Chapter 6:   Man or Monster

Disclaimer: Okay, I really do own Shadow Hearts, I do!  Ooops, oh no, here come the men in white coats.  My bad!

You know the drill, WARNING!  ADULT SITUATIONS AHEAD!!!!!

          The coroner was located in the building basement; stairs lead up to the back street where the coroner's wagon waited.  The hall leading down to the morgue itself was dim, a few of the newer electric fixtures missing their light bulbs.  Alice and Margarete followed Yuri and Lieutenant Carter to the far end of the corridor and the examination room where the coroner had set up two metal tables with their cloth covered bodies.  Yuri entered the room with its odor of formaldehyde and death but Alice hesitated at the entrance, the aura of the room setting her nerves to tingling.

          "I-I think I'll wait out here, Margarete," she said and stepped back into the hallway, her face pale.

          Margarete shrugged and joined Yuri who was already pulling back the coverings from the first body.  It was a small woman, about age thirty; she had once been pretty, with her hair short cropped and her eyes, when Yuri pulled up the lids, a rich deep brown.  Her body had been sliced open from collarbone to crotch and the internal organs removed.  She had discoloration from the obvious trauma to her body and marks along both sides of her hips.  Yuri poked and prodded along her slit throat and even bent down slightly to sniff at her.

          "Yuri!" Margarete exclaimed.

          Yuri groaned with evident pain when he stood up again.  "Just checking; she smells like death, nothing more."  Yuri indicated the other body.  "What about that one?" he asked.

          Carter frowned.  "Lars Sveningsen."

          "Oh," Yuri said quietly and pulled the sheet back to reveal Lars' remains.  He showed the same signs of trauma that the woman had as well as the missing organs.   His neck too was slit but there was a tearing along the edge that had Yuri curious.  He bent closer again and sniffed, then poked at the skin; a small seepage left the neck and the coroner stepped closer.

          "I noticed that too; I have no idea what it is though," the man offered. 

          Yuri rubbed his fingers together and sniffed them, his brows meeting as he frowned.

          "It smells like something …" he looked up at Carter.  "I think I've come across it before but it was," he sighed, "years ago.  I dunno. I'll think about it.  One thing I can say is neither was killed by human or beast."

          "How can you determine that?" Carter asked.

          Yuri signed.  "Well, it's evident if you look.  The woman, she was pretty, no?"  Yuri said with a smile.  "She was split open from neck to tail, the same with Lars.  If I were to do it, even using my claws, I'd start at the bottom and slice up through the gut.  I would need to use my full strength to tear open a human body and cut through the ribcage like that.  These bones were snapped hard; and the pressure pushed them downward."

          The coroner nodded his agreement with Yuri's assessment thus far.  "He's right, Lieutenant."

          "Anything else?" Carter asked.

          "Yup.  I doubt it was a beast; mainly because only the rich meat was taken, which is curious in itself.  If it was an animal, all the meat would have been taken; haunch, breast, and entrails.  But nothing is missing except the innards."

          "So that leaves what exactly?"

          Yuri shrugged slightly, the motion causing him to wince.  "Well, I'd say monster of some sort; not very accurate I know!  But whatever it is I would say it has at least four legs; possibly more.  I think those marks on the woman and …" he did a quick look at Lars as well, "yep he's got 'em too.  These marks could be legs or something holding open the cavity to remove the innards.  I would think that it has two legs to stand and two to hold; leaving smaller appendages or claws of some sort to remove the goodies."

          Margarete had listened and now stepped to look closer at the two bodies.  She gave each a cursory examination before she turned to Yuri.

          "I hate to admit it kiddo, but I think you're right," she said.

          Yuri smirked.  "Of course!  Ya t'ink I'm stupid or something?"

          Margarete chuckled.  "No comment."

          "Lieutenant, I can help to find this thing maybe.  But I gotta tell ya, I need some rest right now.  I hurt like hell and," here he looked back at the door.  "I gotta lot of explainin' to do for Alice's mum."

          Carter nodded.  "I'll tell the Captain.  We'll probably send a car around tomorrow," Carter said then indicated Yuri, "and you better get fixed up."

