Cafe Nightshade

[Zircon]

J.W.C (Tony) Birch

I quickly got out of the way as the it rained precious stones. I laughed silently. It would seem that the Carnival of Carnage has lost the claim for another soul. Or more precisely, a piece of soul. I had earlier realized that each time a person grabs and takes a precious stone, the token represented a payment. A payment of that person’s soul, even if you are a creature or spawn of Darkness. It will continue to extract payment as long as there are people who are easily seduced by the sparkling precious stones. I hope that Ms. Byrnes and Zerro will soon realize that most attractions in this Carnival only takes, it never gives. The treasures pocketed will soon disappear as if it never existed once we get back to the real world. But the loss of a piece of his soul will be permanent.

Down in the distance, I could see the tent and pennant of the Big Top right in the center of the carnival. But the route to the center was not in a straight line. Always keeping the waving pennant in my view, I cautiously made my way towards it. Soon I came up upon an attraction which stood in the way to the center of the carnival. Looking around, I could see no shorter way except going through this attraction.

Looking at the big sign that said, ‘PETTING ZOO’, I shook my head, and summoned my courage as I took the first step. Inside was surprisingly brightly lit, almost as if the room was bathed in sunlight. There was a huge oak tree off to one side. The corridor were lined with pens and cages of some sort on both sides. The rustle of hay and rattling of the pens and cages meant that someone or something was home. The first thing that I realized despite the brightness was that it was cold and damp. Not the chilly kind of cold, but coldness of the soul. I was home. The feeling, that would have seemed strange to other people, was very familiar and comforting to me. I had spent my time long enough in the company of Darkness to appreciate the subtlety of this particular attraction. I spread my arms, bowed my head and made a silent acknowledgement to the creatures that dwelt here. I took a deep breath before turning to my companions.

‘Ms. Byrnes and Zerro, whatever you do, do not look at what are inside the cages. Just look straight ahead and concentrate on my back, my white undershirt is your focus. And this is the most important point, DO NOT, touch or pet any of the creatures in the cages, even though the creatures may be cute, non dangerous, or even looks a pet that you might have had. If your hands happen to touch the creatures, I’m powerless to help you. I can help you if you look, but not if you touch.’

I look for understanding to creep into Ms. Byrnes. I hoped that Zerro, who was preoccupied with the Ghost of his Grandfather heard me. The longer we linger in this ‘zoo’, the easier it was to take in this attraction. And in turn, the attraction to take you.

 

[PmTick]

While chasing up with the other two something caught my eye, a huge sign that read: Fun House. With minigun in tow I decided it might be nice to releave a little tension, "Hey guys check this out!".

The first room I entered had thousands of mirrors, "Wow it's just like in Enter the Dragon!" Suddenly one the mirrors sneezed. I turned around but saw nothing except my own reflection. Looking back around I suddenly felt myself pushed to the ground. Turning around again I saw nothing. "Who the hell keeps doing that?" Suddenly all the reflections that surrounded me spoke at once and said, "You stupid!!"

Raising my minigun I replied, "Alright I'll fix your asses," and began firing in a circle breaking every single mirror. I admired my handy work for a second but then all those images of me popped out of the shot up frames and began laughing all at once.

I ran back outside but the replicas followed. "HEEEEELLLLLPPP!" Just what the world needed, half a dozen more crazy creeps who made stupid deals with the devil.

 

[misterK]

Zolt

Walking amidst the booths, oblivious to their wares and temptations Zolt withdraws within himself, thinking back at all that has happened in the last few hours. He had been tired of his non-life, exasperated with a meaningless existence. But it had taken only one kill, the taking of one soul for him to change and get back to what he used to be.

Already he could feel his powers growing stronger again. He had used them so seldom over the past centuries that he thought he had forgotten how. But to one such as he, darkness is a second nature, and there is little he can do but embrace it in all its magnificence.

"Hold up punk!" Zolt was snatched from his reverie by a rasping voice. He quickly looked up, berating himself for not being more aware in a place such as this Carnival.

"Where daya tink yer goin' punk?" The creature that had spoken was ugly beyind description. It and its group of fiendish companions stood spread out in a semi-circle blocking the path in front of him. Their drooling mouths sported sharp fangs and the stench of rot and decay coming from them was overpowering.

"My destination is none of your concern," Zolt said as he kept on advancing.

"None of your concern, none of your concern," the group of fiends took up in a macabre chorus. The leader snarled once to silence them before turning his red-rimmed glowing eyes to Zolt. "Den I eat yer soul!" He bellowed. The small group jumped on Zolt, fangs snapping, talons ripping, intent on eating the insolent intruder.

They were young. They didn't know much. They died quickly. The leader impaled himself on Zolt's upraised hand. Zolt then threw him to one side, its heart ripped out.

The second fiend had its neck snappen back by a hit to the head and the third choked to death. The rest of the devilish band overwhelmed Zolt for a moment, jumping on top of him as if to tackle him in a rugby game. The temperature around them suddenly went deathly cold and it looked as if light itself was leeched out of the sky. A low rumbling sound echoed throughout the carnival and listening closely you could hear the shouts of the damned.

