-----Chapter 5: Dreams and Reveries-----
The bus rumbled on westward, towards the setting sun. About 100 iles west of the town formerly known as Pilum, the group stopped. Wolfwood leaves the wheel, and joins the rest of the group in the back. Bounty and Vash have taken up residence in the last seat, while Millie sits alone a few seats ahead. Wolfwood sits down to join Millie. No one talks, no one feels the need to. Vash sleeps, Bounty sits there. Millie, just stares out the window. Wolfwood places an arm around her, and she leans into the embrace. They say a silent prayer for their fallen comrade, and then drift off into a restless slumber. Dreams haunt the night, and as they have a way of doing, the dreams turned into nightmares, and the nightmares, were truly visions of hell.
-----Vash, Dream-----
The sun shines brightly on planet Gunsmoke. Birds chirp in the lush green trees. People walk down the streets mindful of their fellow man. Truly this is a world of Love and Peace. A man sits silently, smiling inside a elegent two story house on the outskirts of town. He smiles, for he knows that all is right in the world. In the next room a dark haired woman hums happily as she goes about some routine house work. All is well, and the house has the peaceful air, of total contentment.
Rem turns around and looks ar Vash, her mouth smiling, showing off her teeth.
Rem: "Vash, dear?"
Vash: "Yes, Rem"
Rem: "Could you come in here a second and help me?"
Vash: "Anything for you my love."
Vash gets up out of his chair and walks over to his beautiful wife. He thinks back to how he had found her in cryostasis a few years back, and smiles. He was overjoyed to see her again. He still is to this very day. And he is thankful for every chance he gets to see her radiant smile. Truly this was the perfect love to go with this eternal peace. Vash closes his eyes, and leans down to kiss his beautiful wife....
The world darkens imperceptibly.
Rem turns to meet his kiss, and all that is there, is a skeleton with hair. As Vash's lips touch her, the bone crumbles and turns to dust. Vash opens his eyes and looks down at the dust that was his wife. Before he has time to mourn , a low laugh is heard behind him. Vash turns around do see Legato Bluesummers alive and well. Outside the door, the entire city burned. In the distance a preacher in black was impaled upon the burning church's cross. A woman in a brown trench coat, lay crushed under a pile of rubble, from a fallen wall. Millie and Wolfwood, fallen victim to Legato.
A man comes walking towards them, through the smokey haze to the east, and another, darker figure comes walking through the smokey haze to the north. They draw nearer, and the shapes resolve into those of his two brothers, Haryusa and Knives. Guns raised, they stare down their brother.
Knives:" Join us Vash, together we can destroy the Human infestation."
Haryusa: "Yes! An unstoppable force, that the world shall come to fear!"
Knives: "We can make the world safe for us....and the rest of our kind."
Vash: "Knives, Haryusa......... You're right."
Haryusa: "Excellent. Come with us Vash. Together we shall bring about a new Eden for our kind."
Vash: "Yes, but First...."
Vash quickly turns around, his gun already leveled, a quick shot, and Legato returns to where he belongs, dead....and with only half his head intact. The body falls into a pool of its own blood, as Knives and Haryusa walk away laughing.
Vash: "Oh yeah, and brothers, one more thing...."
Knives and Haryusa turn around, to see that Vash's eyes have turned completely black. With his Gun arm, and his gun both raised, he takes both of them down.
Vash: "Sorry, brothers. There is only room for one of us....and you two ....just don't cut it."
Walking off into the smoke and flame, Vash pauses momentarily to crush Millie's skull beneath his boot.
Vash: "The Stampede.......is coming."
-----In the bus-----
Vash awakens with a start, to find a restless form beneath his head. Sitting up he looks at Bounty, a half smile plays on her face. Asleep, she seems so relaxed, the worries that plague her during the day seem washed away. He sits, and watches her sleep, glad to know that one such as her, can know some peace in this world.
