “I have tried to kill you and your friends and you’re still here, interfering in my affairs again. I could try again but there are no guarantees, even with my creatures lurking in the woods. If I send you back to your time, I get rid of you and we need never see each again.”

[jp1885]

“Hang on a minute; those monsters are your doing?” Sean cries, looking desperately at the others for confirmation.

“You’re going to let this bloke go, bugger off yourselves and leave him here with those horrible things, to do God knows what?”

[Silver Priest]

A look of guilt crosses Alex face. "He did say he was intending to leave as well. His cover, for lack of a better term, is blown, and he may prefer to go sew mischief in a less troublesome time. " He turns to Brophy. "Can you put down your creatures before you leave here?"

[Philulhu]

“I lived here, many years ago. Before the local people turned against us and I had to leave for your country. These creatures you have seen may be one hundred years old. They have most likely lain dormant until my recent return,” replied Brophy.

[Mr. Handy]

"They came after us at first," says William, "but that was because they were under your control. They learned to leave us alone after the thrashing we gave one of them. Where did they come from before you brought them here? Maybe they should just be sent back there."

[Bullfrog]

"Why don't you teach us your little time-travelling trick, Brophy? That way, we can ensure that you won't strand us all in the wrong time again." Lawrence suggests with marked distaste at the idea of Brophy having any control over his destination.

[Philulhu]

“Pay attention,” said Brophy, tartly. “They were local people when I lived here before. Who they were isn’t important. They’ve been dead a long time as far as any family or friends they might have had will have been concerned. They’ve been here all this time, presumably hidden in the woods.”

He turned to Lawrence. “I doubt you have the mental fortitude, farmer boy!” he said dismissively. “It took me years of study but you try if you want to. Just don’t be surprised if your brains dribble out of your ears!”

[Mr. Handy]

"What about the man whose body you've taken?" asks William. "Can you release him and leave him in his own time?"

[Philulhu]

Brophy studied William, as if considering the question carefully. “No, I cannot. I need a host body so I either stay here and inhabit this one or I take him with me. I cannot travel otherwise.” He shrugged.

[Mr. Handy]

"I don't like that," says William. "How is it you're able to steal other people's bodies, anyway?"

[Silver Priest]

Alex thinks for a moment. "What if we brought you a new body? Could you release this man from your control like you did with Georges?"

[Philulhu]

“It is a spell I learned many years ago. I remember the spell but not from where or whom I learned it,” replied Brophy. “There is a price to pay when I use it, one I don’t want to pay too often.”

He looked across at Alex. “Who did you have in mind?” he snapped. “Or is it a job you wanted for yourself?”

[Silver Priest]

"Honestly I was thinking a criminal of some kind," Alex responds. "Though I'm not sure even they deserve to be condemned to that sort of fate." Brophy's words are likely meant as a mockery, but he considers them for a long moment.

"If you send the rest back to 1930, release your hold on this man, and go to some other time, you can have my body." It was not an offer Alex made lightly, but he's not certain if there were any better options. Brophy seemed able to outlive even death, and as a policeman Alex felt obligated to sacrifice himself for the sorcerer's current prisoner. This man likely had a family and friends, whereas few would truly miss him. The choice seemed obvious, even if being honest it terrified him.

[jp1885]

Sean struggles to keep up with this weird conversation. Bewildered, he puts up his hand like a struggling schoolboy.

“Um, c-couldn’t you possess one of those creatures?”

[Philulhu]

With a lavacious leer, Brophy turned sharply to Alex, moving closer to examine him. “You’re in better shape than this one. Taller and better looking too. We might have a deal…” he said, stepping back to study Alex from a distance.

His study was interrupted by Sean’s question and he rounded on him with a scowl. “Which one do you think I should I choose?” he said sarcastically. “The one over a century old or the one with the broken legs? Eh?”

[jp1885]

“Over a century? He’s looking good on it,” Sean mutters, somewhat sulkily.

[Mr. Handy]

"It doesn't need to last you very long," says William.

[Philulhu]

Brophy shook his head. “It wouldn’t survive. Besides, these creatures are mindless. They’re in no shape for me to take over, unlike your friend here…” and continued to study Alex carefully, like an undertaker measuring a prospective corpse…

[Silver Priest]

Alex meets his stare, trying to display more bravery than he truly feels.

"We have an agreement," He tells Brophy. "Provided you honor it you can do whatever you like. I hope, Sir, that you will accept this second chance you have been given, and decide to retire and spend the rest of your days in peace. Somehow I doubt it.

"When I let you control my body, what will happen to... me?" He asks. He knows the prospect wasn't fatal, as Georges demonstrated. But who knew how long Brophy intended to possess him for. Regardless, he will make the sacrifice if it gets the others home, saves the currently possessed man, and gets the sorcerer far away from them all.

[Philulhu]

“You’ll still be in there,” said Brophy. “Like a silent partner, you’ll be in the background, but I’ll be in control. I’d tell you that you’ll have a ringside seat to greatness, but, well… …” he leered.

He clapped his hands briskly. “Now that’s sorted, shall we move on?” he said. “You take him back to the road and ring for an ambulance,” he instructed Georges, who reluctantly shouldered the still rambling Baz, and started towards the road while the others pushed deeper into the woods.

Brophy lead the way deep into the woods to the north of the lake, shadowed by the two ghoulish creatures lurking in the trees. Even though it seemed that every twist and turn of the path would lead to a dead end, somehow he always found a way through. As they moved deeper, the more still the woods became, with first birdsong and then even the noise of insects falling away. Nothing moved, not even the wind seemed to touch this remote place.

They walked for over an hour while Brophy cast about, muttering “It must be here somewhere” until he let out a cry of gleeful exultation. Moving lightly, he jumped up atop a low moss-covered mound and squatted down, craning his neck this way and that.

“Eureka!” he said quietly. “This is it, the mansion where I lived when I was here.” Almost excitedly he pointed out how the walls ran off into the undergrowth, almost buried under the vegetation that grew over everything. “Spread out and search! There should be an entrance to a cellar, somewhere!”