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katarthis [2006-12-07 08:15:35 +0000 UTC]

Okay Bob. See if this grabs your fancy any:

They were sitting at luncheon, clustered around the dining table in a moment made private only because the heavy handed guardian was elsewhere. Del had spent a lot of time at the castle recently, bringing along Tony and generally making a pest of himself. How Elo kept civility and refrained from blasting Del into some oblivion was quite beyond Velvet, as there were days she would cheerfully consign the rascal to such torment herself.

But then, without them turning up at a moment’s notice her life was noticeably dull, and so she kept her thoughts on the pair to herself, only telling her guardian that she preferred the company of the two to “wasting away in loneliness.” He would look at her carefully whenever she would say such things, showing a spare glimpse of kindness and care, before reminding her “company was fine, bedding was not.” Certainly it was not a reminder that she needed to hear, and her constant rejoinder was that she “had standards such as a pair of tramps such as they would ever be too low to meet.” The answer always seemed to mollify Elo, and so he would look the other way whenever the two were present.

Of course, it may well have been again the company that Del kept which allowed him access to Elo’s manor at all. For surely her guardian had more pressing pursuits than the nattering of a mageling with so little skill. At least, it seemed so to Velvet, for his comical manner was something she could not take seriously in the least. Far more poised was the lumbering giant Tony, who hung with the foppish upstart for no real reason she could see. Yes, were it not for the dragon, she was certain Elo would suffer them not at all.

This day proved not so far unlike any other. Del continued his chatter, to which she gave her non-commital replies, while Tony grunted his pleasure over the plates prepared by castle cook. In truth the attentions of the one were wearying her, while the disinterest of the other made her surly. Perhaps the time was growing in which she should make her retreat. Such was her mindset when Del produced a quip that came so out of place, she had to work a way out from scattered thought to ask him what he had said.

“I said there is a ghost in the basement. Well, the catacomb, the undertunnels… whatever his drollness calls it these days.” So like Del, to be so random, and so smug about his discovery, that it only served to annoy Velvet further. Yet at this news she was not so taken, and in her most disinterested tone of voice she shot the young peacock down.

“Oh. You mean Gillian.” She had to raise a hand to cover her face, not so much in parody of a yawn, but to cover her smile when he deflated.

Tony seemed as centered on his plate as ever, and it took Del a moment to recover. “You mean you know about her? Why on earth haven’t you mentioned that you have an unearthly guest hanging about? Think of the attention, think of the story, think of…”

Velvet all but dropped her fork upon her plate to produce the ringing tone that silenced his animation. “You think of it, if you will. I’m not supposed to talk about it.”

This left Del speechless as long as he was ever, but finally he leaned forward. “Not supposed to? Why ever for? Surely the dear departed don’t have such secrets to keep from friends such as we. Who is she? Why does she haunt? It’s surely a mystery to unravel.”

Velvet settled back in her chair and fixed the blonde boy with a serious look. “Her name is Gillian, as far as I am aware. And I’m not supposed to talk about it because Elo doesn’t care for such discussion. When I first came to live here and got to exploring the hidden places he told me about the dangers I might encounter. I wasn’t to go exploring without him, so he told me.”

“And you went anyway?” This came from the deep voiced Tony, who it seemed had been following more than just the steak and potatoes on his plate. Sometimes he just felt simple minded to her, though she knew the truth of a deeper, quiet intellect.

“Of course I did! You do not tell a child that to go new places is forbidden. I went down one afternoon and made it as far as her corridor, when she coalesced before me. I was taken by complete surprise and ran away shrieking. So embarrassing… and in my stupidity I rushed to his study to tell Elo.”

“Oh my.” Del’s witty remark simply grated her nerves farther.

“Absolutely. He mentioned the name “Gillian” and said that was what happened to “too-inquisitive little girls”. He then lectured me for hours and said I would be punished for the worse if I got my nose into such mischief again.”

“And you let that stop you?” Del’s question was filled with quiet pressure.

“Definitely not. I was more determined to go visit this spook than ever.”

Del leaned back and put his hands behind his head with a flourish. “Great! Then we can set off as soon as Tony cleans his plate!”

“I beg your pardon?” The words were Velvet’s, but Tony’s look matched hers despite a quieter air of astonishment.

“We can go. I want a good look at this girl. Did I not mention the mystery? Girls do not get lost in the bowels of castles!”

Velvet pressed her fingertips together and looked across the table at Del with an unreadable expression. Finally she gave a derisive snort and rose from the table. “If I thought for one moment that the old man was right about you, I’d have him turn you into a toad. But you couldn’t be so stupid. And the answer is no Del. The only mysteries I have time for today are those God-awful texts on power transfer and Appalachian flora that Elo insists I study. You had better watch your step. He’s irritated enough at you already to set you alight, without finding you in his secret passages.”

Del rose imploringly. “Oh come on Velvet! You can get us in and out so fast he’d never know it. Don’t make me beg you!”

“I said no Del. Besides, she’s boring.”