When Zolt stood up the fiends were all dead, their faces painted in a rictus of indescribable pain and terror. Zolt dusted himself and kept on walking as if nothing had happened.

 

[Zircon]

J.W.C (Tony) Birch

I walked along the corridor, resolutely keeping my eyes straight towards the exit at the far end. I did not bother to look back as I hoped that my warning was sufficient. The pens and cages did not smell as I would have assumed them to be. The smells were positively unthreatening, unpretending and delicious even.

Suddenly I felt a wrench in the deepest part of my soul. A creature had caught the attention of one of my companions. I turned quickly to see who had been ensnared. It was Ms. Byrnes. Her eyes were clouded over as she walked towards a golden cage which housed a bright yellow Canary chirping its heart out. She was walking as if in a trance, a memory of her past coming back in the fullest of sunlight. Her weapons were forgotten as she sought the release of the Canary who sang so eloquently of the long forgotten freedom of bright blue skies, wings spread to ride the warm currents of the wind.

I threw down my axe and ran. I got there just in the nick of time before Ms. Byrnes fingers could touch the singing Canary. She was strong, as it nearly took my entire strength just to hold her steady. I slowly drew her away, even as she had her arms stretched out in longing to the Canary.

I grabbed Ms. Byrnes by the shoulders and kissed her deeply in the lips. She had warm soft lips, a caressing tongue and her breath was like a shot of fresh air. I reluctantly broke off the kiss, and looked deep into her eyes. The cloud was dissipating from her eyes as she realized she was looking at me instead of at the Canary.

‘Wha…?’

‘Ms. Byrnes, sorry for my actions just now, but you’re in grave danger...’

Still looking at me, Ms. Byrnes touched my lips with her fingers, and asked, ‘Hush. I’m alright now. But what was that?’

‘That was the way these creatures hunt. First they shift through your memories for bait. Then they spring the trap. In your case, your memory of your first pet, your friend, was the bait. A single touch is enough for them grab you and feed, and there wouldn’t be a single thing that I could do once they get a hold of you.’

Ms. Byrnes pursed her lips as understanding sought to surface, as the veneer of the creatures started to dissipate. Then like the sun coming up, Ms. Byrnes face contorted in anger. She pushed me aside with a surprising amount of force. She grabbed both the guns, switched to automatic mode, and proceeded to strafe wildly at the bird cage and anything that were in that general direction.

I chuckled as I said, ‘Ole Tweety Bird is finally done in by a gun-totting Sylvester. Are you happy now, Ms. Byrnes? Or do I need to do some more?’

With a swish of her head, Ms. Byrnes said sweetly, ‘No, not really. But you could kiss me again…,’ as she held up the smoking guns.

I was laughing out loud as I went and picked my axe. We proceeded onwards. I was comforted by the fact that Ms. Byrnes was no longer easily seduced by this attraction. In fact, by the occasional burst of her guns, I realized that she was in total control. Soon the view of the tent of the Big Top came into sight. I heaved a sigh of relief as yet another crisis had passed.

 

[Khadgar]

Ranken

Ranken turned, hearing a scream and the sound of someone falling over. his eyes came up the ripped concrete groundand rested on the Byress woman, being attacked by a bird. The tony man rushed to her side, and they killed the bird. 'good, i'm still fully packed then.'

Walking on, following Kass he entered the house of mirrors. "Kass? hello? can you hear me?" nothing.... "look, i know you don't know, or trust me, but i'm not ehre to hurt you. are you there?" he stepped forwars, and walked in. trying to catch some kind of reflection of her in the mirrors. a burst of mini-gun fire filled his ears and the new man ran running out, with an army of midgets comming after him. Ranken pulled the nuzzle of his Carbine, and filled the room with a choppy bark. mowing down many of them, he turned. confident that the man with that minigun could handle himself. he walked on, not looking back to notice if they had died.


OOC: i donno what you wanna do with them PM, so you decide what those shots did, everything, or nothing. doesn't bother me

 

[Violent C]

This was just great. Just FUCKING great. He let his attention wander for just a moment and she was sucked into the Carnival. And now the goddamn bounty hunter was after her too!

He rushed in after her, screaming out "Kass! Kass! Answer me, damn you!"

Mirrors lined the walls, the celing, even the floor. Everywhere he turned he saw only himself, distorted in a myriad of different fasions. There was Trevor, impossibly short and phenominally fat. There he was with his eyes bulging outwards like some sort of grotesque antennae. There he was with oversized feet, and there with a face that reached to the celing. The images grew more and more distorted, more bizarre. He began to hear a throbbing coming from somewhere in the house...growing louder...louder...

Laughter surrounded him as the faces in the mirror seemed to grin horribly and mock him. They began to point...

