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Post by Dante on May 27, 2012 3:02:01 GMT -5
Okay, the Crowes' father is just as bad as them, and probably the reason they are so bad. Just so we're clear on that. I thought it was possible that something else was true, but it seems to be the case that the Crowes, as villains, are disconnected from the other events in the world surrounding them, just as they're disconnected from the lives and morals of ordinary people. I have to say, though... if these are the kinds of villains you're introducing in the second book, Tiago, I'm really worried about the later ones!
Edit: I just cut off Chapter Eight; it's at the bottom of the previous page.
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Post by Christmas Chief on May 27, 2012 6:38:52 GMT -5
Ah, the price. At least one victim escapes. But what exactly did Jay do to offend his father?
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Jun 3, 2012 17:04:22 GMT -5
Chapter Nine There was not much else to do but to run. To where, none of them knew. For a while, the Quagmire triplets ran with Robin Crowe, trying to get as far from the Crowe brothers as they could. But somehow, as they were running through the tall golden stalks of wheat of Firefly Farm, they lost Robin Crowe, because when Quigley Quagmire stopped to ask Robin where they should hide, the youngest Crowe was nowhere to be seen. ‘Robin!’ Quigley called in a hiss, to avoid drawing the Crowes’ attention. ‘Robin, where are you?’ Duncan called. ‘We can’t stay here, we have to go.’ ‘We can’t leave him here. His brothers or his father will kill him.’ Quigley replied. It was a most dire situation. ‘We’re only a few yards from the creek. Let’s go check on the hovercraft. The Quagmires walked stealthily across the field to the location they’d left the hovercraft. It was good to see the Crowes had not found it. From where they were standing, the Quagmires could see a great extension of the farm. The house, the barn, the trees with colored glass bottles hanging from it’s branches, the magpies roosting on the tree. The scarecrows…Only one of them was missing now. ‘Look.’ Quigley pointed to one of the wooden poles from which the scarecrows hung. The scarecrow was nowhere to be seen. ‘Wait, weren’t there three scarecrows on these fields?’ He removed his binocular from his backpack and used it to see the landscape. The golden fields of wheat that the Crowes had let dry, the leafless trees of the woods behind the farm, the hills in the distance. It was near night time, but Quigley’s binocular let him see at night just as well. ‘Who cares about a scarecrow? We have to go away, pronto.’ Duncan replied, using a word from either the portuguese or spanish languages, which here means ‘right at this minute’. ‘Shut up.’ Quigley told Duncan. He was busy examining the landscape. It was near night time now, but the sky was already very dark. ‘Wait, what’s that over there?’ Quigley asked. ‘You’re the one with the binocular, Quigley.’ Duncan replied. ‘No, I mean, over there. See?’ Quigley handed the binocular to his brother and pointed to somewhere on the other side of the river. Using the binoculars, Duncan could also see at night, and he could also see what his brother saw. ‘What is it?’ Isadora asked, curious. ‘Look.’ Duncan handed her the binoculars and pointed towards whatever it was that had piqued the Quagmires’ attentions. Across the river, a group of people crossed the Crowe lands. Now this is where I must tell you, dear reader, that the group of people the Quagmires saw that evening will appear again in this story, and very soon, to everyone’s dismay. There was no way for the Quagmires to see what they looked like, as Quigley’s nightvision binocular only allowed them to see six green silhouettes walking in the darkness. The group approached the river, talking loudly. ‘… Professor Rowan …’ '... Lockhart ...' ‘… apartment building …’ ‘… the tennants …’ '.... mission ...' As the group drew closer to the river, the Quagmires could see them without the binoculars. Three women and three men, dressed similarly, but with two of them wearing hoods that concealed their faces. There was some kind of embroidery on their clothes, but the Quagmires could not see from such a distance. The group disappeared as quickly as they appeared, leaving the Quagmires intrigued. Still, there were more urgent matters to attend to. ‘We have to find Robin. We can’t save Catherine now.’ Isadora said. ‘Maybe if we threated the Crowes with guns, they’d let us leave with Robin and Catherine?’ Duncan suggested. ‘Have you seen the state of Catherine’s leg?’ Quigley asked him. ‘She’s in no fit state to walk. The hovercraft won’t take more than the three of us. I wish we hadn’t gained so much muscular weight back in the Unknown.’ Quigley kicked a rock, which promptly flew into the curtain of wheat. ‘Ow!’ A male voice was heard. And it wasn’t Robin’s.