“Boring?” Del’s brows shot together in a quirk.

“Yes, boring. I did go back, remember? All she does is creep down the hall, turn the corner and burst in a flash of light. Over and over again, end of story. Maybe there’s a mystery there, and maybe there isn’t. But I’m not interested, and that’s final. Be off with you, and no mischief.”

With that the lady left their shared repast and sauntered away somewhat stiffly toward her private room. Del watched her go with a half smile, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Tony was doing the same. He turned toward the brute and flicked his napkin over the lad’s well-used plate. “I suppose it’s just you and me then hey?”

Tony pushed his chair back slowly and stood even more so, as though to point out a lesson to his irrepressible companion. It was a lesson that went right over Del’s head. “And why exactly should we tempt Master Elo’s wrath today?”

“Oh the old man won’t know what hit his cellars. We’ll be there and gone … well, before he suspects a thing.”

“I thought you didn’t know the way.” First his hands went to his hips.

Del licked his lips and shrugged. “Well, I don’t know exactly where it was. But I saw her, plain as… well, not day.”

Now the bulging arms crossed over his chest. “And what were you doing down in the basement corridors in the first place?”

Del tilted his head and avoided Tony’s eyes. “Uhm, exploring really. I was looking for something.”

“What?” The point blank question had a bit of emphasis behind it.

“Well, I don’t rightly know.”

“You were trespassing.”

“I was looking for clues! Oh come on Tony! Can’t you see it? Doesn’t Elo strike you as a little odd, like he’s got something up his sleeve?”

“He doesn’t wear sleeves.” At Del’s exasperated flutter Tony took a step closer. “Master Elo is old and eccentric. There’s nothing wrong with that. But you on the other hand…”

“Samn asked me to look about Tony! He called it a “bit of probing”… that’s all. I didn’t intend on finding anything so interesting.”

“Samn? Why would he care about what’s in Master Elo’s cellars?” Tony took another step around the table.

“How should I know? He’s obsessed with a mouse-hole. Why does a dragon do anything? Look, I didn’t do any harm.”

“It sounds like a load of rubbish… a bit of skullduggery, a touch of sneak thievery. I think you’d better knock it off…”

“But Tony! What about the girl? Aren’t you the least bit curious?” Del had started his own shuffle around the table.

Tony stopped and looked as though he was considering. “You can’t ignore a girl in distress can you?”

Del, sensing a weak point in the giant’s armor, gave a silent word of thanks. “Well, can you? Come on Tony. It will be an adventure!”

But Tony was not yet so inclined. “And what possible gain could you expect from disturbing a dead girl?”

“Well that depends entirely upon what she’s got to give does it not? You won’t gain a thing standing around waiting for fate to answer your questions, and I’m just dying of curiosity.”

A ham fist on a long arm snagged the upstart by the collar. “My point exactly. What if the dead don’t wish to be disturbed? What if what makes ghosts prefers to keep the past a secret?”

Del wriggled like a fish caught on a hook before giving in. He looked the giant in the eyes. “That’s a bit of what I’m afraid of my friend.”

Tony took his captive’s sudden seriousness in and thought for a long moment before letting the blonde youth go. “The doors are probably locked.”

A gleam grew in Del’s eyes. “I’m counting on it.”

“Likely be some traps down there.”

“Oh most definitely.” Del turned and put a hand between his friend’s shoulders to give a push and steer.

“And Master Elo will be most unhappy.”

Del smiled in a wicked sort of way. “Now that… that Tony, will be most unfortunate.” His tone said it would be nothing of the sort.

~

It was dark in the unlit corridor deep below the earth. Wherever the warren of passages led, it was not to be guessed by the unlikely duo creeping along in furtive silence. A most unlikely set of moles as ever walked the halls of fitted stone, the smaller had to constantly tug at the larger to get him to creep forward. Light whispers of movement were followed by the heavy tamp of solid steps, and the grumble of noise only increased when the first figure gave his companion a hissing “shush”.

There came a sudden silence from the larger figure, before with a clatter of metal a cylindrical object was set ungently to the floor. “That’s it Del. I’ve had it with this foolery. I’m lighting the lamp.”

“No! Tony not, oh bother! I can’t believe a huge lummox like yourself is afraid of a little dark. Why not announce to the world where we are?”

A small blue flame flickered to life behind the glass shield of the green painted lantern. Tony waited until the flame spread across the wick high enough for him to read the white printed “coleman” across the rim before he looked up at the bouncing figure of his friend. “Who in the world would care? I doubt you know where we even are, and if Master Elo comes in answer to this light I’ll haul you before him by the scruff of your neck. I’m sure he’ll forego my little part in this jaunt when I tell him it was all your idea.”

“Oh ho, will you now? Well, as you mentioned several turns back he’ll have to find us before we find ourselves. But I almost think… Yes! I recognize that candle-holder over there, at the corner. Since you’ve got a light going I’ll just light it up.”

