Safe World: Charlie, Jill, Louie and Company

[Piano man]

At hear Ronald and Brianna's name Louie perks up. Ronald and Brianna they are ok? Oh heavens say it is so. He pauses choosing his words wisely. It is a long story Lionel...one that I will gladly tell, but now is not the time. Let me tell you this though. If I hadn't done what I did, they would have both been killed. The people that I turned on were not a forgiving type, and Brianna killed one of them. I don't expect them to understand, but I love them both, and I did what I had to do.

Louie shifts a little uncomfortable at the memories. The important thing is we are both on the same side, and I think we are both here for the same book. The people I used to associate with knew about this book and I've come for answers.

[SuAside]

"There hasn't been a war 'outside' for over half a century. Not a real one anyway." Charlie sighs "In normal circumstances, I'd tell you that you're a raving lunatic, but given what's happened... My best guess is that you're in another time, space, universe, dimension, brainfart, whatever."

[Laraqua]

"I have a feeling we all are," says Lionel. The sound of two pairs of footsteps head towards the group. "Ronald and Brianna were okay the last time I saw them, Louie, but they almost weren't. If it hadn't been for some quick thinking and action on my part, and a healthy dose of luck, it might have turned out differently. They've left recently, and I'm not sure where they went, but I believe they've gone back to where we came from. I don't yet understand why you've done what you have, but you did rescue Sarah. I know there's good within you, and I owe you a debt I can never repay. I haven't come here looking for any particular book, but to look for two new friends who told us to meet them at the library. I presume they meant this one. We have a golden opportunity now to stop this group you used to belong to once and for all, before it can cause many deaths it otherwise would. We've been fumbling about in the dark, but you have knowledge about its inner workings and base of operations that we couldn't get anywhere else. This book sounds like it's important too. I've never been to this library before, but I do know my way around a set of stacks. Perhaps I can help locate it."

[Laraqua]

-If you are talking of the war against the germans, you are correct, we are in war against them- says the woman. -This is 1941. What's the name of the book? The book may have be stolen in your time, but in mine he should be probably be still here.

[Laraqua]

"I thought they must have come back too, like I did," says Lionel. "The transition was seamless. I was in the cinema lobby, and I heard the German bombers flying overhead. I told Jennifer, the young lady who worked there, to douse the lights, and the next second I was in the middle of an air raid. That's when I met Daniel Scott, a young A.R.P. warden, who dug me out from under the rubble where I was pinned. I also met his friend Annie, a volunteer who was helping him. It's the two of them that we are hoping to meet here."

[imme]

Jill seems to share Charlie's frustration, but the confusing situation seems to tire her more than anything.

"Okay, so we're talking across different times somehow, and this group of us is luckily in the version of today that doesn't have monsters and devastation ... but do we know any more about how to stop these people than whatever this book may tell us?"

[Piano man]

Well I know what book you are talking about. That is the reason we are here as well. It's just over this way. Louie points in the direction of where the book is supposed to be, and starts walking in that direction. If this turns out to be a dead end, we have one more lead to follow up on.

ooc has the Dr. passed over to our time or are we still talking to disembodied voices.

[Laraqua]

A man and a woman begin to blur into view and stand there, still somewhat translucent, though they cast true shadows.

OOC: You are all still in your relevant times but you can talk to each other and interact with your environments. I may describe things differently depending on which time frame you are on. However, doing it all in one thread will make conversation much easier.

[Mr. Handy]

Lionel steps into view. "A version without those things?" he asks, glancing around to make sure there's nobody else around to overhear them. "This is the first I've heard of it. Then maybe that means we'll succeed in preventing it after all. We clearly have much to discuss, but we'd best find an alcove where we can have some privacy. Let's find the book first. Louie, you know the title and where it might be found, so lead the way. This is Agnes, a volunteer nurse at the hospital. Agnes, this chap in black is Louie. "

[kabukiman]

-How you do, Mr Louie?