-----Bounty,Dream-----
A one story Ranch style home sits surrounded on three sides by trees, sitting by the lake on the southern side. A man with spiky blonde hair sits with his son, fishing in the lake. A woman holds an infant girl in her arms. Gone are the leather pants and tanktop, replaced by a house dress and apron. Gina holds Elisabeth close, as she stares fondly at the men in her life. Vash and Corbin sit contentedly, staring off into the vast lake. Gina smiles and returns to her kitchen. Setting Elisabeth down in her high chair, Gina returns to her cooking. The smell of baked fish fills the house, along with the aroma of roasting potatoes. She daydreams as she cooks. Her reveries take her back to the day...
---Bounty's Flashback in a dream---
Wedding bells ring, a man in a red tuxedo, stands near an altar. Behind that altar stands a tall, lanky, dark haired priest. The wedding march begins, and all the people in the church rise. Down the aisle walks Gina, in a flowing white gown. Low cut in a box fashion, showing off a little bit of cleavage. On her side walks her father, smiling, obviously proud of his daughter. Her mother cries in the front row. Finally, her father presents her at the alter, and she takes her place on Vash's left side. Wolfwood smiles down at the happy couple and begins the ceremony.
Wolfwood: "We are gathered here today to join two souls as one. Today, Gina and Vash, shal exchange vows, and bind themselves for eternity."
He smiles down at his two friends. The whole church is silent.
Wolfwood: "Vash Repeat after me, 'I Vash...'"
Vash: "I Vash"
Wolfwood: "...take Gina..."
Vash: "Take Gina"
Wolfwood:" ...to cherish and hold..."
Vash: "To cherish and hold"
Wolfwood: "...to love and support.."
Vash: "To love and support"
Wolfwood: "...until breath no longer comes."
Vash: "Until Breath no longer comes."
The ceremony continues, and Gina repeats a similar oath. They exchange personal vows of love, which are so heartfelt they bring tears to the eyes of all gathered.
The world darkens imperceptibly.
Wolfwood: "Vash...you know what to do."
Vash opens up his Red Tuxedo jacket, and pulls out his gun. The members of the church just continue smiling, staring blankly at the man with the gun. Wolfwood leaps over the alter to hold back Gina. Vash aims, and shoots Gina's mother in the face, next comes her father, who recieves to shots to the chest, which promptly collapses inward. Both Mother and Father slump backwards in their seats. Gina's brothers sit there, as do her sisters. Gina screams out her outrage, and Vash laughs as he takes down her two sisters. Reloading the gun, Vash takes Aim again, and shoots down the three brothers.
Vash: "Now my dear, we don't have your family to screw up our life together."
Vash snickers as Gina stops her twisted reverie.
---Back in the Ranch house---
Gina shakes her head, disturbed by the distorted memory of her wedding day. She passes it off as lack of sleep, and promises to get more sleep tonight. Looking behind her, she sees Elisabeth's highchair empty. Panicked, Gina looks around the room, trying to find her missing daughter. Suddenly, she hears a scream from outside the house. She looks up through the window, to see Corbin splashing around in the lake, which looks larger then the last time she looked. Vash runs out to save him, leaving Elisabeth to sit on the shore. Corbin disappears under the surface as Vash dives in. Gina runs to the door, and tries to open it, finding it wedged tightly shut. She tries the other doors, only to find the same result, all are stuck. She looks out the window helplessly. Vash has not resurfaced yet, but Corbin has, floating face down in the middle of the lake. Gina doing anything she can to get out starts throwing things at the window, trying to break it, the window does not break. She watches as the water level rises again, and drags Elisabeth out towards it's center.
Gina: "NOOOOO!!!! My Baby. Don't take away my baby."
She again starts pounding on the window, even as Vash surfaces, face down like Corbin. She sees Elisabeth go under, and starts throwing herself against the door.
Gina: "Not my baby! Please no not my baby..."
Slamming into the door over and over again, it finally opens, just in time for her to see Elisabeth Float to the surface, Joining her brother and father, floating face down as the current takes them further away.
