Sometime Around Midnight

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Sometime Around Midnight

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Tairais

Tairais

@Amuulzhaan 2 years ago

(( Right so Magnet and I were joking around and this is the result of it. Anyone is more than welcome to interact, but just keep a few things in mind:

1) Richard is a cannibal (surprise if you didn't know!) The food is people. If you want your character to continue enjoying Richard's presence as best as possible, this is not the thread for you ^^" Allow your poor Lodger to sleep this night away.

2) If point 1 didn't deter you, be prepared for bodily harm to come to your characters if Richard deems them a suitable threat. He and I won't stoop to outright killing (unless your character is particularly foolish and you're all right with them dying for some reason), but knocking them unconscious and using drugs to screw with their memory of the event isn't out of the question.

3) If you're just gonna be reading, be prepared for the aforementioned violence and cannibalism ^^"

Otherwise, enjoy!..? ))

He really needed to set up a workshop that was in a location other than the Society. It was terribly foolish to continue processing parts of his kills there, and while the riskiness of it gave him no small amount of thrilling amusement, the potential for someone... inconvenient to witness his activities was great.

At any rate, it was too late to act upon those passing thoughts of his. He would look into buying property elsewhere in fair London later.

For the present moment, he had a spot of butchering to attend to.

The lungs of this formerly arrogant and rude chimney sweep were out of the question, no doubt due to all the smoke he'd inhaled over the course of his (brisk) career. That being said, a busy lifetime of clambering over rooftops and pressing himself into chimneys left Richard with several lean and less smokey cuts of meat that were actually suited to his purposes.

Take the leg on the butcher's block, for example. A swipe of the cleaver, the dull thunk of the foot hitting the ground, and he was well on his way to creating his own sort of Boeuf Bourguignon.

So was it that when he took the carving knife to the lump of flesh before him, he wasn't entirely aware of his surroundings. It was late enough that he knew most, if not all of the Lodgers would be asleep- either in the building itself, or in their respective residencies around the city.

Shhnck, shhnck, shhnck.

Such a lovely sound, that.

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Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

((Bodily harm and mind-altering drugs, let's do this! >:D))

Hela hummed a quiet sort of tune that barely reached her own ears as she walked the hallways, headed for the kitchen with one hand in her pocket to stroke her companion for the trip, Lepus the rabbit.

After nightfall had always been her favorite time in the Society-- far easier to move about without having to run into any other Lodgers-- and tonight, she had decided to take advantage of the quiet and snag her and her pet a snack.

Down a few flights of stairs, and Hela barely had time to wonder at who had left the lights on in the kitchen when she came face to face with Richard, chopping away at a hunk of flesh and bone with a cleaver.

"Is that... a human leg?" She asked, gawking at the sight.

Oddly enough, there wasn't an ounce of horror in her voice, only confusion.

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

(( Hela no, Lewis'll kill me XD ))

Richard gave no external sign of hesitation or hostility and continued his work, half-tempted to start humming himself.

"I should hope so, else I would appear to have made a grave error in judgement."

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago

((RIP Richard, 2/3/2018))

"Wh-- Well, what the bloodly Hell is it doing here? This is a kitchen, not Frankenstein's labs!"

Rather than back away, she took several steps forward, trying to get a better grasp of the situation.

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

"I aim to make a meal of it, as one does in a kitchen. Frankenstein's labs are some distance away, if I recall correctly."

A wry smile, the grin of a knife.

Shhnck, shhnck, shhnck.

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago

"You're... going to eat a leg..."

Hela blinked, then seemed to shrug it off, finding a spot on the counter to sit and observe.

"Y'know, there's plenty of stuff in the pantry, you didn't have to go off and mutilate a guy..."

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

"As well as his kidneys, his liver, certain parts of his torso, and much of his arms as well. His lungs are, unfortunately, impossible to scavenge."

Shhnck, shhnck, shhnck.

He chuckled.

