HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ALL OF US AT M2K!
ENJOY THESE TWO FANTASTIC TALES OF HOLIDAY CHEER. TAKE CARE, AND WE'LL SEE YOU IN 2018!
BY JOHN CHEESE
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Offices of Nero and Hannigan Supernatural Consulting, Greenwich, New York
Smoke raised towards the ceiling and the smoke alarm attached to the ceiling, with the device not making a single sound. After a few seconds a pale skinned hand holding a lighter shot up and wafted the open flame under the alarm before removing its fingers from the striker and closing the lighters lid. Staring up at the malfunctioning smoke alarm, the red headed woman dressed in a green sweater and slacks bit her lip before climbing down from the step ladder and placing the lighter on her desk. |
“Mike the smoke alarms broken again!” She snapped as the man sat at the opposite desk of the room placed the file he was reading down and looked over at her.
“And you want me to do what with it?” Mike asked as he rolled down the sleeves of the sweater vest he was wearing. “Because besides shooting the bloody thing I have no alarm related skills.” He added as his female partner folded the ladder up and placed it next to one of the filing cabinets near the door.
“I don’t know, I thought we were past this whole ‘the building hates us’, I mean it’s been two years since we moved in and we still have problems that happen no where else.” The woman replied as she sat down at her desk and shifted a pile of bills to reveal an old book with writing of an unknown language on the cover.
“Well Sarah, if we need new smoke alarms then we need money to go down to the stationary store.” Mike announced. “And unfortunately December is always a quiet month, well that or an apocalyptic one, but since it’s Christmas Eve I think we dodged the bullet on that one.” He added, as he shot the smoke alarm an ugly glare. “Still remind me to throw a garlic stink bomb into Nicky’s Lair for selling me this shoddy piece of junk.”
“Make sure I’m there and we’ll throw two.” Sarah added as she placed her hands on the table as if in prayer and stared at the door. “Come on clients, have problems that need solving please.” She sighed as the sound of the lift pinging from down the hallway radiated towards them. Seconds later bootsteps sounded and a shadowy figure headed down the hall, deep wheezing breaths accompanying them until they stopped outside the door to Nero and Hannigan Supernatural Consulting.
“How do you do that?” Mike asked as a knock sounded on the door. “Come in.” He added as Sarah took her head off the desk and slid the papers back over the book. On command a man with three days stubble growth with a thick mop of black hair walked in, snow frosting the massive duffel coat he wore. “Please sit.” Mike continued as the man shucked his jacket to reveal a dark blue sweater that barely covered his expansive belly.
“Thank you for being in.” The man wheezed as he slumped down onto the chair facing Mike’s desk. “You won’t believe how long I waited outside Dr Strange’s place before I finally decided to come here.”
“Well Mike and I should be able to help you for a moderate fee.” Sarah stated as she held out a hand. “Sarah Hannigan, now what seems to be the problem?”
“Todd Walter, and its my wife.” The client wheezed as he shook Sarah’s hand. “She’s pregnant.” He added before stopping and waiting for a response.
“Congratulations?” Mike asked as Todd shook his head and reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a brown envelope.
“Is that it?!” Todd spat as he looked at Sarah and then Mike. “I came all the way here and all you can say is congratulations. The baby isn’t mine, it just appeared!”
“Oh I meant sorry.” Mike sighed. “We really don’t cover affairs, neither does Doctor Strange for that matter.” He added, as Todd opened the folder and placed two ultrasound photos on Sarah’s desk.
“She isn’t cheating, it just appeared one morning!” Todd hissed as he pointed to one of the photos. “This is the ultrasound photo of our daughter Kelly when she was five months. And this one,” He stated pointing to the other, “is this thing at the same period! The machine picked up nothing other than static and then exploded!”
“A malfunction?” Mike suggested.
“And the fact that my wife is pregnant after I had my vivisection?” Todd snorted.
“Could be Parthenogenisis.” Sarah proposed. “Some animals like sharks and Komodo dragons can…”
“My wife is not a fucking Komodo dragon!!” Todd yelled. “The due date is tomorrow, I know who fucked my wife, I want you to prove it.”
“Are you really suggesting that your wife’s pregnancy is the second coming of Jesus, Saviour of Man?” Mike asked. “Because that seems unlikely, and even if it is we’re not exactly qualified to make a judgment. That would be more in the job description of your local priest.”
“I went to him,” Todd hissed, “he and half the town have been camping on our lawn with crosses and torches. It looks like something out of bloody Mississippi Burning out there. I will pay you anything, just to confirm that God screwed my wife!”
“Anything?” Sarah asked. “New smoke alarm?”
“Screw the smoke alarm,“ Mike replied as he looked around the office, “we can get a whole new office!”
# # # # #
Cold Spring, New York
As Mike’s battered ex Toyota technical turned onto the drive of the Walter family residence, he and Sarah soon realised what Todd had meant about half the town camping on his lawn. The entire strip of snow kissed grass was covered in people in cold weather clothing holding placards and torches aloft, the later casting an unnerving glow over the street. Slipping out of the car, Mike and Sarah grabbed their bags and followed Todd up the path towards the front door of the rustic maisonette, but before they could reach the door they were swamped by tens of worshipers, all asking for them to bring the baby out when it was born, or to bless them for they were worthy, and while there was seemingly no malice in their requests, it was unnerving. Finally uncoupling from the throng, the pair made it inside and were greeted by a thin woman with dark hair and pale skin dressed in a black dress overlaid with a purple sweater.
“This is my sister Fay, Fay these are Mike Nero and Sarah Hannigan, the two ‘supernatural experts’.” Todd announced. Fay looked at them and nodded, and for the briefest moment it looked like there was a spark of something hope or maybe fear, in her eyes. “And this is Kelly my daughter.” Todd continued as a little girl of about five poked her head round the legs of her aunt.
“Charmed.” Mike grumbled. “If we could see your wife, we can get started as soon as possible.”
“Of course I’ll check on Ana, if you want to unpack your er equipment, I’ll come get you.” Todd spluttered, seemingly caught off guard by the request that had been asked of him. Heading into the kitchen, Sarah and Mike placed their bags down and began removing books and magical items to begin their investigation. Removing her divining rods, Sarah looked over at the fridge before homing in on a picture of a humanoid figure dressed in purple with pale eyes and hair.
“We won’t need those, you can practically taste the magic in the air.” Mike stated.
“Yeah and it’s not theistic either.” Sarah replied as she placed the rods down on the table and picked up a set of snake bones. “Despite whatever Todd and the people outside believe, God didn’t have anything to do with this.” She added as she gestured to the house. “The scent is rich, almost has a Pictish scent but the lavender essence associated with their magics is reduced, covered up with a smell I can’t quite recognise.” She added as she stole another look at the picture on the fridge before turning back to see Kelly standing in the doorway looking up at them, her eyes full of fear. “Hi honey, I promise we’re not here to hurt your Mum or your unborn brother and sister.”
“Sister.” Kelly replied blankly. “He said she’s going to taker her away from mommy when she’s born.”
“This is a real person?” Sarah asked.
“He’s in my dreams, he’s always there whispering in my ear and skulking outsider mommy’s door.” Kelly replied as she looked over at Mike and then at the silver athame in his hands. “I want to fight him, to scare him away but he scares me.”
“Who is he?” Sarah asked, just as Todd came in followed by his blank faced sister.
“That bogeyman?” Todd asked. “He’s nothing, just a ploy for attention. We’ve stopped paying it any notice.” He added, as Mike balled his free hand up ready to throw a punch.
“Mr Walter, children are more in-tuned to the Magi-atmospheric nature of our world, it could be that your daughter actually saw this creature.” Sarah explained as she shot Mike a warning glare to loosen up. “Is your wife ready?”
“In a sense, her water broke, we’ve called the midwife but I’m afraid your tests will stress her out.” Todd stated as Fay ushered Kelly out of the room. “Once she is more settled then you can start your investigation.” He added as he walked out of the room after his family, a few seconds later Mike exploded.
“Fucking dickhead!!” He spat as he tore the picture off the fridge. “Talking about his kid like that, I can’t believe he’d ignore something like that!” He continued as he walked over to Sarah. “And another fucking thing, he’s screwing us around, he wants us here but not to investigate his wife! He’s clearly done something to the sister, drugged her or worse and god knows what state his wife is in!”
“We don’t know what state she’s in.” Sarah replied calmly as she took his hand. “I know this brings up uncanny circumstances with what happened to your brother when he was young, but calm yourself, cooler heads are needed here.” She added as Mike slammed his fist into the table and took a deep breath. “You may be right about the sister though, she’s not right but it doesn’t seem like drugging or even mind control, it’s almost like she doesn’t fit here at all.”
