TOPIC: Horror on the Orient Express - All Rotations

V THE LONG VERSION CONTINUED

Its still the wee hours of Sunday 14th June 1789

Music from Beyond
Zann begins to play the Music from Beyond. A composition of such seering insanity that all those who hear it begin to writhe and twitch in madness. As the bestial party guests thrash and scream in the grips of the maddening music, for a moment we thought we could see the internal walls of the mansion melt away to reveal the Idiot God at the centre of the Universe. We turn our eyes away lest insanity should take us. Fenalik revels in the chaos. He passes amongst his flock as it writhes on the floor. He bites at heads and throats of random victims and then, splattered in their blood, he crawls along the walls and the ceiling in erratic movements.

Knock, knock
The front doors of the mansion burst asunder from cannon fire. The soldiery has heeded the signal and the storming of the estate has begun. We smash through the windows and forge our way into the den of chaos. All the while Zann continues to play and the aristos squirm in seizures of madness and lash at each other in the manner of caged animals, lost to base instinct. Within earshot of the music, much of our own soldiery becomes incapacitated with infectious lunacy as the men rush towards the house. Outside, they, like the drivers of the aristo’s coaches waiting to the rear of the house, tremor on the ground, clawing at their own ears and screeching inhumanely.

Into action
As we dash into the ballroom, Selene grabs Zann and leads him by the hand to escape the mansion through a rear exit. Fenalik turns into a cloud of vapour and streams away in a thin trail through corridors. With the music stopped, the worst of the frantic behaviours of the guests subsides, but some have lost their minds forever; several lie dead. Dupois and Joseph set off in pursuit of Zann and Selene. Pressi dashes out to the rear of the house in search of Fenalik’s coach house. Renault leads Beaumains, Babin and Talbert toward the foyer.

Pressi disables Fenalik’s carriage
Pressi is determined to locate Fenalik’s private carriage to ensure the Count cannot use it to escape. Entering the coach house, Pressi first shoos the horses away from their stables and then turns his attention to the carriage itself. There it stands—the white carriage with its red trimming; the coach that has stuck in Pressi’s nightmares since it flashed past him outside the Paris catacombs. Pressi disables the carriage in his own inimitable fashion—he defecates on the passenger seat.

The Chase is on
Dupois and Joseph give chase through the rose beds in pursuit of Selene and Zann. Dupois moves quite spritely for his age but Joseph struggles to keep pace, due to his decidedly effeminate running motion. Eventually, and inevitably, they catch their quarry. “Please, please,” pleads Selene, batting her eyelids at Dupois, “We had no choice. We are not in league with the Count. We were totally subdued by his strange power. We were coerced into this against our will. We would never wish to cause harm. Let us go. I beg you.” Selene finishes her pleading by making puppy-dog eyes and lots of eyelash fluttering. Joseph is unaffected by Selene’s feminine wiles, but Dupois is totally taken in. Counter to his express orders, Dupois lets the pair go. Joseph asks Dupois how they are going to explain this. Dupois replies with resignation, “We will tell Captain Malon that the dwarf was a lot quicker than he looks.”

The Door to Hell
After incapacitating footmen in the vestibule, Renault leads his men along the corridors in search of the door Joseph mentioned was under guard last week. Sure enough, we soon came to a door to what could only be a tiny room or a cellar entrance, and was being guarded again. The guards drew their swords. Babin discharged his pistol to take out one footman. Beaumains runs the other through with cold steel. “Fools!” shouts Renault, “Our orders are to detain—not kill.” The mysterious door is locked and solid. Renault orders Babin to smash it down with his sapper’s axe. Beyond the door is a stone stair descending into darkness.

All the gang’s back together
Serjant Renault gathered his corporals, including Pressi, Dupois and Hugel. As we descend the stair, an overwhelming sense of misery wells-up from the darkness below. We light our way by lanterns. What we see in the cellar will haunt us for the rest of our lives (which might not be very long). A stone passage is lined along one side by a row of prison cells. Some cells are occupied by the corpses of unfortunates broken on the wheel or stretched on the rack. One cell has two crushed bodies close together, one in a wedding veil. In one cell is the body of a man in a red dress, his flesh scoured by the whip. Opposite the cells is a comfortable chez-long in rich upholstery; positioned for optimal viewing of the cells and their victims. Beyond the passage, the cellar opens into a wider space.

