I hate it when I can't write. That happens a lot. I'm hoping to be able to update some time in the next two weeks, but I'm not sure. My computer is refusing to cooperate with me, and I'm not good at updating often. Added a c in Jack's name. But you didn't miss that, did you?
Melanie, thanks! I agree that I need more action. Working on that.
Graymoon74, I'm glad you did not find tha chapter boring. Hope the update didn't keep you waiting too long. Only a month... hehe...
Kill Mary Sue, hmm. Well, since you know her, I won't try to argue. You're probably right.
"This is it. Kenya." Jacqueline marked that Nemo didn't sound too happy. None of them looked happy either. She knew it would be natural, considering that their friend, and perhaps leader, laid buried here. The Leauge stood, waiting for one of the others to take the first step, but none dared to take it. Eventually, Jacqueline took it. She walked a few more, turned and waited for the others to follow. They did, but she felt their sorrow. It was like somone had punched her in the face when she realised how strong that emotion was. She knew sorrow well. She had lost her mother, and her father was probably dead. By some strange twist of fate, she never felt a deep sorrow for them. Only a weak... something. She could not describe it, but she recognised the emotion in her comrades.
On thing was certain, the landscpe lacked water to be afraid of. It didn't bug Jacqueline, but Skinner, Sawyer and Jekyll found it dreadful. She could see their discomfort, but only Skinner complained. Sawyer probably wanted to shut up and not make a fool of himself, and Jekyll was a gentleman. Skinner didn't have that kind of 'problems'. His only problem was the heat, and he was not going to let anyone think otherwise.
"Bloody heat. Why on earth is it this hot? We should've stayed in London, where it was nice and foggy," he mumbeled as he walked through a cloud of dust.
"I think, Skinner," Jacqueline observed as she looked around, "that it's this hot because of a heatwave." Sawyer tried not to laugh, and ended up inhaling a lot of dust. Mabye Skinner looked at her. Probably, she would say, by how his hat pointed at her.
"Not funny."
"I know. I simply stated the obvious. It's hotter than usual."
"And why do you think that?"
"I overheard some Englishmen discuss the heatwave with the locals, by the docks." Skinner shook his head, and tried to complain about the heat to Mina. Jacqueline smiled, a real smile. She had more reasons to smile now than ever, and it showed. Jekyll noticed her smile, and smiled as well. Jacqueline didn't notice. She was lost in thoughs again, her eyes told him that she was far away.
Jacqueline sat in the main-room, reading as her father walked in. She looked up, and could not hide her reaction. What she, for a split-second, had thought of as dirt, was blood. He had blood-spatter in his face, and some stains on his dark, nearly black, clothes too. She placed the book on a table, and rose from the chair.
"What have you been doing?" Dorian looked at her, as calm as ever.
"I did something to break out of this boredom." He smiled, and somehow, it calmed his daughter. She had a "you-should-know-better-look" in her eyes, though.
"But killing?" Dorian had a hint of laughter in his eyes as he answered.
"It wasn't anyone important..."
"Who was not important?" Jacqueline looked up. She hadn't realised that she spoke out loud. Jekyll looked puzzeled, and she relaxed. It must have been just that sentence.
"Nothing... I just thought of some memories."
"Care to share them?" Jekyll didn't demand it, it was a friendly question.
"I don't have the right words. To speak of these memories would be like disgracing them at the moment." She hoped he setteled with that. Truth was, she didn't want to speak of them at all. Not now, mabye never. It was old memories, twelve years old to exact. She remembered the year of 1888 well, it wasn't boring. It was the most intresting year she could remember, the year of Jack the Ripper. The memory she had been lost in, was the memory of Dorian confessing to have killed Mary Ann Nichols, the first victim of the notorious killer. She smiled as the memory of Dorian asking her for a name to the killer...
"I like Jack. It's a good name, and well used."
"Should I be angry at that comment?"
"It's common, Jack. That's all I'm saying."
"Yeah, like anyone wouls take Jack the Ripper serious..." Dorian looked up.