“Could she be this sneaker?” Mike asked as he pointed to the picture of the mystery humanoid. “I swear something about it is familiar but I don’t know what?”
“It’s all we have at the moment, until the wife is settled, we’re confined to what we can do here.” Sarah replied as Mike removed a battered laptop from his bag. “What are you doing?”
“Looking into the Walter family, something is wrong here and I think I know where to look.”
# # # # #
The doorbell rang half an hour later and Todd answered it, before quickly ushering the two women inside. Looking up from his laptop, Mike watched the two women, one blonde the other a red head, both dressed in nurses scrubs, head upstairs. Putting his head down he smiled as he looked at what he had found, before looking up again and doing a double take.
“Midwifes are here I see.” Sarah grumbled as she flicked through one of the beasties she had brought with her. “I think I had a suspect, something we would now call a courtesan, they are akin to…”
“Shit vampires.” Mike interrupted as he got to his feet.
“Actually fairies but…”
“The midwives went up the stairs past the mirror, guess what didn’t show up.” Mike added as he grabbed his athame and a metal crucifix.
“Reflections.” Sarah sighed. “I’ll get the sister and daughter somewhere safe, you go punch something.” She ordered as Mike sprinted across the hallway and up the stairs. Reaching the bedroom, he slid in as Todd, the midwives and the heavily pregnant dark skinned woman all looked up at him.
“I told you to wait!” Todd snapped, only for Mike to push past him and rip one of the midwives away before holding a cross up to the other, her face sprouting bestial features as she recoiled in horror and pain at the holy iconograpghy.
“Mr Walter, your midwives are vampires.” Mike replied calmly as the second midwife, the red head rushed at him and tried to pull him away from her compatriot, only to receive an elbow in the face, enough to cause her to recoil. “This one’s newly turned,” He stated as he gripped the athame in his right hand and stabbed it into the vampire’s heart, the skin round the strike turning black. “Likely she was sired to help them gain access to the house.”
“Is that what’s inside me?!” Ana asked as the red-haired vampire made another attack, only to receive a strike from the crucifix in the face, her flesh burning.
“I doubt it, they probably heard the commotion from the rabble outside and decided they wanted a richer meal then what they were getting.” Mike told her as he struck threw the neck of the vampire he had cornered, her body collapsing into dust. “Still a vampire’s nose is quite potent, so before I strike tell me what did you think you’d be feasting on tonight.”
With a snort, the vampire burst into laughter before rushing close to Mike and hissing in his air. “If we’d killed the babe, we would be regarded as heroes, the child will be an enemy of the holy punisher and his serfs.” Nodding Mike pressed the crucifix to the vampires face before plunging the athame into her heart and throwing her through the window, her body while transforming into dust having enough mass to crack the pane.
“Oh god are Fay and Kelly safe?” Ana asked, as Todd glowered at Mike.
“Their fine, and to answer your question, no its not a vampire, they breed by mixing blood.” Mike replied as he looked down at the pile of dust. “I’ll send my partner up in a bit to dispel the vampire spirit so she doesn’t rise again, until then don’t touch that blade.” He ordered as he walked out of the room, Todd’s angry eyes burning into his back as he left. It was more than anger, more than hatred, it was fear, but of what, the vampires, the child or perhaps that he and Sarah might actually dig up something that the Walter family wanted to keep hidden from outsiders. Mike suspected that it was actually all three.
# # # # #
Sarah slumped on the sofa after reappearing from upstairs, she was tired and she was sure that Mr Walters was hiding something, but what was still up for debate. Placing the now empty pot of Tic-Tacs, which had been part offering and part bribe for the aid of the Loa, she had used to banish the vampire spirits upstairs back in her bag she watched as Mike walked in clutching the laptop.
“So before we were interrupted you were talking about courtesans. While you were upstairs I did a bit of reading to catch up, but still seem to be a little unsure of the details.” Mike stated as he sat down next to Sarah.
“So basically the race is split into a Summer Court and a Winter Court which represent light and dark respectively. They used to be at peace, but during the War of the Roses, the Summer Court backed the House of Lancaster and the Winter Court did likewise with the House of York. After the human aspect of the war ended, the courts entered a cold war which continues to this very day.” Sarah explained as Fay watched from the corridor with her blank staring eyes. “The pictures of Winter Courtesans is almost identical to the creature in Kelly’s drawing, and both courts are known to snatch human children and leave a changeling in its place.”
“So we’re thinking child abduction then?” Mike sighed as he opened his laptop and showed the image on the screen to her. “If we were just dealing with the mystical then it’s be bad, but it looks like there’s a human component as well.”
“But that’s…” Sarah began to say only for screams and the sound of the front door to smashing open to cut her off. Getting to their feet, Sarah and Mike watched in horror as four figures walked into the room, each one loaded up ready for battle. One of the figures wore a hoody and had mysterious tattoos on his arms, a stark comparison to the man beside him in a clean white suit holding a bible marked with an upside down cross. The other two were less normal looking; while the tall brown armoured figure with insectile fangs and antennae stole a lot of focus it was the feminine figure dressed in a black dress uniform and gasmask, the former emblazoned with a skull and swastika that was the most fearful.
“Secure the building brothers.” The man dressed in white ordered in a voice with a southern accent. “The Department of Occult Armaments don’t dig themselves out of their graves just to fail at acquiring our prize.” Heeding his word the hooded man headed for the stairs while the brown armoured pulled out a pair of pistols as his sides split and another pair of arms, already armed with two more handguns waded into the room.
“First vampires now Hydra.” Sarah whispered as the black armoured figure glowered at her.
“Your analysis is correct child.” The man in white stated. “Kill them and the other witnesses.” He added as the man with multiple arms opened fire, a hail of gunfire scattering Sarah and Mike. Skidding into the kitchen Mike grabbed his own gun and fired two shots into the man’s flank, the first shot cracking on his armour whilst the second slashed through one of his arms. Within seconds the monstrosity was re-growing the lost limb even as he opened fire with his other weapons.
“Don’t fight the Crow’s presence.” The man in white stated as Sarah levitated a vase off the table and threw it at the woman in black, the blow staggering her. “Even if you escape her clutches you are no match for the Reverend Reaper.” He added, as he summoned a scythe of lightning and slashed at her, the voltage sending Sarah flailing through the TV table. Groaning as she got up, she had seconds to react as the Crow stabbed a dagger through her shoulder. Lashing out Sarah managed to escape her attacker, only for to see the Reverend to stab his scythe into the ground, flames shooting up from the foundations to send her flying.
“Sarah!” Mike yelled as he saw Sarah slam down hard. Distracted his opponent landed a number of shots on him, and while the ballistic vest he wore under his clothes somewhat lessened the impacts, his torso ached.
“Finish the boy Centipede!” The Reverend replied, as he opened his bible and began to recite a passage in Aramaic, his words causing rotting hands to grab Sarah as she got up and pull her down into a kneeling position. Wordlessly the Crow stalked towards her, before removing a branding iron from her belt, the skull with a swastika cut out of it glowing unnaturally.
“The child is still unborn.” A hissing sucking voice called from upstairs as the man in the hoody returned, Kelly held in his arms. “The father is dead, but I thought this one may have some use to us.” He added as he stroked his hostage’s hair.
“Drain her, this child is more valuable.” The Reverend announced as he gestured to Sarah. Smiling the hooded man placed his arm next to Kelly’s, his tattoos coming to life and curling round her, fanged tips burrowing under the child’s skin.
“Kelly no!!” A new voice yelled as Fay, unseen by the DOA struck, the letter opener in her hand stabbing into the base of the hooded figures neck. Distracted the Crow gave Sarah a second to flick her hand, the motion magically causing the DVDs in the destroyed TV unit to fly out of their cases and scythe through the woman and smash on the wall. With a cough, the Crow exploded outwards into a shower of feathers, her branding iron hitting the floor.
“What?” The Reverend gasped. “How is this possible?” He gasped as Mike rallied and slugged the Centipede in the face with his pistol, only for the villain to grab him and slam him onto the counter hard. Reaching for a knife in the nearby rack, Mike lashed out as his opponent loomed over him ready to beat the life out of him, the blade he chose puncturing the insectoid man’s skin but not going deep enough to cause any permanent harm. Never the less the Centipede recoiled in pain, before a single gunshot sounded, causing him to fall to his knees, a bullet stabbed into his head, his exoskeleton cracked.
