ME BRING CHAPTER. ME TIRED. ME NEED SLEEP. ANGRY CAVEMAN NEED MANWICH. ME MAKE CHILLI NOW. Chapter 21. -damon
Death laid quietly in bed. It had gotten considerably dark outside, and he hasn't seen Catherine since that afternoon. He was becoming a bit worried. After another moment of waiting, he carefully got up from bed, trying not to move his shoulder, and strolled towards the door. He pulled it open, and stepped into the hallway. He slowly made his way downstairs. A hand full of people were sitting to their late night dinner as the owner sat lazily behind the counter of the check-out table, scribbling at a few forms. When he entered, everyone seemed to go quiet, some even left to turn in for the night. Death stalked towards the check-out counter, not getting the owner's attention until he spoke.
"Ecuse me." Spoke Death.
The owner jumped a bit in his seat out of surprise, then looked up at his recent customer, who was very, very tall. 'Good god, his heads just under a foot from reaching the ceiling' thought the owner.
"Oh, uh. Eh-hem. Pardon me, I .. Didn't see you there. 'How could you miss him?' Retorted his thoughts. He tried not to grin, being rude to his paying customer as 'Bill' continued.
"Have you seen the woman who was accompanying me here?"
The owner placed his glasses on, and skimmed through the check-in book until he found what he needed. "Ah! You mean miss Catherine Dailgate? Yes, a feisty girl. She left after getting into an argument with that student graduate who lead that search party here. She left some time ago im afraid. Not sure where she went." Shrugged the owner.
Death stood there In thought for a moment, then turned away. "Thank you. You have been helpful.." Said Death, deep in thought.
"Your welcome!" Said the owner cheerfully as Death ascended the stairs once more.
Death stalked quickly towards Jame's room, then knocked slow and loudly against the door, which made a cracking sound on the last knock. He had hoped to get some information from that boy, but instead, was greeted by a man who was sharing the room with James, who was from the search party. He was angry, having just been awoken.
"Of all things good and sane, this better be important or I will have your hea-!" He stopped short as death stared at him in his towering form.
The man gulped. "Y-yes? H-h-how may I help you?"
"I am looking for James Felonious." Replied death.
"O-oh, you just missed him.. He was rambling off about short people threatening him in cloaks, and ran out of the room like a mad man."
"Short people? Did he happen to mention what.. They where?" Asked Death.
The man raised a brow at him as if he was crazy, and thought for a moment.
"I don't think so, but he did mention something about auditors.." Said the man.
Death stiffened at the word, and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time, and rushed towards the check-out table.
"I need a horse immediately. I don't care where, I don't care who, I need it now." Demanded Death.
The owner nodded, and picked up his telephone, talking to someone on the other end. He furrowed his brows, and said his goodbyes grimly.
"Well, it seems we have no horses, except a stray stallion my men found roaming the streets, but no one could get near it."
"I'll take it." Answered Death as he dropped a sack of gold in front of the owner, and stalked out towards the stalls. He passed several empty stands until he passed one what snorted at him. Death looked over the pale horse as it stared back at him. Death placed a hand over its nose. The horse didn't stray away from his hand, instead, leaned towards it as it snorted again.
"Binky.." Muttered Death.
He then swung the gate open, and quickly threw a saddle upon his trusty steed, mounting, and ridding off on a swirl of clouds.
. . .
Catherine awoke, finding herself tied up and sitting in a cold dark room. She looked franticly around at her surroundings, straining her ears to hear anything, any signs or clues to where she was, and how she had gotten here. All she heard was the sound of dripping water that echoed off the walls of her confinements. She tested her bonding around her wrists. She could just move them enough so that her wrists could twist around, but unable to slip free. She tried to get up to feel for an object, anything to get the ropes off, but when she moved her right leg, the sound of jiggling metal followed, then restrained her foot before she could draw it towards her body. She was chained to her spot. Catherine huffed in frustration. Yet again, she had found herself in a bad situation. She sat quietly, thinking up a plan on what she should do next. She thought of pouncing her kidnapper, or pretending she was still knocked out and attack at the most opportune time, or, when she can see, secretly free herself of her bonding and sneak out when no one's looking. All of them sounded great, but she needed to know who exactly she was dealing with..
She spoke to soon as the door swung open, making a loud creeking sound. Light flooded into her room. She squinted, trying to make her eyes adjust to the new lighting as she tried to make out the person walking towards her.
"Finally up, I see." Spoke her kid-napper.
"…James? Is that you?"
Replied Catherine, a bit shocked. He was a mess. Hair stuck out at every direction, and shirt part way unbutton, and his bow hung loosely around his neck, undone. He was shaking a bit. He looked spooked.
"Wha- Where are am I? Whats going on? Why am I tied up!" she demanded as she struggled against her bonding's.
James was now about two feet away from her as he stared un-passively at her.
"Trust me, im doing the both of us a favor."
Catherine glared up at him as she tried to move further back, keeping her distance from him. She had to be cautious. What could be his motive? Could she have struck a nerve when they were fighting?
"James, let me go."
He chuckled lightly, almost hysterical.
"I.. Can't do that. They will punish me." He said shakingly as he ran a hand through his hair.
"W-who?" she asked.
He snapped his gaze back to her. "You know that "friend' of yours? He isn't what he seems."
Catherine's heart sped up. 'Does he know? No, how could it be?' She thought, but she didn't want to give anything away, so she pressed on.
"What… What do you mean.." She replied.