-----Back in the bus-----
Gina awakens to the feel of someone shaking her. Vash is at her side, shaking her awake. Fresh tears dampen her cheeks.
Vash: "I'm sorry, but I had to wake you up...You were crying."
Gina says nothing, but wraps her arms around Vash.Vash returns the gesture and pulls her close. She looks up into his eyes, and then buries her face into his chest.
Millie and Wolfwood still slumber in their seat, arms around each other in a comforting embrace.
-----Millie and Wolfwood, Synchronicity-----
Planet Gunsmoke has been left far behind. A new planet, full of blue skies, and a single sun. Vast bodies of Water, called oceans, are common place. Buildings rise high above the ground, often dwarfing even the tallest of trees. It is to this world that a young couple had migrated. The young groom was a preacher by the name of Nicholas D. Wolfwood. The bride, a one Mille Wolfwood, formerly Thompson. They left their home seeking a place to raise their future children, a place more hospitable, not a desert.
Now they are on this planet, a planet called Earth. The have moved into a penthouse suite in a posh penthouse suite. Him making a living as a preacher, her working an insurance company. Their life has been a comfortable one, and they have spent many of their nights in the bliss of each others embrace. Millie was an insatiable lover, and the young preacher was more then happy to oblige her hunger. Their joinings were more then just mindless fucking, instead it was the intimate dance of a man and woman, so completely in love that their souls are one. A coupling so perfect that the bodies seem to meld, as perfectly as their souls.
Life is good now for the couple. They enjoy themselves, and expect their first child in a scant three months. Millie is showing quite visibly, her stomach strechting her maternity clothes. Nicholas, is proud to know that he will be a father, and if it is possible Millie seems to smile more than ever now. Nicholas is now the leader of a small congregation, and has already decided to be the one to baptise his child.
Walking through a store, Millie picks up the esentials for the week, and of course her supply of pudding. She hums happily, knowing that for once the future is not dictated by the whims of the Plants. No longer is water a resource that is limited. Her child - her thought process, is interupted by the feel of a kick , followed by another- make that children, twins to be exact, will grow up to know hope, and peace. A solemn sense of calm befalls her as she daydreams about their future.
At the register she starts having her purchase totaled up. She chats idly with the cashier, discussing current events, and of course the babies. The excitement in her voice is contagious and infects the cashier, as well.
The world darkens imperceptibly.
A man walks in to the store. His face covered in a dark mask. Stepping up to the cashier, he pulls a gun out of his pocket, jamming it into the small of her back. The fear in the cashiers eyes is as contagious as the excitement in Millie's voice had been. Gone is the Millie that had countless times stood beside the man known as Vash the Stampede. Replaced by a Millie that is concerned only with the safety of her unborn children. So she does the one thing her fear-riddled brain can think of, she runs. The gunman twitches, and brings the gun to bear on Millie. She continues running, and is rewarded for her cowardice with two bullets in her back, both exiting through the front of her swollen belly. She falls to the ground, as blood and amniotic fluid pull at her feet. She passes out from the pain.
---A hospital room, several hours later---
A concerned Nicholas, sits beside his wifes bed, stroking her forehead, and holding her hand. Her eyes flutter open, and instantly he is calling for a doctor. As he stands up to run for one, her hand tightens around his, keeping him close. He returns to his seat, and waits calmly for the doctor to come by. The doctor arrives, checks her vitals, and then leaves to give the couple some time to talk. Finally Millie finds her voice.
Millie: "The....babies?"
Nicholas has nothing to say, he just turns his head away. This is all the confirmation Millie needs, the tears well up, and flow freely. Nicholas does the only thing he can at this point, he holds her close. He whispers to her, trying to comfort her. But it is to no avail. Her grief is deep, and even his soothing voice, is not enough to talk her down. Her despair overcomes her, and she returns to the black realm of unconciousness.