“You’re losing ground Reverend.” Mike stated as he stepped over Centipede. “So its time you weighed up your options for leaving here; either walk out now, or get wheeled out in a body bag.”
“We will return, so savour your victory children.” The Reverend hissed as the Crow reformed behind him and helped the hooded man to his feet. “It will be the only one you have tonight.” He added, as the four villains limped off.
“They won’t be coming back tonight.” Mike stated as he saw Kelly hiding in Fay’s arms. “And one good thing came out of this, turns out a mother’s protective instinct is enough to break the submission spell over her.” He added, as Fay hugged Kelly, her face suddenly animated, the blankness gone.
“Wait what?” Sarah asked.
“Perhaps it’s better explained upstairs.” Mike told her as he led her up the stairs and into the room where Ana was. The pregnant woman was terrified, but the dead body of Todd lying in the doorway wasn’t the reason. Standing over her dressed in a free-flowing purple tunic, its smooth face and glowing magenta eyes was the creature from Kelly’s drawings.
“It is done then.” The creature hissed as it turned to look at Sarah and Mike “Even with the failing of my servant.”
“You mean Terrence Whitley AKA your child abductor for hire.” Sarah stated as she stepped over the dead body. “The man you gave spells to brainwash Fay into submission after Kelly saw you sneaking around.”
“Human lives are meaningless when compared to the future peace the child will broker, as is human love.” The creature replied.
“Before the vampire attack I found the record of Ana and Fay’s Civil Partnership.” Mike told Sarah as Fay emerged behind them, her hand still clenched round the letter opener. “Explain what this is all about before I let her place that knife between your kidneys.”
“The child was conceived and taken to Earth, humanity would protect her and when the time came she would descend to bring a proper peace between the courts. But this human,” The creature announced as it watched the knife in Fay’s hand with fear, “she isn’t the vessel, but rather a decoy to draw the greedy and needy of two worlds away from the real saviour. I came to remove the spell on this human since the saviour is born.”
“The why have Whitley hire us?” Mike asked.
“Easy, he didn’t want his decoy to be killed.” Ana grumbled as she watched her swollen belly deflate back to its normal size. “Fay and Kelly could have been killed and you’ve destroyed our house!” She snarled as she swung for the Courtesan, the blow phasing through him.
“That will be repaired, when you drift off to sleep my elves will return your home to its formally pleasant state.” The Courtesan told him, as he stalked away for her, only for a metal chain to snap round his neck, the iron in the binding causing him to groan in pain.
“Remove all memory of these events too!” Sarah snarled in his ear as she pulled the chain tighter. “And we want payment.”
“The Court won’t uphold any deal with humans regarding material wealth, but rest assured you will be compensated.” The Courtesan wheezed. “Now release me!!”
# # # # #
Mike drove his Toyota back towards New York, the radio announcing that it was now Christmas Day. On the passenger seat Sarah snored softly, she was exhausted after the events in Cold Spring, and if it wasn’t for the jumbo shot of coffee he’d taken before leaving the Walter’s household he would have joined her.
“Mike.” Sarah whispered as she opened her eyes. “I’m sorry we didn’t get paid tonight.”
“We also made an enemy, the DOA will be coming for us now.” Mike replied as the Dazzler cover of Give a Little Bit came onto the radio. “And we can always steal a smoke alarm tomorrow if we get really desperate.” He added.
Laughing a little, Sarah leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “I have a better idea.” She stated as she looked out the front windscreen. “I know we said we shouldn’t date, that we were friends first, business partners second and lovers last, but I love you and not just as a friend.”
“I love you too.” Mike replied a smile on his face. “And I said a lot of shit this year. Happy Christmas Sarah.” He added as he pulled over into a layby and stepped out into the falling snow.
Following him, Sarah as the new longer embraced each other as the radio serenaded them in the background. “Happy Christmas, Mike.”
“And you want me to do what with it?” Mike asked as he rolled down the sleeves of the sweater vest he was wearing. “Because besides shooting the bloody thing I have no alarm related skills.” He added as his female partner folded the ladder up and placed it next to one of the filing cabinets near the door.
“I don’t know, I thought we were past this whole ‘the building hates us’, I mean it’s been two years since we moved in and we still have problems that happen no where else.” The woman replied as she sat down at her desk and shifted a pile of bills to reveal an old book with writing of an unknown language on the cover.
“Well Sarah, if we need new smoke alarms then we need money to go down to the stationary store.” Mike announced. “And unfortunately December is always a quiet month, well that or an apocalyptic one, but since it’s Christmas Eve I think we dodged the bullet on that one.” He added, as he shot the smoke alarm an ugly glare. “Still remind me to throw a garlic stink bomb into Nicky’s Lair for selling me this shoddy piece of junk.”
“Make sure I’m there and we’ll throw two.” Sarah added as she placed her hands on the table as if in prayer and stared at the door. “Come on clients, have problems that need solving please.” She sighed as the sound of the lift pinging from down the hallway radiated towards them. Seconds later bootsteps sounded and a shadowy figure headed down the hall, deep wheezing breaths accompanying them until they stopped outside the door to Nero and Hannigan Supernatural Consulting.
“How do you do that?” Mike asked as a knock sounded on the door. “Come in.” He added as Sarah took her head off the desk and slid the papers back over the book. On command a man with three days stubble growth with a thick mop of black hair walked in, snow frosting the massive duffel coat he wore. “Please sit.” Mike continued as the man shucked his jacket to reveal a dark blue sweater that barely covered his expansive belly.
“Thank you for being in.” The man wheezed as he slumped down onto the chair facing Mike’s desk. “You won’t believe how long I waited outside Dr Strange’s place before I finally decided to come here.”
“Well Mike and I should be able to help you for a moderate fee.” Sarah stated as she held out a hand. “Sarah Hannigan, now what seems to be the problem?”
“Todd Walter, and its my wife.” The client wheezed as he shook Sarah’s hand. “She’s pregnant.” He added before stopping and waiting for a response.
“Congratulations?” Mike asked as Todd shook his head and reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a brown envelope.
“Is that it?!” Todd spat as he looked at Sarah and then Mike. “I came all the way here and all you can say is congratulations. The baby isn’t mine, it just appeared!”
“Oh I meant sorry.” Mike sighed. “We really don’t cover affairs, neither does Doctor Strange for that matter.” He added, as Todd opened the folder and placed two ultrasound photos on Sarah’s desk.
“She isn’t cheating, it just appeared one morning!” Todd hissed as he pointed to one of the photos. “This is the ultrasound photo of our daughter Kelly when she was five months. And this one,” He stated pointing to the other, “is this thing at the same period! The machine picked up nothing other than static and then exploded!”
“A malfunction?” Mike suggested.
“And the fact that my wife is pregnant after I had my vivisection?” Todd snorted.
“Could be Parthenogenisis.” Sarah proposed. “Some animals like sharks and Komodo dragons can…”
“My wife is not a fucking Komodo dragon!!” Todd yelled. “The due date is tomorrow, I know who fucked my wife, I want you to prove it.”
“Are you really suggesting that your wife’s pregnancy is the second coming of Jesus, Saviour of Man?” Mike asked. “Because that seems unlikely, and even if it is we’re not exactly qualified to make a judgment. That would be more in the job description of your local priest.”
“I went to him,” Todd hissed, “he and half the town have been camping on our lawn with crosses and torches. It looks like something out of bloody Mississippi Burning out there. I will pay you anything, just to confirm that God screwed my wife!”
“Anything?” Sarah asked. “New smoke alarm?”
“Screw the smoke alarm,“ Mike replied as he looked around the office, “we can get a whole new office!”
# # # # #
Cold Spring, New York
As Mike’s battered ex Toyota technical turned onto the drive of the Walter family residence, he and Sarah soon realised what Todd had meant about half the town camping on his lawn. The entire strip of snow kissed grass was covered in people in cold weather clothing holding placards and torches aloft, the later casting an unnerving glow over the street. Slipping out of the car, Mike and Sarah grabbed their bags and followed Todd up the path towards the front door of the rustic maisonette, but before they could reach the door they were swamped by tens of worshipers, all asking for them to bring the baby out when it was born, or to bless them for they were worthy, and while there was seemingly no malice in their requests, it was unnerving. Finally uncoupling from the throng, the pair made it inside and were greeted by a thin woman with dark hair and pale skin dressed in a black dress overlaid with a purple sweater.