"You're smart, Jack. That's a good name for him." Jacqueline felt her face becoming red.
She had loved that time. Not the killings, but people's reations. The tension, the looks... and the atonomy-classes. Jack held back a laugh. She had learned much from those nights with Dorian. He was not patient, they could be discovered at any minute, but she could remember almost every detail. Now, it made her feel sick. That feeling gave her other things to think of. Had she changed that much? At that time she had been like her father, but something woke her up. The memory of a dead woman flashed before her eyes. She shook her head, forcing the memories out of her mind, concentrating on the present. Skinner was still complaining, and Sawyer didn't help when he started to talk about rain. Jacqueline almost laughed when Skinner tried to ask Mia for help. Mia's only reaction was turning her head, and look on him like she hadn't eaten in days. Jacqueline and Skinner were the only ones who didn't laugh, although one could see the laughter in the girl's eyes. The laughter ceased, however, when they could see a small village. They had reched their destination. Jacqueline fell behind the others on purpose. She felt like an intruder.
Mabye that made her notice the lack of people in the village, but she was the first one. As this was her first visit, she didn't comment on it. For all she knew, it could be normal.
"This is a very empty place." Sawyer looked at Nemo, who agreed with a nod. As did the rest. "What the hell has happened –"Skinner never finished the sentence, he noticed a man running towards them. "For Heavens sake, get inside! Don't you know there's a lion on a rampage here!" As he spoke, the lion appeared. Jacqueline had never seen a real living lion before, and stood as petrified. The man ran, but the lion was faster. It slammed into the man's back and threw him away, continuing towards the group. Without even noticing, Jacqeline drew her favourite dagger, a gift from her father, and prepared for battle. Just as the lion came close enough to wound her, several thing happened at once. The lion went for her face, Nemo pulled her out of the animal's reach, and a shot was fired. Jack could not do anything, except stare into the eyes of the creature, fascinated. She wathced as life left them, and they became dead.
Nemo felt the girl become limp in arms, and for a moment he almost thought she was dead. His concern did not last long, as she forced his arms open and took a few steps away from him. As she looked back at him, the wounds in her face healed. She was about to say something but a voice cut her of.
"Damned boy. If he had been a serious hunter, he would have killed the lion at once, not left it with a wound. That kid won't go on a hunt alone for a few years." The voice made them turn, even Jacquline, who had never met him before. It was Allan Quatermain. He smiled for a few seconds when he recognized them.
"Africa did not let me die."
Jack stayed away from the others the rest of the night. They had gotten their leader and friend back, and she didn't want to remind them of one of the people responsible for his death. Not that she feared that. A glance at her reflection in the window reassured her. A perfectly normal face looked back at her. She had the same colour on her hair and eyes as her father, but the similarity stopped there. There was nothing with this girl, this... child, that would suggest that she could be special. She was plain looking, so plain that none would look on her twice. It didn't bother her. People were a menace at best, at least for her. Only a few people were accepted by her, the Leauge being a part of that little group. That acceptance only cane from the knowledge that they were different, as her.
"...but take it easy, Allan, the girl don't like being touched." The voice of Skinner brought her back. Someone stopped right behind her, and she turned her head.
"Good evening, mister Quatermain. If you wouldn't mind, step a bit away. I don't like people getting close to me." The hunter sat down in a chair next to her.
"Physically or emotionally?" Jack looked at him.
"Why do you care, mister Quatermain?" At that, Allan remembered something.
"First meeting usually includes a greeting. I am Allan Quatermain." He held out his hand, but the girl did not take it. She only smiled.
"I am Jacqueline. Jacqueline Gray." She pretended that she didn't notice his glance at the Leauge, or their nods.
"But please, mister Quatermain, call me Jack."
And cut. And there you have the reason for Jacqueline's name. So I could get the Ripper in. Blame Skinner, if anyone should be blamed. As I said, I hope to update next week. Send in your comments, people. And corrections, if I some really stupid mistakes in the language. For the record, I know that lions don't do that sort of things very often. It was an injured animal, and they can do the strangest things. Though I do not belive they would attack a village. See ya later.
