The Wrath of Cerberus - Ch 2
Quentin found himself following Mr. Best down a dark corridor. A door opened before them and through the door he saw what appeared to be the ornately decorated lobby of a hotel. The two men entered the "lobby" and the door shut firmly behind them. Quentin glanced uneasily at the firmly shut door, then glanced around curiously. He noted all the details: the palm trees, classical statuary, solid oak furniture and velvet curtains A bellboy was at the desk, writing in a large register. Best nodded at the man, who disappeared.
"Well, how do you like it?"
"Where is she?" Quentin interrupted.
"Charming, isn't it? Not what you expected?" Mr. Best continued blandly, as if Quentin had never spoken.
"Am I going to have to stay here?
"Unless you can get out, Mr. Collins." Quentin rushed over and tried the door they had just entered through. It was as firmly shut as it had sounded. The doorknob clicked as he rotated it, but the door would not open.
"No dragons, no guards. The door simply will not open for anyone but me."
Quentin stalked back over to Mr. Best, his entire body tense. He was barely restraining himself from strangling the man.
"You said that you would bring her here so I could take her away," he spat out through clenched teeth.
"You really aren't thinking of yourself, are you? I like that.
"Look, over there," Best gestured across the "lobby" to an imposing looking iron door, partially shielded by thick velvet curtains. The door seemed oddly out of place in the modern Victorian setting of the room, seeming more appropriate to a medieval prison.
Quentin walked toward the door, with Mr. Best following closely behind him. He reached for the knob and turned it. The door opened with a piercing squeal. Lightning flashed, wind howled, and Quentin saw flashes of incredible, horrifying shapes.
"THAT is the way out," Mr. Best confirmed.
Quentin continued to stare out the door, his expression an odd mix of horror, dread and a curious fascination. He swallowed hard, cold with terror at what he believed he'd seen beyond the door. He was barely aware of the fact that Best was still speaking.
"Seldom used, but my life is generally quite dull. Every now and then I like to amuse myself by giving someone who impresses me a chance to escape. It takes courage - you have that. It also takes cunning -that remains to be seen."
"What's out there?" Quentin's expression betrayed his dread as he stared at Best, awaiting an answer. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to hear the answer or not.
"You'll have to find that out - won't you? IF you want to leave."
Quentin's head swiveled sharply toward Best. "If I want to leave?" He parroted, his eyes furious.
"You and Miss Chavez."
"It's a trap!"
Best laughed. "No, it's not ONE trap. It's MANY traps. Many. My dear fellow, I'd be a FOOL if it weren't true.
"Do you still want to try?"
"With Beth, yes!! Or accept my original offer and send her back safely with you."
"Good." Best swung the door shut behind him and they walked over to the reception desk. "Before she comes," Best reached down and rang the bell on the desk," may I give you one word of advise?"
Quentin stared challengingly at Best, who continued. "Remember what I said earlier. If you touch her, if she touches you, she will be lost to you forever.
Something about this didn't sound right to Quentin. "What happened to 'winner take all'?"
"That IS our arrangement," Best smiled slightly. "Mr. Collins, were you assuming that you and Miss Chavez have - how shall I put this - the same ultimate destination?"
Quentin now realized that being "together in death" might not after all be the same thing as being "together after death".
"If both of you reach the outside world; and you can, though you think not. But if you do, you will be together - alive - and you can stay with her for the rest of her natural lifespan. Assuming of course that you are willing to do so."
"But if you touch her, you are both lost. And if you lose your way, again, you will both be lost - through eternity. Do you understand?"
"YES!" Quentin replied emphatically.
Mr. Best gestured toward two candlesticks which had just appeared on the desk. "There are two candles. Your only weapons." He continued, as if to himself, "Sometimes I think I'm too compassionate. But that's the way I am.
"Good Luck, Mr. Collins."
Quentin watched Best leave through the first door, then picked up a candlestick in each hand. He walked back toward the door to -- whatever - and opened it. Once again he stared out into the unknown, trying to brace himself for the task ahead. He MUST NOT fail! "We must not touch," he repeated softly to himself, over and over.