"As for the pantry, I am well aware. It just so happens that I am particularly careful about what I put into my own body. I prefer to prepare my meals myself, as you see."

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago

"But why... human...?" She wrinkled her nose at the thought, "They're all disgusting, and a great lot of them in this time period probably haven't even heard of the word 'sanitation'. You never know where they've been or what godawful thing they've been putting into their bodies."

Her legs crossed on the cool surface, she drew her pet from her pants pocket, resting the rabbit in her lap and scratching lightly at his ears.

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

"Consider it a habit I have been unable to break. As for the cleanliness of the meat, I take great care in cleaning and preparing all of my kills for that precise reason."

He hummed thoughtfully.

"You are, of course, correct in that they are disgusting. Human beings are little better than pigs in that regard."

He'd not been anticipating conversation when he'd heard footsteps. It was a refreshingly interesting outcome. He'd hate to have to do something drastic while at his place of rest.

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Then, you actually do this regularly," observed Hela, blinking at him again.

"This isn't some midnight craving, you actually go out and bring people here to eat."

She shook her head with a light chuckle.

"How do you pull that off? How the devil have you not been caught?"

The questions came with what could only be a touch of awe--He'd done what she never could, it impressed her.

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

"On occasion, yes. I had not anticipated staying here long enough to deem purchasing a more secure location. A shortsightedness I hope to correct soon, rest assured."

Richard caught Hela's gaze with a mischievous twinkle that somehow managed to manifest in both eyes.

"I am exceedingly careful, tonight notwithstanding. I was dreadfully bored, you must understand, and so felt like tempting consequence."

He shrugged with the knife in his hand, as if to say 'and so here we are. What is to be done about that?'.

The smile still on his face, he returned to his task, about halfway through the leg at this point. Perhaps he'd make prosciutto out of some of the better cuts- could he find dates in London at this time? Likely not, but he could always see if Charricthran would be willing...

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Heh, the one time you falter in all the precautions, and of course someone catches you..."

"Y'know, you're quite lucky I'm not like the other Lodgers-- I bet most of them would've gone running for the police."

A sudden flash of realization, sparking a roguish grin.

"In fact, I still could, if the mood struck me... They patrol at night, don't they? A little jog outside and I'd just have lead one in... Men always want to help out poor, hysterical women, they think they'll get a favor out of it."

Slipping her bunny back into her pocket, she appeared endlessly pleased with herself for having thought up all of that.

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

He'd wondered how long it'd take her to get to that. She was more clever than most, certainly.

"You could, certainly. However, I would hate to have to do something rash that could ruin a potentially interesting friendship. For one thing, you are correct, you are not like the other Lodgers. As for another, you would have to leave in order to guide one of London's finest my way, and in that time I assure you, I could cover my tracks quite well."

He flashed her a roguish smile that was just a little too sharp to be comfortable.

"As I said, I would be rather remiss if I had to do such a thing as that."

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

Clever as she may be, she hadn't seemed to have picked up on his veiled warning.

"I'm afraid I don't do friendship, though hanging around you more would certainly be... interesting..."

Hela quirked her head, puzzling over the problem presented to her.

"I'll admit, I hadn't thought you could clean up in time, slow as the officers may be... Hm..."

Not like the other Lodgers... have to leave...

"Ah, of course! I could just call for help, then. Scream 'murder!' with all the air in my lungs, let the Lodgers come running..."

Her eyes practically glowed with eagerness.

"They could ensure you don't clean up your mess."

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

Having finished his task, Richard set the carving knife down and stretched his arms out in front of him. The gesture was a habitual mask- his arms had nothing that needing stretching anymore.

Except, perhaps, the springs within.

"You could, yes, if you felt like putting more faith in their distance than in my own."

He produced a bundle of wax-paper from within a leather bag testing against the block and began to wrap the individual cuts of meat.

Crrrink, crrink, crrink.

"I do, however, believe that would be most foolish. You are, after all, only on the far side of this room we share."

