Play@YSDC

Dunwich Beach - Dunwich, England
3:45 PM - Thursday, September 5, 1985

Valerie Soames drove away from the fight on the beach, the sounds of gunshots fading behind her and the fishy police left in the dust. Soon they reached a portion of the beach where tourists were present, and not long after that the place where the roads met was visible on the left. The Ship Inn was there, across the road, with the Model T still in the car park where she had left it. St. James's Street, the main street of town, stretched away to the west. Monastery Hill ran southwest, towards Virgil Soames's cottage and then the Lake Estate. Another, short road ran up to the northeast, where it ended in a car park outside a restaurant.

When the Land Rover stopped, Dr. Valerie Kirby climbed into the shotgun seat and belted herself in, glancing nervously back at the unconscious Sea Devil tied up in the rear. She leaned back and sighed. "I'll be all right," she said, relaxing a little. "Once we get out of here, that is."

I look at her and make sure she is alright. "Alright dearie, which is the best way out of here? I cannot remember the way we came in."

Dr. Kirby was uninjured, just badly shaken, though she seemed to be recovering now. "The road to the left is Monastery Hill," she said. "That leads back towards the Lake Estate, where you and your partner rescued me. I don't think we ought to head back there. If we go straight ahead on St. James's Street, that will take us through Dunwich and out the other side, past the church. That's the way I came into town originally. I remember crossing a bridge shortly before arriving."

"OK then, straight ahead it is then, let me know if you don't recognise anything, we don't want any mishaps now that we are so close to getting away." I say in a cheery voice smiling a wide smile at Dr Kirby as we head off straight ahead. I peer ahead looking for any sign of the bridge.

Valerie drove down St. James's Street, past the museum, then more cottages and a public phone booth. Past this point, the right side of the street was a marsh and more buildings were on the left. Finally they reached a church with a graveyard on the left side of the road just before a T-intersection. The street ended here, and the new road went left and right.

OOC:   I'm 110% certain that I posted this earlier but hey-ho!

Having arrived at the junction, Valerie turns to Dr Kirby smiling broadly. "Well Dr Kirby, you don't mind if I call you Valerie do you, I so dislike being formal where there is no need for it, such as when we are alone? Which way do we go now, left or right?" As she says this her eyes follow left and right and as they do something catches her eye. (13/70%)

"I don't mind a bit," said Valerie Kirby with a smile, "and I'll call you Valerie as well, unless you think that would be too confusing." She looked around at the intersection. "We've been here before, on our way back into town after we escaped from the manor. That's Westleton Road. The left branch is the one we came from."

Valerie Soames could see her surroundings in excellent detail. To the right, the road curved around to the left somewhat, and after a while it crossed a bridge, beyond which was a building. The left road looked very familiar and was indeed the way they had come after giving the Rolls Royce the slip.

I nod appreciatively. "Thanks Valerie, if you call me Val, though I am not usually one for diminutives, it should stop any confusion." I laugh out loud, for the first time in what seems like months. "To the right it is then." I add cheerfully as I turn the wheel in that direction.

"Not to bring the mood down but how long do you think our 'friend' in the back will be unconscious? If needed I'd rather get petrol when he's ... quieter shall we say." I ask as I look at the petrol gauge and see if there is enough fuel to get back to HQ or not.

Dr. Kirby glanced uneasily into the backseat. "I'm not really sure, Val," she said. "A human should be in a coma with that kind of wound, but I'm not familiar with these creatures. I could go back there and examine it if you like."

The tank was nearly full, having been topped off in Halesworth, a short distance from Dunwich. There was more than enough fuel to reach London, where UNIT had its UK headquarters.

Valerie drove down the road, across the bridge, and past a building with a sign that said "Bridge House." That was the last sign of civilization for a while, as the road went into thick woods as it curved around, distorting her sense of direction. Before long, she reached an intersection where the road she was on crossed paths with another perpendicular road.

Slowing down at the crossroads I try and cast my mind back to when we came in. "Umm Valerie, three directions here, I have no memory of this place." (Navigate 96/10%)

OOC:   I typed Listen in instead of navigate for some reason

Dr. Valerie Kirby looked out the window. "I think I've been this way before," she said, "but I'm all turned around. Your guess is as good as mine."

"Well I don't recall any turns around ths point ... but then again I wasn't really paying too much attention in all fairness. I was concentrating more on getting to Dunwich to get to you Valerie. I recokon straight ahead as I can't remember any turns," so I head off slowly at first, gathering speed.

"Sounds good to me," said Dr. Kirby.

Valerie drove onwards. Dirt roads branched off on either side, but they stuck to the road they were on. Eventually, the road emerged from the forest and intersected with the B1125, which a sign identified as "Dunwich Road." It went north and south.

"I think we can find our way from here," said Dr. Kirby. "If we go north from here a short distance we'll reach Blythburg and can take the A22 southwest to Ipswich, and from there we can get to London easily enough. There will be signs to guide us from now on, and it should only take us a few hours to get there."

"Right-e-oh then Valerie, here we go, Blythburg it is, then the A22 and HQ here we come." I turn the car North and drive.

Dr. Kirby leaned back, exhaling with relief. "It feels so good to be away from there, Val," she said. "You have no idea...Shall I examine our Sea Devil friend during the ride? I won't be able to tell us much as I could in a lab, of course, but I may be able to learn a few things."

"Hmmm ..."I muse aloud. "Better to leave him unless he comes round of course." I put my foot down a bit - not enough to draw attention but enough to eat the miles up, fast.

"All right," said Valerie Kirby. "I'll just keep an eye on him, then."

After a few minutes, the Land Rover reached Blythburg, and Valerie Soames was able to get onto the A22.

OOC:   Alright - A22 it is then.

The A22 is not too busy which allows me to talk to Dr Kirby without having to concentrate too much on the road

"Well Valerie, what exactly was it that took you to that particular remote village anyway - in laywoman's term that is? I'm afraid I was never too good at all that science stuff when I was at school, though between you and me I do know a small amount about the medicinal values of certain plants. Some would call it a lost art, and back in the middle ages I guess I'd have been burned at the stake for a witch." I chuckle at the thought.

OOC:   Just trying to come up with a justification for such a high Pharmacy roll as much as anything else.