Brian grimaced as he zipped down the labyrinth of corridors. He detested the unknown, and yet here he was running straight into its welcoming arms - or punishing claws. He could have gone slower, in fact he reckoned Joanne would have been very grateful if he had, but he had to know. He had to know what was waiting for him. Mystery left too much to the imagination. Mystery meant he could be about to plunge into a tank of starved sharks, or be shut in a black room full of bats, or vampires, or werewolves, or monsters, or rabid dogs. Anything. He could promise himself that there was no such thing as Dracula but what if James McAvoy had done a stint as him and he was waiting around here somewhere too. Or worse. A cannibal. He hoped this guy had a tendency to play humans. Humans who did NOT eat other humans.
Then they came to the door. It had a great red disc for a doorhandle this time, instead of the maritime wheel from before. The door itself was clear but the view inside was...well it wasn't. It must have been the half-essence again because as much as he told himself there was a room beyond, something calmly assured Brian that there wasn't.
"That looks like a KFC door!" Joanne exclaimed.
Brian's stomach growled "Lunch." Brian patted it fondly and assured himself he'd get food soon. He doubted it but "something" told him he would. By now they could hear voices at the opposite end of the room and judged that it was maybe the size of the average classroom. Brian guessed that whatever waited on the other side would be far more sinister.
Joanne stood close to him and, though he fists were taught in fists, her entire being was trembling, and it wasnt particularly cold. Brian held her closer and wrapped an arm round her.
If he'd had X-Ray vision, he'd have glimpsed around the four compass points three girls or women of varying ages being held in a similar embrace by three figures who each held striking resemblance to himself and each other, even that fellow with the goat's legs.
Enter Convergence.
The door swung automatically into the room. Brian glanced a few inches down and to his left to match his sight line with Joanne's. She inhaled sharply and nodded. They shuffled through the door.
The room was lined with shiny wooden planks, the kind that make you sound like an expert tap dancer as soon as you flip out a quick heel-toe. A few chairs were cluttered around the room and the half-essence had completely dispelled. The tables were constructed of an old oak wood with swirling age rings. Brian had been told to expect Wesley Gibson, Mr. Tumnus and Joe MacBeth. He spotted the faun immediately and heard the bearded man say something to the faun in a very Scottish accent so he presumed that was Joe and that the other man was Wesley.
They were together.
Then they came to the door. It had a great red disc for a doorhandle this time, instead of the maritime wheel from before. The door itself was clear but the view inside was...well it wasn't. It must have been the half-essence again because as much as he told himself there was a room beyond, something calmly assured Brian that there wasn't.
"That looks like a KFC door!" Joanne exclaimed.
Brian's stomach growled "Lunch." Brian patted it fondly and assured himself he'd get food soon. He doubted it but "something" told him he would. By now they could hear voices at the opposite end of the room and judged that it was maybe the size of the average classroom. Brian guessed that whatever waited on the other side would be far more sinister.
Joanne stood close to him and, though he fists were taught in fists, her entire being was trembling, and it wasnt particularly cold. Brian held her closer and wrapped an arm round her.
If he'd had X-Ray vision, he'd have glimpsed around the four compass points three girls or women of varying ages being held in a similar embrace by three figures who each held striking resemblance to himself and each other, even that fellow with the goat's legs.
Enter Convergence.
The door swung automatically into the room. Brian glanced a few inches down and to his left to match his sight line with Joanne's. She inhaled sharply and nodded. They shuffled through the door.
The room was lined with shiny wooden planks, the kind that make you sound like an expert tap dancer as soon as you flip out a quick heel-toe. A few chairs were cluttered around the room and the half-essence had completely dispelled. The tables were constructed of an old oak wood with swirling age rings. Brian had been told to expect Wesley Gibson, Mr. Tumnus and Joe MacBeth. He spotted the faun immediately and heard the bearded man say something to the faun in a very Scottish accent so he presumed that was Joe and that the other man was Wesley.
They were together.