---The next day. Our Lady of the Roses church---
Nicholas led the congregation in prayer, and the in turn offered up their own prayers for his wife, and lost children. The joy that had once marked his eyes is dulled. His smile seems forced, and in truth it is. His joy was robbed from him. Not even his Faith can give him solace. He sees the congregation off, and returns to the church. He stares up at the large cloth-covered cross hanging behind the altar. A sound behind him, makes him turn around.
---A hosptal room, 6:00 P.M, the same day---
Millie waited in her room.... all her tears had been cried, and now a sort of gray haze had settled over the world. She flipped idly through the television channels, coming to rest on a local news broadcast. The lead story focused on a church that looked oddly like the one that Nicholas ran. Police tape lines the doors, but it does not stop one cameraman from rushing in, hoping to break the big story. Ducking under the tape the cameraman, pans the pews. The back of the church seems fine, so he moves closer to the altar. Towards the middle of the room, a red trail can be seen on the hardwood floor.Following the trail the camera comes to rest on a shape behind the altar. The cloth has been removed from the cross, revealing Nicholas's weapon of choice. Tied to the cross was one Mr. Nicholas D. Wolfwood. His hands and feet shot through, for the appearence of stigmata. His side had been impailed with a candle holder, which still hung from the ragged wound. A chalice sat underneath the body, collecting stray drops of blood. Scrawled on the wall behind him in blood were the words, "Take this cup and drink from it, this is my blood. All who drink shall have eternal death." The camera falls, the image on screen turns sideways, and the sound of intense retching is heard.
Millie stares at the screen, mouth agape. Silently she grabs her IV bag, and opens it up, spilling the contents onto the floor. Blowing into the hole, she fills it up with air, and squeezes.
-----The Bus again-----
The suns rise. Millie and Wolfwood rise simultaneously from their dream. Shaken visibly, they maintain their close embrace, taking comfort in the others presence. Likewise, Vash and Gina huddle together in the rear of the bus. No one mentions the dreams, no one feels the need to. They just sit there together.
Off in the distance a soft chuckle echoes through the valley.
-----End Chapter 5-----
The bus rumbled on westward, towards the setting sun. About 100 iles west of the town formerly known as Pilum, the group stopped. Wolfwood leaves the wheel, and joins the rest of the group in the back. Bounty and Vash have taken up residence in the last seat, while Millie sits alone a few seats ahead. Wolfwood sits down to join Millie. No one talks, no one feels the need to. Vash sleeps, Bounty sits there. Millie, just stares out the window. Wolfwood places an arm around her, and she leans into the embrace. They say a silent prayer for their fallen comrade, and then drift off into a restless slumber. Dreams haunt the night, and as they have a way of doing, the dreams turned into nightmares, and the nightmares, were truly visions of hell.
-----Vash, Dream-----
The sun shines brightly on planet Gunsmoke. Birds chirp in the lush green trees. People walk down the streets mindful of their fellow man. Truly this is a world of Love and Peace. A man sits silently, smiling inside a elegent two story house on the outskirts of town. He smiles, for he knows that all is right in the world. In the next room a dark haired woman hums happily as she goes about some routine house work. All is well, and the house has the peaceful air, of total contentment.
Rem turns around and looks ar Vash, her mouth smiling, showing off her teeth.
Rem: "Vash, dear?"
Vash: "Yes, Rem"
Rem: "Could you come in here a second and help me?"
Vash: "Anything for you my love."
Vash gets up out of his chair and walks over to his beautiful wife. He thinks back to how he had found her in cryostasis a few years back, and smiles. He was overjoyed to see her again. He still is to this very day. And he is thankful for every chance he gets to see her radiant smile. Truly this was the perfect love to go with this eternal peace. Vash closes his eyes, and leans down to kiss his beautiful wife....
The world darkens imperceptibly.