“This is my sister Fay, Fay these are Mike Nero and Sarah Hannigan, the two ‘supernatural experts’.” Todd announced. Fay looked at them and nodded, and for the briefest moment it looked like there was a spark of something hope or maybe fear, in her eyes. “And this is Kelly my daughter.” Todd continued as a little girl of about five poked her head round the legs of her aunt.
“Charmed.” Mike grumbled. “If we could see your wife, we can get started as soon as possible.”
“Of course I’ll check on Ana, if you want to unpack your er equipment, I’ll come get you.” Todd spluttered, seemingly caught off guard by the request that had been asked of him. Heading into the kitchen, Sarah and Mike placed their bags down and began removing books and magical items to begin their investigation. Removing her divining rods, Sarah looked over at the fridge before homing in on a picture of a humanoid figure dressed in purple with pale eyes and hair.
“We won’t need those, you can practically taste the magic in the air.” Mike stated.
“Yeah and it’s not theistic either.” Sarah replied as she placed the rods down on the table and picked up a set of snake bones. “Despite whatever Todd and the people outside believe, God didn’t have anything to do with this.” She added as she gestured to the house. “The scent is rich, almost has a Pictish scent but the lavender essence associated with their magics is reduced, covered up with a smell I can’t quite recognise.” She added as she stole another look at the picture on the fridge before turning back to see Kelly standing in the doorway looking up at them, her eyes full of fear. “Hi honey, I promise we’re not here to hurt your Mum or your unborn brother and sister.”
“Sister.” Kelly replied blankly. “He said she’s going to taker her away from mommy when she’s born.”
“This is a real person?” Sarah asked.
“He’s in my dreams, he’s always there whispering in my ear and skulking outsider mommy’s door.” Kelly replied as she looked over at Mike and then at the silver athame in his hands. “I want to fight him, to scare him away but he scares me.”
“Who is he?” Sarah asked, just as Todd came in followed by his blank faced sister.
“That bogeyman?” Todd asked. “He’s nothing, just a ploy for attention. We’ve stopped paying it any notice.” He added, as Mike balled his free hand up ready to throw a punch.
“Mr Walter, children are more in-tuned to the Magi-atmospheric nature of our world, it could be that your daughter actually saw this creature.” Sarah explained as she shot Mike a warning glare to loosen up. “Is your wife ready?”
“In a sense, her water broke, we’ve called the midwife but I’m afraid your tests will stress her out.” Todd stated as Fay ushered Kelly out of the room. “Once she is more settled then you can start your investigation.” He added as he walked out of the room after his family, a few seconds later Mike exploded.
“Fucking dickhead!!” He spat as he tore the picture off the fridge. “Talking about his kid like that, I can’t believe he’d ignore something like that!” He continued as he walked over to Sarah. “And another fucking thing, he’s screwing us around, he wants us here but not to investigate his wife! He’s clearly done something to the sister, drugged her or worse and god knows what state his wife is in!”
“We don’t know what state she’s in.” Sarah replied calmly as she took his hand. “I know this brings up uncanny circumstances with what happened to your brother when he was young, but calm yourself, cooler heads are needed here.” She added as Mike slammed his fist into the table and took a deep breath. “You may be right about the sister though, she’s not right but it doesn’t seem like drugging or even mind control, it’s almost like she doesn’t fit here at all.”
“Could she be this sneaker?” Mike asked as he pointed to the picture of the mystery humanoid. “I swear something about it is familiar but I don’t know what?”
“It’s all we have at the moment, until the wife is settled, we’re confined to what we can do here.” Sarah replied as Mike removed a battered laptop from his bag. “What are you doing?”
“Looking into the Walter family, something is wrong here and I think I know where to look.”
# # # # #
The doorbell rang half an hour later and Todd answered it, before quickly ushering the two women inside. Looking up from his laptop, Mike watched the two women, one blonde the other a red head, both dressed in nurses scrubs, head upstairs. Putting his head down he smiled as he looked at what he had found, before looking up again and doing a double take.
“Midwifes are here I see.” Sarah grumbled as she flicked through one of the beasties she had brought with her. “I think I had a suspect, something we would now call a courtesan, they are akin to…”
“Shit vampires.” Mike interrupted as he got to his feet.
“Actually fairies but…”
“The midwives went up the stairs past the mirror, guess what didn’t show up.” Mike added as he grabbed his athame and a metal crucifix.
“Reflections.” Sarah sighed. “I’ll get the sister and daughter somewhere safe, you go punch something.” She ordered as Mike sprinted across the hallway and up the stairs. Reaching the bedroom, he slid in as Todd, the midwives and the heavily pregnant dark skinned woman all looked up at him.
“I told you to wait!” Todd snapped, only for Mike to push past him and rip one of the midwives away before holding a cross up to the other, her face sprouting bestial features as she recoiled in horror and pain at the holy iconograpghy.
“Mr Walter, your midwives are vampires.” Mike replied calmly as the second midwife, the red head rushed at him and tried to pull him away from her compatriot, only to receive an elbow in the face, enough to cause her to recoil. “This one’s newly turned,” He stated as he gripped the athame in his right hand and stabbed it into the vampire’s heart, the skin round the strike turning black. “Likely she was sired to help them gain access to the house.”
“Is that what’s inside me?!” Ana asked as the red-haired vampire made another attack, only to receive a strike from the crucifix in the face, her flesh burning.
“I doubt it, they probably heard the commotion from the rabble outside and decided they wanted a richer meal then what they were getting.” Mike told her as he struck threw the neck of the vampire he had cornered, her body collapsing into dust. “Still a vampire’s nose is quite potent, so before I strike tell me what did you think you’d be feasting on tonight.”
With a snort, the vampire burst into laughter before rushing close to Mike and hissing in his air. “If we’d killed the babe, we would be regarded as heroes, the child will be an enemy of the holy punisher and his serfs.” Nodding Mike pressed the crucifix to the vampires face before plunging the athame into her heart and throwing her through the window, her body while transforming into dust having enough mass to crack the pane.
“Oh god are Fay and Kelly safe?” Ana asked, as Todd glowered at Mike.
“Their fine, and to answer your question, no its not a vampire, they breed by mixing blood.” Mike replied as he looked down at the pile of dust. “I’ll send my partner up in a bit to dispel the vampire spirit so she doesn’t rise again, until then don’t touch that blade.” He ordered as he walked out of the room, Todd’s angry eyes burning into his back as he left. It was more than anger, more than hatred, it was fear, but of what, the vampires, the child or perhaps that he and Sarah might actually dig up something that the Walter family wanted to keep hidden from outsiders. Mike suspected that it was actually all three.
# # # # #
Sarah slumped on the sofa after reappearing from upstairs, she was tired and she was sure that Mr Walters was hiding something, but what was still up for debate. Placing the now empty pot of Tic-Tacs, which had been part offering and part bribe for the aid of the Loa, she had used to banish the vampire spirits upstairs back in her bag she watched as Mike walked in clutching the laptop.
“So before we were interrupted you were talking about courtesans. While you were upstairs I did a bit of reading to catch up, but still seem to be a little unsure of the details.” Mike stated as he sat down next to Sarah.
“So basically the race is split into a Summer Court and a Winter Court which represent light and dark respectively. They used to be at peace, but during the War of the Roses, the Summer Court backed the House of Lancaster and the Winter Court did likewise with the House of York. After the human aspect of the war ended, the courts entered a cold war which continues to this very day.” Sarah explained as Fay watched from the corridor with her blank staring eyes. “The pictures of Winter Courtesans is almost identical to the creature in Kelly’s drawing, and both courts are known to snatch human children and leave a changeling in its place.”
“So we’re thinking child abduction then?” Mike sighed as he opened his laptop and showed the image on the screen to her. “If we were just dealing with the mystical then it’s be bad, but it looks like there’s a human component as well.”
“But that’s…” Sarah began to say only for screams and the sound of the front door to smashing open to cut her off. Getting to their feet, Sarah and Mike watched in horror as four figures walked into the room, each one loaded up ready for battle. One of the figures wore a hoody and had mysterious tattoos on his arms, a stark comparison to the man beside him in a clean white suit holding a bible marked with an upside down cross. The other two were less normal looking; while the tall brown armoured figure with insectile fangs and antennae stole a lot of focus it was the feminine figure dressed in a black dress uniform and gasmask, the former emblazoned with a skull and swastika that was the most fearful.
“Secure the building brothers.” The man dressed in white ordered in a voice with a southern accent. “The Department of Occult Armaments don’t dig themselves out of their graves just to fail at acquiring our prize.” Heeding his word the hooded man headed for the stairs while the brown armoured pulled out a pair of pistols as his sides split and another pair of arms, already armed with two more handguns waded into the room.