Simulacrum
The rear wall of the cellar is taken up by what may be described as gruesome art. A mass of victims fastened to the wall, skinned and tortured, and their broken limbs twisted into patterns as if forming glyphs of some forgotten language. A shelf of leather-bound tomes adorned one of the side walls and the ceiling was punctured with many small holes. In the centre of the cellar stood a suit of armour, manufactured not of steel, but what looked like porcelain. Regarding it closely, we could see alternately the faces of the king and our own loved ones reflected in it. We hear faint moaning from within the suit and we see blood seeping out from the bottom as if a man was trapped within. Seeing this, Pressi collapsed in horror.

Trapped in the cellar with an unhappy vampire
A mist of vapour began to seep into the cellar through the holes in the ceiling. Babin, breathing a lungful of vapour, doubles up and enters a coughing fit. The vapour coalesces, taking the form of le Comte Fenalik. Clearly, he’s not pleased to see us.

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Awesome writeups once again, you have certainly earnt your reward

VI THE SHORT VERSION

Sunday 14th June 1789
The rumble in the cellar
The smashing of the Simulacrum
Fenalik’s limbs snap into impossible angles and he’s bent in two
Malon arrives: “Arrest the Count!”
Seize everything and burn the house.
Fenalik is a noble – cannot be sentenced to death.
Incarcerate him indefinitely at Charenton Asylum as a lunatic.

Wednesday 17th June 1789
The National Assembly gathers
We deny them entry to Le Salle des États.
Pressi, Hugel and Beaumains join the people
The seeds of revolution are sown

Tuesday 14th July 1789
The storming of the Bastille
Renault, Babin and Dupois stand guard
Pressi, Hugel and Beaumains are among the mob
Joseph’s great reveal moment

1789-1793
Down with the monarchy. Off with the king’s head.
Up the revolution. The First Republic is declared.
The rise of Maximillien Robespierre
The Reign of Terror begins


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Duplicate post.

VI THE LONG VERSION

Sunday 14th June 1789

The rumble in the cellar
Fenalik moves so quickly his motion is a blur. He rakes at Beaumains’ neck with his talon-like hands, tearing away flesh in an arc of blood. Dupios recoils at the horrifying sight “Bummer!” he exclaims. The sound of discharged firearms is almost deafening in the small cellar and acrid gunsmoke fills the air. Babin’s pistol explodes, backfiring in his own face, searing his skin and ripping away the end of his nose. Lead shot rips through the monster at close range. Fenalik seems unphased, though after the Count looks down at the fresh holes in his coat, Renault hears a wicked voice inside his head: “Do you know how much this coat cost me in Venice?” Dupois fires a shot that pierces the Count’s face—ripping through one cheek and exiting through the other. However, the vampire’s flesh wounds heal almost instantly. An iniquitous smile curling on the monster’s face is countered by an audible groan emitted from the seven feet tall porcelain-like statue at the centre of the cellar.

Fenalik the eunuch
Fenalik sneers and leaps to the attack, sinking his fangs deep into Dupois’ neck. Dupois goes limp and his body tremors uncontrollably as his life’s blood is drained. Beaumains thrusts his bayonet through the beast and Pressi, having recovered his composure, shoots from prone a garlic-smeared lead shot from his pistol that rips away the vampire’s genitals. Fenalik instantly gives out a blood-curdling screech of pain and anguish. The statue too groaned in simulated agony. Released from the vampire’s grip, Dupois’ limp form slumped to the ground. Fenalik becomes pure rage. “Ooh, bite me”, taunts Pressi in sarcastic tone, “I’m scared”.

