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 Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 6:17 pm
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 11:15 am
[[ part 3 ]]
Halo sat on the front steps and adjusted her shades as the kids played in the lawn. Spring was already there and the grass was getting thick and green and the weather was warm and sunny but kept in line by a constant cool breeze. It was enough that the woman could wear a short sleeved shirt and be comfortable and that the kids could play without jackets on.
Which is what they were doing. Mael was still uneasy with his mom (and it was still a subject not discussed really) but fine with his brother so once they boys got out into the front yard and into the grass, mom could be ignored and they could play amongst themselves.
Halo had wanted to get them out, get them both distracted from what had happened the night before. She was worried about what could have upset Otium so much and he seemed more jumpy when he was in the house (and he usually wasn't jumpy at all). Halo did not want to think that it could be some sort of spirit.. something heinous. She would explore every possibility before she invested her worries into things that were (debatably) out of her depth.
So she took the boys out and let them play. Otium seemed completely relaxed once he left the house and he enjoyed being out in the warmth (even though he wasn't horribly fond of the sun) and he enjoyed more playing with Mael where their parents couldn't distract them.
Immaculate was having a ball sniffing and exploring and rummaging through anything she could find (including snuffling Suffocation every now and carting the snake around with her when she could). Needless to say, the bear cat felt as if she had no boundaries and that meant that any attached lawn was fair game for exploration. Especially Nora's rosebushes....
Mael was happily ignoring any and all traces of mother dear, more interested in drawing Otium out of what had been a bad mood. ( To him anyway, and Mael still wasn't sure what was wrong the last night. All he knew was that something was bothering his brother and it was his duty to make sure that if he couldn't get to him and try and make it better, their parents had better. ... or else. ) Besides, he liked being out in the yard as much as the next kid who didn't like being stuck inside the house. He tugged on Otium a little, luring him in one direction, so they could continue their own exploration of the yard. Of course, they turned up a rock, a dead frog ( that Wren knew nothing about, really! ), and a few twigs. Nothing interesting so far.
Suffocation was enjoying the ride from Immaculate, though it she was getting to the point that being carried around by the bear cat wouldn't do. Even when she coiled herself lightly around Immaculate, she was wary of doing any harm. Though with some of the places the bear cat explored, she was well and truly on her own. Like those rose bushes! Thorns are evil, thank you. And Immaculate was crazy for poking around in them, a sentiment she shared with the other daemon as well with her own Forgotten. The snake was, however, situated in the sun right next to the rose bushes, waiting for the other to come back out.
Otium only spared a few glances to his mom and his daemon while he played with Mael. He was grateful to his brother, in his own way, for taking care of him like he did. Not that Otium realized that's what it was quite yet. he just knew if he felt sad that Mael could and would perk him up. He liked crawling all over the yard and finding things (and the dead frog had caught his interest for quite a while until mom had taken it away from him saying it was gross ).
Immaculate was having a ball in the bushes though and poked her head out one side to yip a bit at Suffocation sunning herself. The bear-cat had leaves and petals in her fur and was wriggling because she was getting poked in the sides by not so comfortable thorns.
Mael lamented the loss of the dead frog, but it was probably better it got taken away ( with only a disgruntle hiss in mother dear's direction ) -- it would've been poked and prodded, and may have ended up in a mouth, but who knew? It was a rarity that Mael didn't keep an eye constantly on Suffocation, but he figured she was safe with Suffocation, which left him with Otium -- and, hey! What was that over there? A sparrow? ... was it alive? Giving Otium a grin, he moved slowly closer to investigate.
Suffocation let out a hiss in response to the yip, head raising up some to scent the air and see if she could spot the wriggling white mass. And just as she was about to let out another hiss, one to clue Immaculate in on a path not so thorn filled ( or so she thought ), a near shriek resounded.
It was Nora of course and the woman looked down right brassed off at the sight of THAT snake in her yard and the other mongrel beast that was making her precious rose bushes shake. They'd be ruined. Raising her eyes towards the next door house, she glared at the sight of Halo on the front porch. "Mind getting your children's pets away from my rose bushes?" Though, from the way she spoke, pets could've been something particularly nasty and children wasn't much better. Really, the neighborhood had gone downhill since they'd taken residence up in that house.
Otium went with Mael, reaching out for his brother's tail and holding it gently like a lead in front of him. He let go though when the resounding shriek made him turn his head around. His hat slipped over his eyes with the sudden movement and he pushed it back up and frowned.
Halo, being herself, would normally have removed the pets gladly.. but no. This was Nora. Hell, she'd let them play there on purpose in hope of Immaculate taking a crap on the woman's lawn (unfortunately it didn't work). She stood up immediately and scowled at the gossipy wench. "Your rose bushes aren't hurt any.."
Immaculate's head poked out from the thornless path and she started to growl at Nora, hackles raising and tail swishing in agitation.
Mael's tail curled around Otium's wrist as he held onto it and he came to a near sudden halt at the sound of the shriek. He knew that shriek, he wanted to forget it entirely for that matter. Or do something about the owner. Coming back around, pushing himself up so that he was actually standing, Mael moved so that he was partially in front of Otium all most protectively. His face was set in a scowl only a toddler could manage, though mentally he was calling for Suffocation -- far too worried.