          Yuri nodded and turned to leave, meeting Alice in the corridor.

          "Can we go now?" she asked.

          "Yup," was all Yuri said.

          Lieutenant Carter had a taxi take Yuri, Alice and Margarete back to Alliston Road.  The trip back was in silence, as Yuri was not looking forward to the confrontation with Alice's mother; he was in too much pain to deal with her.  He simply wanted to go upstairs and lie down but when Alice opened the door to the house, they were greeted by the Reverend Misses.   Yuri moaned slightly at the look on her face.

          "Mother," Alice said and pushed open the door.  "We're back.  The police released Yuri.  It's all right now." 

          If possible, Mrs. Elliot seemed even more disturbed than when Yuri's fusion was revealed.

          "I – I don't want that monster in this house, Alice," she said.

          The three companions came to a stop in the hallway, Yuri looking longingly at the stairs leading to the bedroom.

          "Mother, not now; we just got back.  The police released Yuri; he did not kill that man.  He didn't kill anyone.  He's innocent.  And he is not a monster!"

          "It's all right Alice," Yuri said softly.  "If I cannot sleep here … do you think they'd let me sleep at that church of yours?  I-I really need to rest."

          Looking back at Yuri, Margarete agreed.  "He's nearly out on his feet," she said and took his arm.  "Come on, kiddo.  Upstairs, you show me your room.  Alice, he might need some first aide, isn't that right Yuri?"  Margarete talked non-stop as she guided him up the stairs and down the hallway.

          "First aide?"  Alice asked.  "Are you hurt?  Wait!" she quickly ran to the cupboard and pulled the box of bandages and ointments out and, before climbing the stairs she turned to her mother, a look of determination in her eyes.

          "Mother, I know you disagree, so I won't argue this with you.  Just listen.  I am old enough to make my own decisions.  I love Yuri and he loves me.  He's going to help the police find the true killer of these people and when he's finished, he and I will be married.  That's my final decision," she said and ran up the stairs.

          Mrs. Elliot chewed her lower lip for a moment, wondering where her daughter had come by such a strong backbone all of a sudden, and then remembered her own determination to marry Morris.  She sighed.

          'Perhaps I have been a bit hard on her,' she thought as she closed the door. 

          Yuri was trying to lie down on the floor in his sparse bedroom while Margarete insisted he take his shirt off when Alice joined them with the first aide kit.

          "God damn it Margarete!  Stop pulling on me!" Yuri cursed and pulled away as the spy yanked hard on his shirt and tore it off.

          "There!  Is that so difficult?" Margarete asked.

          "You tore my shirt!  Damn it woman!" Yuri grabbed the torn garment and turned away but both Alice and Margarete could see the dark bruises on his back and stomach. 

          "They got you good, didn't they?" Margarete commented.

          "Just leave off!" Yuri growled.

          "Yuri, come and sit," Alice tapped the back of the wooden chair that sat against the wall.  "I brought bandages."

          Yuri turned toward her, a caustic remark on his lips that quickly died when he saw Alice's concern worn so plainly on her face.  Her liquid blue eyes were large with worry and he felt bad that his pain was hurting her as well.

          "All right," he said finally and crossed the room to sit on the chair, facing the back.  He felt Alice's cool fingers gently probe the bruises and winced when a particularly sore spot came under investigation.  "I am sorry to be trouble, Alice," he offered with a slight shrug.

          "You're hardly a burden, Yuri.  Who did this to you?" she asked as she smeared ointment on the bruises.

          Yuri shrugged again and muttered something unintelligible.

          "It was the constables at the jail, wasn't it sonny boy," Margarete said, her arms crossed.  "Payback for some alleged slight, isn't that the usual drill?"

          Yuri tisked.  "Well, I did hurt those men who tried to stop me.  It was just the usual ritual; that's all."

          "Usual!" Alice exclaimed.  "From the look of these bruises they used more than their fists; what is so 'usual' about that?"

          "It's the same usual that allows men in prison to abuse prisoners, Alice.  Nothing new; just something you are not familiar with," Margarete said.