Shape-shifter
Fenalik needs no further encouragement. He leaps through the air and his form shifts to that of a great dire wolf; bringing death from above down upon Christophe Pressi. Pressi deftly rolls away to one side to avoid the bite of the beast. Joseph, seizing the opportunity, covers the hind quarters of the wolf in his share of the powder gifted us from Dr Rigaut. The wolf yelps in pain. The statue groans and emits a dull red glow. Renault, taking his initiative from Joseph’s bold action, urinates on his sword and coats the wet blade in more of the powder.

We have a plan
Babin swings his sapper’s axe at the porcelain statue. He literally hits barn doors for a living. He cannot miss. A glancing blow though barely scratches the statue but the dire wolf flinches and reverts to humanoid form. Pressi taunts Fenalik once more, “You dance like a cockless chicken!!!” Fenalik, still enraged, claws at Pressi’s face. Pressi is left horrifically disfigured. His face is mangled and an eye dangles from its socket. “Destroy the statue,” orders Renault, “I’ll hold off the beast!” Several concerted blows rain down on the statue. The arms, the head and then a leg are separated from it with mighty blows of axe and musket stocks. With each blow Fenalik’s limbs snatch and twist in involuntary movement.

Oooh. That’s gotta hurt.
Renault slips the powdered blade of his urine-splashed sword between Fenalik’s ribs and thrusts upward toward the heart. At the same moment, with its head and limbs scattered, what’s left of the statue crashes to the ground. Now, Fenalik’s legs and arms snap at impossible angles, his head twists violently and he bends backward as if being forcibly folded in half. The creature’s screams are both deafening and terrifying.

The captain arrives
Suddenly, Captain Malon appears behind us at the head of a small knot of armed soldiers. He bellows at us: “Arrest the Count!” Fenalik, hisses and snarls aggressively but is unable to untangle himself from the contorted shape he has been bent into. He is unceremoniously carted away. “What should I do with this?” enquired Babin, holding up the severed penis of the vampire he’d just retrieved from the cellar floor. He received no reply. Malon instructed his men to seize everything from the cellar. Everything except the tortured bodies of the poor unfortunates—the victims of the Count’s sadistic whims. Malon continued, “Seal the cellar. Let this be their tomb.”

Bonfire night
Back upstairs, after the entire household had been arrested for their duplicity, and the rooms stripped of all items of evidence or value, Malon ordered us to put the mansion to the torch. Standing in the landscaped gardens of the estate, we watch the house burn. Glowing embers rose into the night sky. Behind us we could hear the screams of le Comte Fenalik as he was carted away in chains. The creature screamed and screamed until its voice was broken. Its continued screeching was reduced to nothing more than a hoarse whisper…and then silence.

The Fate of le Comte Fenalik
Considering the fate of the Count, Malon concurred with Doctor Rigaut that, as a noble, Fenalik could not be sentenced to death for his delinquency. Instead Rigaut pronounced Fenalik to be insane and an order of condemnation was passed that the Count should be incarcerated indefinitely at the Charenton Asylum in Paris as a dangerous lunatic.


Monday 15th June 1789

Disfigurements
Pressi received the best medical care that France could provide for one of its heroes. On a dark night, a very dark night with no moon, you’d barely notice the extensive facial scaring or the wonky eye that had been forced back into its socket. In contrast, Babin refused the physician’s knife and remedied his own facial disfigurement with the application of a fetching steel nosepiece tied in place with a leather thong. Beaumains decided upon a simple high collar to hide the terrible laceration scars to his neck. Dupois opted for a bottle of brandy and simply chose to ignore the continuous stares he attracted due to the mess the vampire’s bite had made of his throat.

National Assembly
The king and queen had returned to Versailles but remained withdrawn from politics as they continued to mourn the Dauphin. Malon, stationed at the palace as part of the royal guard, summoned us to meet him. He informs us that there is a contemptuous threat growing in France. The National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) is due to convene at the stately hall of Le Salle des États (The Room of States). Beginning on 17th June the gathering of the Assembly is due to last for several days. The Assembly represents the so-called third estate, and talk of treacherous revolution is in the air. By royal decree we are ordered to close the hall and prevent the Assembly from meeting.

