Ghosts of Gauntcliff: Chapter Five

[ewancummins]

Jürgen-


Terror overcomes the boy as he stares into the face of his first victim. This man should not be here. The boy left him dead in a rotten hulk mired in the seaweed, yet he stands before Jürgen with an upraised sword, ready to avenge himself!
...................................................................................................................................


Benn-

After the mysterious youth vanishes, Benn stands alone in the moldering patch of dead brush and fallen trees.
He no longer hears the tapping sound, only the lilting songs of small birds and the occasional flap of unseen wings or the rustle of dry branches in the breeze.

[steveflam]

Jürgen-


Terror overcomes the boy as he stares into the face of his first victim. This man should not be here. The boy left him dead in a rotten hulk mired in the seaweed, yet he stands before Jürgen with an upraised sword, ready to avenge himself!

Juergin's eyes go wide, not fully comprehending. "I.... I... I Killed them...... killed all thirteen! How?.......how?..... This is impossible!" The boy runs from his position, dropping his fish hook and finds the quickest exit. Throwing the door open, he runs through the streets mumbling to himself over and over "But.. but .... I killed them... I remember.... I killed them.... why?.... how.... this is impossible..."

[Adam]

After the figure vanishes, Benn turns and looks around the clearing, lips twisting in irritation. "Extraordinarily helpful, these dream creatures," he mutters as he scans the horizon, looking for any indication of where a lake might be located.

[ewancummins]

After the figure vanishes, Benn turns and looks around the clearing, lips twisting in irritation. "Extraordinarily helpful, these dream creatures," he mutters as he scans the horizon, looking for any indication of where a lake might be located.

The horizon is hidden entirely by the trees that surround Benn.

[Adam]

Benn again sighs and picks a random direction, beginning his search for the not-obvious-lake.

[ewancummins]

BENN

Benn again sighs and picks a random direction, beginning his search for the not-obvious-lake.

Benn hears soft, whispering voices in the trees above him. When he looks up, he sees nothing but leaves, branches, and patches of blue sky. As he walks deeper into the forest, he notices that the summer greenery has changed to autumn colors; red, gold, and brown. Dry leaves and twigs crunch under his feet, the only sound apart from his own breathing and the songs of unseen birds.

As the Lamordian enters a desolate stretch of woodland, even the birdsong fades away to nothing. Leafless, dead trees sway as he walks near them, threatening to fall on him and crush him. Thick briars cling to the uneven ground, making Benn’s passage more difficult. Twice, he steps in pools of stagnant water hidden by mantles of dead leaves. The warmth he felt when first entering this world is gone entirely, replaced by a wintry chill. He sees lacy patches of frost on the ground.

Benn stumbles through a thorny mass of dying shrubs, and steps onto the sandy shore of a small tarn. A rocky islet rises in the midst of the waters. The black water, still and smooth as glass, throws back his own image when he looks into the lake. Benn sees his hair and clothing torn and disheveled, and scratches on his face and hands. He feels dizzy. His nostrils tighten and his stomach turns.

[ewancummins]

Jürgen-


Terror overcomes the boy as he stares into the face of his first victim. This man should not be here. The boy left him dead in a rotten hulk mired in the seaweed, yet he stands before Jürgen with an upraised sword, ready to avenge himself!

Juergin's eyes go wide, not fully comprehending. "I.... I... I Killed them...... killed all thirteen! How?.......how?..... This is impossible!" The boy runs from his position, dropping his fish hook and finds the quickest exit. Throwing the door open, he runs through the streets mumbling to himself over and over "But.. but .... I killed them... I remember.... I killed them.... why?.... how.... this is impossible..."

Jürgen


The boy runs out of the house and through the crazy, crooked streets of the nightmare city. By the time he regains control of himself, he is lost in a completely unfamiliar part of the city. He stands alone, but for his shadow-companion, in a small vacant lot with high houses hemming him in close on every side. The windows and doors of the tall buildings are all filled in with bricks and Jürgen sees no other obvious ways to get inside the houses. Only two narrow alleys lead into or out of the vacant lot, and one of those is partly blocked with a mound of rubble.
Lighting rips through the black sky, chased by a mighty thunderclap. Heavy rain falls hard on Jürgen, soaking him in less than a minute.

[steveflam]

Juergin turns to Dark One, wet and somewhat tired. "We need to get back to Gruz and Smegel. Can you find the house? We will keep to the shadows of course."

[ewancummins]

Juergin turns to Dark One, wet and somewhat tired. "We need to get back to Gruz and Smegel. Can you find the house? We will keep to the shadows of course."

''I will try...''

[ewancummins]

Jürgen exits the vacant lot by way of the unblocked alley and commences a search for his missing friends. After wandering in the heavy downpour for half an hour or more, the boy finds Smezel and Gruz hiding in a wooden lean-to near a flooded sewer. Jürgen is soaked to the bone, cold, and tired.

Gruz looks up in surprise. "You come back for us!"

[steveflam]

Juergin is actually happy to see his two new friends and smiles. "Yes, I told you, you are my good friends. For some reason, I grew very scared and ran away. Those three men I have seen before, but they are supposed to be dead.
Now, is it safe now to go find my friend the fat one, Benn? Or should we wait until morning?"

[Adam]

Retching, Benn backs up from the water's edge. He pulls a handkerchief from his pocket, first putting it to his nose then wrapping it around his face to block out whatever had turned his stomach.

Poison Lake, he thinks, I had hoped it was just a euphemism.

He looks wistfully between the shore and the caves he can clearly see on the other side. Perhaps I can lash together a raft, he thinks, scanning for any likely looking lumber.

[ewancummins]

Retching, Benn backs up from the water's edge. He pulls a handkerchief from his pocket, first putting it to his nose then wrapping it around his face to block out whatever had turned his stomach.

Poison Lake, he thinks, I had hoped it was just a euphemism.

He looks wistfully between the shore and the caves he can clearly see on the other side. Perhaps I can lash together a raft, he thinks, scanning for any likely looking lumber.

Benn finds some fallen hollow trunks, dead branches, and thick vines suitable for making a raft.

[ewancummins]

JUERGIN

Juergin is actually happy to see his two new friends and smiles. "Yes, I told you, you are my good friends. For some reason, I grew very scared and ran away. Those three men I have seen before, but they are supposed to be dead.
Now, is it safe now to go find my friend the fat one, Benn? Or should we wait until morning?"

Smezel speaks, "Morning never come here."

Gruz nods. ""Yeah, always dark. We like dark place."

[steveflam]

"Never day? I.... I've never heard of that. You mean you've never seen a beautiful sunrise across the water? I... That is bizarre. But changing subject. Can you bring me to my friend Benn?"