          Alice thought as she finished up the contusions on Yuri's back and side and indicated he should lean back a little so she could use her healing touch on him.  Yuri did just that and shuddered slightly as Alice's fingers probed his bruised and cracked ribs.

          "No, I don't suppose I have been exposed to such things," she finally said.   "But Yuri, you seem to have experienced this before … or seen it done.  Is that so?"

          With a sigh Yuri nodded, the back of his head resting against Alice's warm chest, her cool fingers sending shivers of energy through his chest and down his spine; little electric tingles traveled along his nerves and he could feel the healing begin.  "Yes, that is so.  I – I have been in jail before; even prison.  I swore," he swallowed in remembered pain that matched what he felt this moment, "I swore I'd never go through this again."

          "Then this is my fault for telling you to stop," Alice said softly.  "I am sorry."

          "Why did you?" Yuri said.  "Why did you tell me to stop?" he asked, his eyes closed.  He moaned slightly when Alice moved her hands down his chest, the tingle of her healing magic starting cool then warming as it repaired torn muscles and cracked bones.

          "I – I didn't want to you to get hurt; I mean, where would you go?  What would you do?"

          Yuri sighed.  "I thought maybe stow away and go to Europe.  But I didn't want to leave you.  I don't know.  I didn't think."

          "So what else is new?" Margarete said.

          From the stairs they heard Mrs. Elliot call, telling them food was waiting downstairs.

          "Are you hungry, Yuri?"  Alice asked as she ran her hands one more time over his chest and down his arms.

          "Ha!  When is he not?" Margarete commented with a laugh.

          Yuri was smiling, his head resting against Alice, his face turned slightly so that his cheek rested against her bosom.  Alice looked down and tapped him gently on the head.

          "Food, Yuri," she said with a smile.

          "Soft," he muttered then sat forward.  "Yeah, food."

          Downstairs in the kitchen Mrs. Elliot had set out several plates with sandwiches and cut fruit.  A large pot of tea sat on the tea trolley and, as Margarete and Alice descended the stairs they could smell eggs and bacon as well.  Alice shook her head; the eggs and bacon had to be for Yuri.

          'Is Mother is trying to apologize?' she thought and then heard Yuri's light tread on the stairs behind her.  Looking back she saw he had taken off his shoes and wore only his socks and had put on a different, if not necessarily clean, shirt.  Margarete would have to replace that torn shirt soon as Yuri only had a couple to his name.

          "Mother," Alice said as she joined Margarete at the kitchen table.  The table was smaller than the dinning room table, with barely room for four chairs but the warmth of the kitchen made it comfortable in this late March afternoon.  Alice took a chair on the inside corner and indicated Yuri should sit next to her leaving Margarete and her mother to sit opposite.  But Yuri did not sit.  Instead he stood in the kitchen doorway and watched as Mrs. Elliot poured tea.

          "Reverend Misses," he finally said, "I am sorry.  I shoulda tol' ya I was a harmonixer.  But truly, it didn't come up.  I," he shook his head.  "I don't know what else to say.  If ya don't want me around, I can understand.  I'll leave."  He looked up at the elder Mrs. Elliot and waited for her to respond.

          Mrs. Elliot had thought about this moment while she had made the sandwiches.  As she cracked the eggs and fried the bacon for Yuri she wondered how she had let it get so far ahead of her.  Yuri was right; she hadn't disliked him before, and it seemed that her anger was mostly based on fear.  Fear that the demon face she had bashed with Alice's book would look back at her from her grandchild's cradle.  Superstitious twaddle!  But there it was; she feared the evil that lie in Yuri's soul, and the vile power that he commanded.  And she knew her fear was the fear taught by her church.  But was it real?  Was he the evil demon that he should have been by his very nature?  He had saved Alice's life that was true.  He had also fought against that demon summoning that the warlock Simon had forced on the world.  Did he seek fame and fortune from that confrontation?  No, instead he followed Alice across Europe again to meet her mother.  That hardly seemed the actions of a power-hungry, demented demon. 