Rem turns to meet his kiss, and all that is there, is a skeleton with hair. As Vash's lips touch her, the bone crumbles and turns to dust. Vash opens his eyes and looks down at the dust that was his wife. Before he has time to mourn , a low laugh is heard behind him. Vash turns around do see Legato Bluesummers alive and well. Outside the door, the entire city burned. In the distance a preacher in black was impaled upon the burning church's cross. A woman in a brown trench coat, lay crushed under a pile of rubble, from a fallen wall. Millie and Wolfwood, fallen victim to Legato.
A man comes walking towards them, through the smokey haze to the east, and another, darker figure comes walking through the smokey haze to the north. They draw nearer, and the shapes resolve into those of his two brothers, Haryusa and Knives. Guns raised, they stare down their brother.
Knives:" Join us Vash, together we can destroy the Human infestation."
Haryusa: "Yes! An unstoppable force, that the world shall come to fear!"
Knives: "We can make the world safe for us....and the rest of our kind."
Vash: "Knives, Haryusa......... You're right."
Haryusa: "Excellent. Come with us Vash. Together we shall bring about a new Eden for our kind."
Vash: "Yes, but First...."
Vash quickly turns around, his gun already leveled, a quick shot, and Legato returns to where he belongs, dead....and with only half his head intact. The body falls into a pool of its own blood, as Knives and Haryusa walk away laughing.
Vash: "Oh yeah, and brothers, one more thing...."
Knives and Haryusa turn around, to see that Vash's eyes have turned completely black. With his Gun arm, and his gun both raised, he takes both of them down.
Vash: "Sorry, brothers. There is only room for one of us....and you two ....just don't cut it."
Walking off into the smoke and flame, Vash pauses momentarily to crush Millie's skull beneath his boot.
Vash: "The Stampede.......is coming."
-----In the bus-----
Vash awakens with a start, to find a restless form beneath his head. Sitting up he looks at Bounty, a half smile plays on her face. Asleep, she seems so relaxed, the worries that plague her during the day seem washed away. He sits, and watches her sleep, glad to know that one such as her, can know some peace in this world.
-----Bounty,Dream-----
A one story Ranch style home sits surrounded on three sides by trees, sitting by the lake on the southern side. A man with spiky blonde hair sits with his son, fishing in the lake. A woman holds an infant girl in her arms. Gone are the leather pants and tanktop, replaced by a house dress and apron. Gina holds Elisabeth close, as she stares fondly at the men in her life. Vash and Corbin sit contentedly, staring off into the vast lake. Gina smiles and returns to her kitchen. Setting Elisabeth down in her high chair, Gina returns to her cooking. The smell of baked fish fills the house, along with the aroma of roasting potatoes. She daydreams as she cooks. Her reveries take her back to the day...
---Bounty's Flashback in a dream---
Wedding bells ring, a man in a red tuxedo, stands near an altar. Behind that altar stands a tall, lanky, dark haired priest. The wedding march begins, and all the people in the church rise. Down the aisle walks Gina, in a flowing white gown. Low cut in a box fashion, showing off a little bit of cleavage. On her side walks her father, smiling, obviously proud of his daughter. Her mother cries in the front row. Finally, her father presents her at the alter, and she takes her place on Vash's left side. Wolfwood smiles down at the happy couple and begins the ceremony.
Wolfwood: "We are gathered here today to join two souls as one. Today, Gina and Vash, shal exchange vows, and bind themselves for eternity."
He smiles down at his two friends. The whole church is silent.
Wolfwood: "Vash Repeat after me, 'I Vash...'"
Vash: "I Vash"
Wolfwood: "...take Gina..."
Vash: "Take Gina"
Wolfwood:" ...to cherish and hold..."
Vash: "To cherish and hold"
Wolfwood: "...to love and support.."
Vash: "To love and support"
Wolfwood: "...until breath no longer comes."
Vash: "Until Breath no longer comes."
The ceremony continues, and Gina repeats a similar oath. They exchange personal vows of love, which are so heartfelt they bring tears to the eyes of all gathered.
The world darkens imperceptibly.
Wolfwood: "Vash...you know what to do."
