Back to the Village (everyone)

[BoyBlunder78]

He was aiming to miss - if he’d fumbled (95+) then the good doctor would have been picking buckshot out of his arse for a week!

oooof....soooo close...

Yelling in surprise and horror as the shotgun blast tears into the ground by his feet, scattering earth into the air, Dr Douglas sharply changes direction, bolting further into the night, his heart almost bursting out of his chest.

[Philulhu]

The village being small it was a matter of moments before Dr Douglas found himself running along a country lane, hedged in on both sides. Up ahead, he could see a wide gate on the left and stile on the left.

Unlike his call to the Reverend, Ascot found his call answered promptly. “Inverness Polis Station. Serjeant Lorimer speaking. Whit can I do fer ye?”

[BoyBlunder78]

Weighing up his options Dr Douglas decides to tackle the stile in a bid to lose his pursuers across the field, hoping to find somewhere to hide to the safety of sunrise.....

[Joajackson]

The Father Ó Shaban was old and tires, but he could deal with a bath alone. At the same time though, it seemed that the people outside were shouting and shotgunning. He did a small prayer that no one was dead, and tried to bath somewhat quiker. Whatever was happening, almost surely would not get to where he was, and he could almost nothing to help.

[Mr. Handy]

Bonnie carefully looks outside in the direction of the shot.

[Snapper]

Ascot wonders what is going on outside but hopes Miss Mackenzie will call him if it's serious. Otherwise, bigger problems call his attention.

"Sergeant, my name is Hugo Ascot, I'm a guest at the hotel in Strathmorn. Your Constable Leslie had some, ah, interactions with me and my colleagues much earlier today."

"I must tell you something terrible has happened. Two local men have been killed up at the manor by, ah, some kind of African wild animal. The same creature that killed the local, Donald McColl. We think the creature's ancestors were brought to the manor many years ago by the last laird, and they have been living up there ever since."

"We don't think the creature or its kin will come away from the manor, so the village is safe. We are going to ask the local reverend to convince everyone here to stay away from the manor till the morning."

"And the, ah, remains of two men killed are still up at the manor too. Much like it sounds was the case with McColl, they are in a most terrible state."

[Philulhu]

Dr Douglas made short work of the stile but when he dropped down onto the other side, he found himself ankle deep in mud. Hanging onto the stile he was able to extricate his feet with a loud, flatulent squelch which he feared would draw attention to himself. Thankfully nothing seemed to have noticed.

He set off across the field away from the village, following a well-trodden muddy path. His feet slipped in the mud as he walked but at least it helped the path stand out against the surrounding grass in the darkness. It only took about a minute to cross to the other side of the field where he spotted another stile. As he drew closer, he was suddenly aware that he was surrounding by a number of large, silent creatures, standing at least as high as shoulder height on him.

With relief, Dr Douglas realised the immobile sentinels were a heard of cows! Carefully he stepped through the mud and approached the stile, at which point the nearest animal groaned and lifted its head, studying him with large brown mournful eyes over an extended maw with rows of sharp, blood-flecked teeth…

There was a moment’s silence, then, “Can ye repeat that please, Mr Ascot? Two dead at Strathmorn, is that correct? And ye’d be the gentlemen who came tae see wee Jamie McLeod the other day?”

Bonnie could see Jamie shouting at someone down the street as he re-loaded his shotgun…

Father Ó Shaban shifted uncomfortably in his bath. Something was pushing into his lower back, something that was thrusting upwards! Sitting up quickly, he looked behind to see a brightly-painted yellow duck bob to the surface…

[BoyBlunder78]

Dr Douglas sigh of relief is short lived as he sees the monstrous masticating bovine beast staring at him, long strands of saliva and blood hanging, swaying from its elongated jaw. His arms up warding the creature away as he stumbles back into the stile, losing his footing as he slips, heading backwards over the stile.

[Joajackson]

The absolute horror of the yellow duck bob seemingly confused the priest, he wasnt expecting that. Most people presumed that as a copt, he would be confused by the strange creations of the West. But his house was in Boston, so the ducky was fine for him, he was just confused for a small village in Scotland having one.

[Mr. Handy]

"Jamie, what are ye shooting at?" calls Bonnie out the door after running to it.

[Philulhu]

Bonnie is, I believe, still inside the inn. She saw Jamie through the window (sorry - should have made that clear in my post).

[Snapper]

Spoiler:

Ascot winces, wondering how credible he sounds to the local police after their various failed interactions with Constable Leslie.

"Yes, two men are dead, up at the manor."

"And you are correct, although I wasn't there myself, those were my colleagues visiting young McLeod."

[Mr. Handy]

Edited my post. I had intended to look out the front door.

[Philulhu]

Fortunately for Dr Douglas, the ground on the other side of the stile was relatively firm so he didn’t get any more muddy. The downside was that it was firm enough so that when he fell, he was winded and for a few moments all he could do was lie on his back looking at the stars.

That quickly passed, however, and the Doctor was soon back up on his feet again. He could hear the animals on the other side of the hedge but thankfully couldn’t see them in the gloom. Looking around, the field stretched away into the darkness left and right, with another faint path leading straight on. On a rise, forward and left of where he stood, he could see a building from which light was showing.

“Right ye are, Sir. And where are ye now? The Strathmorn Hotel? Right, I need ye tae make sure nae one goes outside. We’ll be with ye as soon as possible!” replied Serjeant Lorimer briskly.

Jamie snapped his shotgun closed, holding it ready should he need it again. ”Someone was skulkin’ in the bushes, Miss,” he replied, nodding in the direction of the bushes under the window. ”Wi’ the beastie aboot, ye cannae be too careful so I sent him on his way wi’ a warnin’ shot.”

If only the infidels would stop shouting and firing their guns, the good father might be able to rest and enjoy his bath for a while…

[BoyBlunder78]

Looking towards the building Dr Douglas gingerly makes his way towards the light, holding his bruised ribs he makes way, hoping to possibly find some sanctuary from the creatures he finds himself hounded by.

[Snapper]

Spoiler:

Ascot wonders where Douglas currently is but says nothing about that problem.

"Thank you for your prompt assistance, Sergeant. I'll keep everyone inside the hotel."

"We'll feel much better once the police are here. Goodbye."

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye, best not to shoot him for real," says Bonnie. "He's far more likely to be a man." She peers into the bushes to see if anyone is in them.

[Philulhu]

Drawing closer, Dr Douglas could see it was a farm that he was approaching. The farm buildings looked to be built around a small yard, with the farmhouse on the right, a long low building straight ahead and a barn to the left. A low wall appeared to link all three together, probably a relic of a more violent past when defence against reivers and the English soldiers was required.

An oil light was stood on a small shelf next to the door to the farm and there was sounds of movement from the barn, where another low light could be seen.

OOC:   Having summoned police assistance, what’s Ascot’s next move?

Bonnie could see signs that someone had been in the bushes - bent branches and footprints in the wet soil - but there was no one there now.

The warmth of the water and the rising steam was making Father Ó Shaban feel quite sleepy…

[Joajackson]

The Father Ó Shaban noticed that he was feeling quite tired and decided to finish his bath, after all, scottish baths were not exactly the right style for that kind of thing. He was much more of a sauna guy.

Obtaining some new clothes, similar to the previous ones he was using, after all, he has some packed bags with him since he had come to great britain from boston, he went to find Ascot, and discover how was everything going, and what was going on with all the shootings.

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye, it was a man, and ye did scare him off," says Bonnie.