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago

"More faith in their distance than your own...?" echoed Hela, not quite understanding, "What's my spot over here got to do with it?"

She watched him curiously as he worked, gaze lingering on his hands and the pieces of flesh they wrapped.

I wonder what human tastes like...

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

"Nothing, save for the comparative ease I will have in utilizing unsavory methods to ensure your prompt silence versus their arrival."

Crrrink, crrink, crrink.

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago

Hela's brain lagged a few moments behind, mentally replaying his words several times in her head.

'The comparative ease I will have in utilizing unsavory methods to ensure your prompt silence...'

"Oh! You're threatening me now, aren't you?" She realized with a laugh.

Strange as the wording had been, it wasn't something she was too unfamiliar with.

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

"Nothing so.. rude, I assure you. Merely stating the fact that the mathematics do not work in your favor. Were I a gambling man, I would bet elsewhere. As you very well see, though, my vice is not so much that."

He smiled wryly as she laughed. Each a wolf with teeth, each only playing at stalking for the time being.

It was nice to see his little gamble had played off in such an entertaining manner.

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago

"How polite of you," She chuckled and slid down from her seat on the counter, looking from him to the doorway, measuring the distance.

"Alright then, let's say you do manage to stop me before I call out... What then?" As she spoke, she backed towards the exit, grinning. "You can't get rid of me, people would notice I'm missing by morning, and you can't keep me around, as I could blab... Your only options are, what, blackmail? Bribery?"

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

Richard, for his part, looked as if he felt that he was doing Hela a favor by letting her back away.

For a moment, he hummed thoughtfully, but only for a moment.

Crrrink, crrk-

The last of his work was done.

He picked up his leather bag and began to place the wrapped cuts inside. A small almost-smile sliced its way onto his lips and stuck like a jagged blade.

"Oh, I dare to say I would be perfectly capable of jarring certain things loose in a number of physical or chemical means. Hypothetically speaking, of course."

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

Hela made an amused sound in the back of her throat.

"Oh, of course..."

Her gaze flickered to the bag and she took another step back.

Now or never.

"Well," She began with a grin, pivoting so her back was to Richard, "This has been loads of fun, but I really ought to get to bed. I tend to get testy if I don't have enough sleep... Enjoy your meal and well-wishes and all that."

Her hand dipped to the knife she kept at her waist as she walked towards the door, quietly drawing in a lungful of air in order to release a blood-curdling scream of 'MURDER!'.

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

There was a chuckle.

There was the sound of metal clasps clicking shut.

There was no blood, no remnants of any sort. He was not that sort of careless, he would not tempt consequence quite that much.

He heard Hela begin to draw breath and reacted accordingly.

The benefit to having limbs of his own design was that he was much lighter than he had been before. It was a simple matter to vault the butcher's block and dart across the few empty feet of space between them.

He placed a hand over her mouth, and the other in his pocket.

"I would think very carefully on what you choose to do next."

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago

Briefly, Hela stiffened, then the air she had inhaled escaped her in an easy laugh.

"You're faster than I thought," She giggled, tightening her grip on her knife.

Then, she sank her teeth into his glove that covered her mouth.

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

Richard no longer had the pseudo-neural network of his old arms, and thus felt none of the pain he might once have at the sudden attack.

(Unlike Hela, who had just bitten down on a (literal) fistful of metal.)

"Yes, that would be one of a few physical advantages, now... in addition to a certain apparent immunity toward being bitten."

This was said with a snaggle-toothed smirk, one assured of its control over the situation.

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago

Pain shot from her teeth into her jaw and she gave a startled cry, wincing as it continued to throb.

So much for speaking...

A trickle of unease slid down her spine and she shivered.

Alright, alright, what’s plan B?

She attempted to shift so she faced more towards him, going to unsheathe her knife with the full intent to cut Richard.

