Darkness Wronger Than Death or Night

[George Hardwick III]

"Good." George gave a satisfied nod to Maldon's reply (in the gloom he did not perceive John's mystified expression, but instead understood his reply to be something of an absolution -- that perhaps the poor start they'd gotten off to was finally easing!)

 

"You have no need for any fear." George commended Caroline's implicit trust in her gentleman protectors, "I have faced far worse, may I reassure you. There is very little a valorous heart cannot subdue." perhaps he sounded like an ass, life had made him so. He'd had two choices to the turns his life had taken, melancholy over his loss had the man insufferable even to himself, so he'd now turned to facing (literally) the daemons that plagued.

 

It was at that timely moment a window smashed. George turned his head abruptly in thee direction of the noise and dropping Caroline's hand put his hand on his sword. "You deduce correctly Lady Toledo." he continued conversation in an even tone as he stalked forwards. "Alas I arrived but hours too late, breaking through the wall of the crypt, and levering the lid of the coffin, she had already drawn lifes final gasp."

 

Then there was silence, only blackness in the direction that George had left...

 

 

 

 

OOC: and then there were four

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

Nicolette was not so sure that the silver coins had any anti-wraith properties either. It seemed to her that it was one of those 'humored' thoughts spoken, that everyone doubted, but that there was more reassurance in accepting than in dismissing. She smiled between John and Caroline - everyone's doubts unexpressed. Just in case they did help though, she held the coins in the same hand as she' held Carolines, so they made point of contact with both of them.

 

Sophia was uninterested in that conversation, perhaps because of her monkey's antics, or perhaps because of the awful tale Lord Chichester was telling...

 

Then the candle was blown out by a gust of air, and Sophia screamed with all her voice, a strong and powerful voice in the pitch darkness. The combination of darkness and the screaming was horrific. Somewhere a window smashed.

 

Nicci's hands slipped free from her companions, and she crouched putting her hands over her ears, wanting it all to be over!

[Caroline Despanay]

Despite the tension of the unknown, thus far all had managed an enforced outer calm at least. But now things were happening far too rapidly and chaotically. Sophia followed her monkey much to Caroline's dismay and disgust and now was gone. The light went out, matched with a loud scream filling the hallway. A sudden shattering of glass, George gripping his sword and striding into...darkness. Nicolette was not taking it well at all, releasing her hand grips, dropping to a crouch.

 

Caroline halted frozen in place. She had not yet succumbed to panic but was feeling very helpless without some sort of weapon or even her Irish bodyguard next to her. Everything was that much worse because it was all unknown. She turned to John.

 

"What do we do?" she half demanded, half pleaded.

[Guest]

John looked quizzically at the light going out. He didn’t have time to panic before Sophia screamed and Nicolette let go of his hand. He jumped, more startled than scared. He instinctively grabbed Sophia and pulled her to him. Not into his arms like a lover but to the side and a bit behind. It was a protective gesture that placed him between her and the door. “Are you alright?” He asked.

 

“Stay c-c-calm.” John instructed Caroline. His voice was calm, and deeper, more paternal than it usually was. He reached out and took her hand, so he was now holding Sophia in one hand and Caroline in the other. “It’s alright. Chi-chichester’s just run off somewhere. I know this r-r-room. I just need to get to the window and there’ll be some light.”

 

“Now, where is N-Mademoiselle?” He almost forgot himself and called her by name. He got his answer, though, when he stepped and ran into her. Someone else might have just stumbled but with John’s leg he couldn’t regain his balance. He let go of both ladies’ hands and, flailing, went head first into the floor with a loud bang.

 

As if on cue, lightning flashed, thunder boomed, and rain began to patter loudly against the ceiling. The house’s groaning got worse under the assault.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia stopped screaming when John grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him. “Ja, I am fine, just a bit scared,” she whispered. She was grateful that he was willing to protect her, especially when George confirmed that the former owner of the house had died after awaking in her coffin. It was an awful way to die.

 

And then the charming but mysterious Earl disappeared and where was Nicolette? It was so dark that Sophia might as well have been blind. She placed a hand over her mouth to stop herself from screaming again and stepped closer to John. Caroline sounded frightened when she asked what they should do now.

 

Lord Maldon remained calm, but she heard him fall while searching for Nicolette. A peal of thunder roared outside, and a bolt of lightening lit up the room long enough for her to see the figures of both Nicolette and John. She moved quickly over to them as the room went dark again, and knelt beside them. “Are either of you hurt?”