Nora crossed her arms across her chest, letting out a small huff of irritation. It was hard to resist the urge to kick the not nearly as small snake she remembered, but she held back from doing so. Particularly since it was coiled up and hissing loudly. Never mind the white fuzz ball. Just what kinds of pets were these? Shaking her head to throw her hair over her shoulder, she just glared right back at Halo. "Yes they are, that fuzz ball there is parading through them as if their her personal playground -- and they're not."
Suffocation really was curled up too, head raised only slightly and hissing constantly. She knew Mael was worried, but if this one so much as put a hand near her it was biting time. Besides, Immaculate was with her, it'd be all right.
Halo walked forward confidently. She had that way about her. Long legs and confident strides contributed to why Halo usually intimidated those she confronted. "Your damn roses are dead anyway. They haven't bloomed in a year so you can't blame that on my kids or their daemons." She knelt and offered her hand to Suffocation to bring the snake out of Nora's kicking range.
Otium crawled up behind Mael but they were a good distance away and he didn't want Immaculate hurt so he started to crawl around him and closer to his mom. Not too close.. but closer. Immaculate herself had come out of the bushes and positioned herself in front of Suffocation. She lifted herself up on her back paws and fluffed up, trying to intimidate.
And Nora was damn good about not acting like she was, except that in acting like she wasn't, she did. "My rose bushes are just now starting to bloom, if the blossoms on that thing's fur are any indication." Her hands fell down to her side, a scowl on her face now. She failed to hide the small sigh of relief at Halo picking up the snake.
Suffocation let out a particularly nasty hiss, but uncoiled herself to start and slither up around Halo's arm -- regardless of the grumblings of Mael. The woman was her way out of danger, and she sent a wordless thank you to Immaculate for being her shield long enough for her to get off of the ground.
Mael let out a disgruntle hiss when Otium started to move around him. He actually stepped in front to stop him, before he finally just let him pass. His brother was worried about Immaculate and he was worried about Suffocation, so he started making his own toddling steps towards his mother and their daemons. Never mind so long as he was in front of him, Nora wouldn't get to Otium. And as close as Otium got, Mael was pushing closer, until he was at Halo's side. He reached up with a hand for Suffocation, but it could've looked like he was reaching to tug on her pant leg.
"Those "blossoms" as you call them are already getting eaten by the bugs. Serves you right too. Just proof that anything half way respected rots away as soon as it's touched by you. Halo stepped forward, getting closer to Nora, getting in her face. "My kids and the animals caused no harm to your precious and hideous rosebushes.. so get off your high bloody horse." Halo glanced down at Mael and rested her hand lightly on his head for a moment before allowing Suffocation to slither down to him.
Immaculate took it upon herself to jump forward and grown again. She was closer to Nora but nowhere near biting her or anything.
Nora bristled up herself, all most making a kicking motion and the fur ball at her feet. There was a flush to her face and it was from both embarrassment and anger. "My rose bushes are not like that! If anything, your mere presence is causing them to wilt and die. Never mind those horrid little beasts messing around in them." She was nearly Halo's height and would go toe to toe with her if necessary. At the sight of Mael, she let out a little sneer and was about to add in something, only to be silenced from a particularly nasty sounding hiss from the toddler.
Mael merely glowered at Nora, thankful that Suffocation was once again safely curled around him. His hand was still resting against Halo's leg now, and for once he didn't make a fuss at her touching him. If anything, he was actually enjoying the way that Halo was standing up to Nora. Suffocation nuzzled against his jaw lightly before winding down further along his body.
Halo stepped forward sharply, chest to chest with Nora. It was a sure sign that she'd been raised a tom boy. She never gave thought to the fact that she wasn't flat chested like a guy and that some might be a little uncomfortable with how close she got. And she was very close to Nora right this moment. In fact her sharp nose was almost touching the other woman's and she was peering dangerously over her sunglasses.
"Don't you ever make violent motions towards any of our family members again. Animal or child. And don't you ever give them looks of distaste like you just did. I will personally guarantee that your eyes won't look anywhere.. ever.. again.." She poked the woman strongly in the collarbone.
Otium made a whining noise at Immaculate and the bear-cat retreated, still growling, to settle at Otium's side, behind Mael. Otium was watching his mom wide eyed. he'd never seen her like this.
Mael was experiencing something along the lines of evil glee, particularly at the way that his mom was treating Nora. The woman deserved it! His fingers loosened from their hold on Halo's pants and he watched the exchange far too gleefully, letting out a hiss of his own as if throwing in his two cents about Nora. Suffocation merely watched before turning to hiss something at Immaculate, something like it'd be all right -- though she doubted the other would stop growling.
Nora took an involuntary step back and then another one that was far too voluntary. Halo was getting too close for her comfort and intimidation was starting to bleed through her stubbornness and bitchy attitude. "You don't have the courage to back that up, freak." And, of course, Nora pushed her finger right back up against Halo's collar bone. "I'll look at them however I want and if those things," the pets, "cross into my yard, I'll do whatever's necessary to get them out."
"You don't think I'll do something?" Halo tilted her head to the side and the look on her face was a bit of a scary smile. She seemed to echo Mael's evil glee a BIT too much. "Oh I will show you..." Her hands were flexing into fists and then back out. But then Nora had to go and push her. Oh she really had to go and do that didn't she??