“First vampires now Hydra.” Sarah whispered as the black armoured figure glowered at her.
“Your analysis is correct child.” The man in white stated. “Kill them and the other witnesses.” He added as the man with multiple arms opened fire, a hail of gunfire scattering Sarah and Mike. Skidding into the kitchen Mike grabbed his own gun and fired two shots into the man’s flank, the first shot cracking on his armour whilst the second slashed through one of his arms. Within seconds the monstrosity was re-growing the lost limb even as he opened fire with his other weapons.
“Don’t fight the Crow’s presence.” The man in white stated as Sarah levitated a vase off the table and threw it at the woman in black, the blow staggering her. “Even if you escape her clutches you are no match for the Reverend Reaper.” He added, as he summoned a scythe of lightning and slashed at her, the voltage sending Sarah flailing through the TV table. Groaning as she got up, she had seconds to react as the Crow stabbed a dagger through her shoulder. Lashing out Sarah managed to escape her attacker, only for to see the Reverend to stab his scythe into the ground, flames shooting up from the foundations to send her flying.
“Sarah!” Mike yelled as he saw Sarah slam down hard. Distracted his opponent landed a number of shots on him, and while the ballistic vest he wore under his clothes somewhat lessened the impacts, his torso ached.
“Finish the boy Centipede!” The Reverend replied, as he opened his bible and began to recite a passage in Aramaic, his words causing rotting hands to grab Sarah as she got up and pull her down into a kneeling position. Wordlessly the Crow stalked towards her, before removing a branding iron from her belt, the skull with a swastika cut out of it glowing unnaturally.
“The child is still unborn.” A hissing sucking voice called from upstairs as the man in the hoody returned, Kelly held in his arms. “The father is dead, but I thought this one may have some use to us.” He added as he stroked his hostage’s hair.
“Drain her, this child is more valuable.” The Reverend announced as he gestured to Sarah. Smiling the hooded man placed his arm next to Kelly’s, his tattoos coming to life and curling round her, fanged tips burrowing under the child’s skin.
“Kelly no!!” A new voice yelled as Fay, unseen by the DOA struck, the letter opener in her hand stabbing into the base of the hooded figures neck. Distracted the Crow gave Sarah a second to flick her hand, the motion magically causing the DVDs in the destroyed TV unit to fly out of their cases and scythe through the woman and smash on the wall. With a cough, the Crow exploded outwards into a shower of feathers, her branding iron hitting the floor.
“What?” The Reverend gasped. “How is this possible?” He gasped as Mike rallied and slugged the Centipede in the face with his pistol, only for the villain to grab him and slam him onto the counter hard. Reaching for a knife in the nearby rack, Mike lashed out as his opponent loomed over him ready to beat the life out of him, the blade he chose puncturing the insectoid man’s skin but not going deep enough to cause any permanent harm. Never the less the Centipede recoiled in pain, before a single gunshot sounded, causing him to fall to his knees, a bullet stabbed into his head, his exoskeleton cracked.
“You’re losing ground Reverend.” Mike stated as he stepped over Centipede. “So its time you weighed up your options for leaving here; either walk out now, or get wheeled out in a body bag.”
“We will return, so savour your victory children.” The Reverend hissed as the Crow reformed behind him and helped the hooded man to his feet. “It will be the only one you have tonight.” He added, as the four villains limped off.
“They won’t be coming back tonight.” Mike stated as he saw Kelly hiding in Fay’s arms. “And one good thing came out of this, turns out a mother’s protective instinct is enough to break the submission spell over her.” He added, as Fay hugged Kelly, her face suddenly animated, the blankness gone.
“Wait what?” Sarah asked.
“Perhaps it’s better explained upstairs.” Mike told her as he led her up the stairs and into the room where Ana was. The pregnant woman was terrified, but the dead body of Todd lying in the doorway wasn’t the reason. Standing over her dressed in a free-flowing purple tunic, its smooth face and glowing magenta eyes was the creature from Kelly’s drawings.
“It is done then.” The creature hissed as it turned to look at Sarah and Mike “Even with the failing of my servant.”
“You mean Terrence Whitley AKA your child abductor for hire.” Sarah stated as she stepped over the dead body. “The man you gave spells to brainwash Fay into submission after Kelly saw you sneaking around.”
“Human lives are meaningless when compared to the future peace the child will broker, as is human love.” The creature replied.
“Before the vampire attack I found the record of Ana and Fay’s Civil Partnership.” Mike told Sarah as Fay emerged behind them, her hand still clenched round the letter opener. “Explain what this is all about before I let her place that knife between your kidneys.”
“The child was conceived and taken to Earth, humanity would protect her and when the time came she would descend to bring a proper peace between the courts. But this human,” The creature announced as it watched the knife in Fay’s hand with fear, “she isn’t the vessel, but rather a decoy to draw the greedy and needy of two worlds away from the real saviour. I came to remove the spell on this human since the saviour is born.”
“The why have Whitley hire us?” Mike asked.
“Easy, he didn’t want his decoy to be killed.” Ana grumbled as she watched her swollen belly deflate back to its normal size. “Fay and Kelly could have been killed and you’ve destroyed our house!” She snarled as she swung for the Courtesan, the blow phasing through him.
“That will be repaired, when you drift off to sleep my elves will return your home to its formally pleasant state.” The Courtesan told him, as he stalked away for her, only for a metal chain to snap round his neck, the iron in the binding causing him to groan in pain.
“Remove all memory of these events too!” Sarah snarled in his ear as she pulled the chain tighter. “And we want payment.”
“The Court won’t uphold any deal with humans regarding material wealth, but rest assured you will be compensated.” The Courtesan wheezed. “Now release me!!”
# # # # #
Mike drove his Toyota back towards New York, the radio announcing that it was now Christmas Day. On the passenger seat Sarah snored softly, she was exhausted after the events in Cold Spring, and if it wasn’t for the jumbo shot of coffee he’d taken before leaving the Walter’s household he would have joined her.
“Mike.” Sarah whispered as she opened her eyes. “I’m sorry we didn’t get paid tonight.”
“We also made an enemy, the DOA will be coming for us now.” Mike replied as the Dazzler cover of Give a Little Bit came onto the radio. “And we can always steal a smoke alarm tomorrow if we get really desperate.” He added.
Laughing a little, Sarah leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “I have a better idea.” She stated as she looked out the front windscreen. “I know we said we shouldn’t date, that we were friends first, business partners second and lovers last, but I love you and not just as a friend.”
“I love you too.” Mike replied a smile on his face. “And I said a lot of shit this year. Happy Christmas Sarah.” He added as he pulled over into a layby and stepped out into the falling snow.
Following him, Sarah as the new longer embraced each other as the radio serenaded them in the background. “Happy Christmas, Mike.”
BY DAN DOLAN
|
The chill in the air was easily ignored by the children. They ran and sang and played through the streets as if it were high summer. The cold forgotten, so it seems were the rags on their backs and the dirt on their faces.
Looking at this limbo of wanting: Polyboea, a young girl born on this strange world thought to herself that Knowhere was a fitting name for it. Once the head of great Celestial Knowhere has served for eons as the last refuge before the end of all reality. The maddening expanse of nothingness that separates that which is from that which is not. Many have come from across the universe to use Knowhere as the ultimate station from which to study creation but all have disperser in turn as disaster struck them. Soon it became the home of Taneleer Tivan the Collector. The perfectly unique and impossible location being the perfect home for his famed collection of unique and impossible things. |
Soon like birds on the back of a mighty beast, refugees tossed to the far end of the universe soon sought sanctuary within. Allowed with only tacit approval by the Elder of the Universe in residence, the denizens of Knowhere kept their place in their sanctuary through the unwritten vow of poverty. Anything of worth became a part of Tivan’s collection. They themselves worked maintaining the collection all day, every day and sometimes they themselves became part of it. The most attractive of their kind being taken to attend to the Collector himself.
Poverty was not the word for what the inhabitants of Knowhere lived.
It was an absence. An absence of anything and everything of any substance.
Leaving only the people and the work.
As their parents, grandparent, elder siblings all went off to toil at their jobs the children too young to properly hold the equipment gathered around a bowed woman who held them at rapt attention at the foot of the tallest spire on Knowhere.
“Oh my little ones.” She cooed her voice betraying her youth underneath the haggish posture and the encompassing hood she hid beneath, “Are keeping watch?”
“Watch? What are we to watch dowager?” One girl asked, looking round madly.