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

Bodies moved in the dark. Likely they bumped against Nicci, who had not gong anywhere, just crouched down and blocked her ears. Whatever was going on above her - then intruded. A weight fell over and across her.

 

Nicci shrieked too at that moment.

 

Then lightening lit the room. It was Lord Maldon, it had been Lord Maldon. "I am sorry!" she was responsible for unwittingly tripping him, and he lady there now - unconscious? His head had hit the floor quite hard. Scrambling to his side she lifted his head to her lap.

 

Sophia was calling, both ladies were calling wanting to help. "We need light." Nicolette replied plaintively.

[Caroline Despanay]

This was a complete disaster, oh why had she ventured out alone anyway? And stopping to see Lord Maldon had at least seemed like a good idea? Not so much anymore.

 

John tried to calm them but immediately after he toppled right in front of her, at least letting go of her hand so she wasn't dragged down with him. Lightning revealed, for just an instant, he was practically on top of the Nicolette on the floor too. The only positive in this was Sophia was present again.

 

As Sophia knelt to check on John's condition, it was Nicolette who made a very good point. Indeed they did need light. Maybe she could do something useful, Caroline decided.

 

"The candle! Let me try and find the candle!" she cried out then it hit her, "Oh merde! And how will we light it if I do find it?"

 

Where was a good lamp when you needed one?

[Guest]

John didn’t reply to Sophia or Nicolette. He was still there, but the darkness had invaded through the wound on his forehead. Perhaps in some capacity he could hear but he could not understand or react. His mind was like a cart wheel raised off the ground and given a good blow. It spun but it didn’t actually go anywhere.

 

When Nicolette drew his head into her lap there would also be the hot sticky sensation of blood. He was also missing his periwig. He curled slightly into her lap. In John’s muddled mind the world had just become warmer and filled with a pleasant smell. He also had a vague sensation that he was missing one of his senses.

 

Caroline, or one of the other ladies, might remember John had lit three candles before any of them had arrived. He had a striker, a small scissor contraption that made sparks when snipped, and a tinderbox in his breast pocket.

 

The lantern and his periwig had fallen where John hit the floor. Someone groping around might feel the hairy mass or the cold metal of the lantern. They might also feel the chalk of the demon circle that John had dashed with his foot, now completed again by a warm sticky line of his blood.

 

The winds began not only to howl but to screech. Hard, irregular thumping sounds began on the lower floors and a door slammed.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Sophia heard Nicolette shift position and say she was sorry, but John remained eerily silent. Was her friend sorry because Lord Maldon had tripped over her? Why didn't he speak? Had he been knocked out? And where was Lord Chichester?

 

Nicci called for light and Caroline asked how they would light a candle if they found one. Sophia was afraid to stand up for fear that she, too, would trip and fall. Kneeling was uncomfortable, so she maneuvered herself until she was sitting on the cold hard floor. Aurora jumped from her shoulders and began prowling around.

 

Almost immediately, she heard the clang of metal and the monkey hissed. Could she have run into John's lantern? Crawling toward the sound, Sophia collided with something which made that same clanging sound. Sitting back down, she drew the object toward her and ran her hands over it. It was, indeed, the lantern.

 

Somewhere in the distance, another door slammed. Sophia startled but at least she didn't scream or drop the lantern. Had a door been left open or had somebody … or something … come in? And what was that strange thumping? Her heart pounded and her throat constricted. Was it possible that Esteban had realized she was missing and sent someone to search for her? Or was something more sinister lurking on the floor below?

 

“I found the lantern,” she shouted in order to be heard over the screeching wind. “Now we just need something to light it with.”

[Nicolette Vauquelin]

Wet. Nicci's fingers at first recoiled upon the sensation. Blood? Then with concern quested forth. "Lord Maldon? John..." with head bowing over his closer hissed in a concerned whisper; though all was unseen in the dark. Clutching at his jacket lapel, she gave a shake. He was unconscious perhaps - the dread thought of death did not enter her mind.

 

Meanwhile her companions moved about; while the ominous weather pounded the house the ladies created their own collection of clatters, Sophia had found a lantern. "Wake up, wake up!" Nicolette's pitch rose in urgency, so worried about the man who's bleeding head she cradled, she had no thought to search his body for a flint! "Wake up! We need you!"