Melanie, thanks! I agree that I need more action. Working on that.
Graymoon74, I'm glad you did not find tha chapter boring. Hope the update didn't keep you waiting too long. Only a month... hehe...
Kill Mary Sue, hmm. Well, since you know her, I won't try to argue. You're probably right.
"This is it. Kenya." Jacqueline marked that Nemo didn't sound too happy. None of them looked happy either. She knew it would be natural, considering that their friend, and perhaps leader, laid buried here. The Leauge stood, waiting for one of the others to take the first step, but none dared to take it. Eventually, Jacqueline took it. She walked a few more, turned and waited for the others to follow. They did, but she felt their sorrow. It was like somone had punched her in the face when she realised how strong that emotion was. She knew sorrow well. She had lost her mother, and her father was probably dead. By some strange twist of fate, she never felt a deep sorrow for them. Only a weak... something. She could not describe it, but she recognised the emotion in her comrades.
On thing was certain, the landscpe lacked water to be afraid of. It didn't bug Jacqueline, but Skinner, Sawyer and Jekyll found it dreadful. She could see their discomfort, but only Skinner complained. Sawyer probably wanted to shut up and not make a fool of himself, and Jekyll was a gentleman. Skinner didn't have that kind of 'problems'. His only problem was the heat, and he was not going to let anyone think otherwise.
"Bloody heat. Why on earth is it this hot? We should've stayed in London, where it was nice and foggy," he mumbeled as he walked through a cloud of dust.
"I think, Skinner," Jacqueline observed as she looked around, "that it's this hot because of a heatwave." Sawyer tried not to laugh, and ended up inhaling a lot of dust. Mabye Skinner looked at her. Probably, she would say, by how his hat pointed at her.
"Not funny."
"I know. I simply stated the obvious. It's hotter than usual."
"And why do you think that?"
"I overheard some Englishmen discuss the heatwave with the locals, by the docks." Skinner shook his head, and tried to complain about the heat to Mina. Jacqueline smiled, a real smile. She had more reasons to smile now than ever, and it showed. Jekyll noticed her smile, and smiled as well. Jacqueline didn't notice. She was lost in thoughs again, her eyes told him that she was far away.
Jacqueline sat in the main-room, reading as her father walked in. She looked up, and could not hide her reaction. What she, for a split-second, had thought of as dirt, was blood. He had blood-spatter in his face, and some stains on his dark, nearly black, clothes too. She placed the book on a table, and rose from the chair.
"What have you been doing?" Dorian looked at her, as calm as ever.
"I did something to break out of this boredom." He smiled, and somehow, it calmed his daughter. She had a "you-should-know-better-look" in her eyes, though.
"But killing?" Dorian had a hint of laughter in his eyes as he answered.
"It wasn't anyone important..."
"Who was not important?" Jacqueline looked up. She hadn't realised that she spoke out loud. Jekyll looked puzzeled, and she relaxed. It must have been just that sentence.
"Nothing... I just thought of some memories."
"Care to share them?" Jekyll didn't demand it, it was a friendly question.
"I don't have the right words. To speak of these memories would be like disgracing them at the moment." She hoped he setteled with that. Truth was, she didn't want to speak of them at all. Not now, mabye never. It was old memories, twelve years old to exact. She remembered the year of 1888 well, it wasn't boring. It was the most intresting year she could remember, the year of Jack the Ripper. The memory she had been lost in, was the memory of Dorian confessing to have killed Mary Ann Nichols, the first victim of the notorious killer. She smiled as the memory of Dorian asking her for a name to the killer...
"I like Jack. It's a good name, and well used."
"Should I be angry at that comment?"
"It's common, Jack. That's all I'm saying."
"Yeah, like anyone wouls take Jack the Ripper serious..." Dorian looked up.
"You're smart, Jack. That's a good name for him." Jacqueline felt her face becoming red.