“The Giver may come tonight little ones. Haven’t you heard?”
“Who is the giver?” A young boy whispered excitedly.
“There’s no such thing as the Giver.” Polyboea, the tallest in the group of tots, laughed dryly. A bitterness beyond her young years in her voice.
“Oh do not say that.” The woman hushed her gently, “The Giver is real. To everything there is a balance. The Collector may reign over all you see but even he has his opposite. The Giver will come and reward you your hardship.”
The possibly faux old woman saw the fear in the children’s eyes. The superstition among the common folk of Knowhere was well known. Anything of value would soon be taken forever into the private collection of the aptly named Collector, never to be seen again. Best muss up your face and learn to value nothing, not even yourself, lest it all be taken from you.
“There is no reward to be had.” A toothy boy grumped, Polyboea was inclined to agree with him.
“Children. All you see is loss here but there is reason to hope! I came to this place to find something, the greatest gift and you can too. For where there is loss, there will always be reward. The sun always turns.”
Polyboea heard a longing in her voice, especially when she spoke of coming to Knowhere for a reason but the crooked “old” woman went on:
“You must not lose the light in your eyes.” She smiled, drawing the children to her (only Polyboea standing back), “It’s something the Collector can’t take away from you…” She looked up the great tower above them, “but you may give it to him anyways…” The woman went on, a deep sadness in her voice, “without even realizing it.”
# # # # #
Taneleer Tivan was the very picture of the excess and materialism the people below him went without. Perfectly coiffed in expensive robes, gilded accessories and attended by some of the most gorgeous men and women any of the worlds in the sky had to offer.
“Howard the Duck was spotted recently near Mallar.” One magenta skinned female said, reading off a high tech screen on her palm, “Should we make arrangements for a second attempt to capture him my lord?”
The Collector pondered this.
“No. Not yet. Since losing him the first time I’ve realized it may not be worth the effort. Let me know when he, Cosmo and Rocket Raccoon are all in the same place… we’ll get them as a set.”
“Yes my lord.” She said meekly but he wasn’t paying attention anymore as they walked through his keepsakes, his treasures. The invisible “pull” he felt from each of them spoke to him with a weight that the Collector’s attendants couldn’t quite muster.
“Tell me of Knowhere…” He mused finally to no one in particular.
“No major updates my lord.” A comely young male said, “There’s been a few local celebrations in honor of “the Giver”. They seem to be increasing as we near the apex of the cold season.” He continued.
“The Giver…” The Collector spat, “There is no such person. Were there an Elder of the Universe known as the Giver, surely I would know. Were there a being whose sole purpose was to distribute treasures to the pitiable, do you not think I wouldn’t have had him slaughtered by now?!” Taneleer shouted causing the man who spoke to shrink back.
“Never mind.” He said finally, the Elder’s voice lighting as his eyes caught something, allowing his troupe of followers to breathe again.
The group soon came upon the sight that had lifted his spirits so.
There in the center of his great collection stood his newest and perhaps greatest prize.
Within the confines of a gigantic display case, nearly the size of the entire hall, was the most gorgeous immense tree any living creature present had seen. The tree seemed to bristle and sway with life, small lights bubbling off the branches lazily rising into the air and fading as they hit the glass.
Taneleer stepped forward with pure affection on his face, his hands seemingly raising of their own accord to tenderly touch the pane of glass that separated him from the magnificent vision before him.
His attendants’ unease soon faded as well as they too basked in the tree’s presence.
“The universe did not deserve you.” He whispered sweetly as he caressed the tree’s class confines, “No creature out there in the cosmos has earned such a reward as you.”
The tree seemed the glow brighter for a moment before fading again. Answering him? His attendants weren’t sure but they felt something from it themselves. Their hearts turning to their loved ones, from whom they were taken and who they knew were still living a worse life than theirs had become, no matter how the Collector spoke to them.
“Leave me.” The Collector hissed, turning his head ever so slightly to them as he spoke… were those tears on his cheeks? They didn’t dare ask as they scrambled from the room. Leaving the miser alone with his prize.
# # # # #
The story of “the Giver” still sounding in her head, Polyboea walked home in a daze. She walked passed those who had even less than she did and noted the smiles on their dirty faces. What were they so happy about?
She saw as they raised decorations, made from refuse of course, of the Giver. Noting with some irony the folk hero’s resemblance to the Collector: ivory hair, flamboyant clothes but like them their Giver was less prim, with well-worn fabrics and shaggy beard. These too they tarnished all the further, decoration or no, you could never be too sure on Knowhere.
She felt a warmth within her, her cynicism briefly lifting as she entered her family’s own humble abode.
Don’t be mistaken there was still no doubt in her mind that the Giver was a myth but to see the impoverished around her have some small bit of hope reminded her of when she had felt the same. Her brother used to surprise her all the time with gifts or just some favor or small kindness to let her know he was there for her.
That was a long time ago.
But perhaps? Was it her turn? Her turn to give back. She pictured those younger kids gathered around the crone earlier, listening to generosity being described rather than actually receiving any.
Unbidden a plan begin to form in her mind. A wicked smiled on her face she ran to wake everyone up, not just her family but the whole town… as many people as she could… they had yet even more work to do before they could rest.
# # # # #
The Collector was uneasy. Something felt off. His immaculately designed “completion” felt… incomplete. His great collection rang untrue. What was it? His aesthetically pleasing attendants tried and tried to assure him but their words faded into white noise as he sat before the mystical tree, practically leaning against it.
“Sir… I don’t know how to say this…” The young male from earlier stammered.
“Damn it Hyacinth just say it.”
“We think the Giver came last night.” The youth finished, hesitantly stepping forward.
“What?!”
Hyacinth and his fellow attendants began to all stammer explanations but the Collector ignored them and ran to a large window, shielding his eyes from the morning light.
Below them was a new Knowhere: The roads and buildings shining and sparkling, colorful lights and decorations covering everything.
“What…?” His head whipped back to the tree. Blaming it? His eyes accusing before softening, despite himself, as he gazed at it.
“Quarantine the population!” The Collector snapped, “I don’t want any of them getting their grubby hands on anything till we’ve had a chance to go over it. After we go through the streets we’ll go home by home, until then no one lives their quarters.”
A young woman with multi-colored fins rans off to see to the quarantine. Taneleer rung his hands as he surveyed the sight below. Was there a Giver? He looked back to the tree. As he gazed it, he answered himself: surely anything was possible. Even miracles.
# # # # #
The Collector never thought he could have “enough” but apparently… As he looked at the mountain of shiny trinkets at his feet: he felt the unfamiliar need to “de-clutter”.
And all of it… was trash. All the shimmering accoutrements that had lined the streets that morning were nothing but old parts, furniture and other little random bits of waste that had inexplicably been cleaned and polished.
Why?
This was the question he had sun set and his people confirmed the trimmings that had so taken them by surprise this cold and wintery morning were all: worthless.
If this was not what was off. If his collection was complete after all, everything of true value already being his and his alone… than what was that gnawing feeling he felt?
From home to home they went and he questioned every family in turn, he and his entourage finally came to the home of Polyboea. Even as they gave him the same denials every other family had done the Collector looked passed them, his eyes caught on the smile on the girl’s face. There was something about it, it wasn’t righteousness or victory. It was joy.
“Did you do this?” He asked simply, surprised at the lack of rage in his own voice and finally she nodded subtlety. He Parents rushing to stand between her and the Elder in order to protect her from any wrath: a wrath the did not come…
Instead Taneleer looked tired.
“Why?” He asked simply.
“I just wanted to spend the day with my family.” She said quietly but not afraid, “You gave us that but now you’ve given me the greatest gift.” She said her watery eyes reminding him of the shame he felt at his own emotion but also in that they were looking passed him. He followed her eyes to where they went: she was gazing at Hyacinth. His servant’s eyes also crying, mussing up the impeccable makeup all of Taneleer’s attendants were made to wear.
No longer able to hold herself back Polyboea ran into the young man’s arms, him embracing the younger girl back after only a moment’s hesitation… a fearful glance to his master before his own emotional state won out.
“You’ve brought my brother back to me, if even for but a day.” Polyboea wept.
The Collector had no words for what he felt. Or to explain the very fact that he did indeed feel at all. Not only was experiencing such emotion as he never had but it was almost too much to bear.
He backed away from the touching family reunion like it was an advancing beast.
“Master I…” Hyacinth stuttered, his arms still wrapped around his sister tightly.