Quentin found himself following Mr. Best down a dark corridor. A door opened before them and through the door he saw what appeared to be the ornately decorated lobby of a hotel. The two men entered the "lobby" and the door shut firmly behind them. Quentin glanced uneasily at the firmly shut door, then glanced around curiously. He noted all the details: the palm trees, classical statuary, solid oak furniture and velvet curtains A bellboy was at the desk, writing in a large register. Best nodded at the man, who disappeared.
"Well, how do you like it?"
"Where is she?" Quentin interrupted.
"Charming, isn't it? Not what you expected?" Mr. Best continued blandly, as if Quentin had never spoken.
"Am I going to have to stay here?
"Unless you can get out, Mr. Collins." Quentin rushed over and tried the door they had just entered through. It was as firmly shut as it had sounded. The doorknob clicked as he rotated it, but the door would not open.
"No dragons, no guards. The door simply will not open for anyone but me."
Quentin stalked back over to Mr. Best, his entire body tense. He was barely restraining himself from strangling the man.
"You said that you would bring her here so I could take her away," he spat out through clenched teeth.
"You really aren't thinking of yourself, are you? I like that.
"Look, over there," Best gestured across the "lobby" to an imposing looking iron door, partially shielded by thick velvet curtains. The door seemed oddly out of place in the modern Victorian setting of the room, seeming more appropriate to a medieval prison.
Quentin walked toward the door, with Mr. Best following closely behind him. He reached for the knob and turned it. The door opened with a piercing squeal. Lightning flashed, wind howled, and Quentin saw flashes of incredible, horrifying shapes.
"THAT is the way out," Mr. Best confirmed.
Quentin continued to stare out the door, his expression an odd mix of horror, dread and a curious fascination. He swallowed hard, cold with terror at what he believed he'd seen beyond the door. He was barely aware of the fact that Best was still speaking.
"Seldom used, but my life is generally quite dull. Every now and then I like to amuse myself by giving someone who impresses me a chance to escape. It takes courage - you have that. It also takes cunning -that remains to be seen."
"What's out there?" Quentin's expression betrayed his dread as he stared at Best, awaiting an answer. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to hear the answer or not.
"You'll have to find that out - won't you? IF you want to leave."
Quentin's head swiveled sharply toward Best. "If I want to leave?" He parroted, his eyes furious.
"You and Miss Chavez."
"It's a trap!"
Best laughed. "No, it's not ONE trap. It's MANY traps. Many. My dear fellow, I'd be a FOOL if it weren't true.
"Do you still want to try?"
"With Beth, yes!! Or accept my original offer and send her back safely with you."
"Good." Best swung the door shut behind him and they walked over to the reception desk. "Before she comes," Best reached down and rang the bell on the desk," may I give you one word of advise?"
Quentin stared challengingly at Best, who continued. "Remember what I said earlier. If you touch her, if she touches you, she will be lost to you forever.
Something about this didn't sound right to Quentin. "What happened to 'winner take all'?"
"That IS our arrangement," Best smiled slightly. "Mr. Collins, were you assuming that you and Miss Chavez have - how shall I put this - the same ultimate destination?"
Quentin now realized that being "together in death" might not after all be the same thing as being "together after death".
"If both of you reach the outside world; and you can, though you think not. But if you do, you will be together - alive - and you can stay with her for the rest of her natural lifespan. Assuming of course that you are willing to do so."
"But if you touch her, you are both lost. And if you lose your way, again, you will both be lost - through eternity. Do you understand?"
"YES!" Quentin replied emphatically.
Mr. Best gestured toward two candlesticks which had just appeared on the desk. "There are two candles. Your only weapons." He continued, as if to himself, "Sometimes I think I'm too compassionate. But that's the way I am.
"Good Luck, Mr. Collins."
Quentin watched Best leave through the first door, then picked up a candlestick in each hand. He walked back toward the door to -- whatever - and opened it. Once again he stared out into the unknown, trying to brace himself for the task ahead. He MUST NOT fail! "We must not touch," he repeated softly to himself, over and over.
