Post by Lorpius Prime on Nov 21, 2007 5:43:59 GMT -5
It had taken Jay a moment to recognize Münchhausen. The Baron still wore the same clothes as he had earlier, but his face had altered radically. His skin had lost its sickly pale sheen, and Jay could not comprehend how he had apparently grown a mustache and goatee in less than an hour. In fact, it almost seemed as if the Baron which had returned was several decades younger and healthier than one Jay had seen leave.
But Jay stopped worrying about it when he saw the face of the man Münchhausen had draped over his shoulder. He’d last seen that face twisted in pain and surprise after its owner was shot.
“Jack!” Jay rushed forward to the Australian. But he was beaten by the boy, Theodore. The younger man put a hand on Jack’s back and peered into his eyes, then immediately started shouting at the others in the inn.
“Ich brauche Wasser!” he commanded, “Und saubere Binden! Schnell!”
He then began to guide Münchhausen and his charge towards the back of the inn while the others overcame their lethargy and moved to follow his orders. Jay didn’t understand exactly what Theodore had said, but he got an idea as Münchhausen carried Jack past him. Jay’s delight at seeing the man he’d thought dead faded as he saw the serious condition of the Australian.
The left side of the Baron’s cloak was soaked in blood, and he left behind a crimson trail as he carried the wounded man inside. Theodore led them to one of the inn rooms, and he held the door to let Münchhausen and Jack inside. Jay followed with a growing sense of dread.
Münchhausen rolled Jack off his shoulder and laid him on the room’s small bed. One of the other men crowded into the room behind Jay with some matches to light the lamp hanging above the door. Jay took it from him, and held the light over his friend. That was when he got his first good look at Jack’s eyes.
Jay had never seen the Australian afraid. Even when their airship was crashing and burning, when they were being shot at by an assassin, and when they were surrounded by unfriendly soldiers, Jack had always seemed calm and collected. Now Jack appeared terrified, and as Jay looked closer, he could see the Australian was struggling weakly against Münchhausen, trying to push himself away.
Jay turned to look at the Baron, but Münchhausen remained tight-lipped and silent, he stepped back towards the shadows after letting Jack down. Theodore, for his part, seemed unconcerned by either man’s behavior. Focused solely on Jack, he tore open the Australian’s crimson soaked shirt just as the uniformed soldier pushed past Jay to bring in two pails full of water.
Theodore, having parted Jack from his coat and shirt, seized one of the buckets and poured it over the Australian to clear the blood from his injuries. But Jay could already see it was hopeless. Jack’s chest was a gory ruin, he couldn’t tell just how many separate wounds there were, and already the blood was pouring out again. The mattress beneath Jack was turning red as well, suggesting the damage extended through to his back as well. Jay swallowed hard.
Theodore was shaking his head, and he turned to the other onlookers, wearing a grim expression. The soldier put down his other bucket and backed out of the room, and Jay opened his mouth to plead that they had to do something. But Theodore met his eyes and shook his head again, and Jay closed his mouth again.
Jay looked back at Jack, and the Australian was breathing fast and shallow, producing a sickening gurgling sound. Jay could only stare, helplessly.
Something bumped him from behind, and he turned to see the innkeeper, scowling and holding a wad of white cloth. Bandages, Jay supposed. Theodore grabbed these too, without much enthusiasm, and he applied them resignedly to Jack’s wounds. But the boy's expression didn’t change, there was no use in the end.
Münchhausen stepped out of the shadows and put a hand on the innkeeper’s shoulder before he could leave. Jay heard him whisper something, and he turned his head as the innkeeper’s eyes widened and he snarled at the Baron.
But Münchhausen only nodded and the innkeeper huffed and stalked off. Jay blinked, and the Baron looked at him, his eyes were no longer sunken and bloodshot, but for all the color, they were still cold and unforgiving.
After a minute filled with Jack’s troubled breathing and the occasional weak cough, the innkeeper returned looking profoundly unhappy. He carried a small, unlabeled bottle which might have contained wine, although Jay thought the liquid inside seemed far too thick for it. The innkeeper glanced indignantly at Münchhausen, then stepped forward to offer the bottle to Jack.
Jack’s eyes took longer than they should have to find and focus on the bottle, and for a moment Jay wondered if Jack was as puzzled as he was. But then the Australian’s jaw set, and Jay saw a flash of the familiar Jack. He swatted the bottle away with an angry grunt, and the innkeeper nearly dropped it. The old man recovered, however, and he hissed furiously at the wounded man. Jack looked like he wanted to say something, but whatever it was only became another spasm of wet coughs.