Trevor spun about. He was certain there was a hallway behind him but...no, just mirrors. He whirled around, searching for a way out, but there was nothing but mirrors surrounding him. The reflections were no longer his, but parodies of his countless victems. Rapists, murderers, bigots, richies, posers, childbeaters, all mutilated beyond recognition. But he knew them all, yes, he remembered each and every one of them.

The faint sound of Kass' scream reached his ears, and wrenched him back to reality. He shouted in rage and launched a fist through one of the mirrors, shattering it and breaking through to the next room. He had to find her...had to...

 

[Violent C]

(o.o.c.)

Hey guys, I'm going on a brief trip today and I won't be back until tomorrow evening. That means no more responses for today. Just a heads up, see you all tomorrow.

 

[Arc da Rat]

Shawnee

Rubble & pieces of the wall come flying toward Shawnee, as the monster thrashes with rage. Shawnee jumps out of the way, when a large piece comes her way & goes sailing out the slowly closing portal. ::Wheeu~ that was close.:: Dodging another rock-like piece of wall, ninja-boy digs himself out then blindly attacks the beast. She hears the debris crash in the club. Her acute hearing picks up a man's voice. "That does it!!!"

The hair on the back of her neck stands on end. ::Ah ~ crap! I hate magiks it just brushes my fur the wrong-way.:: Our illustrious host resites a spell with the toss of a card to the ground. "I call forth the Carnival of Carnage!!" An indigo mist swirled from the card clouding her vision. At the first sniff of swamp-water she holds her breathe till the smoke cleared & there they were at the entrance of the Circus of the Damned.

Her grand-pappy told tales of this place, she never thought that is ever exsisted. It was just part of a tale to scare little were-cubs into obeying their elders. Kerra takes her first breathe of fresh air & the whole place stank of daemons & hell-raisers. ::Crap!!! From Club Poison to Horror Movie Buff's Heaven.:: A carney greets them all at the gates, welcoming them to resting place of the damned.
(To be Continued)

 

[crysede]

Kass:
As she started walking down the dark, mirror lined hall, she heard Trevor cry out again, his voice sounding strangely distant seeing as she had only taken a few steps. Turning, she was surprised to see the long hallway extending back the way she came, with no sign of the door she had just entered through: some trick of the mirrors perhaps? Retracing her steps she then continued down the hall, glancing at the mirrors as she passed. At first they seemed empty, but gradually she began to see her comically distorted reflections in them, and something else. . . . She cried out in surprise as she walked right into the cold smooth surface in front of her: another mirror, the long hallway had been an illusion but it lead to a dead end rather than a door.

Unlike all the other mirrors, the one she now confronted did not distort her appearance, but the eyes were not her's - they were younger, joyful, and filled with life. Kass went cold, she knew those eyes even though it had been years since she had seen them, "Leah?" She whispered, reaching towards her twin in the mirror with disbelief. "They told me you had died in the fire."

Her reflection held a hand out to her, smiling warmly at her, then it began to change. The smile faded from it's face, to be replaced by an expression of fear and pain. It's once welcoming hand now extended towards her imploringly. "Kassy! Please, help me!" It cried out in anguish, "Please. . . ." Its pleading voice was cut off as it threw its head back in a blood curdling scream of agony. Its flesh started to sizzle and blacken, a large crack appeared in the charred flesh of her sister's chest, dark red flames licking out through the gash. Looking back toward Kass, tears of flame running down its face and burning dark scars into its cheeks, it hissed: "Why? Why did you do this to me?!"

Kass banged on the mirror with her fists, "I didn't know Leah! I swear I didn't know! I just wanted to kill them, I didn't know anyone else was home!"

Her reflection shrieked, its body writhing in agony as more cracks and fissures opened up, bleeding liquid fire, its body looking like a flow of lava: a black outer crust riddled with gashes revealing the burning heat below. It crumbled before her, sparks flying as the burning chunks of flesh feel free, leaving a smoking pile of glowing embers.

Yet the screaming never ceased, echoing harshly off the glass, it was several moment before Kass realized it was coming from her. Stumbling away from the mirror in front of her, she ran blindly down the hall way, her head down to avoid looking in the mirrors she knew surrounded her. Feeling her way around a corner, she fetched up in another dead end, and felt movement beneath her hands. With a gasp she pulled away, seeing a reflection of herself again, but in place of the obsidian stone around her neck was a coal black serpent, it's thick coils wrapped several times about her neck, it's glowing red eyes regarding her cooly.

 

[Guest]

Ranken

Ranken followed the faint flow of voices comming to him. it led him down a hallway, he looked across the mirrors, seeing himself. fat, pencil thin, tall, a midget, carving up a man, hourglass, a ball, muscle arms, in two halves.

Ranken stopped. what the smeg was that? he walked backwards. muscle arms, a ball, hourglass.... there it was. something from his past. he was bent over a table with a long thick surgical scalpel, and on the table, a man, his eyes filled with fear, the smell of him horrible. His mirror image lifted it's head and grinned wickedly up at him. this was himself years ago. on one of his quests, a rather.... greusome one.