          Yuri had entertained her from the beginning with his wildly different way of looking at the world; his childlike innocence about Western culture and mores.  His language had been fraught with expletives that he tried to control for Alice's sake and his excruciatingly sexual antics around Alice also bordered on the insolent.  But deep down, he had been nothing if not polite, caring and generous. He had escorted them and kept them safe on their trip to England.  And his hard earned money had been donated to the upkeep and repairs of her home instead of being used for his own desires. 

          Mrs. Elliot sighed as she brewed the tea, spooning in the China Oolong that Yuri loved.  There were so many things that she didn't know about him as a man; the sheer mystery that sent her nerves jangling when some unknown came into play.  But perhaps she was misreading him.  Perhaps she was overreacting; perhaps.  And Alice's confession of fidelity in spite of everything touched deeply in her breast.  She would not stand against her daughter's happiness as her own parents had stood against hers. 

          Placing the food on warm plates on the table, she had called the others down to lunch, and her personal effort to make amends to the young man who was soon to be her son-in-law.

          "No, Yuri.  I don't want you to leave.  I - may have been overreacting before," she said as she poured the last cup of tea.

          Yuri sat next to Alice and offered her a gentle kiss on her forehead.  "Xiè xiè nin -thank you for healing me, Alice.  I feel better," he said before tucking into the eggs and bacon.

          Conversation was lacking as Mrs. Elliot and the three put away the food, Yuri finishing his eggs and snagging a sandwich.  He picked up a piece of fruit and offered a bite to Alice, who giggled as she accepted.   But finally, the food was gone and the tea was mere dregs and Yuri got up to help with the dishes.

          "No, no, I've got them Yuri.  You need to sleep if you're going to help the Captain tomorrow," Alice said.

          "Well, all right.  But there is something I need to say, to both you and your mother."  He looked up at Mrs. Elliot and sighed.  "I know we had our troubles 'cause I was not honest with you.  There is one thing that you need to know that I haven't told anyone; not even Alice."

          "Yuri ..." Alice started to interrupt, but Yuri stopped her.

          "No, let me say this.  That way it's out in the open.  I have done bad things, Reverend Misses and I have been to jail and to prison.  The prison was for being stupid.  I have not done that again, and I don't want to; just so as you know."  He waited for Mrs. Elliot's response but when she didn't give him one he turned and left the kitchen.

          Mrs. Elliot dried while Alice washed the dishes and pondered the confession. 

          "Just what is he confessing to, Alice?" she finally asked.

          "I'm not sure.  He said he had been to jail a few times.  And that he had sworn never to return to prison.  I don't know what he did.  But I don't believe that he did anything horrible, Mother.  It's not in him to do that sort of thing."

          Margarete, sitting at the table behind them snorted. "Alice, you are way too gullible," she said.

          Alice stomped her foot.  "Unless you can prove he did something wrong, Margarete, then I don't want to hear it!"

          "Okay, okay," Margarete said with a chuckle.  "God forbid I should get between you two.  I was just saying, that's all."

          Later that night, after Margarete, Alice and Mrs. Elliot had retired they were awakened by screams coming from Yuri's room.  Mrs. Elliot and Alice both hurried down the hall, Alice opening the door to find Yuri thrashing on the floor.  She quickly knelt at his side, grasping one arm as it was flung up to ward off some attacking nightmare, and called his name.  Yuri continued to struggle, a strangled moan escaping his tightly clenched jaw before he suddenly went limp, his breathing still rapid.  Slowly he opened amber eyes and looked blearily at Alice, kneeling at his side, a fluffy white robe tied loosely at her waist.

          "Alice?" he asked, confused.

          "Yuri," Alice said softly.  "Are you all right? You were having a nightmare."

          Yuri looked over at the doorway, seeing Mrs. Elliot's concerned face, and then sat up, rubbing at his eyes.

          "'m okay; just a bad dream I guess," he mumbled.

          Alice sat back on her heels, still holding Yuri's hand.  "It's been a while since you had any.  Is anything wrong?  What's bothering you?"

          With his free hand, Yuri rubbed the back of his neck.  "Well, I've had 'em I guess I just didn't let you hear 'em," he chuckled.  "Sorry to wake you."  He looked up at the doorway again, but Mrs. Elliot had left.  "And yer mum."