Halo's anger grew and she almost forgot the boys were there watching. Almost. A mother never forgot but getting rid of Nora and protecting her brood were her priorities. She reared back and slapped Nora across the face, "Don't you ever touch me again and don't you ever dare even think the wrong way about my family! I will know! And I will get you, you b***h!" She hissed in Nora's face and stepped back to lean over and scoop up her boys, one in each arm. Nora didn't deserve any of her time anymore.
Nora stumbled under the force of the slap, not even expecting it, and ended up falling onto the rose bush on the other side of her. She let out a tiny yelp, indignant at being treated the way she had been, but she couldn't seem to find her voice, not under the looks and threats that Halo had laid down. The woman could only watch wide-eyed and Halo stalked away from her with the children and their pets.
Mael was wriggling in his mom's arms as she tried to carry both him and Otium off. He let out a hiss of protest, trying to get her to stop, because he had something to say to Nora too! Except Halo's grip was stronger than expected and he could only wriggle so that he was leaning slightly over her shoulder. Holding out a hand, fingers pointing at Nora directly, Mael shouted out one word perfectly and as loud as his toddler lungs could shout ( which stood to be pretty loud ). "b***h!" There was a smirk on his face, far too smug at that. Because since mom had said that word, the way she said it, Mael could only think it was something very Nora and not very nice
.
Otium's eyes widened at his brother form under the wide brim of his hat and Halo blinked a bit, turning her head to look at Mael. It only took a second before she was laughing aloud. She didn't have the heart to reprimand the boy, especially not when he was sort of putting up with her carrying him. She just laughed and gave Nora a cocky look before heading inside the house with Immaculate wandering in behind them.
She'd intended to distract Otium from the night before and felt as if that job had been done... even if it was not quite what she'd had in mind.
(( Dates should be ignored because they are irrelevant. The events are important ))
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Posted: Mon May 09, 2005 10:54 pm
[[ part 4 --- a sign of life ]]
A brown paper package arrives on the doorstep tied with string and with an attached brightly colored postcard.
[XclickX]
The Concord Family
509 Gambino Drive
Port Gino, Gaia
69231
Having a lovely time! Don't
really miss you much (except the boys).
Hope things are well and that
You are watching our shop. If there
are any problems a return address is
included in the attached box.
Souvenirs for the kids!
Much love and naked men--
Tom and Carmine
The package attached contains 2 small knives, fit enough for children, and a scrap of paper with a scrawled PO Box address and phone number in Bermuda.
Though only something small and an almost meaningless gesture to someone outside the family, it is a large help for a worried mother. A sign of life and a helpline in case things got out of hand.
But she wouldn't use it. Not until it was absolutely needed...
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 1:42 pm
[[ part 5 ]]
Otium tossed in bed, turning his face to the comfort of his daemon's fur as his afternoon nap was plagued with nightmares. He hadn't had any since that one terrible night when that thing had come to his room. It was a terrible thing that only he and Immaculate could see and it tried to hurt him.
The baby boy whined softly in his sleep and awake, hands curled in Immaculate's fur and the daemon waking as well, licking Otium's cheek gently to try and soothe him. It was little comfort though. Otium knew something was coming again and it was close. He sat up and rubbed his eyes with his tiny fists and stared at his bedroom door. For comfort, one arm wrapped around Immaculate's neck and the other clutched his plush penguin that he always had in his crib with him. He noticed that Mael was not there and figured that his brother, being older, had just woken up a little early and mom and dad had already took him downstairs.
That fact made him feel slightly more alone when he saw the inky stain spreading through the wide and bottom cracks of his bedroom door. He could feel it's evil aura in the air as it was coming down the hall and it was even worse now that it was close.
That little boy was untapped, it realized as it came into the room where the baby slept. It was untapped and it could use his abilities to its own benefit. With the powers held in such a small babe, it could free itself fully and seek revenge on those who had wronged it in the past.
It slipped through the door slowly, worming through the wards that seemed only a nuisance at this point, and saw the boy awake. He gave off a cold glow that one could perceive if they were not from the living world. If only it could get a hold of that power for its own...
Otium stared at the thing as it came forward into the room. It slid along the floor like a terrible fog. More menacing than anything with physical form in that it could cover everything all at once and fill the very air itself. Otium didn't like the thing. It was cold and dark and evil and it came here to tease him and taunt him and he knew it wanted something.
The little boy's face screwed up as it neared him, close enough to touch, and he let out a short babbled protest and cry. The thing reeled back and it's mass seemed to hiss in words that could not be heard so much as felt. Otium didn't care though. He cried out louder and screamed until the thing flattened itself away towards the other half of the room. Mom would come if she heard him. She would protect him from the bad thing!
The boy was strong! Even if he didn't know it! Each emotional outburst sent a recoil of spiritual energy to protect him and it was not strong enough to face that. Not yet! It would be!
But this boy! This little boy was making it feel so weak! Such a fool! It struck out then, against anything it could. It threw things, smashed them, broke them in half and sent them flying. It's rage was expressed through destruction as the little boy cried on and when it heard the footsteps it fled again, out the door, away from the parents who had no idea what they were dealing with.
It would think.
And the next time he and the little boy met, it would not leave in humiliation but in victory.
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 1:44 pm
[[ part 6 -- a call ]]
She wasn't amused.