She had loved that time. Not the killings, but people's reations. The tension, the looks... and the atonomy-classes. Jack held back a laugh. She had learned much from those nights with Dorian. He was not patient, they could be discovered at any minute, but she could remember almost every detail. Now, it made her feel sick. That feeling gave her other things to think of. Had she changed that much? At that time she had been like her father, but something woke her up. The memory of a dead woman flashed before her eyes. She shook her head, forcing the memories out of her mind, concentrating on the present. Skinner was still complaining, and Sawyer didn't help when he started to talk about rain. Jacqueline almost laughed when Skinner tried to ask Mia for help. Mia's only reaction was turning her head, and look on him like she hadn't eaten in days. Jacqueline and Skinner were the only ones who didn't laugh, although one could see the laughter in the girl's eyes. The laughter ceased, however, when they could see a small village. They had reched their destination. Jacqueline fell behind the others on purpose. She felt like an intruder.
Mabye that made her notice the lack of people in the village, but she was the first one. As this was her first visit, she didn't comment on it. For all she knew, it could be normal.
"This is a very empty place." Sawyer looked at Nemo, who agreed with a nod. As did the rest. "What the hell has happened –"Skinner never finished the sentence, he noticed a man running towards them. "For Heavens sake, get inside! Don't you know there's a lion on a rampage here!" As he spoke, the lion appeared. Jacqueline had never seen a real living lion before, and stood as petrified. The man ran, but the lion was faster. It slammed into the man's back and threw him away, continuing towards the group. Without even noticing, Jacqeline drew her favourite dagger, a gift from her father, and prepared for battle. Just as the lion came close enough to wound her, several thing happened at once. The lion went for her face, Nemo pulled her out of the animal's reach, and a shot was fired. Jack could not do anything, except stare into the eyes of the creature, fascinated. She wathced as life left them, and they became dead.
Nemo felt the girl become limp in arms, and for a moment he almost thought she was dead. His concern did not last long, as she forced his arms open and took a few steps away from him. As she looked back at him, the wounds in her face healed. She was about to say something but a voice cut her of.
"Damned boy. If he had been a serious hunter, he would have killed the lion at once, not left it with a wound. That kid won't go on a hunt alone for a few years." The voice made them turn, even Jacquline, who had never met him before. It was Allan Quatermain. He smiled for a few seconds when he recognized them.
"Africa did not let me die."
Jack stayed away from the others the rest of the night. They had gotten their leader and friend back, and she didn't want to remind them of one of the people responsible for his death. Not that she feared that. A glance at her reflection in the window reassured her. A perfectly normal face looked back at her. She had the same colour on her hair and eyes as her father, but the similarity stopped there. There was nothing with this girl, this... child, that would suggest that she could be special. She was plain looking, so plain that none would look on her twice. It didn't bother her. People were a menace at best, at least for her. Only a few people were accepted by her, the Leauge being a part of that little group. That acceptance only cane from the knowledge that they were different, as her.
"...but take it easy, Allan, the girl don't like being touched." The voice of Skinner brought her back. Someone stopped right behind her, and she turned her head.
"Good evening, mister Quatermain. If you wouldn't mind, step a bit away. I don't like people getting close to me." The hunter sat down in a chair next to her.
"Physically or emotionally?" Jack looked at him.
"Why do you care, mister Quatermain?" At that, Allan remembered something.
"First meeting usually includes a greeting. I am Allan Quatermain." He held out his hand, but the girl did not take it. She only smiled.
"I am Jacqueline. Jacqueline Gray." She pretended that she didn't notice his glance at the Leauge, or their nods.
"But please, mister Quatermain, call me Jack."
And cut. And there you have the reason for Jacqueline's name. So I could get the Ripper in. Blame Skinner, if anyone should be blamed. As I said, I hope to update next week. Send in your comments, people. And corrections, if I some really stupid mistakes in the language. For the record, I know that lions don't do that sort of things very often. It was an injured animal, and they can do the strangest things. Though I do not belive they would attack a village. See ya later.