Cradling the bottle in his arms, the innkeeper stalked off again. Münchhausen twitched as he passed, and Jay took a half step away as the Baron’s eyes filled with rage and turned to Jack. But then he seemed to control himself, and squared his shoulders before turning to sweep out of the room, leaving only Theodore and a very confused Jay behind with Jack. Then Theodore met Jay’s gaze again, and he shrugged sympathetically.
“I’m sorry,” again he shook his head, “but there’s simply nothing more.” And he too left the room.
Jay stared at the doorway in shock for a while, still holding the lamp aloft. He turned back to the bed, face contorted with despair.
“Jack--”
He stopped. Somehow, despite his injuries, Jack had managed to prop himself up on one elbow, and was struggling with his free hand to draw his gun out of its holster. Horrified, Jay hastened over to the side of the bed.
“What are you…” He tried to stop Jack from drawing his gun. Jay didn’t know if the Australian was trying to commit suicide or had just gone totally mad, but he certainly. “Jack, you can’t--!”
Jack grabbed his wrist and looked up at Jay, a trickle of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. “He’s not-- not--” Jack wheezed. “What I saw, was--”
Jay’s eyes were wide as the Australian struggled speak but descended into another coughing fit. “Jack, what are you trying to say?” he asked quietly.
Jack tugged at Jay’s wrist and coughed violently, bringing up more blood and causing Jay to wince. “--’snot human, Blake. Some sort o’ sadistic--” he coughed again; and Jay waited, hoping he would recover. “Oughta kill…” Jack sputtered and trailed off.
Jay couldn’t look away. Jack’s mouth and eyes were still moving, but he wasn’t speaking anymore and he seemed to be losing the energy even to cough. After a few minutes, the Australian’s troubled breathing slowed, and finally stopped. Jay stood very still for a moment, then delicately removed his arm from Jack’s fingers. He set the lantern down at the foot of the bed, then stepped back to sit in one of the chairs against the wall.
Jack’s gun was heavy in his hands.
Book One, Chapter:
-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-
-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31-32-33-34-35-36-37-38-39-40-41-42-
-43-44-45-46-47-48-49-50-51-52-53-54-55-56-57-58-59-60-61-62-
Appendix: -A-B-C-
But Jay stopped worrying about it when he saw the face of the man Münchhausen had draped over his shoulder. He’d last seen that face twisted in pain and surprise after its owner was shot.
“Jack!” Jay rushed forward to the Australian. But he was beaten by the boy, Theodore. The younger man put a hand on Jack’s back and peered into his eyes, then immediately started shouting at the others in the inn.
“Ich brauche Wasser!” he commanded, “Und saubere Binden! Schnell!”
He then began to guide Münchhausen and his charge towards the back of the inn while the others overcame their lethargy and moved to follow his orders. Jay didn’t understand exactly what Theodore had said, but he got an idea as Münchhausen carried Jack past him. Jay’s delight at seeing the man he’d thought dead faded as he saw the serious condition of the Australian.
The left side of the Baron’s cloak was soaked in blood, and he left behind a crimson trail as he carried the wounded man inside. Theodore led them to one of the inn rooms, and he held the door to let Münchhausen and Jack inside. Jay followed with a growing sense of dread.
Münchhausen rolled Jack off his shoulder and laid him on the room’s small bed. One of the other men crowded into the room behind Jay with some matches to light the lamp hanging above the door. Jay took it from him, and held the light over his friend. That was when he got his first good look at Jack’s eyes.
Jay had never seen the Australian afraid. Even when their airship was crashing and burning, when they were being shot at by an assassin, and when they were surrounded by unfriendly soldiers, Jack had always seemed calm and collected. Now Jack appeared terrified, and as Jay looked closer, he could see the Australian was struggling weakly against Münchhausen, trying to push himself away.
Jay turned to look at the Baron, but Münchhausen remained tight-lipped and silent, he stepped back towards the shadows after letting Jack down. Theodore, for his part, seemed unconcerned by either man’s behavior. Focused solely on Jack, he tore open the Australian’s crimson soaked shirt just as the uniformed soldier pushed past Jay to bring in two pails full of water.