"He's Death. Death! The robe, the scythe, the horse.. " He started laughing nerviously. "You think im crazy.. don't you.." He said in a low tone that made her edgy as he took a step closer.
"James.. Untie me right now."
"Oh.. no, no, no, no... No, my dear, I can't do that. They will end my exsistance. I have to do what they say. Oh no, you mustn't go anywhere.. "
"Who? Who is telling you to do this?" Demanded Catherine.
"The voices… these things, the auditors of reality. They control everything. They told me. If I don't do what they say, they will terminate me.." He said shakingly, breaking into sweat.
"What are they planning, James.. Whats going on.."
James dropped to his hands and knees, and crawled closer to her, their face just under an inch apart.
"We… Wait." He said simply, grinning, which made Catherine cringe back away from him.
He then rolled back and sat on his behind across from her, laughing nerviously again as he continued.
"We wait.. until he comes and gets the girl.. Then… We will get rid of them both.." As he spoke, his voice kind of droned, almost echo. Catherine was frightened. They were plotting against Death, using her as bait.
. . .
Death carfully dismounted onto thin air, as he stalked towards the plain white building that just existed in thin air. He entered the building as a few short translucent figures walked passed him, shuffling around with paper spilling out of their arms. One stood in front of him, stopping him in his path.
You should not be here. He stated plainly.
Death just walked through him, and continued on as all the minor auditors he passed stopped and stared after him. he found a heavy oak door, and pushed it open. To his surprise, the elder auditors where not present. This only confirmed what he dreaded. They had taken Catherine.
Death quickly mounted Binky, and set off to death country. When he arrived, he found his home completely trashed. Albert had really let the place go, seeing that Death had not return, and finding out he was charged with the death sentence. Albert just stared at Death blankly as he stalked around the house in search of his scythe and sword. He couldn't comprehend the fact the Death was now mortal for the time being. Albert nearly attacked his master with a frying pan until he heard that all too familiar voice. Death searched around until he found his scythe in his office, and his sword in his umbrella stand.
He left in no time at all, mounting back onto Binky, and rode off once again, ripping a hole into reality, and searching through time and space for any clues to their whereabouts. He had spotted one of the auditors, and trailed it, keeping a good distance. He watched as it entered the great hall of trials, where they had sentenced him to death. Death didn't dare enter, as he would be caught, so he hid until the entrance was clear, and slipped in without anyone noticing. He hid behind some stacks of paperwork until another auditor floated pass him. he followed it closely. He was nearly caught several times as the auditor would look back to see if it was being followed. Finally, it had reach its destination as it looked cautiously down the halls, and slipped a key into one of the holding compartments, slipping in quietly. Death quickly made his way to the the door, and slowly peeked inside. He saw Catherine, chained to the floor with her wrists tied behind her back, two auditors, and James. Death glared at James. Oh how he hated the boy. Everyone turned to look at him as he slipped in, eclipsing what little light came through the doorway. Catherine looked up at him with worry in her eyes.
"Death!" She gasped as he was about 4 feet away.
He looked them over, then something occurred to him. Where was the third auditor?
The door was slammed shut as he looked back, getting a brief glimpse of the third auditor as he locked them in.
"Kill them." Ordered one of the auditors as both of them hovered back against the wall, keeping out of the way.
Death turned to the sound of a revolver being loaded, then followed by sadistic breathing as a loud gunshot echoed throughout the dark room..
. . .
Catherine shrieked at the loud gunshot hurt her sensitive ears, but most of all, filling her with dread as tears welled up in her eyes. All that followed was dead silence as James breathed in a shaky manner, and started to laugh like a maniac. She heard a clank as the revolver fell to the ground. Catherine stared in dis-belief in the direction she had last seen Death. She tried to move towards him, and reached out with her foot. She felt a soft material as it made contact with her toes. She chocked back a sob as she drew her leg back. 'He was still in the same position… he didn't dodge the bullet.' That was all that ran through her head as she choked back another sob, letting out a gasp. She started crying softly. Then, james stopped laughing as he breathed heavily.
"Oh Catherine!" he called out enthusiastically. Catherine yelped as she was grabbed roughly by the hair by a crazy James as he shouted "I found you! I got you!" In a sadistic melody. Catherine placed her hands over his, trying to pry her hair from his grasp.
Enough of this, terminate her now. Called out one of the auditors.
The third auditor, who was waiting outside the door, unlocked the cell, understanding that the main threat, Death, had been dealt with. As he swung the door open, Catherine watched in fear as James picked up the revolver and loaded it once more, pressing it to her temple.
"Heh..Hehehehehhh…Hhany last words my dear?" Asked James as he continued laughing madly.
What is the meaning of this. Where is his body. Spoke out one of the auditors.
That's when Catherine turned her head enough to look where she thought Death's body should be laying. There was nothing, but his cape. Then she heard a humming sound, like when someone plays the whine glass by running their figer around the rim. Everyone turned to the source of the sound, finding an eerie blue outline of a scythe, and two glowing orbs. Then, the scythe was swung, hitting James on the back of the head with the hilt, knocking him out. Stepping out from the darkness, was no one other then Death. He gripped his scythe firmly, making an echoing crack as his skin broke away into dust, leaving only his skeletal form. Along with the process, his clothes became tattered. his vest was torn like rib-cages, as they exposed his actual ribs, and his cheapux was tattered, and exposed his spine. This would all have been intimidating, except for the fact that his trousers fell down.