The Vampire as Metaphor...from the (Semi) Complete Works of William Soames Walthrop...
PG 13
Summary: A lost work of one William Soames Walthrop (...aka Spike) as it was delivered at one of Cicely Addams' house parties, shortly before Will's demise. See the reference to it in "Drusilla"...
Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...
Contributions to the recovery of the lost works of England's third worst poet are always welcomed...
Part XXVI…
[A troubled Cicely listening…
Slayers? Watchers? How has he possibly learnt…? I mean yes there are always stories and legends slipping about. Henry told me once, amused, of stories he heard at Cambridge of a mad killer stalked by a mere slip of a girl… But all this, so close to the…My…Truth?
Though that thing about a female Watcher? Please, dear…She eyed William at the lectern.
How Simon would howl at that…]
The public lecture hall at which the narrator had been weaving his tale…
A few in the crowd now once again a bit expressive of discomfort…Not, to the scholar's quiet amusement, with the notion of a young woman placed in the clutches of a hideous creature of evil by the fiend inhabiting her own mother…But with the fact of the said young woman's somewhat mixed race…
Was there really need to bring miscegenation into this bizarre tale?, one man, his twanging voice revealing him as a likely exile from the late Southern Confederacy. One or two scattered listeners murmuring agreement.
[Indeed…Hendersen, a bit discomfited himself, nodding…
Cicely, herself, a bit non-plused…Though of course, such things do occur and I suppose love is love…Ummn. And after all, I do have a suitor of the Hebrew faith myself…Glance to Jonathan…
Who was indeed in the running before Henry brought William to my door…]
"I greet our…American?...Friend." polite nod. "And say that I merely state the facts of the case, as they came to me. The young woman was indeed of mixed race…And her fate does play a role in my narrative."
"Nothing more than a call to race equality and mixing, sir." The man fumed. "Is that what this is all about? Your metaphor that white women should embrace the darkness!" he rose, angry now.
"I should point out, sir." Polite smile. "Many of your Southern gentlemen did, in the days of legal slavery, embrace women of darker hue. And we all know some women and men have without coercion, come to love outside their race."
"Sordid, sir! I call upon the authorities to end this in the name of decency!" the man twanged. "We should all leave at once, people!" he looked about…His few supporters now a bit uncomfortable.
"While I don't know if I enjoy the spectacle of one of my race…" a lovely young black woman in eminently middle class dark clothes had risen… "…being delivered to a monster, by a creature using the body and mind of her own deceased?..." she eyed the narrator who nodded. "…mother…"
The man glaring… "Sit down, you!" repressing an urge to spew a series of racial epithets which he sensed would be of little avail.
"…This is not the Confederacy and I am a British citizen speaking, sir."
Here, here… A number in the group applauded.
"Down with the slavers!" a cry. "Hurrah for Lincoln!"
The man fuming now…Damn Brit negro loving…
"Please…" the woman raised a hand. "I do appreciate our lecturer's commitment to whatever fact may be in his tale and am interested to hear more…Tell me, sir?" she addressed the narrator with a smile. "Is the lady integral to your tale? Or is this merely some bit of scintillation?"
"Quite integral, madam." The man nodded. "Indeed I think you will be pleasantly surprised at just how integral the young woman is…"
The exiled American now stalking out…Giving withering looks at all and sundry.
"Then, please…Pray continue." The woman nodded. "I think I begin to see how your metaphor applies but I'm curious to hear more." She resumed seat. The crowd generally nodding in agreement…
"Then with your permission…" the lecturer bowed. "We left Dr. Potter and Mrs. Potter at a signal point in their relationship, as their train continued onto the great American metropolis of Chicago…"
…
Hmmn…Olive woke, to her surprise, to a rather pleasant feeling…Hadn't expected to enjoy sleeping in a real bed…
Hadn't really expected to sleep at all…But…It had been a busy night.
Hmmn…She looked to a pocket watch pinned to her blouse. 6:15 am, by the latest local time she'd been able to determine.
Sunrise coming fast…Though there had been hope of a cloudy overcast. She hurriedly pulled on her skirt and felt hair.
Always a problem, given the difficulties with mirrors, to get ready in the morning without a companion to check…Still, if one concentrated and remembered, as both the Council and Nast had always noted, that the inability to see one's reflection…Like the effect of various religious implements and symbols…Was more a consequence of one's human imagination and propentities…
Concentrating carefully, she saw a ghostly image of herself in the small mirror she'd taken from her skirt pocket. It firmed briefly, just long enough to right her hair and spot a bit of coal dust on her cheek which she wiped away. Oh, yes…She noted the demon's face.
Would not want to go about in that form…She resumed human.
Well, that should do…Now…Parasol umbrella…That essential emergency shield…And out to face the world. She climbed out of her berth, open parasol first.
Damn…Heinrich might have sprung for a sleeping compartment, even if I'd not been likely to make much use of it. She cautiously scanned about…Safe enough here, no windows.