The image looked back down at the man, and carefully inserted the scalpel into his neck, not far, just a litte ways. then sliding it down his body, not cutting anything but the mans skin. the screams and wails nearly deafened him. the knige forked, just above the crotch, to run the balde down the mans two legs. then his arms.

it got worse.

Rankens image then reached in, and started to rip the muscle and ligaments from the bone. striped his legs and arms clean. the man passed out from the pain, obviously. but was slaped and salted awake, only to have his eyes roll back again when the hands started to pull his entrails and muscle form the chest and torso.

when he was done, the man was dead. but his agony did not end there. not left to have what honour in his death could be salvaged, Rankens image, the whole scene not only being viewed, but burned into his memory pulled the bone out of it's empty shell of skin, and constructed the skeloton on the table behind him. brain and eyes sitting beside the grinning skull. then, turning back to the slop of a man o the table, he re-arranged the muscle and entrails, as if it were a man without skin or head. there were two men, on two tables now. one of bone, and one of sinew.

the ground and walls were slick with blood, the room bathed in red. and still, the image pickked up the carefully sliced shell, the skin, pasty and dripping with gore, and pulled down chains from the celing, riping hooks into the mans shoulders, lowerback, calves and arms, it looking down on it's former posessions.

then, the image turned back to ranken and smiled it's sadistic evil smile, highlighted with red and pointed the blade at Ranken himself. the blade almost seemed.... real now. and before Rankens eyes, the image climbed out of the mirror. Ranken didn't move. this horror of himself walked right up to him. and then, Ranken knew, the image was not an image anymore, for the slash across the shoulder, now seeping with blood was all too real.

Ranken brought up the barrel while he ran farther down the dorrordor and gut shot "himself" the man doubled over, but stood again, grinning even more wickedly than before, and took towards Ranken at an unhumanly speed.

Ranken ran like hell. not knowing where he was headed.

 

[Khadgar]

good post.... without my name on it... grrrr....

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Angelina (filling in for Lady_J)

"HEEEEELLLLLPPP!"

Lucky came running out of the house of mirrors, followed by a group of weirdoes, and both Angelina and Zolt turned to see what was going on. She hadn't the least intention of getting herself involved in other people's fights (Yeah right, like I'm gonna risk my cute ass to save some Joe...) but by then Zolt had been jumped by an entirely different gang! Lucky would have to deal with his problems by himself...

Oh shit oh shit oh shit!!! What the FUCK have I got myself into??!!! When Angelina witnessed the ease with which Zolt had dispatched three assailants, she finally realized how right her decision to stay close to him had been. This was not someone to have as an enemy. He was now walking away from the scene as if on a Sunday morning stroll to the corner bakery.

Angelina hopped over the crushed and mangled corpses he had left for dead and ran to catch up with Zolt and, holding his hand, she smiled up to him.

"Wow, hot daddy! That was amazing! You're going to teach me those moves, aren't you?"

Angelina looked back over her shoulder to the House of Mirrors, dreading to see coming out of it another army of crazed fuckers. Instead she heard terror filled screams and sensed a new presence. Maybe another vampire, and a powerful one. Gripping Zolt's hand tighter she continued to walk with him, hoping he hadn't felt that.

 

[Zircon]

J.W.C (Tony) Birch & Chloe Byrnes

Finally, the Big Top. I stopped suddenly, as I glanced furtively around. Ms. Byrnes almost crashed into me, as she was also alert for the Daemon and other residents of the Carnival. My senses were tingling. Still I could see nothing. I squatted down, my hands gripping the axe ever tighter in dreaded anticipation.

The wind was still, jolly laughter could be heard in the air, occasionally interrupted by gun fire. The scream of a trapped soul trying to find freedom punctuated the atmosphere. I crouched and slinked further into the shadows, motioning Ms. Byrnes to do the same. She had slung her M16s over her shoulders. Unzipping her bag, she took out a nice shiny Pancor Jackhammer, a pre-loaded shotgun with a rotating cylinder, complete with an ivory-insert grip etched with the words, From Chloë with Love. She looked at it lovingly for while, before rummaging through her bag again. She gave a quiet exclamation when she found her beloved MM1, a grenade launcher with an easy to change 12 shot revolver cylinder. The stock and barrel of the MM1 was beautifully painted, making it looked like a collector’s item rather than a messenger of death.

The shadows were comforting. It hides me and any emotions that happen to cross my face. I could still sense the anguish of the creatures dwelling in the Petting Zoo as yet another meal had passed them by. The intervening space to the side entrance of the Big Top could be seen clearly from my position. Just a broad expanse lined with colored light bulbs and funny looking lamp posts. Multi-hued reflections on the pavement made the colored tiles shimmer in the night. The cast iron and wooden park benches looked inviting enough. We were all tired. The flowers bushes arranged to form an image was beautifully and tastefully done. A romantic place for couples to just rest their tired feet, or just to have intimate conversations. I should one of these days ask Ms. Byrnes out to a place such as this. All in all, this was the least threatening place in the entire Carnival. Then why do I feel apprehension?