She wasn't even mildly entertained.
There was something messing with her child and it was not good. It was something that seemed to get through the wards that she and her husband had put up on the various children's rooms. She was tempted to go up to Tom and Carmine's wing of the house and start rummaging through their library without having been given the permission.
First it had been the night that Otium had awakened, crying, the room caught in an unearthly chill.
Then it had been a day or two later, going to put the boys to bed (as Mael was better with her after the Nora incident) she'd found several things in the room had been rearranged. Investigation and interviewing of the household's more devious occupants ( 2 feiens and a Mendel) revealed nothing and her fears of something more supernatural and threatening seemed to grow stronger.
But she could deal with rearranging of items. She checked the wards, refreshed them a bit while the boys were all out with their dad, and hoped for the best. But things don't go according to plan.
The next day she found her little boy awakened from his nap crying again. Not only were things rearranged and the little boy in a frenzy, but several of Otium's toys were ripped or broken. That definitely was something to worry over.
If this... whatever it was... could so easily enter and upset her boy as well as touch his things and break them, what could it do to the boy himself if it wanted to? It was playing with her now and that was not acceptable.
She had to make a call. Not her last resort but a call she didn't want to make.
She waited as the phone rang and rang and an answering machine picked up with the sound of a voice who seemed uneasy using such a device.
"Dad.. Pick up I know you're there. You always jump whenever the phone rings and you know it's me.." She paused when the man on the other end picked up and smiled a bit to herself. "Yeah I know it's been a while. I need your help with something. I don't ONLY call you when I need help. Oh come on I don't call grandpa more than you.. He just has kickass baking skills and sometimes I get cravings for his brownies. Well.. HEY.. OH COME ON!"
She sighed and rubbed her head. This was why she didn't call him.
"Yes I'm sorry. Yes you can come over whenever you want. I told you that. I know it's a pain in the a** to get here. Don't give me the dimensional junction bullshit. I do it all the time. No they aren't here. They are on vacation. I wouldn't ask you to come by if they were. I know how they get with you. It's sort of gross. No YOU aren't gross.. but people hitting on your father.. well it tends to creep one out a bit. Yeah I know. I know YOU know. How do you think I feel? People hitting on your grandfather is even worse. Listen, just come by. Ok? Alright. I'll be here. Do what you have to do. See you soon."
She chuckled. "Yeah. Love you too. Bye."
Step one finished. Now to actually deal with what she was bringing to her house.
Her Father.
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 5:44 pm
[[ part 7 -- the revelation ]]
 The arrival was simple. As simple could be.
The doorbell rang and all of the children, all 4 boys, looked to the door. Both Alex and Mael let out loud garbled yells and Lafe and Otium just looked expectantly on from their playthings. Wren was out food shopping and Halo had sort of hoped he'd be here when their guest arrived but as she had learned, things never go quite as you expect them to. Halo left the boys in the living room with Freyr looking on and went to greet their guest.
The man who came in to meet the boys was a handsome one. It was pretty clear why he hadn't wanted to be around while Gaitano and Carmine were and it was also clear where Halo had gotten her good looks. In essence, he really didn't even look old enough to be her father but yes, he was. Considering the sort of environment that her family came from, they aged slowly.
He was about six feet in height and wearing a light black robe over his normal clothes and a tiny kitten sleeping on his shoulder. The robes were removed as soon as he arrived, as they weren't common dress code in Gaia, but the kitten always remained somewhere. Her name was Fizzgig and she was fluffy and tan and no bigger than the man's hand. The man himself had hair that was a light brown flecked with grey and a broad and rugged face. He had probably been rather gorgeous and dashing as a younger man but he did have slight lines of age. He still held on to his good looks though despite the slight touch of crow's feet and the few days old stubble that graced his chin. But most striking about him were the eyes set behind a pair of wire rimmed glasses. The eyes made the strongest impression. They stood out among the rest of his features and made it so you almost had to stare at him and wonder if they were natural or if he'd changed them purposely (but of course they were natural). His eyes were the most striking shade of green that you could find in a person and they had given him quite a few names and reputations when he was younger. His name was Algernon Mixlin (Algie to his friends) and he was Halo's father.
Algie was quick to smile, and meeting all of his grandchildren for the first time, quick to spoil and give them all gifts (even Freyr who seemed a bit surprised yet received a stack of new books with gratitude and respect). He was also quick to laugh and had charmed even the more finicky children with his calm soothing voice and the cute manipulations of his kitten. She'd taken a liking to Lafe particularly and spent a lot of time purring and rolling around next to him and his tail. Alex didn't even feel threatened by the small creature and smiled and petted her head with the rest of them.
The greeting went smoothly, as it should, and when Wren arrived that greeting went fine as well. They had met before of course but it had been a while and the two book loving men spent a lot of dinner talking about just that, books. Algie was a retired librarian who now owned a bookstore that he lived on top of.
But of course.. it was after dinner that had Halo on edge. The discussion that would need to take place.
The greeting was just the easy part.
 They sat in the living room when the meal was finished and watched the boys lay together and watch a video on TV. Alex and Lafe were cuddled together gnawing on each others capes and ears and Mael was sitting with Suffocation seeming to be contemplating the best method to steal coins out from under his brother Otium's nose for fun. Otium was close by, his top hat upside down in front of him, pulling coins out to play with or show Mael while petting Immaculate in his pauses or tug on his brother's tail with a small smile. The adults watched them and talked amongst themselves though Wren stayed quiet for the most part, letting his wife talk to her father. It was her issues and she knew more of it than he did.