[Piano man]

Louie nods to Agnus. I do very well. Realizing that things aren't well he shakes his head. What I mean to say is this time line isn't completely normal either. I've seen some weird stuff here since leaving the ash. It's almost worse here, cause at least in the ash you expect something creepy to happen. He turns and looks back at the books. We should get searching. I've never personally seen this book, so I don't know how helpful it's going to be.

[Mr. Handy]

Lionel walks along with the others. When he is sure they aren't being observed, he continues speaking softly: "Ronald and Brianna managed to get out of the room where you left them and found themselves in some kind of secret temple under the hospital. Unfortunately, they weren't alone. There were these ghostly children down there that they managed to escape from, and something else too. One of the patients from the Children's Ward, a teenager with terminal cancer named Jason, had apparently been burned to death, and his reanimated corpse pursued them. They found a secret passage into the boiler room in the basement and then fled upstairs, and that's when I met them. I don't know exactly at what point they made the transition, but Jason followed them back.

"I had been hoping to find other people in my situation, and the hospital seemed a good place to look. Others could have been wounded in the air raid and taken there. Before that, I had been helping Daniel and Annie look for other survivors, and that's when I found Jennifer's body. Near it was a shard of glass, debris from the bombing. In it I saw the reflection of a horrible canine creature's face, but there was no sign of the hound itself. It was a terrible sight, and I hid the glass under the rubble so nobody else would have to look at it. Jennifer had a lot of useful things on her: a high-powered sniper rifle, a pistol, extra ammo, a taser, a machete, her mobile, and other things on her belt and in her backpack. Daniel and Annie confiscated the guns and were under the mistaken impression that the poor girl was a German spy. I could have simply headed off on my own at that point, but I had a feeling about the two of them. I knew they were important and that I needed their help, so I went with them to the warden's post rather than head to a shelter. As I did, I tried to convince them of the truth of Jennifer's origin, while still leaving out my own. I demonstrated the mobile's functions for them, but they still weren't convinced and were very suspicious of me. I convinced them to come to the hospital to look for others like her, since it was unlikely she would be alone. That's where we met Agnes, Ronald, and Brianna - and then Jason.

"Daniel and Annie tried to shoot him, but none of their shots hit. I told Daniel to pass me the rifle, and I shot that thing multiple times. Didn't even seem to slow it down. Ronald and Brianna ran away into a room, and the creature crawled past me after them. I pursued it, and since the rifle had proven ineffective, I hit upon the idea to use the taser. Before I could close with it, an unexploded bomb outside the hospital went off. It killed a doctor, but the four of us got off with only light wounds. While the zombie was pinned under the rubble, I gave it a jolt and it worked like a charm, stunning it. Unfortunately there were a bunch of people who saw me use the device, but one benefit of the times in which we find ourselves is that people are accustomed to maintaining secrecy, so they'll figure that that piece of advanced electronics is classified. While it was stunned, I put a bullet in its head, then went to treat the other people who had been wounded in the blast, thinking that had done it. Of course, it turned out not to have, and the thing grabbed Agnes by the ankle. I gave it a second shock before it could cause any damage, and then sent Agnes to retrieve a bone saw while it was immobilized. When she got back with it, I amputated the creature's limbs, which did the trick. Daniel and Annie missed all this, but they came by afterwards and saw the result. At that point I explained everything to them and Agnes, and they believed me."

[Piano man]

Louie listens intently to the Doctor as he searches for the book. When he finally comes to the end of his tale Louie nods. Wow. Sounds like you've been through a lot. I spent a lot of time alone so I don't know many interesting people. Except of course for Jill, the volunteer from the children's ward, and her husband, Charlie.

[imme]

Jill is a little shocked by the Lionel's tale. "Um, hi. I remember Jason. He helped me get the children out of the ward and away from the monster that was in there. That's horrible, what happened to him. Oh, and I've seen those scary ghostly children, too. In this world. But they didn't attack, they've just appeared a couple of times."

[Mr. Handy]

[OOC: I already made a successful Library Use roll in the other thread, but nothing came of it yet. Can it be counted toward searching for this book?]