 

[PmTick]

Lucky

I kept running, the copies of me in tow. Finally I spun around and blasted them with the mini-gun again. As the bullets hit their mark, the copies shattered into thousands of pieces. I walked up to the shards of broken mirrors where my copies once stood. I began stomping the shards into smaller pieces, smiling as I did it.

Suddenly I felt like a thousand bees where stingin my leg all at once. I looked down and saw that the shards spawned more copies of me, but they were only about an inch tall. It seems that when I broke the mirror I created more pieces, multiplying the number of copies but since the shards were so small, the copies were now small too!

I felt like Guliver kicking the little bastards off of my leg. They were trying to run up and bite me like a bunch of fleas. I looked around and realized I was surrounded, if I smashed them again they would most likely try to enter my body through my nose or something and wreak havoc inside of me. That's what I would do at least.

Not wanting to give them the chance to chomp on me anymore, I leapt over them and made a break for the dressing rooms, I had an idea how to stop these little fuckers.

 

[misterK]

Zolt

"Wow, hot daddy! That was amazing! You're going to teach me those moves, aren't you?"

Zolt looked down at Angelina's upturned face as she squeezed her hands into his. An unfamiliar warm feeling spread through his chest and he started wondering what it could be when he sensed it. Another Vampire. An Elder if his senses didn't betray him. Zolt stopped in his tracks in the middle of the path, scanning his surroundings with his mind. He closed his eyes and let his senses drift.

The scent of this Vampire was familiar. He had already met him, a long time ago. Prodding a little further he finally found him. He was in the House of Mirrors and Zolt immediately felt the immense pain emanating from him. The pain was not physical, but from the soul. Here was a vampire who had been damned to eternity.

He slowly pivoted on his feet, facing the entrance to the House of Mirrors, absently registering Lucky's fleeing form follow by a storm of what looked like toy soldiers. He turned towards Angelina and kneeling down told her: "I know you have felt him too Angel. I have to go to him, his pain is too much for me to bear and I have to do something about it. Do not worry for he shall not harm you." Saying this he stood up and started walking towards the House of Mirrors.

 

[hybirdx]

''damnit gramps why the hell would you do that?''

''you know why!but why would you be here taedo?you was always an good boy'' zerro was caught there and was speachles,of couse his grandpa was the type that always wanted the answere ''well?i haven't recieve answere yet.''

''........ok i'l tell you...theres a demon runing loose and it may b an link to the asshole who cursed me.''zerro's grandfather thought for an minute''well.....then i might have somthing that will help you in your quest.follow me ad i will give you the familly tresure''

''granmps i dont know if thats a go-'' ''my boy you have wanted this wepon since you started training!''now come before i get angry!''that told zerro to follow him instantly''o-ok granmps whatever you say....''

 

[Violent C]

Trevor ran through the mirrored halls, ignoring the echoing screams and laughter encircling him. He searched desperately for Kass, but every time he thought he could hear her crying out it eminated from a different direction. Now it wac coming from somewhere in the bowels of the house, now it seemed to be a few rooms over. Once or twice he thought he could hear her right next to him, feel her warm breath on his ear, smell her intoxicating perfume...and then it was gone.

The images depicted in the mirrors were every bit as infuriating as the sounds. Horrible reditions of himself as the monster he truly was. Scenes of him slaughtering helpless people as they begged him for mercy. He paused for a moment to catch his breath and witnessed himself towering over an obese man writhing in pain as he slit his throat from crotch to adam's apple and gutted him, ripping out the man's heart and liver and stomach, and then hanging the man upside-down and letting the blood drain out before carving him like a pig.

Trevor tried to shut out the images, to ignore them, but it was no use. Even with his eyes closed the awful memories of all his atrocities bled through. He reminded himself that every one of the people he murdered had deserved it, that the man gutted like a pig had helped hang three black men on the charge of being black. He groped blindly forward in search for anything to help steady himself. His hand touched cool glass for a moment...

...and then passed through to the other side.

 

[Zircon]

Tony & Chloë

As I sat on my haunch, I could see that glowing and mischievous eyes of Ms. Byrnes as she switched the safeties off on her new weapons. I turned my head back to the park walk. Then from a distance came the rumble of a pushcart. As the wheels rolled over the colored tiles and cobblestones, an indistinguishable and faint tune started coming out of the push cart.

The cart was a hand-cranked music box on wheels. It was being pushed by an ancient looking man, dressed as a street performer, complete with suspenders and all. He even had a monkey riding sedately on his shoulders. Then as he got nearer, I could hear the tune of ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ coming out quite clearly. As if the tune was a signal of some sort, other street performers started appearing. First was a mime, only this one had no discernible facial features. His face was like a blank white canvas ready to be painted with whatever that came along. His white gloves were in perfect sync with his body as he come upon the ‘invisible wall’ and found a ‘door’. He made motion of opening the ‘door’.