Vash opens up his Red Tuxedo jacket, and pulls out his gun. The members of the church just continue smiling, staring blankly at the man with the gun. Wolfwood leaps over the alter to hold back Gina. Vash aims, and shoots Gina's mother in the face, next comes her father, who recieves to shots to the chest, which promptly collapses inward. Both Mother and Father slump backwards in their seats. Gina's brothers sit there, as do her sisters. Gina screams out her outrage, and Vash laughs as he takes down her two sisters. Reloading the gun, Vash takes Aim again, and shoots down the three brothers.
Vash: "Now my dear, we don't have your family to screw up our life together."
Vash snickers as Gina stops her twisted reverie.
---Back in the Ranch house---
Gina shakes her head, disturbed by the distorted memory of her wedding day. She passes it off as lack of sleep, and promises to get more sleep tonight. Looking behind her, she sees Elisabeth's highchair empty. Panicked, Gina looks around the room, trying to find her missing daughter. Suddenly, she hears a scream from outside the house. She looks up through the window, to see Corbin splashing around in the lake, which looks larger then the last time she looked. Vash runs out to save him, leaving Elisabeth to sit on the shore. Corbin disappears under the surface as Vash dives in. Gina runs to the door, and tries to open it, finding it wedged tightly shut. She tries the other doors, only to find the same result, all are stuck. She looks out the window helplessly. Vash has not resurfaced yet, but Corbin has, floating face down in the middle of the lake. Gina doing anything she can to get out starts throwing things at the window, trying to break it, the window does not break. She watches as the water level rises again, and drags Elisabeth out towards it's center.
Gina: "NOOOOO!!!! My Baby. Don't take away my baby."
She again starts pounding on the window, even as Vash surfaces, face down like Corbin. She sees Elisabeth go under, and starts throwing herself against the door.
Gina: "Not my baby! Please no not my baby..."
Slamming into the door over and over again, it finally opens, just in time for her to see Elisabeth Float to the surface, Joining her brother and father, floating face down as the current takes them further away.
-----Back in the bus-----
Gina awakens to the feel of someone shaking her. Vash is at her side, shaking her awake. Fresh tears dampen her cheeks.
Vash: "I'm sorry, but I had to wake you up...You were crying."
Gina says nothing, but wraps her arms around Vash.Vash returns the gesture and pulls her close. She looks up into his eyes, and then buries her face into his chest.
Millie and Wolfwood still slumber in their seat, arms around each other in a comforting embrace.
-----Millie and Wolfwood, Synchronicity-----
Planet Gunsmoke has been left far behind. A new planet, full of blue skies, and a single sun. Vast bodies of Water, called oceans, are common place. Buildings rise high above the ground, often dwarfing even the tallest of trees. It is to this world that a young couple had migrated. The young groom was a preacher by the name of Nicholas D. Wolfwood. The bride, a one Mille Wolfwood, formerly Thompson. They left their home seeking a place to raise their future children, a place more hospitable, not a desert.
Now they are on this planet, a planet called Earth. The have moved into a penthouse suite in a posh penthouse suite. Him making a living as a preacher, her working an insurance company. Their life has been a comfortable one, and they have spent many of their nights in the bliss of each others embrace. Millie was an insatiable lover, and the young preacher was more then happy to oblige her hunger. Their joinings were more then just mindless fucking, instead it was the intimate dance of a man and woman, so completely in love that their souls are one. A coupling so perfect that the bodies seem to meld, as perfectly as their souls.
Life is good now for the couple. They enjoy themselves, and expect their first child in a scant three months. Millie is showing quite visibly, her stomach strechting her maternity clothes. Nicholas, is proud to know that he will be a father, and if it is possible Millie seems to smile more than ever now. Nicholas is now the leader of a small congregation, and has already decided to be the one to baptise his child.
Walking through a store, Millie picks up the esentials for the week, and of course her supply of pudding. She hums happily, knowing that for once the future is not dictated by the whims of the Plants. No longer is water a resource that is limited. Her child - her thought process, is interupted by the feel of a kick , followed by another- make that children, twins to be exact, will grow up to know hope, and peace. A solemn sense of calm befalls her as she daydreams about their future.
