Part 64: Last Night- Page 62
Kacie posted:
Seconding the two ideas above this post - show William his locket and his mother's locket.
Ding Ding Ding!
But first...
>take hook
(slipping the cell key into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand free)
Taken.
The wind tugs viciously at your umbrella.
A sudden gust of wind blows a cold spray of rain into your face.
For... No reason.
>n
Whateley Bridge
As you approach the bridge, you see a hulking shadow lurking about on the far bank. You slow down warily, remembering the townsfolk who threatened you earlier, peering through the darkness and obscuring rain to catch a glimpse of the person. Then the figure moves slightly, and you realize that it's much larger than a man; in fact, the figure isn't shaped anything like a man at all.
A sudden crack of lightning illuminates the bridge for a brief, horrible instant -- and in that instant, you see it.
In the next few moments, your battered mind manages to blot out the memory of that bloated, barrel-like, armless trunk; those thick, double-jointed legs that end in shiny black hooves; that writhing forest of fleshy tendrils crowning the torso in place of a proper head -- but you are not, and will never be, able to banish the horrible, searing memory of the thing's misplaced face which leers madly out at you from the side of the trunk -- that child's face on a monster's body!
The wind tugs viciously at your umbrella.
The creature lurches toward you, its hooved feet thumping heavily on the old stone bridge.
Wait! William! Remember, you weren't always like this!
>give silver locket to monster
The creature doesn't seem remotely interested.
The little boy's face opens its mouth and lets forth a horrible, wailing squawl, a sound like a frightened infant calling for its mother.
Okay, that's a shade left of creepy.
William, no! Remember your mother!
Would she want to ripping strangers to shreds?!
>give gold locket to creature
You toss the gold locket at the monster's feet, and the clasp springs open when it hits the cobblestones, revealing the woman's portrait inside. The creature looks down and is immediately captivated. It bends over awkwardly, delicately grasps the chain with the tip of one tentacle, and holds the locket up to its face.
For a single heartbeat of time, even the storm seems to hold still. The little boy's face gazes at the picture in the locket for a long, aching moment. And a silent tear wells up in the corner of its eye and trickles down its cheek.
The monster ignores you for the moment, fascinated by the portrait of its mother.
Aw. Finalely now, William may remember some peace.
We can be friends, after all.
>attack monster with hook
With a hoarse yell of desperation, you raise the meat hook over your head and fly at the monster while its attention is absorbed by the tiny picture of its mother.
It never even sees you coming. With brutal accuracy, you sink the meat hook deep into the left eye of the little boy's face. It screams, a high, squawling wail like a frightened infant, and a thick, black ichor spurts from the wound. It thrashes about helplessly, knocking you onto the ground, and you scramble back on your hands and feet crab-style, trying to get away from its struggles.
Another flash of lightning, and you see the thing stagger over to the side of the bridge. One tentacle manages to pluck out the hook, which clatters to the pavement -- but the damage has been done. The monster hits the stone parapet, overbalances, and goes over the side, taking the locket with it. It hits the water with a giant splash and is instantly engulfed by the raging current. By the time you get to your feet, rush to the side and look over, the monster's body is gone.
Your score has just gone up by two points.
>put hook in coat
(first taking the meat hook)
You slip the meat hook into the pocket of your trenchcoat.
Mustn't forget our only weapon.
>n
Narrow Street
The clouds overhead mutter restlessly to themselves.
After that, Miranda could use a drink. Let's see if the pub is open! Maybe get some Tears of Madness.
>n
You close your umbrella, as is your habit after coming indoors.
Local Pub
>l
Local Pub
A dank, drafty old drinking hole lit by flickering, oil-burning lanterns. Smoke collects in greasy pools among the rafters, and shadows crowd thick around. The bar runs the length of the room to your right, while to the south a low doorway opens onto the street.
Points to the author for striping the locals from the pub during this last night.
Clearly there is less than a reason to be here.
>s
The rain is still coming down, so you open your umbrella.
Narrow Street
The wind tugs viciously at your umbrella.
The clouds overhead mutter restlessly to themselves.
>w
Junction
>nw
University Court
There are numerous buildings surrounding this cobbled court, but the only one you are interested in is the library to the west.
>w
You close your umbrella, as is your habit after coming indoors.
Library
>n
Circulation Desk
Hanging on the wall next to the counter is a small, printed sign. Beneath the sign sits a heavy, dog-eared register, and sitting next to the register is a bell.
Here is what happens if you try and go book reading after being konked on the head by the Husband formerly known as Michael.
>ring bell
Ding.
Service!
>z
Time passes.
Yup. Somewhere in that mob of angry cultists is a quiet librarian with a torch.