What surprised Ms. Byrnes and me was that another performer, this time one dressed as a clown, stepped nonchalantly through that ‘door’. The clown made a perfunctionary bow before rolling up his sleeves to do his part. He took out a few long-shaped balloons from his deep pockets, and started making figures with them. The squishing sound was loud as the clown frowned deeply and his hands blurred. What emerged were two figures, a male and a female, only that it were too real to be made out of balloons. But the transparency of the figures suggested otherwise. In the meantime, the mime’s face changed, as soon as each of the balloon figures were done. One minute, it was my face, and the next it was Ms. Byrnes. And the faces on the balloon figures exactly imitated the face of the mime.

Right on cue, a tuxedo-dressed performer cart-wheeled through. After securing his top hat with a flourish, he drew out long thin needles with brightly colored strings attached to them. He took the balloon figurines, and started to string them with the needles. Astonishingly, the needles did not burst the balloons. Once finished, he started playing the figures like in a marionette theater. Then the balloon contortionist made another object, an exact replica of the glass enclosure which Chloe had gleefully blown up earlier. The tux-man, his fingers moving rapidly, made the figures move just like Ms. Byrnes and myself did earlier. Even the masculine and feminine differences in walking could be clearly distinguished.

My eyes could hardly be taken away from the performance. And neither could Ms. Byrnes’. While our attention were occupied with the virtuoso performance, a whisper crept up upon us. The whisper soon became a whistled tune as it got closer. Someone or something was whistling the tune from Billie Holiday’s ‘Please keep me in your dreams’. I could hear a sharp gasp escaping from Ms. Byrnes mouth when the tune became clear. We both turned but there was nobody behind us except the now clearly audible whistling.

Outside, the music box outside stopped playing and the street performers had stopped moving. All but the female marionette which was kneading something in its hands. The mime mouthed the words, ‘…Did you know that it takes only 6 oz. of Semtex to blow up an airliner?…’,but it was the balloon figure that voiced the words. At this time, I had a lump in my throat. The premonition of what was about to happen became overpowering.

I quickly turned to Ms. Byrnes and said, ‘Get prone and cover…’

For an instant, everything stood still, time had stopped…

The explosion shock the immediate area like nothing I’ve ever felt before, and threw the both of us out back into the corridor. My ears rang, and my eyes stung. I could hardly breath. But unexpectedly, all I could think of was Ms. Byrnes, not myself. Dazed but unhurt, I was slow to get up, even as it was raining multi-colored ticker tapes. Crawling on my hands and knees, I made my way towards where Ms. Byrnes was laid prone. Her weapons were scattered all over the place, but that was not the concern.

Without even realizing it, I said her first name for the first time, ‘Chloë…Chloë…please… Chloë…wake up…Chloë…’

She was still breathing, but she opened her eyes only once before darkness enveloped her consciousness totally…

The whistling got louder and louder, now the chorus to ‘Please keep me in your dreams’ kept repeating itself…

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Chloë Byrnes

(OOC: sorry for being such a large post, but I couldn't help it...)

Please Keep Me In Your Dreams starts echoing inside Chlöe's head. She knew that song. She had used it in one of her contracts, a particularly gruesome one, in fact. The security around the target was too tight and extreme measures had to be taken... The 747 had to be brought down, it was the only way to be sure...

The device activates as the first piano notes to the song Please Keep Me In Your Dreams start playing. The bomb will detonate on the final trumpet blow of the song, two minutes and sixteen seconds after. 6 oz. of Semtex are in the cassette player, and the parcel has been placed near the skin of the plane, where it will break through the fuselage, weakening the frame, causing the plane to break apart with greater ease.

Chloë finds herself trapped behind the eyes of every passenger and crew member on board. A wave of panic overcomes her as she realizes what is going to happens, but there is nothing she can do. Not a word can be uttered, not a muscle can be moved. She is only a spectator this time...

A giant crunching sound interrupts the pilot's conversation over the cockpit recording.
A violent noise, a distinct crashing sound, is followed by massive creaking, which rapidly starts repeating itself. Smoke immediately starts pouring into the main cabin.

The front end of the 747, including the cockpit and part of the first-class cabin, breaks away, plunging toward earth as the rest of the plane hurtles forward, propelled by the still intact engines. A complete row near the explosion (the people strapped in those seats screaming) is sucked out of the aircraft. This goes on for thirty seconds, until the plane starts breaking apart, a huge section of ceiling ripping away to reveal a wide vista of black sky. The noise the air makes is like a siren. Bottles of liquor, utensils, food from the kitchen, all fly backward into the business-class and coach cabins. All Chloë can do is to watch this scene through the eyes of every passenger and crew member on board.

And the dying comes in waves.