At the register she starts having her purchase totaled up. She chats idly with the cashier, discussing current events, and of course the babies. The excitement in her voice is contagious and infects the cashier, as well.
The world darkens imperceptibly.
A man walks in to the store. His face covered in a dark mask. Stepping up to the cashier, he pulls a gun out of his pocket, jamming it into the small of her back. The fear in the cashiers eyes is as contagious as the excitement in Millie's voice had been. Gone is the Millie that had countless times stood beside the man known as Vash the Stampede. Replaced by a Millie that is concerned only with the safety of her unborn children. So she does the one thing her fear-riddled brain can think of, she runs. The gunman twitches, and brings the gun to bear on Millie. She continues running, and is rewarded for her cowardice with two bullets in her back, both exiting through the front of her swollen belly. She falls to the ground, as blood and amniotic fluid pull at her feet. She passes out from the pain.
---A hospital room, several hours later---
A concerned Nicholas, sits beside his wifes bed, stroking her forehead, and holding her hand. Her eyes flutter open, and instantly he is calling for a doctor. As he stands up to run for one, her hand tightens around his, keeping him close. He returns to his seat, and waits calmly for the doctor to come by. The doctor arrives, checks her vitals, and then leaves to give the couple some time to talk. Finally Millie finds her voice.
Millie: "The....babies?"
Nicholas has nothing to say, he just turns his head away. This is all the confirmation Millie needs, the tears well up, and flow freely. Nicholas does the only thing he can at this point, he holds her close. He whispers to her, trying to comfort her. But it is to no avail. Her grief is deep, and even his soothing voice, is not enough to talk her down. Her despair overcomes her, and she returns to the black realm of unconciousness.
---The next day. Our Lady of the Roses church---
Nicholas led the congregation in prayer, and the in turn offered up their own prayers for his wife, and lost children. The joy that had once marked his eyes is dulled. His smile seems forced, and in truth it is. His joy was robbed from him. Not even his Faith can give him solace. He sees the congregation off, and returns to the church. He stares up at the large cloth-covered cross hanging behind the altar. A sound behind him, makes him turn around.
---A hosptal room, 6:00 P.M, the same day---
Millie waited in her room.... all her tears had been cried, and now a sort of gray haze had settled over the world. She flipped idly through the television channels, coming to rest on a local news broadcast. The lead story focused on a church that looked oddly like the one that Nicholas ran. Police tape lines the doors, but it does not stop one cameraman from rushing in, hoping to break the big story. Ducking under the tape the cameraman, pans the pews. The back of the church seems fine, so he moves closer to the altar. Towards the middle of the room, a red trail can be seen on the hardwood floor.Following the trail the camera comes to rest on a shape behind the altar. The cloth has been removed from the cross, revealing Nicholas's weapon of choice. Tied to the cross was one Mr. Nicholas D. Wolfwood. His hands and feet shot through, for the appearence of stigmata. His side had been impailed with a candle holder, which still hung from the ragged wound. A chalice sat underneath the body, collecting stray drops of blood. Scrawled on the wall behind him in blood were the words, "Take this cup and drink from it, this is my blood. All who drink shall have eternal death." The camera falls, the image on screen turns sideways, and the sound of intense retching is heard.
Millie stares at the screen, mouth agape. Silently she grabs her IV bag, and opens it up, spilling the contents onto the floor. Blowing into the hole, she fills it up with air, and squeezes.
-----The Bus again-----
The suns rise. Millie and Wolfwood rise simultaneously from their dream. Shaken visibly, they maintain their close embrace, taking comfort in the others presence. Likewise, Vash and Gina huddle together in the rear of the bus. No one mentions the dreams, no one feels the need to. They just sit there together.
Off in the distance a soft chuckle echoes through the valley.
-----End Chapter 5-----