"Now you have to tell me the whole story, Halo. I know you wanted me to bring some of my books and that it had to do with one of the children. How about a more thorough explanation?" Algie turned to his only daughter and sipped his after dinner cup of tea.
Halo sighed and leaned back against Wren slightly, her cushion and her moral support through everything. "Something is bothering Otium." She looked to her father as he stayed silent and continued. "He's very quiet as you can tell. Not quick to yell or cry or even smile unless it's something very big and meaningful. But lately something has been waking him up in the night. He'll wake up screaming and crying at the top of his lungs."
"Nightmares? You used to get them all the time. But of course your mouth has been running since the day your mother popped you out." Algie chuckled but it faded at his daughter's strained smile.
"No dad. I mean I thought that at first but he's never had them before. But besides… I went into his room one day and everything was rearranged. I mean everything. It wasn't Wren or I or anyone else in the house."
"We even asked the smaller members. The devious ones. Gallium, Valsharess, Kojak. But nothing," Wren contributed, "Tell him what Carmine told you, lover."
Halo frowned and looked down at Otium playing with his coins (including a few new ones he'd just gotten from his grandfather of a strange currency he'd never seen before) before she continued, "Carmine told me that Otium can see shades. You know.. ghosts, spirits.. that sort of thing. He'd seen one when Carmine was around and reacted to it. I'm worried that he's being haunted now. By something particularly nasty."
Algie turned to look at the little boy as well, his face set into concentration as he sipped his tea, "Well it doesn't surprise me that you'd end up with children with unique abilities like this. Whether naturally conceived or not. Actually I'm scared to know what the two of you could naturally conceive.." He grinned at them and chuckled and the married pair gave him half amused glares. "But maybe I should check the little boy out some and then we'll see what we can do. You are sure it's a nasty haunting?"
"Well the rearranging was just the beginning. The day before I called you I found him awake form his nap and crying again. When I went into the room it was chilly and not only were his things rearranged again, but some were thrown about carelessly and broken."
"Smashed might be more accurate." Wren shook his head and kept hold of his wife's hand.
"Alright then." Algie set his tea cup aside and unbuttoned his sleeves, rolling them up. He stood and walked over to Otium, sitting down in front of him and smiling kindly at the little boy.
Otium looked up at the man and gave him the normal calm and gentle smile that he always had. He held up one of his new coins and dropped it into his hat where it disappeared. His free hand patted Immaculate on the head while the bear-cat kindly groomed the kitten, Fizzie.
Algie gave the tiny boy a big winning grin. "Hey little guy. You feeling ok?" He became aware of Mael watching him like a bodyguard but let it go. He wouldn't hurt Otium. "Can you open your mouth for me? Like this.. ahhhh!" He demonstrated with a big yawn and Otium blinked before duplicating him. Algie looked inside his mouth and around before letting him close it again.
"Ok now.. I'm going to have to take your shirt off ok?"
"Not the tie.." Halo reminded from the couch.
"Ok.. but not your tie." Algie gave her an odd look before starting to unbutton Otium's shirt. The little boy fussed, never liking to be without clothes but allowed it. Algie just looked him over for any sort of odd marking that might be evidence of a curse. He found nothing. Otium fussed more until Algie had put the little boy's shirt back on and he felt dressed again.
"No curse scars or marks. That's good."
"If by good you mean we still have no idea why something is bothering him.. then yes of course. Good." Halo snarked at her dad a bit but she was just edgy. He let it go.
"Well it means no other person got close enough to put a curse on him. In that case we'd have to go find them. But I'll check for non-visible curses." That was when the man reached in his pocket and pulled out a long straight wooden wand. It was obvious that the wand had been through hell and looked like the type that an Auror or battle-mage might use.
Halo and Wren did nothing but watch from the couch, though now all the other children had turned to watch as well. Mael was the most intent, making sure that Algie was not hurting his brother, but so far nothing had indicated that at all.
Algie muttered words under his breath, the spell enveloping Otium in all sorts of colored lights and fogs and sparkling auras. Spell after spell he cast made the boy's monochrome complexion light up and glow different colors but by the time it was done he was back to normal and Algie was frowning.
"No curse that I know." He ignored his daughter's hopeless sigh from the couch, "You warded his room I assume?"
"All the children's rooms are warded and doubly so on Otium's. I didn't think there was a spirit strong enough in this house to break through that. If it could break through our wards then it could probably break through Tom and Carmine's as well. Oooooh.. No." It was as if something dawned on her a moment. "No no."
"What?" Algie stood back up, leaving the children back to playing and Otium just resumed what he'd been doing even if his skin still tingled weird from the last spell that had been cast.
"I only know of one spirit that could possibly be in this house that could do it. But.. He's supposed to be contained. Tom and Carmine trapped him in a rock. It's in their rooms. He'd had to break free from his prison and then from their wing of the house. But he's.. well he's powerful. He'd do worse if fully free."
Wren seemed to frown as well, "Reinhardt? That would not be good. But it's possible he didn't get wholly free. Perhaps their wards are too strong and only a bit of his essence is out trying to find a way to free itself totally."