People are rammed backward, bent in half, pulled up out of their seats, teeth are knocked out of heads, people are blinded, their bodies thrown through the air into the ceiling and then hurled into the back of the plane, smashing into other screaming passengers, as shards of aluminium keep breaking off the fuselage, spinning into the packed plane and shearing off limbs, and blood's whirling everywhere, people getting soaked with it, spiting it out of their mouths, trying to blink it out of their eyes, and then a huge chunk of metal flies into the cabin and scalps an entire row of passengers, shearing off the tops of their skulls, as another shard flues unto the face of a young woman, halving her head but not killing her yet. All Chloë can do is to watch this scene through the eyes of every passenger and crew member on board.

So many people are not ready to die, and they start vomiting with panic and fear as the plane plummets to earth. And something else within the plane breaks. Another roar as the plane starts breaking up more rapidly and the dying comes in waves.

Someone is spun around frantically before being sucked out of the hull of the craft, twirling into the air, his body hitting the frame and tearing in two, but he's still able to reach out his hands for help as he's sucked screaming from the plane. Another young man keeps shouting Mom Mom Mom until part of the fuselage flies backward, pinning him to his seat and ripping him in half, but he just goes into shock and doesn’t die until the plane smashes haphazardly into the forest below and the dying comes in waves.

In the business section everyone is soaked with blood, someone's head is completely encased with intestines that flew out of what's left of the woman sitting two rows in front of him and people are screaming and crying uncontrollably, wailing with grief. The dying are lashed with jet fuel as it starts spraying into the cabin. One row is sprayed with the blood and viscera of the passengers in the row before them, who have been sliced in two. Another row is decapitated by a huge sheet of flying aluminium, and blood keeps whirling throughout the cabin every where, mixing in with the jet fuel.

All Chloë can do is to watch this scene through the eyes of every passenger and crew member on board, feel their hearts pounding, fell their pain, listen to their last thoughts before the inevitable end. The fuel unleashes something, forces the passengers to comprehend a simple fact: that they have to let people go, mothers and sons, parents and children, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, and that dying is inevitable in what could be a matter of seconds. They realize there is no hope. But understanding this horrible death just stretches the seconds out longer as they try to prepare for it, people still alive being flung around the aircraft failing to earth, screaming and vomiting and crying involuntarily, bodies contorted while they brace themselves, heads bowed down.

"Why me?" someone wonders uselessly.

A leg is caught in a tangle of metal and wires and it waves wildly in the air as the plane continues to drop. The plane ignites and a huge wave of people die by inhaling flames, their mouths and throats and lungs charred black. For some, a minute of failing while still conscious.

The soft sounds of bodies imploding, torn apart on impact.

A massive section of the fuselage lands and because of an emergency backup system, all the lights in the plane continue flickering as a hail of glowing ash rains down.

A long pause.

All Chloë can do is to watch this scene through the eyes of the dead. Please Keep Me In Your Dreams hangs around in the air as a distant echo long after the tape recorder had stoped...

 

[chewbacca71]

Benjamin

Looking down at his lily white hands, Benjamin tries to forget his past. He used to enjoy the hunting and the thrill of the kill. The feeling of the hot blood rushing to the surface of his victims body as he drained their essence was like heaven to him. He always let the blood dry into patterns on his body, sometimes writing their names on his clothes with their blood. His whole life for many years was a maelstrom of blood and flesh and unknown viscera careening in a pattern of madness in his mind.

About 25 years ago, he choose as a victim a blind girl. She had a poetic soul that screamed out to be released from her cruel bondage of sightlessness. He took her in her own bedroom, breaking through her window, sending shards of wood and glass throughout the room. She sat up in bed, calling for her mother, but nothing could help her this night. Benjamin sent to her bedside prepared to take her life. The young girl must of sensed his presence , for she shrunk back under her blankets.

"Child, I have come to release you, to send you to a better place. Life need not be so tedious and dreary. Take my offer of salvation at the hands of a madman. "

"No, I am not ready to go, my life is like a road of unknown possibilities. I may not be able to see where I am going , but my heart will lead me true. "

Benjamin was angered at this refusal of his ultimate gift of mercy and grabbed the girl by the hair. He lifted her up off the bed and violently sliced her throat with his sharpened nails. He shook her body till all of her blood was done spurting over him. He luxuriated in the feeling of power and pain that he had caused. He turned and hurled her body at the wall; a nonentity in the land of the undead, her crumpled body slid to the floor.

Benjamin arrived at his coffin well before sunup. He lay down to rest, a satisfied smile on his face. During the day, his normal dreamless sleep was interruped by images of the girls death . He did not know what to make of these, shaking them off as just an effect of the violentness of his actions. However, day after day, he had dreams of this girl, it was affecting his ability to hunt. He could not get this girl out of his mind.

On a foggy night, Benjamin went to the gravesite of the girl. He looked at the tombstone, but no feeling of absolution came to him. He dropped to his knees in the moist earth, tearing the layers of grass and sod off the coffin. He pulled the coffin open and revealed her semidecomposed skeleton. His mind all a flutter, he pulled off a finger bone and put it in his pouch. He felt better than he had in a long time. He carefully replaced the body in the coffin and reintered it. His dreams ended that day.

