Chapter 12: The Dog-Thing

[HoneyDog]

OOC,Just roll SAN please.

[Mr. Handy]

Alexander knows he should be pleased that the Dust is effective against the monster, but he's a little disturbed by seeing it in action.

OOC,Sanity roll (current level 84) for seeing the Dust work: 0 Sanity loss: 1

[aine]

San,4101

Seeing the creature patchily dissolve was the most revolting sight that Isolde has ever seen. She feels sick but struggles on with the incantation. At least the dust is having an effect.

[Mephistophilis]

Harry Sanity 50%,0, San loss if fails 1

Harry shudders at the sight of the melting, boiling animal.

[Philulhu]

OOC,Just roll SAN please.

OOC,SAN roll was in the first OOC.

[Snapper]

Crozier:

SAN 57%,0

"Bad dog!"

[HoneyDog]

The creature begins to retreat, still whining. Backing into the corner, the smoke seems to curl into itself, and the visible features of the beast begin to fade. Shortly, the light and smoke are gone, as if they never existed.

The companions watch in stunned silence. Blessing is kneeling next to the still form of Joan, who seems almost catatonic. Vandorff still sits in his chair, silent. Slowly, Rolf approaches him and waves his hand slowly in front of Vandorff’s face. There is no reaction – the man appears to be insensible.

“Help me, Rolf” Blessing calls out. “I want to get her to her room.”

He picks up Joan in his arms, and Rolf moves to open the door. They exit, leaving the companions alone for now.

OOC,Looks like you did it! Easier than expected, as everyone managed to avoid insanity. What now?

[Mephistophilis]

Harry blinks, hard, struggling to process what he has just seen. 'It wasn't just me that saw that dog, was it?'

After he has gathered his senses he says, 'It might be time to talk to the police. We need to get our stories straight. Particularly if we're to save Miss Bayldon.'

[Philulhu]

”No,” said Vic shortly, still staring at the corner of the room from which it had appeared. “No, you weren’t the only one.” Vic was sure she’d never forget what she’d seen.

She blinked and looked at Alexander. “You said the dust would drive it off - will it come back again?” she asked. “Presumably it had Vandorff as a sacrifice so does that mean it’s just gone for now?”

[aine]

Isolde falls back to the nearest chair and collapses. “It’s all true!” She whispers, dismayed beyond belief.

[Mr. Handy]

"From what we read, once the Dust drives off the beastie, it is unlikely to return," says Alexander. "I dinna think Vandorff is dead, he has merely retreated into himself and been injured. In short, he is even more suited to be a patient here than he was before."

[Philulhu]

”That’s a relief,” said Vic, quickly followed by, “I mean about the creature, not Vandorff.” She couldn’t forgive him for what he’d done to Billy but equally she had been horrified by the effects of the creature’s attack.

She looked around at her companions. ”I think it might be time for a nice cup of tea, don’t you?” she said, trying to force a lighter note into her voice.

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye, that would hit the spot!" agrees Alexander.

[HoneyDog]

Presently Blessing returns. His face is drawn and pale.

“I’ve given Joan something to calm her” he begins. “The shock of seeing that thing has really shattered her mind. I’m afraid I may not be able to help her this time. Her mind was already weak, and it sent her over the edge.”

He looks at the floor for a moment, then crosses over to where Vandorff still sits. Blessing peers at him closely.

“He looks to have gone into a catatonic state. I’ll need to examine him further, but I expect that the good doctor is likely to be a patient here now.”

He straightens up.

“What will you all do now?” he asks.

[Mr. Handy]

"That's what we need to discuss," says Alexander. "I agree that Dr. Vandorff should be a patient here, and it seems Miss Bayldon must be as well."

[HoneyDog]

“Yes” agrees Blessing. “I can report that the strain was too much for him. Perhaps I can take over here. I’ll make sure that the patients are treated humanely, and abuses like these we’ve witnessed are never able to happen again. I’ll be able to maintain treatment for Joan. Hopefully she might recover, given time.”

[Snapper]

Crozier:

The Captain lights a celebratory cigar with slightly shaky hands. Pulling himself together, he pulls out his hip flask of single malt and offers a careful cap-full in turn to each of Isolde and Vic. Having done so, he takes a swig from the flask himself then offers it around to the other men.

"Well, I must eat humble pie. The dog-thing was real enough. Or something like real I guess..."

"Now we are back to a discussion from some days ago. Namely, do we hand Miss Bayldon in? Will she ever recover her wits, I wonder? If not, and she will never be a danger to society, perhaps we leave her here and the mystery is officially unsolved?"

"Perhaps Dr Blessing would let us speak with her, to see if her - ah - mother is still around?"

[HoneyDog]

Blessing shakes his head.

"No, Captain. I've sedated her, she is in no condition to speak. I will be able to provide a better diagnosis later, but I'm not optimistic right now. As for handing her in, what exactly would you hope to accomplish? You know that she is also a victim in all of this."

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye, and we gave our word," says Alexander. "If there's anywhere she can get help, it's here."

[Mephistophilis]

'Whether we hand Miss Bayldon in is one question, but we have someone's who's been shot, we have two men who tried to kill us locked in the cells, another has maybe lost his senses, and there's that wretch upstairs. This is bigger than the Seekers can just brush under the carpet!' says Harry.