Ghosts of Gauntcliff: Chapter Six

[ewancummins]

The Hallway

Denys steps out and stands near Melmoth (leaving Benn alone in the bar).
The entrepreneur looks down at Jürgen with a tight-lipped, queasy expression. He listens in silence as Jürgen tells the tale. When the boy has finished, Denys frowns and shakes his head.

“You ought rather to ask the Lady for succor, for you are beyond our help. This curse…”
Denys Sancerre runs his right hand through his thick russet hair and over the back of his neck.
“I don’t know what, but there is something you are holding back, something about which you are lying. Whatever it is, I don’t want you in my house—a liar and a thief and maybe worse. I once made the mistake of pitying a boy like you, but not again. Get out and stay out.”

[Ken of Ghastria]

Primeiro looks at Sancerre and then back at Jürgen. "I don't know what has happened to you, lad, but ... yes, you must be holding something back from us. If there's a way to help you, we'll find it. But right now, those of us here must focus all our efforts on destroying the shadow creature. Point the way to this beast you saw -- I've glimpsed it, too! -- then take whatever food you have and do as Monsieur Sancerre directs. We'll meet again and do our best to find answers."

[ewancummins]

"You would be a fool to trust him, Primeiro. "

Denys' voice takes on a pleading tone.
''He'll lead you to your doom."

[steveflam]

The boy just sits there a moment, dejected. Now he stands, eyes narrowing as if something clicks. "Excuse me? Me a liar? Thief? Pity me not, you arrogant bastard! Ever since we got here, there has been nothing but trouble, you cretin! Everline almost died. The Abbey isn't even safe, and you don't give a rats ass. You just let us go there and almost die. Then there's Jonas, Benn and myself. There's an evil shadow around here, and not mine. You don't want me here? Well piss off, you arrogant bastard, I don't want to be here any more. You may not care about everyone here, but I do. Grow some balls and be a man. Help them."

Jürgen is now crying and very upset. His hands open and close. He reaches for his stuff, sobbing. "I'll save you all the trouble..." He turns and mumbles Primeiro "Dark One is following it I dont know where it went."

The cloth slips away, revelaing Jürgens deformity. He cries even harder now and without any warning darts off as fast as he can.

[ewancummins]

Denys draws his dagger and Melmoth raises his club to strike, but the boy runs down the hall.

The door to the ballroom flies open and a mob of sailors and servants pours out armed with knives and improvised weapons. A man brandishing a silver candlestick cries out-
“The devil-child! Get him, get him!”
The mob takes off in pursuit of Jürgen!

END OF CHAPTER SIX