Benjamin pulled the white bone out of his pouch. It reminded him of his eternal damnation, even worse now that he was banished to the Carnival of Carnage. He longed to die, but as an undead in a place with no sun, his options were limited. Maybe if he was able to do something good with his days, the gods above would absolve him and allow his weary soul to rest. Longing for that day, Benjamin laid down in his coffin , to rest his eyes and mind.

 

[hybirdx]

zerro follow his grandfather for who knows how long until they came up to an small tent that was red and yellow stripes.''whoa you live here?cool!*thwap!*and painful knock upside the head hit zerro,it felt like an 1000 bee stings all at once!''ow!ok ok i'm sorry!'' ''good you're learning your lesson!now take this...but remember,only the one that can harness there temper-'' ''i know i know they can harness the dragonia fangs true power!um........but where are the blades?last time i have seen this it had two huge blades now it's just a staff!''

''trust in yourself!and the blade!now go!your friends are in trouble!'' wha!what do you mean!whats going on!?!'' ''shh!listen!''

both zerro and his grandfather listen to the music please keep me in yuor dreams''i cant stand that song...sooooo goody two shoe!'' ''now go,your detox spell will work'' zerro only nodded and ran off.''i can only smell chloe!she has a strong perfume scent!too bad i hate that type!''he ran util he found the big top...where all the fun will begin for him also.......................

 

[Lady_J]

Angelina

Zolt walked back towards the House of Mirrors leaving Angelina pouting in the middle of the street. Gripping the minigun tightly, she stepped over the mutant bodies and followed Zolt. Near the entrance Zolt paused, listening to the sound fo screams echoing inside.

"Stay here Little One, there is death inside, " and with that Zolt slipped through the entrance.

Aww crap. Angelina looked around uncomfortably, suddenly aware of how threatening the open spaces in the carnival are. Well, I'm sure as hell not going in the front.

Angelina walked around the building to the back. She opened fire with the minigun, creating a hole in the concrete. Carefully, and cautiously she crawled into the hole.

 

[chewbacca71]

Benjamin

Benjamin awoke from a dreamless sleep, pushing open his coffin. He tasted the hint of decay and madness in the air, in this place that had been his home for so long. He reached into his pouch and left the finger bone, giving him strength to face the night. He opened the concealed door in the hall of Mirrors, entering a passageway to the outside.

He saw the normal cretins and creatures abounding in the Carnival, most of the leaving him a wide berth. When he first arrived at the Carnival, some of the creatures tried to test him. Their pile of eched and charred bones still served as a reminder to others to leave him alone, especially when he was in one of THOSE moods.

Benjamin came across a few of the creatures celebrating a recent kill. The body of the poor lost soul was still warm as Benjamin turned the corner. The creatures, realizing Benjamins intention, snarled a challenge before coming to the conclusion that they were outclassed and began to retreat. Benjamin, not in a mood to be trifled with, reached out and grabbed one of the creatures. He pulled the creature into a bear hug, his inhuman strength causing the flesh to pulp out above and below his arms. Letting the mass of distended flesh fall to the ground, Benjamin approached the fresh kill. He still had no idea where these lost people came from, but it kept his existence constant so did not question too much.

He pulled the collar away from the neck of the victim. He slowly lowered his head and gently bite through its neck with his razor sharp teeth. Ah, the taste of fresh blood, washing away the cobwebs on his mind and nourishing his undead body. Benjamin reverently placed the drained corpse on the ground, knowning that some of the lesser creatures would take care of the remaining flesh. He then returned to his room within the walls of the Hall of Mirrors to try and forget his past.

 

[PmTick]

Lucky

I was trying to get to the dressing rooms to get a hold of some glue to stick these little bastards to the ground but I lost my footing and before I knew it they were all on me. I tried to move but they had tied me down by the hairs on my body, so everytime I moved I was in intense pain.

Suddenly one of the clones jumped on my face and held my nose, forcing me to open my mouth. Before I knew it I was being stuffed with antacids. Didn't these little craps know I was practically immortal? Then a puff of smoke came from behind me.

Nadic leared over me, "Guess what Lucky, you pissed the boss off. Hunting that demon is the same as hunting him, so he wants you to go to hell asap and talk to him. Problem is the only way you can go to hell is if you die, so I've taken this opportunity to take away your immortality." At that moment the antacids started to take effect, producing a thick white foam in his stomach and mouth.

He felt an intense pain in his stomach just before the foam burst through my rib cage. It was happening again, I was dieing all over again.

 

[chewbacca71]

Benjamin

Taking his head out of his hands, Benjamin senses the presense of new entities in the Carnival of Carnage. Some are familiar human, others are unknown. He perks up with interest when he detects other vampires. What would make them come here, or who sent them he wondered? Benjamin decides to look through the oneway section of the hall of mirrors to see what these people were up too.