Algie sat back down and worked things out slowly, "And sensing some sort of power within Otium.. it's.. trying to use him or figure out how to use him.. to free itself fully?"
Halo's eyes widened. "If he gets free.. Horrible things will happen. Like they did the last time." She gave her husband a look, "We can't let that happen."
"Wait wait.. we don't even know if it is this ..Reinhardt person." Algie didn't want her jumping into a panic. Mothers could be like that when they felt their children threatened. The last thing they needed was to impulsively rush into anything.
Halo was set though. She knew it. "I'm calling Tom and Carmine. I'm getting permission to go into their quarters and check on it. The worst thing I can find out is.. well, anything is bad. But I will know for sure."
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 10:55 pm
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2005 1:52 pm
[[ part 9 -- the end ]]
It didn't know how many nights it had slept and plotted and waited. It didn't keep track of time in that sort of state. It knew that it had come up with a plan to get that little boy for good this time. It would utilize him instead of fighting him.
It moved from the deep recesses of the home and up into the living areas. It was night, of course, and all manner of creatures in the home were asleep. It gave nothing but a chill as it passed over sleeping snake men and upwards past dozing lizards and further on through the living room and library to the stairs. There was a glow of a computer monitor in the room of one he had deemed too small to be a threat and further on it traveled, past the other children's rooms until it came upon the room that it required entrance too. It could already hear the fussing of the babe inside as he sensed the shade's approach. It only paused a moment at the door, sensing for adults nearby, before it slid itself in, under the door, through the cracks, and found the little boy awake again, on the verge of tears. It only took a moment for it to move closer before the baby was wailing as usual.
It saw the power of the boy flaring in reaction to its approach and instead of reeling back it swept in. It swept in to suck that power for its own. It would devour it for itself!
The baby monitor had been placed close so that the adults could hear the tiniest fuss from Otium as he slept and by the time he started to cry they were at the door of the room. Algie and Halo both had their wands and Wren had his spell scrolls on hand. Halo was a bundle of nerves and she had been for the past 3 nights when the creature failed to show itself. She was grateful it hadn't so that her boy could sleep peacefully but at the same time she was more on edge as the days went by and it was obvious to her husband and father while dealing with her.
But now was the time.
And when they pushed the door open to the room they saw nothing but Otium crying. At least so their eyes told them. They knew something was there and Wren's first muttered spell activated the containment wards they'd put on the room. There was only the cracking of energy in the air as the wards sprang to life and did their work.
It saw the adults before it could even begin to get a taste of the boy's energy. It knew that in its current state it could not face them. It was foolish to think they would not figure it out. It swept to the door, to the adults, in attempt to flee but found powerful magicks suddenly blocking its way. They stung its shape and forced it back into the room. A window would not work either, as it figured they would be smart enough to block all exits.
It's only hope was the little boy now, who continued to cry and look towards his mother, offering out his arms to be rescued. It would need that little boy and his cold glow to gain strength and fight its way free of this place.
It took all that she had not to run for her little boy and sweep him up and protect him from the bad monster coming to get him. But she knew there was a job to be done and she pulled the rock from her pocket and set it on the floor inside of the room. The rock would be its prison once again, they just had to capture the thing and draw it in. But they still couldn't see it!
They began to run off spells, every spell they had found in order to make it reveal itself. They knew that not all of them would work. They didn't even know if any of them would work. But Halo and Algie began chanting, casting their spells, wands sweeping through the air with crackles and sparks and Wren continued to keep up the room wards with his own powers and his own energy.
It enveloped the little boy and he cried harder and louder. It was burning from his reactive energy but it would deal with it. It felt spells trying to tug it away, tingling against its form and trying to show its true nature to them, but it would not be so easily revealed.
So it began to suck.
It opened what could only be called a mouth and it began to suck on the little boy's energy and take it in. It sucked and ate and got a rush off the power. It was strong, like heady wine to the spirit. It sucked and absorbed and became aware that the little boy's cries began to garble as if he were being choked. The boy was flailing in its deadly embrace.
But it was not aware that in its state of intoxication, as the power flooded its form, that it was becoming visible to the adults.
The sight that was revealed to Halo gave her nothing short of a sense of horror. The shapeless mass was black, wrapped around her little boy as he cried and flailed and choked.
"It's.. eating him!" She screamed it, almost cried, almost ran in there and gave herself to the creature, but her father's arm held her back.
"We can see it now. We can get it." His voice was calm, his face set. His intense green eyes burned into her and she remembered the stories she'd heard about him when he was young and fighting in the war. This must have been just a sliver of what he was like. Cool and detached with his whole being set on the job at hand. When this was over she would have a new respect for her father.
But he was right. They had it. It was visible and that's all they needed.
Halo and Algie stopped their spells and Wren let the containment go. They needed all of their energies in order to pull it back. So they started.
In unison their hands and wands raised and they began the incantations to pull this fiend off of their little boy and trap it once more into its prison.
It suddenly felt like three sets of hands had gripped it and were pulling it free from the boy. No! It would not go so easily!
It sucked and ate and devoured the little boy's energy. It panicked and the little boy, it realized, had stopped squirming. He had stopped crying. His energy was not raging as it had before and there was little for it to suck.