>s
Library
>e
The rain is still coming down, so you open your umbrella.
University Court
>se
Junction
>n
Mill Road
>e
The road heads out over a narrow breakwater jutting out into the ocean.
Breakwater
The sea thrashes against the shore with storm-driven fury.
A flurry of dead leaves goes skittering along the ground, swirling past you in the wind.
Dead WET leaves. Lest we forget it's raining it's balls off.
>ne
At the Foot of the Lighthouse
The sea thrashes against the shore with storm-driven fury.
The great bronze door of the lighthouse is closed.
The clouds overhead mutter restlessly to themselves.
Here it is. The lighthouse, once more.
Twas not only fate that drew Miranda carter to this accursed structure, but greed.
She never got a chance to steal that mirror up there.
First, to make sure the coast is clear...
>se
Carefully, you climb down the rocks. The path bends northeast, following the curve of the lighthouse wall.
Rocky Spur
The sea thrashes against the shore with storm-driven fury.
Beyond the breakwater's tip, where before there was only a patch of oddly turbulent water, a small island has risen from the sea. Robed figures are crowding onto it, and some kind of ritual seems to be taking place; though you can't see it from where you're standing.
In the distance, you can hear the lonesome keening of a train whistle drifting on the wind.
The rain slackens off momentarily to a weak drizzle, then returns afresh in a brief, freezing downpour.
>look at island
The slick, muddy surface of the island seems to pulse slightly, as if it were made of flesh; as if it were the humped, slimy back of some vile monster half-risen from the sea.
The hellish torchlight transforms the cultists' faces into hideous, twisted masks. They howl like animals, hungry for blood.
Lovely.
We may get the chance to say hello to Michael!
>e
You hop across to the island, but the crowd is so thick that you can't make your way to the center to see what's going on. Eventually the jostling gets so intense that you are forced to hop back onto the shore to keep from being pushed off into the water.
Keep in mind, Miranda isn't wearing her robe at this time.
Those guys must be SUPER into chanting or whatever they're doing over there.
>sw
The trail turns northwest, following the curve of the lighthouse wall.
At the Foot of the Lighthouse
The sea thrashes against the shore with storm-driven fury.
The great bronze door of the lighthouse is closed.
>open door
It seems to be locked.
Another wave crashes against the rocks, sending a cloud of spray into the air.
>take keyring
Taken.
>unlock door
You go through all the keys on your keyring, trying each one in turn, and after several false attempts you discover that the tarnished bronze key fits the lock.
You unlock the massive bronze door.
>put keys in coat
You slip the keyring into the pocket of your trenchcoat.
>open door
With great effort, you manage to pull the ancient, creaking door open a few inches, enough to slip through.
Shiney Mirror, here we come!
>e
You close your umbrella, as is your habit after coming indoors.
Bottom of the Lighthouse
>u
You climb the winding stairs in a gradual spiral around the inner circumference of the tower, and finally emerge, breathless, at the top.
Top of the Lighthouse
Sitting in the middle of the room, beneath a large, hexagonal skylight, is the most bizarre, incomprehensibly complicated device you have ever seen.
>look in device
In the strange device is the real mirror.
>put real mirror in coat
(first taking the real mirror)
The receptacle lets go of the mirror with a metallic click and a pneumatic hiss.
"Well, well; if it isn't the loyal wife."
You whirl around to find Michael standing in the doorway, flanked by two robed guards who stare at you with a distinct glitter of malice in their eyes.
Uh... Oh. I guess this would be our chance, then...
>Michael, hello
The thing wearing Michael's face sneers at you. "Hello, dear," he says. "I would tell Michael you sent your regards, but you see I only just now left Hell, and I won't be going back for quite a while yet; so I won't be seeing your husband for some time, I'm afraid.
Michael smirks as he advances on you. "You're quite a persistent little tart, aren't you? Quite the gutsy little irritant. I suppose Michael must have been one of those 'modern' men; didn't go in for the submissive type." Michael -- or whatever fiend is speaking from behind Michael's face -- sneers. "Didn't have the balls for it, is my guess. In my day, we knew how to keep our wives. A headstrong woman should be broken in, just like a headstrong horse."
Technically, Miranda isn't headstrong, as much as a klepto...
>ask Michael about Croseus
"I've no patience for your chatter, woman," Michael snarls.
Michael walks past you and runs his fingers along the strange device.
"My, my, you do keep busy," Michael remarks when he finds the focusing mirror missing. "It's a good thing I caught you in time." He turns to you and holds out his hand. "Your little game is over now, woman, and you've lost. Give me the mirror now."
Um...
Inventory
In Coat