“You will not! As well walk into the Master’s study and announce you went on his favorite rug. You have no idea what you’re doing down here, and that candle is…”

Del turned at the sudden expression on Tony’s face. The candle was already lit, giving a weakened, watery light in competition with the lantern’s glare. He hissed to Tony, “turn it off, turn it off!” before creeping as quickly as he could to the corner of the wall where the hall turned yet again. “Oh yes! I told you. Here she comes!”

Tony watched, wide-eyed and open mouthed as a pale blue glow coalesced into the shape of a young girl, no older than twelve or thirteen years. She appeared to be creeping down the tunnel in a similar state as themselves, constantly looking over her shoulder as though she were looking for a follower. She did not see the duo crouched watching her approach, and kept stepping forward, cautiously without sound until she came even in the hallway with the burning candle. Suddenly her eyes grew wide, and a brilliant ball of white light appeared directly at her front. She reached up with one delicate hand… and vanished suddenly, taking both the light of the orb and the candle with her.

“Christ!” Del’s voice echoed in the hallway, and Tony suddenly exploded into a coughing fit. He had been sucking in the smoke of the extinguished lantern during the entirety of the apparition’s appearance. With fumbling fingers he relit it, hitting the button a few times until the comforting blue glow reappeared.

“Now do you believe me, oh wise one?”

Tony settled back on his haunches. “Alright. You did see a ghost. What on earth was she doing down here?”

Del stood pondering the candle, which showed no signs of having been recently lit. “Probably the same thing our Vel had been doing. I don’t think she got off so easily though.”

“That’s true. I wonder if Velvet saw the same thing we just did.”

“And why wouldn’t she? Did you note that dress? That girl was wearing a style I’ve never seen except in a museum. I wonder when she died?”

“Velvet didn’t seem to be impressed. Wait. Died?”

“Well duh! Use that head for something besides a hat rack. You don’t get to be a ghost unless you’ve died. Do you suppose that light was some kind of spell?”

“How would I know? It looked like she was reaching for it. Did I see correctly? She seemed frightened.”

Del nodded sagely, turning around to look at the lantern before pacing toward where she had vanished. “Turn that up for a moment. I want to see if there are any marks on the floor. Yes, she was scared beyond sense. Wasn’t reaching for it… my angle I think she was trying to shield herself with her hand. Some seriously bad happening. Hmmm. Maybe the wall.”

“What are you looking for? If there was a body, it’s long gone.”

Del sighed and shrugged. “Do you believe that if you look into their eyes you can see the last thing the dead saw?”

Tony grew wide-eyed and recoiled. “Are you nuts? What the devil are you thinking?”

Del stood straighter and faced down the unexplored hallway. “She didn’t seem to see us. So I don’t think it will be a problem, but I’m going to try. Turn that lantern off again.”

Tony reached for the knob with sudden trembling hands. “I do not believe this. I just don’t.” But even as he twisted and the blue flame flicked out once more he could see the growing blue glow of the ghost girl’s visit.

Del half crouched and nodded, eyes fixed forward and staring intently. “That’s it honey. Come on Gillian. Come to Del.”

Tony watched as the apparition repeated her creeping walk, turning to look again and again at what he could not guess. He could see the fear on her features, growing by the step until the moment she stepped to the corner and was hidden behind Del. Then there came a sudden cry from the blonde headed boy as the bright orb exploded into being right at his back. The hall went cold and dark, and silent.

~

When Del came to it was to find himself lying on the stone floor of a different section of the tunnel. Tony’s face peered worriedly down from above… breath laced with garlic and stale meat made him gag. He pushed up on his elbows and turned his head. “Oh by the… don’t you have a brush or something? Why you have to eat all of that I’ll never know. I hope you don’t expect that Vel will ever kiss you like that.”

Tony rolled his eyes and pushed away. “And here I was worried about you. Fool am I for such concern. What in the world was that?”

Del slapped his cold muscles back to warm feeling and stood up lightly. “What was what?”

“The ghost you dolt! What else do you think I’m talking about?”

“Oh, her. Well, it’s still a mystery to me what happened. I didn’t expect her to be quite so cold. Such a shame; she would have been a quite charming lass.”

“Do you ever take a moment seriously? That was the chill of death touching your heart. I hope at least it was worth it to you. Did you see anything at all?”

Del cocked his head and thought for a long moment. “I believe I did Tony. I believe I did.” And with that, he stepped off down the tunnel, heading back to the world above with silent intent.

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katarthis [2006-11-18 07:40:18 +0000 UTC]

Some how I see Velvet walking around a corner and seeing this girl and going "WTF?", before it winks out in a flash of light. Really... makes me wish I knew more about your darling and her back story.

k

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Suketchiryu [2006-11-13 07:40:50 +0000 UTC]

job well done on expression

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NickDean [2006-11-08 22:30:03 +0000 UTC]

it's the Green Ball from Heavy Metal

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SlickLikeNinja [2006-11-08 21:11:27 +0000 UTC]

Much better.
It does look more whole with the focus point.
Still rocking, Bob.

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