It looked down at the boy's face, black and white with dark eyes, and it realized that the boy was staring right at him. His tears were still wet on his cheeks but he had become aware of something and had cut it off from its newfound power source.
It held tight, it struggled against the spell of the adults, and it was caught in that gaze of that tiny boy who was now staring him down.
The little boy who's pet animal was also staring him down.
The little boy who's brows furrowed in determination and said one single word, "No."
"No."
The adults had all heard him but they couldn't express any surprise because of the task at hand. But as soon as that word was spoken by the baby whatever that creature was holding on to was cut free. There was barely a struggle as their spell pulled the spirit in (and Halo swore they were aided by another unseen force, pushing it towards them from the other side) and it was forced back inside the crack in that rock.
The following spells were to seal it, temporarily, until Tom and Carmine got home. But it was enough for Algie and Wren to handle and Halo rushed into the room and scooped up Otium, whose mood had shifted from terrified to calm and collected almost too quick for her to understand.
She held her baby close and he snuggled into his mother's shirt, wiping his face against the cloth.
"You're ok baby.. No more ghost to hurt you. You're ok with mom.. And you talked too. How about that?"
She looked down at him but he was silent once more, sniffing a bit. His creepy calm seemed to have seceded and once more he was trembling slightly. But he was safe and he knew it.
Whatever had just happened with her little boy, whatever had taken him over in that single moment, had disappeared just as quickly as it had shown itself. She would think about it for days and give up trying to understand. Just as she would try and get him to speak again, only to fail. But she knew something had changed in her little boy and that little by little he was growing up.
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Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 7:15 pm
He awoke feeling slightly different. The memories from the night before were fuzzy and muted and if the child had been experienced he'd relate it to feeling like he had a hangover.
Otium sat up in his crib and looked at Immaculate who always woke up before him and was just watching him in silence.
Different.
The daemon spoke to her charge and he just tilted his head and rubbed his eyes. He felt different but didn't know why. The child remembered more and more of the night before and how it'd been like another entity entirely controlling his actions when he was in such a panic. The evil thing tried to eat him and then he was filled with feelings that were his but not at the same time and he told the thing to leave him alone and he made it go and then his parents and grandpa made it go away.
He didn't understand it but it didn't seem to matter right now. His room was very quiet except for the breaths of his brother a small bit away. He smoothed his hair with his hands, even though he knew it was messy until his mom combed it for him. The boy glanced at the post of the crib and reached up to pull his top hat down and onto his head. As he was used to, he glanced into the mirror hanging from the crib bars and stared at his reflection. It almost seemed small for his face now and he knew it was because he was getting bigger. But when he glanced at himself and touched the reflective surface and made a surprised, "Ah..?"
The noise woke an adult, unseen behind the boy, but staying ever watchful through the night. It was Algie, grandpa. He'd felt that Halo and Wren deserved their rest and since he spent little time with their family, that it would be nice to do this for them. The rugged man's eyes cracked open and he glanced at the back of Otium from the uncomfortable wooden rocker he occupied.
"Awake, little one?"
Otium turned his head and looked at grandpa with a small silent smile. He waved his hand, as was a customary greeting to someone you didn't see often, and then turned back to the mirror. Algie's keen emerald eyes, in such a short moment, could not see what had caught the boy's interest and rose to get a closer look.
"We can't be that vain, can we?"
Otium touched the mirror in wonder, smiling a little more by the minute. He felt different, yes, but this discovery was lovely and shiny and made him very happy. Algie noticed such and when he reached the crib side, lifted Otium's chin with his fingers to get a closer look.
"Oh my.. " He smiled himself, "..those are lovely, Otium!"
The monochrome child cracked a smile and issued a tiny laugh. He'd discovered he wasn't so monochrome anymore! His eyes had shifted from gray into a slight blue. It was a very small change but enough to make the boy happy.
He was shiny now, in his way, and didn't have to rely on his coins to get him noticed!
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Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 7:16 pm
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Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 7:17 pm
[[ reserved == lessons with bloo ]]
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Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 8:50 pm
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 12:45 pm
It was a day as any other day.
Otium played in the Great Room of the house with his coins, building stacks and letting them fall. Each touch brought a tingle, and memory or a flash or just a familiar picture in his head. It would be disconcerting to anyone beside himself, each of these pieces of wealth containing a memory and speaking to his mind. They were like friends that didn’t talk back.
They always made him want more though and he felt always wanting more. His mother told him not to be greedy and he wasn’t sure what that meant. They were his.. his right.. or he felt as if they were. How could they be his and someone else’s all at the same time?
Playing with his coins, his small collection, also made him especially receptive of anything around him that he had missed. Like a living metal detector (or money detector) he could hear them calling out to him and this time was not any different.
He faintly heard music in his head. It was a strange music that was unlike anything he’d heard in the current time period. He’d heard his parents watching movies though and this sounded like that.
The boy cocked his head and listened harder and was drawn to the bookcase. He stood at its base and looked up.. up.. up..
So high!
It was up there, almost at the top, but he must have it!
The music was muffled but he could hear it and with a face set in determination, he carefully (and very consciously) removed his jacket and waistcoat and set them on a chair. His tiny fingers clumsily pushed up his sleeves, removed his shiny shoes (he almost never was without them but he wouldn’t want them scuffed) and set his bowler hat (which he’d chosen for the day) on the floor.
