The ending to Dark Days was like this for me:
DDDD:
:\
:DDDD
DDDDDDDDDDD:
:DDDDDDDDDDD
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD:
I'm planning to go over to Derek Landy in Ireland and go banging on his door, demanding WHY he had to write a depressing book.
AND. As of April 8, I had officially been on this website for a year! :D
Entry #10: Written June 15th
Dear Diary,
Beer tastes like cow piss. Just sayin.
I'm not one to drink alcohol, but it helps get rid of the taste of sand…and I automatically spit it back out into a bucket, but still. I hate it. But, Diary, I'm sure you're wondering why I'm drinking in the first place! It's a terrible reason, and best explained through a long and hand-hurting process. This is my diary, and I'm charged with the task of writing everything down.
SO.
We'll start with the fact that was assigned by Madame Gabs to do sentry duty around Notre Dame Tower at two in the morning. They gave me time to "recover" from my "injuries," but I was totally fine after a day. But of course, this meant I could lay around all I wanted and it didn't matter AT ALL.
I took one of Gordon's cars to Notre Dame and got out quickly, since I could see Madame Gabs and her giant follower beside her. He had his hand on her shoulder protectively. She said something, and his body shook, like he grunted a response out or something.
"Good morning or evening, whichever you prefer," Madame Gabs said lightly. "You were expecting me to join you, I understand, but something called me away, so I must leave you with my trusty bodyguard."
(Since when have teenagers EVER talked like this?)
I nodded slowly. "That works for me," I said.
"Alright, well then, Carel Spar, Valkyrie Cain. Valkyrie Cain, Carel Spar. Monsieur Spar does speak Anglais, so no worries in that department." I held out my hand to him, and I almost backed away when I gripped my hand with his giant one. This guy, I realized now, was the exact same height and built exactly like the Grotesquery. I'm not exaggerating, Diary. He was huge. (I won't make a TWSS joke, so don't worry.)
"Bonjour," he muttered. His voice was deep; it was like a thousand fresh-out-of-puberty guys had gotten together. "Please follow me." He gestured to the grand doors leading to the cathedral. Madame Gabs gave a swift nod, then quickly left and hopped into a waiting car that I hadn't noticed before.
"Things will proceed like they did when you were assigned to St-Étienne-du-Mont, only minus your friend, Mademoiselle Low," he began. "Mademoiselle Robin has given me these for us. It's the same technology we gave you before. Don't worry about it being different." He handed me a little earpiece, the black square thing, and the little red ball. "Mademoiselle Robin and her brother Monsieur Rhett are watching us, so they will know when something goes wrong. We've placed small cameras around here, since in case we're not in an area where there is activity, one of the siblings will notify us and we can catch them. Anything resembling bombs should immediately be taken care of, obviously. If you see one of those men, alert me along with one of the twins."
"I don't like being referred to like that," Monsieur Rhett mumbled in our ears. I chuckled quietly, and I proceeded to sweep my hand over the area. I pressed my hand against the air and floated up onto the second story part of the cathedral. I have to admit, even though it was pretty much pitch black, this was a beautiful place. I could see some of the stained glass from the moon shining through it, and I couldn't believe how beautiful it was! The designs were gorgeous and incredibly detailed. I would have bowed down to those windows.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Aya said quietly in my head.
"It's incredible," I breathed lightly.
"Our churches and cathedrals are absolutely marvelous. I haven't been in one in a long time, but I see all the pictures my brother takes."
"Why haven't you been in one in a long time?"
There was a slight hesitation on her part, but she answered with, "I've just been way to busy to go on up and see them. You haven't had much time to see anything, have you?"
I shook my head. "No, too much stuff going on. And plus, I can't get anyone to go along with me," I replied sadly.
There was a static type noise, and I heard a small shout. "Sorry," Monsieur Rhett suddenly said, "my crazy sister, mon Dieu."
I smirked. "Monsieur Spar scares me slightly," I mumbled.
Monsieur Rhett laughed heartily. "He gives off that effect. He's not much different from Monsieur Bliss, is he?"
I shrugged. "I suppose not. At least I know Mr. Bliss, and I don't know Monsieur Spar. They're just these really giant guys who lumber around with scary glares."
"Oh you'll get to know Monsieur Spar. He was Madame Gabs' father's friend, so he's supposed to protect her."