"Good morning…" she addressed a passing porter who nodded to her, pausing. "Just wondered what the weather was like this morning?"
"Rain, I'm afraid, ma'am." The man shrugged. "Perhaps it'll clear by the time we reach Chicago but it's pouring now."
"Oh, too bad. Still…I rather love a grey, rainy day." She smiled. "Thank you so much…Is the dining car open yet for breakfast?"
"By seven, ma'am but coffee and tea are available now."
"Excellent…" she beamed. "When do we reach Chicago?"
"About ten, ma'am."
"I hope our accident last night doesn't ruin our chance of a connection West…" she sighed.
"There's a pretty good number of trains heading out, ma'am. I'd be happy to make inquiries of the conductor as to likely connections." He noted. "Shouldn't be too bad…And Chicago is a fine city to see…"
"Indeed…So I have heard." She nodded. "I'll make inquiries later. Thanks again." Beam as he continued on.
Well, I wonder if Oliver is up with the dawn as he said…May as well go see so long as there's rain and overcast to block any sun in the car windows.
He was rather charming…And it's interesting to know there might be some arms heavier than the usual pistols and revolvers these people seem to adore aboard this train…
One never knows, after all…We are dealing with a Slayer here. Some heavy weapons might possibly tip scales if it comes to a battle…
I wonder which one of these Vladimir occupied…She peered about, trying to sense…Nothing. Perhaps he preferred to return to the crate? Bit foolish, we have to keep up the charade… Well, hook up with my "employer" later. No doubt, as an aristocrat, he'll be indisposed till noon.
…
"You're up early…" Elisabeth noted, finding Peter intently reading a page of the Book, sitting up next to her in their berth.
Kinda thought you'd be a bit zonked after…Well…Was a busy evening.
"Habit. I always had to be up early to study at school…And at home there was no time to sleep before my job." He noted. "Sorry if I woke you, I can go to the dining car in a bit if you'd like to sleep a bit yet."
"Nah, I'm up…I'm up." She shrugged. "And it wasn't you."
What…No good mornin' smooch? She thought, a bit irrationally annoyed.
"Breakfast should be served after seven, we can go up if you like." He continued reading.
"Great…I wanna see when we'll get to Chicago." She nodded. "And I'm kinda hungry…I'm always starvin' in the morning."
And at lunch…And supper…And judging by your going through those biscuits Smackles bought in Buffalo, all day long…Potter did not say.
When we get to Chicago…And you go…She thought, a bit glumly.
Still…If there's a little time between trains…Nothin' says we couldn't take in the City.
Especially if he keeps on this tack of not leaving while the leavin's good. I'll have to dump him somewhere, a big city's the place. Hopefully without knocking him out…He might break easy.
Then on with the job…
Sure, it won't be as easy without him for cover but…
On the other hand…Nast's people are here…No question after last night and poor…She repressed the thought of Willie…
They might go after him, some of them, in Chicago, just to see what he might know…And, without me…
No…No. C'mon girl. You're makin' excuses to keep him round. You decided to let him live, stick to yer guns.
"You gonna keep yer nose in there all morning?" she eyed him.
"It's rather fascinating, once you get into it and past some of the archaic language…" he noted, continuing to read.
"And?" she turned on her side to face him…
"Seems a lot of nonsense…Fascinating nonsense, but nonsense all the same…"
"About?"
He sighed and looked at her, setting the Book down to his side.
"This is a book concerning the origins, ways, and killing of demons and devils, of various sorts, focusing on vampires. With some magical folderol mixed in…"
"Exactly…Fairy tale stuff." She nodded.
"But far more serious than the Brothers Grimm, Elisabeth. I think the authors were quite serous, if a bit crazed."
"Maybe…But it's valuable, right?" she regarded him. "That's all I really wanna know."
"You knew that already, Elisabeth. There was no need for me to translate any of this." He frowned at her.
"This is not about money or the sale of this Book. You and Smackles believe in this sort of thing, the occult." He stated calmly.
"It's my business, Peter. Just tell me what you've found out."
"About what? This thing…" he tapped the Book on cover… "Covers quite a range…You'll have to be more specific."
She sighed…
Well…"Fine…Is there anything about…Something in California?"
"Something like…What?" he eyed her.
Wait…He regarded her.
"That's it. That's what this is all about. You're seeking something in California. I should have guessed, of course."
"Well, yeah…I am on my way there, to a job."
"Elisabeth…Either start talking to me, honestly…Or I can't help you and I'll tell you nothing more."
"You probably can't tell me anything useful anyway…You sure as hell can't help me…" she frowned, rolling over to other side.
"Fine then."
"Fine."
Pause…The train swaying…
"You up for a little more hokey-pokey before we get dressed?" she asked, not turning back to him.
He sighed.
"Ok, fine." She fumed.
"I didn't say no." he noted.