“No… uh… stay here… until I call for you.” He said backing up further, his hand reaching behind him for the door, “All of you… find something to occupy yourselves for the time being… I would be alone.” He said practically running out the door.
Leaving his attendants in awe. One, the magenta hued beauty, picking up one of the Giver effigies and remarking to herself how much it reminded her of the Collector… especially when he cried.
# # # # #
As he threw himself back into his own palace, Taneleer now found himself completely overwhelmed by emotion. Truly the Collector wept, heaving even, crying as he hadn’t since the death of his wife… He sat before the grand glowing tree at the center of his collection. His face nearly fully pressed against the glass.
So loud did he weep he almost didn’t hear the quiet opening of the door behind him. Almost.
“Leave! Whoever you are. I’ve given you all this time with your families… what more could you want?” He wailed.
“My family is right here.” Came a smooth sweet female voice.
Taneleer rose his head ever so slightly and faced his visitor it was the woman who posed as a hag in order to inspire to young ones with her stories. Now though she stood fully, no longer pretending to be stooped and old, her gait graceful and her hood falling back slightly, allowing him to glimpse her pale youthful face if not her eyes.
“Who are you? You are no family to me… I am alone.” His hand pressed further into the tree’s glass case as he said this.
“I said my family was here Elder. I did not say it was you.” She gestured to the tree.
“Is it you? It is… you cannot have him back. He is all I have left!” The Collector said, the emotion he had suppressed now all you could hear as he spoke.
“Ah but Taneleer Tivan… you have so much.” She looked around, her falling further off revealing more of her beauty, now also making clear her Asian features, “And he is not yours, nor is he truly mine… he belongs to the universe. He is their reward.”
“They do not deserve him.” The Collector protested.
“It is not about that. You’re beginning to understand that I think. It is about goodness for the sake of goodness: about adding to the light, not taking from it. It is about tipping the scales against the very “sins” you punish them for.” As she said this last line she let her hood fall completely off, two antenna springing forward, revealing the woman known as Mantis, a former Avenger also known as the Celestial Madonna.
She was right after all, he could feel this deep understanding within him beneath the well of unfamiliar emotions. It was why he hadn’t punished the pauper girl and why he allowed his aides their freedom… for the moment at least. He looked to the tree and knew it had come from there, or at least started there… was it now taking root within him. Was that what allowed they poor girl to be able to convince the miserable people of Knowhere to work all night cleaning trash just to spend one day with their families?
Slowly the Collector rose to his feet, almost unwillingly. He forced himself over to the console that faced the mighty tree and with one final whimper he pressed the underside of his palm against the button controlling the tree’s glass case, causing it to rise into the air.
Mantis smiled, for as the case was removed the tree twirled and danced, shaking off branches as it did so.
As each branch littered the ground a more human shape began to be visible beneath. Soon the Collector was face to face once more with how “his tree” had looked when he had first been captured: still plant like but very clearly a young man, handsome in his way.
“Quoi. My son.” Mantis said happily embracing him.
“Mother.”
The Collector watched them warily.
“Tonight the universe may have its messiah back.” Taneleer said, his tone defeated, “Now go. For tomorrow will have a different answer for you.”
The two turned to face the Elder.
“Know this Taneleer Tivan,” Quoi said, “I may have lifted you out of the darkness but I have no powers of mind control nor an ability to make the impossible take place. Your goodness is your own.”
Taneleer seemed unnerved by his words. This was it? What ate at him: goodness? Generosity? Compassion? He held up a hand to silence the would-be messiah, “Just go.”
“Thank you… Giver.” Mantis winked.
“Do not push your luck.” The Collector warned, some of his old coldness creeping back into his voice, surely an affectation as he still stood in Quoi’s warming presence.
The mother and son smiled at him and with one last look they departed.
Taneleer felt empty, drained even. He sat down in the spot where Quoi had stood in his dormant state as a mighty tree, the “Savior’s” words still ringing in his ears.
Was he changed? Was he a different man now? Who was he if he was not “the Collector”? Looking around at his countless treasures and the worthless pieces of trash they had confiscated he found, to his horror: he couldn’t understand the difference any more…
Poverty was not the word for what the inhabitants of Knowhere lived.
It was an absence. An absence of anything and everything of any substance.
Leaving only the people and the work.
As their parents, grandparent, elder siblings all went off to toil at their jobs the children too young to properly hold the equipment gathered around a bowed woman who held them at rapt attention at the foot of the tallest spire on Knowhere.
“Oh my little ones.” She cooed her voice betraying her youth underneath the haggish posture and the encompassing hood she hid beneath, “Are keeping watch?”
“Watch? What are we to watch dowager?” One girl asked, looking round madly.
“The Giver may come tonight little ones. Haven’t you heard?”
“Who is the giver?” A young boy whispered excitedly.
“There’s no such thing as the Giver.” Polyboea, the tallest in the group of tots, laughed dryly. A bitterness beyond her young years in her voice.
“Oh do not say that.” The woman hushed her gently, “The Giver is real. To everything there is a balance. The Collector may reign over all you see but even he has his opposite. The Giver will come and reward you your hardship.”
The possibly faux old woman saw the fear in the children’s eyes. The superstition among the common folk of Knowhere was well known. Anything of value would soon be taken forever into the private collection of the aptly named Collector, never to be seen again. Best muss up your face and learn to value nothing, not even yourself, lest it all be taken from you.
“There is no reward to be had.” A toothy boy grumped, Polyboea was inclined to agree with him.
“Children. All you see is loss here but there is reason to hope! I came to this place to find something, the greatest gift and you can too. For where there is loss, there will always be reward. The sun always turns.”
Polyboea heard a longing in her voice, especially when she spoke of coming to Knowhere for a reason but the crooked “old” woman went on:
“You must not lose the light in your eyes.” She smiled, drawing the children to her (only Polyboea standing back), “It’s something the Collector can’t take away from you…” She looked up the great tower above them, “but you may give it to him anyways…” The woman went on, a deep sadness in her voice, “without even realizing it.”
# # # # #
Taneleer Tivan was the very picture of the excess and materialism the people below him went without. Perfectly coiffed in expensive robes, gilded accessories and attended by some of the most gorgeous men and women any of the worlds in the sky had to offer.
“Howard the Duck was spotted recently near Mallar.” One magenta skinned female said, reading off a high tech screen on her palm, “Should we make arrangements for a second attempt to capture him my lord?”
The Collector pondered this.
“No. Not yet. Since losing him the first time I’ve realized it may not be worth the effort. Let me know when he, Cosmo and Rocket Raccoon are all in the same place… we’ll get them as a set.”
“Yes my lord.” She said meekly but he wasn’t paying attention anymore as they walked through his keepsakes, his treasures. The invisible “pull” he felt from each of them spoke to him with a weight that the Collector’s attendants couldn’t quite muster.
“Tell me of Knowhere…” He mused finally to no one in particular.
“No major updates my lord.” A comely young male said, “There’s been a few local celebrations in honor of “the Giver”. They seem to be increasing as we near the apex of the cold season.” He continued.
“The Giver…” The Collector spat, “There is no such person. Were there an Elder of the Universe known as the Giver, surely I would know. Were there a being whose sole purpose was to distribute treasures to the pitiable, do you not think I wouldn’t have had him slaughtered by now?!” Taneleer shouted causing the man who spoke to shrink back.
“Never mind.” He said finally, the Elder’s voice lighting as his eyes caught something, allowing his troupe of followers to breathe again.
The group soon came upon the sight that had lifted his spirits so.
There in the center of his great collection stood his newest and perhaps greatest prize.
Within the confines of a gigantic display case, nearly the size of the entire hall, was the most gorgeous immense tree any living creature present had seen. The tree seemed to bristle and sway with life, small lights bubbling off the branches lazily rising into the air and fading as they hit the glass.
Taneleer stepped forward with pure affection on his face, his hands seemingly raising of their own accord to tenderly touch the pane of glass that separated him from the magnificent vision before him.
His attendants’ unease soon faded as well as they too basked in the tree’s presence.
“The universe did not deserve you.” He whispered sweetly as he caressed the tree’s class confines, “No creature out there in the cosmos has earned such a reward as you.”
The tree seemed the glow brighter for a moment before fading again. Answering him? His attendants weren’t sure but they felt something from it themselves. Their hearts turning to their loved ones, from whom they were taken and who they knew were still living a worse life than theirs had become, no matter how the Collector spoke to them.
“Leave me.” The Collector hissed, turning his head ever so slightly to them as he spoke… were those tears on his cheeks? They didn’t dare ask as they scrambled from the room. Leaving the miser alone with his prize.