          Alice smiled.  "That's all right.  I was worried that's all.  Here," and she pulled Yuri's pillows out from behind him and placed them up in the corner.  "Lean back here." 

          Yuri complied, leaning against the wall and the pillows.  "What are you doing?" he asked with a grin.

          Alice pulled his blanket out and gave it a shake, then knelt down next to him.  "Remember when we traveled to Rouen and spent the night on the roadside?  It had snowed a little bit again and the temperature had dropped.  When I woke up the next morning I was sleeping on your lap."

          Yuri's grin grew even bigger.  "Yup, I remember.  I pulled you onto me 'cause you were shivering and the ground was cold.  I covered ya with my coat.  You stayed warm the rest of the night.  But woke up pissed at me; you thought something else!"

          "Yes, I did, but I was wrong," she said with a smile, then sat down in Yuri's lap, pulling the blanket over them both.  "It's a bit cold in here, don't you think?  You always sleep with the window open."

          Yuri settled Alice in his lap, putting his arms around her and snuggling closer, his breath tickling her neck where she rested against him. 

          "Yer mum won't get mad?" he asked quietly.

          "The door's open.  Nothing is going to happen," Alice replied just as quietly.

          "You never know, I might decide to maul you're lovely body."

          "I might decide to bash you in the head," Alice said, trying to hide the chuckle that threatened to erupt.

          "I might decide I like it rough."

          "Yuri ..."

          "I know, shut up.  Someday we'll be married, ya know?  I won't take 'no' for an answer then," he said.

          Alice was quiet for a moment, the chill and the dark settling in, the rise and fall of Yuri's chest as he breathed, the gentle susurrus of his breath, all reminding her of times they had spent on the road. 

          "I won't say no, then.  I promise.  But Yuri ..."

          "Hum?"

          "You didn't say anything about today; about what you are going to do to find the real killer."

          Yuri took a deep breath and sighed, his warm breath tickling Alice's ear.  "I dunno.  There was something about Lars; something about the way he died that reminds me of ..." he sighed again.  "I don't ... I should remember, but it's all jumbled up; reality, memory, dreams.  I can't say which it is."

          "From before?  Back when you were in China?"

          "Maybe - or maybe here.  I remember Koudelka got my brain all frazzled when Halley and me took her back to London that time.  She tol' me about her time at the Monastery."  Yuri shuddered before adjusting his hold on Alice.  "I don't know why she tol' me all that shit.  I guess she wanted me to know, but I don't know why.  Creepy shit."

          Alice giggled softly.  "It must have been horrid to spook you, Yuri."

          "Yeah, she's seen a lot that damned voice!"

          "Yuri!  She helped you," Alice said.

          "Yeah, she did.  An' she hurt me too.  Punished me every time I didn't do what I was tol' to do," he replied.  "I used ta think she could read my mind, knew what I was thinkin', that I was plannin' to ignore the instructions."  He huffed, his breath jostling Alice's bangs.  "I hated that voice; but it did teach me a lot.  You know, by way of doin'.  Got me off my lazy ass, got me to workin' instead of stealin'."

          "I thought prison changed that."

          "It did.  But so did the voice.  More, 'cuz it wouldn't let me get away with shit," Yuri said with a soft chuckle.  "Wouldn't let me touch you when I wanted to, and I wanted to, believe me.  But I thought that damned voice would come in and scratch my brain out, turn me into a vegetable.  So I didn't."

          "You know she didn't do that on purpose, Yuri," Alice commented.

          "Couldn't prove it ta me," he said and he snuffled her hair, kissing the top of her head.  "It always hurt.  Always.  But," he paused and thought for a moment, "It did save me that time in Siberia ..."

          "What happened?"

          Yuri's mind went back to Russia, pondering the circumstances that had led him to attempt that foolhardy rescue.  Really, he hadn't thought about it; the voice said 'go' and he went.  That was the first time.  He hadn't hesitated, hadn't considered what the voice might want from him, he had simply gone; traveled to Kyzyl to rescue a child.