A schism in the ranks
After being dismissed from Malon’s presence, we discuss the news and question our orders. The discussion becomes heated. Renault, Dupois and Babin are loyal to the king, but Pressi and Joseph express their dissent. Pressi argues that it is because he is an aristocrat that Fenalik escaped justice and the guillotine; “Down with the aristocracy!” he declares. Joseph is quick to express how he despises the monarchy and is for revolution. Beaumains attempts to stand aside from the argument, but in not confirming his loyalty to the crown, he is cast in the die of a traitor by Serjant Renault who strips the dissenters of their corporal’s stripes.

Wednesday 17th June 1789

The crowds gather
Today will be an auspicious day in the history of France. Babin rises and makes ready to leave the garrison to do his duty. He taps his lucky jar—the glass jar in which he keeps a vampire’s shrivelled penis, and heads for morning roll call. We head out for our detail, guarding the doors to Le Salle des États. A crowd gathers and pushes forward but we stand firm. Among the crowd we saw none other than Dr Rigaut. He has betrayed his position. Emboldened, Christophe Pressi, Joseph Hugel and Michel Beaumains abandoned their posts and joined the people. The seeds of revolution are everywhere.

The Tennis Court Oath
The throng, having been barred from entering the hall, moved to another venue—the Tennis Court. Here the National Assembly gathered and swore the Tennis Court Oath. They would not be stopped. They would continue to press for their political aims; a new constitution built on democracy. This was a direct threat to the power of the Ancien Regime. The monarchy would never allow it. The Assembly continued until 9th July, unceasing in the assertion of its demands. Revolution was unavoidable.


Tuesday 14th July 1789

The storming of the Bastille
On the morning of 14th July, Renault, Babin and Dupois were posted to the Bastille with the Gardes Françaises and the Swiss Guard. Today, a thousand revolutionary insurgents would storm the fortress in search of gunpowder and arms. As the mob surged forward, the guards, ourselves included, were reluctant to open fire on the citizenry. Babin, on duty, came face-to-face with Beaumains who was part of the mob. Both men levelled cocked pistols and threatened the other to lay down their weapon. Boom! Babin pulled the trigger first and Beaumains was felled. The oncoming crowd enveloped his prostrate form. In similar dilemmas, Pressi tussled with Serjant Renault on the steps of the fortress, each attempted to discharge their shot into the other’s gut; while Dupois faced off with Joseph. Dupois was prevented from shooting by Joseph’s quick-thinking. In a bid to avoid bloodshed, he ripped open his chemise to reveal a delightful female form. Dupois sank to his knees, “Mon Dieu,” he exclaimed, “Joseph is a girl.” Did Joseph’s brazen moment of bare-breasted revolutionary bravado inspire one of the most famous paintings in French revolutionary history? Eventually, the crowd swallowed up the garrison and the tricolour flag was unfurled above the battlements of the Bastille.

Aftermath
With the surrender of the Bastille, the governor handed over the keys to the arsenal and promptly had his head stuck on a pike. The rest of the soldiery got off lightly in comparison. Babin, stripped of his uniform, sought out Beaumains amongst the crowd. Feeling guilty about shooting him a few hours earlier, he took the injured man back to his father’s home to recover. Both Pressi and Renault survived their mutual wounds too. Nobody is sure what happened to Dupois and Joseph in the immediate aftermath of the surrender, but rumour has it they were seen out on a date.

The Republic
In August 1789, the National Assembly signalled its new constitution and issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of The Citizen. In October 1789 the king and queen were formally placed under house arrest—virtual prisoners. In 1791 the king would attempt to escape but failed and was brought back to Paris. In 1792 the king was tried and found guilty of treason. The monarchy was abolished. The First Republic is declared. On 21st January 1793, King Louis XVI met his end. Louis the Last, as he was styled by the revolutionaries, was guillotined. The crowned nations of Europe were outraged and France faced war on several fronts. Later this year, due to her being the focus of foreign plotting against the newly established republic, Marie Antoinette was condemned by the Committee of Public Safety and on 17th October 1793, followed her husband to the guillotine. The principal member of the Committee was Maximillien Francois Marie Isidore de Robespierre, and with his rise to prominence the Reign of Terror had begun.

Jim is unfortunately unable to make it to the club tonight