There was a buzz and he flinched back slightly as two of the tiny family fairies settled on the brim of his hat. The girl grinned, “Otium undressing?”
The boy fairy (who always looked mad) scoffed at her and played with his silver braid. “Leave him alone. The boy obviously has better damn taste than you. He can do what he likes. Including squash you.. oh my that would be lovely.. Otium if you feel the need to squash her.. do it..?”
The pale boy smiled but didn’t say a word. He really never talked much. This seemed to anger the male fairy and he scowled further, “Too good to answer then? This damn house.. I will get you all sometime. I will..” it all turned to muttering and Otium turned back to the bookcase.
With a wiggle of his toes he set about it.
Climbing.
Shelf to shelf. Up and up. They were just a perfect space apart for him now. He was just the right height for it to be like a stepladder and all the way the music gained in volume in his head.
It seemed old. Like those shows where they people wore plants around their heads and wore bed sheets for clothes. It was quick work getting to the proper shelf and soon all he was doing was running his hands over the spines of books and seeing which of them spoke to him.
A black one. A red one. They all had their soft voices because they were all valuable in their own way, but he was only interested in one in particular.
Beaten, brown. Writing he couldn’t read but looked familiar. It sang through his hands and into his head. But he couldn’t open it while clinging to the shelf so he let it drop the short fall to the ground and climbed down.
Finally to the floor, the book lay undamaged by the fall and sang louder than ever. Otium rushed to open it. The book itself meant nothing, it was what fell from its pages.
A coin!
A round tarnished coin with an old face on it and funny writing. It was old. Ancient even. And it had been trapped in that book for years and before that, who knows.
But it found it’s way to Otium.
They would all eventually.
He stared at it and smiled.
“What do you have Ottie!?” The fairy girl giggled, “Money! Oh look money!”
She elbowed the boy fairy and he slapped her on the elbow and exclaimed as if she’d stabbed him instead of just nudged him.
 Otium was caught up in the beautiful coin. He felt its memories, residual, as pieces in his head. They faded in and out until they were mixed with a voice. It grew louder until he realized it was in the room with him.
“My Lord! I found you.”
Otium thought it was his head until he became aware that it was behind him. Looking over his shoulder he blinked back in surprise.
A shade.
It must have been tied to the coin, Otium thought it but didn’t realize he’d put that together on his own. His Uncle Carmine told him things like that.
“Oh My Lord.. pardon my manners.” It was a teenager. He was wearing one of those bed sheets and dropped down to his knees in front of Otium. “I am forever your servant. I am Eleutherius.”
Otium rubbed his head, “Eloo.. ah.. Ele.. Ther.. ..Rius?”
The shade blinked, having been overwhelmed by what he felt he suddenly realized that the person he was worshipping as his lord was only a child. “..You may call me Rius, sire. I see you have not yet come to your final destination..” The teen was what must have been considered ‘the Greek ideal’. His hair fell in dark ringlets and his cherubic face wrinkled into worry and then into dawning of realization. “This is good. I will help you!”
Otium was confused but this shade was almost solid to him, which meant it was strong. And he was saying he would help Otium. “Help me?” he held up the coin. “Stay with me!”
“Yes master! Stay with you.” The teen remained on his knees and bowed his head again.
“Get up..” Otium himself stood and picked up his hat, slipping it onto his head. “Don’t bow. It’s ok.” He smiled just a little. The fairies muttered something about him being crazy.
Rius seemed unsure and finally rose. He was much taller than his ‘master’. “Yes sir.. I..” He looked around and then at Otium, “Perhaps… I should change to more appropriate garb, sir?”
Taking a cue from the child’s suit his form flickered until he was wearing a pair of trousers, a button up shirt and a tie.
Otium smiled more. “Better!” He was sure this one was strong. He could do things the others couldn’t.
“Lord.. I will stay with you.” Rius kneeled again and looked in Otium’s barely-blue eyes. “I will give you guidance. You will achieve your destiny. You are needed.”
Otium smiled a little and patted Rius on the hand. He didn’t know all of what he was talking about but all he cared about was that he had a new friend who would be reliably with him.
“You meet Mayl!” Otium smiled and began to redress himself. He knew Mael wouldn’t be able to see his new friend, but it was the thought and courtesy that counted, right?
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Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 4:10 pm
He was back.
One minute in that horrid place and Otium was back in the library. He wanted to yell!
He was breathing heavily after such a traumatizing ordeal and he felt crazed but his eyes darted around, his hands felt around and he found out that it was over.
His eyes found his mother and his hand felt Immaculate’s head at his side.
We’re back? We’re fine?
Otium’s next thought was to run to his mother and he almost did but when he reached out the boy checked himself and put it back down. He didn’t want to be a child. He didn’t want to be helpless.
If anything he’d learned in that horrible place it was that he was so helpless. Otium would find a way to fix it.
He walked to his mother and she scooped him up in a hug, as much as he wouldn’t admit it, he was relieved.
“Mayl?” His brother. Where was his brother?
He’d heard other children coming back as well and he only assumed that the same thing had happened to them. But what about Mael? He’d love to hear the story. He was sure Mael showed them who was boss!
But there was father.. looking worried. And.. there was no Mael.
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 12:14 pm
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