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Post by Christmas Chief on Jun 3, 2012 20:21:53 GMT -5
Friend or foe? I guess we'll find out, depending on who the six mysterious figures are. Are we meant to know who they are, incidentally?
I like the casual reminders about the guns. It's effective foreshadowing.
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Jun 7, 2012 11:13:59 GMT -5
Chapter Ten ‘Well, well, well…’ Said Magpie Crowe, coming out from behind the curtains of golden wheat, now silver from the moonlight. A cold wind howled, and the magpies sitting on the tree with hanging bottles took flight, casting shadows over the three Crowe brothers as they walked towards the Quagmires. ‘What do we have here, brothers? More trespassers, I believe. And look, these ones came from the river, they did.’ Magpie pointed to the hovercraft. ‘Don’t come near us.’ Quigley told them. ‘You’re in our land, boy. Do you know what we do to those who come trespassin’ here?’ Jay Crowe asked. ‘Matter of fact, we do.’ Duncan replied. ‘Unspeakable things. Evil things.’ To the Quagmires’ horror, the Crowes were carrying their trademark weapons. Magpie with his shovel, Jasper and his rake, and Jay with his sickle. Only the Crowes could make farm tools into such menacing weapons of murder. ‘Evil? I don’t know about evil.’ Magpie said and smiled. He had a gold tooth, and it glinted under the moonlight. ‘Two boys and a girl, ain’t it? Is there someone else we should know about?’ Jasper Crowe asked. The Quagmires shared a glance. They must have thought immediately about the group of six trespassers which was crossing the farm as they stood there, safely, towards the woods behind the farm. ‘It’s…Just the three of us.’ Quigley spoke. ‘Ah. Interesting.’ Magpie replied. ‘Be you twins or something?’ Jay asked. ‘Triplets.’ Was the Quagmires’ reply. The last thing the Quagmire triplets wanted was talking to those three, but they had to prolong the conversation as to calculate an escape. The thing was, that if they were to make a run for it, they’d have to leave the hovercraft – and almost all of their supplies – in the process. It was not an option. But surely, it was preferable than being the Crowes’ new source of entertainment. ‘Triplets?’ Jasper asked, as if he’d never heard of such thing before. ‘Yeah, brother, when three are born at the same time. Our uncle Hawk had triplets didn’t ‘e? Jay Crowe replied. ‘Oh yes. Those three. One of them was a retard wasn’t it?’ ‘Don’t remember. Uncle Hawk killed all three. Never could contain himself, the man. Well, father showed him, didn’t he.’ Magpie said. ‘Father knew how to take care of us.’ ‘We want to know something.’ Quigley spoke. The Crowes eyed him with curiosity. ‘Whatever happened to Catherine Hudson?’ ‘That cow? Bit her tongue when we got to’er, she did. She’s bleedin’ out right now, watering our fields with her life’s blood.’ Jay Crowe said, with a wicked smile. ‘That girl could replace’er, couldn’t she? Bit thin on the hips for my taste though. Doesn’t matter. I like the other two better.’ Isadora shuddered. ‘Oh, don’t like us, girl? Don’t worry, if you behave you’ll live a very long life.’ Magpie took one step and before anything, the three Quagmires drew out their guns. ‘Stay away from us. We’ll be leaving this farm. With Robin. And you’ll stay right where you are, or we’ll shoot you three in the kneecaps. Heard it’s a painful place to get shot at.’ Quigley said, putting on his tougher façade, something he had learned in Dread Down. This was hardly the first time he had threatened someone with violence should they want to mess with Isadora. What scared him was not the Crowes. It was how easy it came to him to threaten them. Still, the Quagmires had a silent agreement to never kill. They could well incapacitate the Crowe brothers but not kill them. ‘Calm down, now, boy.’ Magpie had lost his composure in front of the three guns. ‘Put those farm tools down and walk backwards from us.’ Quigley ordered. Yes, ordered, because only a fool would not obbey the order from a person with a gun. Guns are terrible and despicable. But they are an advantage, and right then and there the Quagmires needed whatever advantage they could get. ‘What on earth is this?’ A thunderous voice was heard, and someone else walked into that open area between the fields of wheat and the river. ‘F-father!’ The Crowes were startled as Osprey Jonah Crowe walked towards them. ‘Who are these trespassers?’ ‘They jumped out and threatened to kill us with those guns, Father.’ Jay lied. ‘They came to this farm on that thing, father.’ Magpie pointed to the hovercraft, floating on the water. It was night now, the sun had set, and almost as magic, the Quagmires realized where the Farm of the Crowes had gotten it’s name from. A hundred, no, a thousand, no, thousands of fireflies lit up, flying across the river and over the wheat fields casting an eerie green glow wherever they went. The effect was hauntingly beautiful. A sad thing it should occur on such a forsaken place as that farm which was one gigantic graveyard of victims of the Crowes’ sadism. ‘So I understand, from the corpse I just saw, that our breeding has failed.’ Osprey said. ‘She bit her tongue, father. Spat it out on Jasper’s face, the wench.’ Jay was very eager to please his father for some reason, or so it seemed. He did look at the man as if was a paragon of fatherhood. ‘Ah, I see. But a replacement can be found.’ Osprey looked directly at Isadora when saying it. ‘If one of you touches me even for a second, I’ll do more than spit on your face, believe me!’ Isadora had been forced to inflict severe pain on a peacekeeper or two in Dread Down. She knew how to render a man as vulnerable as a newborn. All she needed was a clear aim and a well-placed elbow hit. Plus, she had her gun. ‘I like this one’s attitude. Imagine that attitude on a new Crowe, father.’ Magpie laughed. The Crowes eyed the Quagmires like birds of prey do before their final, lethal flight. ‘You’re missing out on something, son. They have guns. We do not.’ Osprey said. ‘Oh, but I believe we can take care of them neverthe-‘ At this point, Osprey stopped speaking. A red line drew itself on his neck, and blood streamed down from it, staining his already soiled shirt. The man’s legs gave out and he fell to his knees, making his head roll over and fall from the top of his neck. Osprey. Decapitated. He fell lifeless on the beaten ground and a pool of blood started to form from the open hole that was now the man’s neck. It was then that they saw him. The scarecrow. And on the scarecrow’s hands, a sharp scythe was running red with blood.
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Post by Christmas Chief on Jun 7, 2012 12:24:33 GMT -5
The lead villain, destroyed already? That has disturbing implications. The guns in the hands of the Quagmires was a surprisingly powerful conceit, especially with their resolve not to kill given what they'd witnessed.
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Jun 8, 2012 13:03:52 GMT -5
Chapter Eleven ‘What the…Father!’ Magpie crouched beside his father’s corpse, and attempted to put his father’s head back in it’s place as if that would restore life to the man. Meanwhile, Jasper and Jay picked up their farm tools ready to get back at the scarecrow. But he was ready for them both. ‘Who the hell are you?!’ Jasper shouted at the scarecrow, who kept silent. All they could see was one eye behind the scarecrow mask, and hay serving as ‘hair’. He never said a word. And soon, the Crowes were on him. The scarecrow dogdged their attacks with swiftness, but got a few cuts himself. Blood stained tha hay with which his costume was filled. Jasper and Jay swung at the scarecrow with their rake and sickle, managing a few hits and getting some cuts themselves. It was horrible watching them fight like that, and the Quagmires did not know what to do. ‘Damn you!’ Jasper Crowe shouted, swinging his rake down on the scarecrow, burying at least two of the sharp teeth into the scarecrow’s shoulder. The scarecrow let out a bloodcurdling scream. He fell to his knees, and Jasper let go of his rake. The next thing they knew, the scarecrow produced a knife from inside his costume and stabbed Jasper in the stomach. Jasper screamed and fell on the ground. The scarecrow removed the rake from his wound and picked it up. With a swift swing, he ended Jasper Crowe’s life, burying four sharp metal teeth into Jasper’s neck. ‘Jasper!’ Jay rushed at the scarecrow, who evaded one slash of Jay’s sickle, dodging, crutching, and picking up his scythe. ‘Damn you!’ Jay rushed at the scarecrow with his sickle raised in the air, but the scarecrow was faster, with one swing, Jay lost his sickle – and his right hand. He crouched and fell screaming as the blood gushed from the gaping wound. Unfortunately, Magpie Crowe was also very fast; he threw a knife at the scarecrow, hitting him in the stomach. Magpie crouched next to Jay and helped him up. ‘We’re not done with you! The Crowes never forget!’ He shouted towards the scarecrow and the Quagmires as they made a run for it. The Quagmired were startled to see the Crowes running away like that; they expected a confrontation, or using their guns as a last resort, but the scarecrow had changed everything. And right now, he was falling on the ground. Isadora was the first to rush to his side, dropping her gun in the process. Quigley and Duncan maintained a more contained approach. They held onto their guns, ready to protect their sister. The scarecrow coughed up some blood, staining his threadbare mask. Up close, Isadora could see his one grey eye. When she removed the hat and the mask, it was heartbreaking to see the face of Robin Crowe. ‘Y’all ow me one now.’ Robin joked, laughing and then coughing up some more blood. ‘Maybe we can help him…Quigley, Duncan, the medical supplies, quickly!’ Quigley and Duncan rushed to the hovercraft to get everything they needed. ‘Don’t.’ Robin said. ‘I’m as good as dead…I can feel it.’ ‘Don’t say that.’ Isadora was crying. ‘I have to thank you three. No one’s…ever showed me any kindness…And y’all being here…It gave me a chance to do what I always wanted.’ Robin smiled. ‘Two birds with one stone, eh? Not too bad. Y’all gonna need to take care of the other two.’ It was no doubt that the world would be a better place without the Crowes, but it was unfair that Robin too, had to die. ‘I swore one day I’d kill at least one of them. Now there’s only…two.’ Robin was slipping away, Isadora could feel it, as his head rested on her lap. ‘I…I can’t see ya…Isadora.’ Robin said weakly. ‘Too bad. Prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.’ And with that, Robin Crowe’s life ended.
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Post by Christmas Chief on Jun 8, 2012 13:51:07 GMT -5
Only two Crowes left, and indeed only two chapters to go. What will the Quagmires face now? I suppose that would depend on how they react to this, well, not a tragedy so much as it is a shock.
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Jun 8, 2012 15:28:37 GMT -5
Chapter Twelve It was long past midnight now. The Quagmires waited a while before doing anything. The Crowes did not show. The Quagmires guessed, and I think, correctly, that to the two remaining Crowes, their only one immediate concern was the stump that was there instead of Jay Crowe’s right hand. Perhaps it was all for the best. If the Quagmires had seen the Crowes again that night, they could have all but forgotten their decision to leave the guns as an absolute last resort. Another encounter with the Crowe brothers, and there would be more blood flowing in Firefly Farm. Burying Robin Crowe was not the worst experience they’d had, but it was bitter all the same. And as if in mockery, it started to rain. When Duncan and Quigley finished digging, they were soaking wet and chilled to the bone. The grave was not as deep as one would have deemed appropriate for a burial, but the Quagmires did not have much time on their hands. They couldn’t stop and mourn Robin properly. Not with the remaining Crowes nearby. They had to leave. After it was done, they marked Robin’s grave with the scythe, as there was no other object around. It was appropriate, in a way, as the scythe is commonly depicted as the tool with which the Grim Reaper, or Death, reaps life. There was little to say or do now. They couldn’t find Catherine Hudson and give her a proper burial, or do the same to René and the unlucky cattle thief that had met their ends at the farm. The Crowes could have moved their corpses by now, and it was best to leave as soon as possible. Assembling their supplies, the Quagmire triplets hopped on top of the hovercraft, pushing away from the shore, and going upstream. They stayed silent for most of the journey. The creek took them into the forest, with it’s leafless, brown trees. The Quagmires traveled quickly, and soon Firefly Farm was very distant. ‘Where should we head next?’ Quigley consulted with his siblings, as the Quagmires had obtained nothing at Firefly Farm but woe. Unlike last time, at Bayou Lafayette where they had discovered a piece of Grimstone as well as a link between the Hudsons and the Unknown Agents and V.F.D. But neither Duncan nor Isadora had any idea of where to go. It was only after a good while that they saw the same group of six people camped up atop a cliff. It was hard to see, but they were there. Previously, the Quagmires had dismissed them as mere trespassers. Though for some reason, they felt if the Crowes should encounter this lot, they wouldn’t have such a one-sided strife as it had gone with the unfortunate cattle thieves. ‘Do you remember, though? We overheard them mention an aparment building. Perhaps that’s where they are headed?’ Duncan suggested. As the hovercraft approached the curve of the river where the cliff towered over it, they saw as the group of six people took notice of them. Strangely, they immediately put out the fire they had and retreated into the woods. ‘Strange behavior for a camping trip.’ Quigley remarked. As the hovercraft rushed over the stream, the Quagmires could distinguish a dark shape emerging from behind the slopes and hills and the forest. A tall tower, a silhouette against the moonlight. They could see lit windows gleaming like dots in the shadow of the tower. Then, the river took a swift turn, leaving them zig-zagging across a series of curves and bends. ‘Unusual building.’ Duncan stated. The tower was different now that the Quagmires were moving closer to it; it was in fact a giant house, with many windows, verandas and gothic columns. It was as if someone had built a cluster of giant-sized houses one on top of the other. The result, from afar, resembled a tower like that of a castle. From up close, it was much more intricate and complicated. The Quagmires could not quite wrap their heads around the appearance of the building. Even the tombstone-shaped buildings of Prufrock Prep paled in comparison to this colossus – a word which here means ‘great large big thing’. ‘Could this be an apartment building?’ Isadora asked. The six mysterious figures did mention an apartment building and this one seemed to be the only one for miles. It seemed very isolated there in the forest, between the hills. As the Quagmires drew even nearer, they saw a stone harbor between two slopes of stone. A lamp pole was glowing eerily atop the harbor, and they could see several more, leading the way up a narrow way of cobblestone stairs, with railings on either sides, and the trees forming a natural fence of sorts. It was a very strange location, no doubt. As the Quagmires made it to the harbor, tied the hovercraft to the quay and ascended the first few steps of the harbor. ‘Look, there’s a sign over there.’ Duncan pointed to the lamp pole. A sign identified their current location as well as their possible next destination. ‘According to this we’re at the Crooked Creek, near Cronenberg Colossus Apartments.’ Quigley shone his flashlight at the sign and the Quagmires read the words. ‘They have vacancies.’ ‘I wouldn’t mind a hot bath and an actual bed right about now.’ Duncan stated. ‘Let’s go. It’s a long way up.’ Quigley told them. And the Quagmires began their climb, unaware of the group of six people who watched them with telescopes from a cliff not far away. Chapter Thirteen The stairway had promised to be a grueling climb, and it kept it’s promise. It was only as they were climbing that the Quagmires realized just how exhausted, they were, as well as cold from the rain and wind, and starving. The staircase was lit fairly well, at least, so they weren’t climbing in the darkness, and there was also moonlight. As they climbed, the tower-building seemed even more surreal to behold. ‘They had it right when they named it Cronenberg Colossus. This place is gargantual.’ When the Quagmires finally reached the top, they arrived at a patio of greenish cobblestone with a fountain that was lit from the inside with green lights. The effect was eerie, to be sure. Encircling the round patio, there were several lamp poles and the house like structure in front of the ‘main’ body of the building. The Quagmires were unsure how to proceed, when the doors opened and someone walked out into the patio. Someone the Quagmires did not know properly, but who they had previously seen a few times during the final days of their stay in the Great Unknown. She looked very surprised when she saw them, after a good minute of trying to remember where she’d seen those three before. But when she remembered, Natalie Finch raised her arm, pointing at the Quagmires. ‘You! I can’t believe it’s you!’ The Quagmires shared a glance between them and thought just how strange that was and wondered what exactly was in store for them at that strange place. A very strange place, indeed. - - - - - EXTRA If you have read The Festering Farm, I hereby grant you the title of
Scary Scarecrow
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Post by Dante on Jun 9, 2012 13:26:47 GMT -5
Wow. The story really took a turn into horror story territory while I was away. Or maybe it was already there. This was a pretty dark insight into the new world of the future, Tiago. I fear for the Quagmires, although they look like they're approaching considerably less lawless territory. I wonder how they'll be able to interact with the people who once opposed them? Is there any point in maintaining old hatreds and divisions? It's hard to say without the new book. Which I should go and take a look at now!
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Post by Christmas Chief on Jun 9, 2012 20:15:30 GMT -5
The burial was tragic in its own way. It reminded me of Olaf's death a bit, actually; a good person in bad circumstances meeting his demise at last.
Natalie Finch. Who would have suspected? The new setting calls back to a similar apartment in TEE, I think, although this is sure to be quite different in several respects. Especially so given the company.
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