# # # # #
The story of “the Giver” still sounding in her head, Polyboea walked home in a daze. She walked passed those who had even less than she did and noted the smiles on their dirty faces. What were they so happy about?
She saw as they raised decorations, made from refuse of course, of the Giver. Noting with some irony the folk hero’s resemblance to the Collector: ivory hair, flamboyant clothes but like them their Giver was less prim, with well-worn fabrics and shaggy beard. These too they tarnished all the further, decoration or no, you could never be too sure on Knowhere.
She felt a warmth within her, her cynicism briefly lifting as she entered her family’s own humble abode.
Don’t be mistaken there was still no doubt in her mind that the Giver was a myth but to see the impoverished around her have some small bit of hope reminded her of when she had felt the same. Her brother used to surprise her all the time with gifts or just some favor or small kindness to let her know he was there for her.
That was a long time ago.
But perhaps? Was it her turn? Her turn to give back. She pictured those younger kids gathered around the crone earlier, listening to generosity being described rather than actually receiving any.
Unbidden a plan begin to form in her mind. A wicked smiled on her face she ran to wake everyone up, not just her family but the whole town… as many people as she could… they had yet even more work to do before they could rest.
# # # # #
The Collector was uneasy. Something felt off. His immaculately designed “completion” felt… incomplete. His great collection rang untrue. What was it? His aesthetically pleasing attendants tried and tried to assure him but their words faded into white noise as he sat before the mystical tree, practically leaning against it.
“Sir… I don’t know how to say this…” The young male from earlier stammered.
“Damn it Hyacinth just say it.”
“We think the Giver came last night.” The youth finished, hesitantly stepping forward.
“What?!”
Hyacinth and his fellow attendants began to all stammer explanations but the Collector ignored them and ran to a large window, shielding his eyes from the morning light.
Below them was a new Knowhere: The roads and buildings shining and sparkling, colorful lights and decorations covering everything.
“What…?” His head whipped back to the tree. Blaming it? His eyes accusing before softening, despite himself, as he gazed at it.
“Quarantine the population!” The Collector snapped, “I don’t want any of them getting their grubby hands on anything till we’ve had a chance to go over it. After we go through the streets we’ll go home by home, until then no one lives their quarters.”
A young woman with multi-colored fins rans off to see to the quarantine. Taneleer rung his hands as he surveyed the sight below. Was there a Giver? He looked back to the tree. As he gazed it, he answered himself: surely anything was possible. Even miracles.
# # # # #
The Collector never thought he could have “enough” but apparently… As he looked at the mountain of shiny trinkets at his feet: he felt the unfamiliar need to “de-clutter”.
And all of it… was trash. All the shimmering accoutrements that had lined the streets that morning were nothing but old parts, furniture and other little random bits of waste that had inexplicably been cleaned and polished.
Why?
This was the question he had sun set and his people confirmed the trimmings that had so taken them by surprise this cold and wintery morning were all: worthless.
If this was not what was off. If his collection was complete after all, everything of true value already being his and his alone… than what was that gnawing feeling he felt?
From home to home they went and he questioned every family in turn, he and his entourage finally came to the home of Polyboea. Even as they gave him the same denials every other family had done the Collector looked passed them, his eyes caught on the smile on the girl’s face. There was something about it, it wasn’t righteousness or victory. It was joy.
“Did you do this?” He asked simply, surprised at the lack of rage in his own voice and finally she nodded subtlety. He Parents rushing to stand between her and the Elder in order to protect her from any wrath: a wrath the did not come…
Instead Taneleer looked tired.
“Why?” He asked simply.
“I just wanted to spend the day with my family.” She said quietly but not afraid, “You gave us that but now you’ve given me the greatest gift.” She said her watery eyes reminding him of the shame he felt at his own emotion but also in that they were looking passed him. He followed her eyes to where they went: she was gazing at Hyacinth. His servant’s eyes also crying, mussing up the impeccable makeup all of Taneleer’s attendants were made to wear.
No longer able to hold herself back Polyboea ran into the young man’s arms, him embracing the younger girl back after only a moment’s hesitation… a fearful glance to his master before his own emotional state won out.
“You’ve brought my brother back to me, if even for but a day.” Polyboea wept.
The Collector had no words for what he felt. Or to explain the very fact that he did indeed feel at all. Not only was experiencing such emotion as he never had but it was almost too much to bear.
He backed away from the touching family reunion like it was an advancing beast.
“Master I…” Hyacinth stuttered, his arms still wrapped around his sister tightly.
“No… uh… stay here… until I call for you.” He said backing up further, his hand reaching behind him for the door, “All of you… find something to occupy yourselves for the time being… I would be alone.” He said practically running out the door.
Leaving his attendants in awe. One, the magenta hued beauty, picking up one of the Giver effigies and remarking to herself how much it reminded her of the Collector… especially when he cried.
# # # # #
As he threw himself back into his own palace, Taneleer now found himself completely overwhelmed by emotion. Truly the Collector wept, heaving even, crying as he hadn’t since the death of his wife… He sat before the grand glowing tree at the center of his collection. His face nearly fully pressed against the glass.
So loud did he weep he almost didn’t hear the quiet opening of the door behind him. Almost.
“Leave! Whoever you are. I’ve given you all this time with your families… what more could you want?” He wailed.
“My family is right here.” Came a smooth sweet female voice.
Taneleer rose his head ever so slightly and faced his visitor it was the woman who posed as a hag in order to inspire to young ones with her stories. Now though she stood fully, no longer pretending to be stooped and old, her gait graceful and her hood falling back slightly, allowing him to glimpse her pale youthful face if not her eyes.
“Who are you? You are no family to me… I am alone.” His hand pressed further into the tree’s glass case as he said this.
“I said my family was here Elder. I did not say it was you.” She gestured to the tree.
“Is it you? It is… you cannot have him back. He is all I have left!” The Collector said, the emotion he had suppressed now all you could hear as he spoke.
“Ah but Taneleer Tivan… you have so much.” She looked around, her falling further off revealing more of her beauty, now also making clear her Asian features, “And he is not yours, nor is he truly mine… he belongs to the universe. He is their reward.”
“They do not deserve him.” The Collector protested.
“It is not about that. You’re beginning to understand that I think. It is about goodness for the sake of goodness: about adding to the light, not taking from it. It is about tipping the scales against the very “sins” you punish them for.” As she said this last line she let her hood fall completely off, two antenna springing forward, revealing the woman known as Mantis, a former Avenger also known as the Celestial Madonna.
She was right after all, he could feel this deep understanding within him beneath the well of unfamiliar emotions. It was why he hadn’t punished the pauper girl and why he allowed his aides their freedom… for the moment at least. He looked to the tree and knew it had come from there, or at least started there… was it now taking root within him. Was that what allowed they poor girl to be able to convince the miserable people of Knowhere to work all night cleaning trash just to spend one day with their families?
Slowly the Collector rose to his feet, almost unwillingly. He forced himself over to the console that faced the mighty tree and with one final whimper he pressed the underside of his palm against the button controlling the tree’s glass case, causing it to rise into the air.
Mantis smiled, for as the case was removed the tree twirled and danced, shaking off branches as it did so.
As each branch littered the ground a more human shape began to be visible beneath. Soon the Collector was face to face once more with how “his tree” had looked when he had first been captured: still plant like but very clearly a young man, handsome in his way.
“Quoi. My son.” Mantis said happily embracing him.
“Mother.”
The Collector watched them warily.
“Tonight the universe may have its messiah back.” Taneleer said, his tone defeated, “Now go. For tomorrow will have a different answer for you.”
The two turned to face the Elder.
“Know this Taneleer Tivan,” Quoi said, “I may have lifted you out of the darkness but I have no powers of mind control nor an ability to make the impossible take place. Your goodness is your own.”
Taneleer seemed unnerved by his words. This was it? What ate at him: goodness? Generosity? Compassion? He held up a hand to silence the would-be messiah, “Just go.”
“Thank you… Giver.” Mantis winked.
“Do not push your luck.” The Collector warned, some of his old coldness creeping back into his voice, surely an affectation as he still stood in Quoi’s warming presence.
The mother and son smiled at him and with one last look they departed.
Taneleer felt empty, drained even. He sat down in the spot where Quoi had stood in his dormant state as a mighty tree, the “Savior’s” words still ringing in his ears.
Was he changed? Was he a different man now? Who was he if he was not “the Collector”? Looking around at his countless treasures and the worthless pieces of trash they had confiscated he found, to his horror: he couldn’t understand the difference any more…