"That's only part of the story," says Lionel as he helps look for the book. "There's much more to explain, and I'm also anxious to hear what you've been through. It is sad that Jason met such a terrible end, but at least he is finally at peace now. I have preserved his remains, but I haven't had a chance yet to perform an autopsy. We encountered one of those children here too, but she didn't attack either. In fact, she was rather helpful in getting us out of a tight spot. You must be Jill. I remember seeing you around the hospital, and Sarah told me about you when she called me while she was being evacuated, shortly before I found myself in the air raid. She said that you and all of the children except Dahlia had disappeared when she came back to look for you. She'd be delighted to know that you're all right. I just wish there were some way I could tell her, and more than that I wish I were with her right now. While she's got people to protect her now, she's still not completely out of the woods and she must be terrified. Perhaps if she somehow finds her way here, she can talk to us as you're doing now."

[kabukiman]

-About the children. Do you know Mr Louie anything about them? How they die? And do you know who are the curent members of the cult? I mean, now, in 1940.

[Laraqua]

Lionel continues searching through the shelves but as he hasn't been told the title of the book, he is moving by gut instinct.

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, those would be helpful things to know," says Lionel. "Were your parents or grandparents in this group, Louie? Any names you remember might help us identify the current members. I've got a good feel for how this library is organized now, but if I'm to find this book I'll need to know its title and what it's about. Anyhow, Daniel and Annie left, as we were all exhausted, and they told us to meet them the next day at the library. I presume they meant this one. They took all of Jennifer's things, and Daniel had already taken my mobile and my wallet before, back when he was suspicious of me, so he's still got them. The rest of us went back to Agnes's flat for some delicious Woolton pie that she cooked for us, and then we all slept through the entire day. We were awakened by air raid sirens that night, and we all went to the nearest shelter. There was a woman there who was rather shocked to see Brianna. She told us had a daughter who looked exactly like her, but the girl is gone now. I don't know if she's simply missing or passed on, but I have a hunch that the cult may be involved. By the way, do you have any idea how you got where you are now? If only Sarah could have gone with you."

[Piano man]

Louie tells them the name of the book. It's important that you bring it to me if you find it. As for the cult....It would take too much time right now, and my mind is on other things. Once we've found the book we'll have a discussion.

ooc I know you told me the name of the book Laraqua, but I seem to have misplaced it.

[Mr. Handy]

"Then I shall try to find it quickly," says Lionel as he looks through the shelves. "Can we pass objects to each other, I wonder? If not and I pick up the book here, will there still be a copy on your end? Oh, yes, that's right. There was a nurse listening in on our conversation in the hospital. I'm not sure how much she heard, and Agnes didn't recognize her. When I asked her who she was and invited her to join us, she refused and rudely slammed the door. Later we got sealed in the pantry somehow when we were storing the remains. The door seemed crusted over and we could not open it, but that ghost child let us out. She knocked three times on the door from the other side, and when I knocked back three times it opened. She was gone, leaving only a puddle of water and her laughter. Before we left the hospital, we paid a visit to the Children's Ward. While we were there we all caught a glimpse of what it must have looked like in our time. The one that I believe sent us here communicated with me while I was in there, speaking through the nurse who was on duty. The voice was very disturbing and sounded like it was coming from within my mind, and it said that I had better do my duty quickly, whatever that means. My best guess is that it means we must stop the cult and save the children, and that we only have a limited amount of time.

"When we were in the air raid shelter, I had a sort of vision of the future. I was back in the ash in some room filled with chemicals, and Dahlia was with me. Then something decidedly odd happened to Ronald. His flesh began to bubble, though it did not appear to be harming him. Then he simply vanished. The people gathered there saw the whole thing and feared it was a gas attack, but I managed to keep them from rushing out in a panic. I believe he returned back whence he came, but what you've told me gives me hope that maybe he's where you are, and Brianna as well. She vanished in the same manner while we were walking to the library, and there was nothing we could do to stop her. She was so upset when Ronald was taken and missed him terribly, but perhaps she's with him now. I miss them both as well. Brianna has so much in common with my daughter Sarah, and I'd grown rather attached to her in the short time we had. I fear it is only a matter of time before I'm taken away as well, so we had best act quickly and do whatever it is I was sent here to do. I just wish I knew what exactly that is."