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago

It was easy enough to read Hela's shift in weight for the intent behind it. It was a simpler matter still, once she shifted towards him, to grab the syringe in his pocket and hold it to her neck.

"I do apologize for this, but as you said, people would notice if you went missing, and I cannot allow this particular secret to become well known. Perhaps our next meeting will be near calmer waters, hm?"

With that statement, he pushed the plunger and waited for the drugs to take effect. He knew little of what was in them, only that Charricthran had claimed it was 'like a bleedin' awful hangover in a tiny lil' glass thing.'

Granted, Charricthran didn't know that he'd overheard that particular conversation, so it wasn't as if he could ask the man, anyways.

No matter. He would not be taken from this place by any other means than his own will.

Never again.

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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago

Again, Hela went rigid at the contact, but no mirth escaped her this time, her breath catching in her throat.

Hell.

Richard's words fell in and out of focus.

Hell.

Panic seized control of her at the prick of the needle, driving away rational thought, spurring her already usually brisk heartbeat into a breakneck-gallop.

Bloodyhellonearth, no, notlikethis--

Her legs gave beneath her. She couldn't breathe, couldn't process the sheer, overwhelming terror.

Ican't, please, stop--

She needed to scream or fight or something, anything but she could never get enough air and her vision was growing dim.

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Tairais  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited

Richard caught Hela as she fell, and held her until her world became enshrouded in darkness. When at last she lay still and quietly breathing, he hefted her onto his shoulder. His knees creaked softly with the added weight, but held steady nonetheless.

For a moment, a flicker of something approaching sympathy and guilt twisted its way into his stomach- the panic in her eyes went beyond a fear of him, into a world he knew with being restrained, into a world filled with wires and tubes.

Still, he would not be taken from this place.

Time passed like smears of color and light against an autumn sky, dazed and oddly content. The split-second danger had passed into simmering quiet that lapped at the edges of his awareness.

He pressed her hands against a handful of empty bottles he found in the cellar, tipping a small measure of wine into her mouth as an afterthought. Leaving one of the bottles loosely in her hand, he turned on his heel and left with a quiet sort of flurrying.

A snarling sort of smirk clawed its way past his mask and ripped it off as he slipped out of the Society with his bag in hand.

He had some old friends to visit.

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chatterghosts • 2 years ago

There were several peculiarities when it came to Oliver and Elias. On some days, they snipped and barked at each other like the worst of foes. On a better day, they acted like a singular entity, moving and thinking as one.

This was one of the better days, as fate would have it. A strange, nervous feeling had snaked around Elias’ stomach—one cruelly painful change in the guard later, and Oliver was trying to settle the unease within him, seeking that in the comfort of the kitchen. His last nighttime visit there had brought a rather... odd new acquaintance, after all. Perhaps this one would bring something equally pleasant?

(He was wishfully thinking. Fate was not so kind.)

Finally arriving the doorway, his eyes took several seconds to adjust to the light— when they did, he wished he could have unseen it.

The dull sounds of knife on flesh met him first, quickly followed by the sight of the foot on the kitchen floor. His eyes drew slowly upward, growing more and more horrified with every passing moment.

He didn’t move, nor did he speak.

If Richard did not turn, he would bolt.

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Tairais  chatterghosts • 2 years ago

Quiet footsteps.

A pause.

...

Silence.

Whoever was near was either shocked into silence, or wise enough to choose it. It was rather unlikely they were any sort of charmed, really.

He weighed his options against pathways unseen. They could run and hide away, keeping the knowledge to themselves, they could do the same and share this with the authorities (and while he had no concerns about evidence or his reputation, the Society had enough problems without rumors of a cannibal running amok), they could confront him...

In the end, he flipped a coin, safely behind his mind's eye.

In the end, did the logistics and technicalities of that actually matter?

In the end, he didn't turn around. He wanted to see what would happen.

Shhnk, shhnk, shhnk.

The carving knife's smile gleamed with each hungry swipe downward.

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