Theodore, having parted Jack from his coat and shirt, seized one of the buckets and poured it over the Australian to clear the blood from his injuries. But Jay could already see it was hopeless. Jack’s chest was a gory ruin, he couldn’t tell just how many separate wounds there were, and already the blood was pouring out again. The mattress beneath Jack was turning red as well, suggesting the damage extended through to his back as well. Jay swallowed hard.
Theodore was shaking his head, and he turned to the other onlookers, wearing a grim expression. The soldier put down his other bucket and backed out of the room, and Jay opened his mouth to plead that they had to do something. But Theodore met his eyes and shook his head again, and Jay closed his mouth again.
Jay looked back at Jack, and the Australian was breathing fast and shallow, producing a sickening gurgling sound. Jay could only stare, helplessly.
Something bumped him from behind, and he turned to see the innkeeper, scowling and holding a wad of white cloth. Bandages, Jay supposed. Theodore grabbed these too, without much enthusiasm, and he applied them resignedly to Jack’s wounds. But the boy's expression didn’t change, there was no use in the end.
Münchhausen stepped out of the shadows and put a hand on the innkeeper’s shoulder before he could leave. Jay heard him whisper something, and he turned his head as the innkeeper’s eyes widened and he snarled at the Baron.
But Münchhausen only nodded and the innkeeper huffed and stalked off. Jay blinked, and the Baron looked at him, his eyes were no longer sunken and bloodshot, but for all the color, they were still cold and unforgiving.
After a minute filled with Jack’s troubled breathing and the occasional weak cough, the innkeeper returned looking profoundly unhappy. He carried a small, unlabeled bottle which might have contained wine, although Jay thought the liquid inside seemed far too thick for it. The innkeeper glanced indignantly at Münchhausen, then stepped forward to offer the bottle to Jack.
Jack’s eyes took longer than they should have to find and focus on the bottle, and for a moment Jay wondered if Jack was as puzzled as he was. But then the Australian’s jaw set, and Jay saw a flash of the familiar Jack. He swatted the bottle away with an angry grunt, and the innkeeper nearly dropped it. The old man recovered, however, and he hissed furiously at the wounded man. Jack looked like he wanted to say something, but whatever it was only became another spasm of wet coughs.
Cradling the bottle in his arms, the innkeeper stalked off again. Münchhausen twitched as he passed, and Jay took a half step away as the Baron’s eyes filled with rage and turned to Jack. But then he seemed to control himself, and squared his shoulders before turning to sweep out of the room, leaving only Theodore and a very confused Jay behind with Jack. Then Theodore met Jay’s gaze again, and he shrugged sympathetically.
“I’m sorry,” again he shook his head, “but there’s simply nothing more.” And he too left the room.
Jay stared at the doorway in shock for a while, still holding the lamp aloft. He turned back to the bed, face contorted with despair.
“Jack--”
He stopped. Somehow, despite his injuries, Jack had managed to prop himself up on one elbow, and was struggling with his free hand to draw his gun out of its holster. Horrified, Jay hastened over to the side of the bed.
“What are you…” He tried to stop Jack from drawing his gun. Jay didn’t know if the Australian was trying to commit suicide or had just gone totally mad, but he certainly. “Jack, you can’t--!”
Jack grabbed his wrist and looked up at Jay, a trickle of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. “He’s not-- not--” Jack wheezed. “What I saw, was--”
Jay’s eyes were wide as the Australian struggled speak but descended into another coughing fit. “Jack, what are you trying to say?” he asked quietly.
Jack tugged at Jay’s wrist and coughed violently, bringing up more blood and causing Jay to wince. “--’snot human, Blake. Some sort o’ sadistic--” he coughed again; and Jay waited, hoping he would recover. “Oughta kill…” Jack sputtered and trailed off.
Jay couldn’t look away. Jack’s mouth and eyes were still moving, but he wasn’t speaking anymore and he seemed to be losing the energy even to cough. After a few minutes, the Australian’s troubled breathing slowed, and finally stopped. Jay stood very still for a moment, then delicately removed his arm from Jack’s fingers. He set the lantern down at the foot of the bed, then stepped back to sit in one of the chairs against the wall.
Jack’s gun was heavy in his hands.
Book One, Chapter:
-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-
-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31-32-33-34-35-36-37-38-39-40-41-42-
-43-44-45-46-47-48-49-50-51-52-53-54-55-56-57-58-59-60-61-62-
Appendix: -A-B-C-