How interesting…
"Yeah, I never caught the full story," I said. "Madame Gabs' father died, and then made her the Grand Mage?"
"In his will, oui," Monsieur Rhett replied. "It was a few years ago when it all happened. It was a case about vampires, naturally. They came charging in here, creating a terrible mess of the place. Grand Mage Elijah Times was hurt bad. We tried to save him with the help of a magic doctor, but it was too late. That next week, the funeral was held, and the will was read. It said that he was giving everything he ever owned to his daughter, and for his friend Carel Spar to care for her."
"Who was the magic doctor?"
"Doctor Jacques."
"I've met him!"
"Yeah," Monsieur Rhett muttered, "he's great with what he does, but no one trusts him, since he couldn't save Grand Mage Elijah Times."
"Is that why him and his assistant are so bitter?"
"Most likely," he said. "I liked them, and it wasn't their fault they couldn't save Grand Mage Elijah Times. He had been seriously injured. I think he sort of died on the way there. I try to convince Madame Gabs to go back to them, but she holds a mean grudge."
I nodded, and then froze. For the love of all that is Holy, these Sand Men won't go away. I looked down to the bottom floor and saw two guys creeping around, about to sneak up on Monsieur Spar.
"Hey!" I screamed.
"What?" Monsieur Rhett screamed back. He paused, then said, "Oh, I see. We're on it."
Monsieur Spar heard me and looked up, but then looked back down when one of the Sand People threw a hard punch to his left cheek. I took a running jump and leaped from the ledge and crashed into one of the guys. He growled and threw me off of him and reached for me. I knocked his hand away and climbed to my feet, shooting shadow tendrils after him. A few stuck him in the legs and feet, which was where I was aiming. I looked at the pews beside me and made a silent apology to all the Gods for wrecking their pretty church. I curled my shadows around the pew and sent it hurtling towards the big guy. He was just regaining himself after being hit with the shadows when a giant piece of wood went slamming into his chest.
He crashed backwards and I bolted towards him, putting my foot on his face, and sending a few shadows to bind his feet and hands together.
"Mademoiselle!" Monsieur Spar shouted out. I looked over at him as he gave the guy he was fighting a huge uppercut. His hand shot to his pocket inside his leather jacket and he produced two pairs of handcuffs. He pitched a pair at me. I grabbed them and bent down to the guy and cuffed his hands, but kept the shadows on him, just in case. I flopped down next to him on the ground.
"Au revoir," he mumbled suddenly and scrunched up his face for a moment, but he suddenly frowned and struggled against his confinements. "What did you do to me?"
"Has anyone ever told you about the cuffs we magical guys use to drain people's magic? Yeah, there's an abundance of them with the Sanctuaries," I said.
He growled. "The Sanctuary won't be able to catch us, or beat us for that matter. We the Nottinghams are stronger and more powerful than you and all of your stupid officials can ever hope to be! We'll kidnap you and then kill you if we find no use for you."
"Okay, time to stop being a cliché henchmen, please," I muttered, raising a hand to give him a solid punch in the nose. I brought my fist closer to his face, but his cuffed arms lurched out and grabbed my arm. I tried to pull away, but the guy's face yanked me towards him, and he opened his mouth and bit down hard on my fingers.
Tanith has bitten me multiple times when I point at her, because she is four, but this really hurt. It was like he completely ate my fingers off.
I pulled away in disgust just as the doors burst open. Madame Gabs, Monsieur Rhett, and Skulduggery were in the lead, and they were being trailed by four or five regular detectives. Monsieur Spar rushed up to them to give a report while I nursed my finger.
"What the heck was that for?" I whispered angrily to the guy.
"Whatever will happen to you won't last forever, so don't sweat," he said simply, then against all odds, exploded into sand again.
I screamed and staggered up, stalking past the group and shaking myself from the sand. If I wanted to be covered in tiny, obnoxious little grains of rock, I would have gone to the beach. I wouldn't be fighting off gargoyles in France in the cathedrals. GOD DARN IT.
"Are you alright?" Skulduggery asked, coming up to me.
I growled and threw a fist full of sand at him. He dodged it, but I managed to get some in his eye sockets. HA. He grunted and shook his skull of sand, and suddenly, my stomach did a back-flips. No, Diary, it wasn't the kind with butterflies where you're all nervous and in love and stuff, this was that feeling before you get sick and throw up.
"Are you alright?" he asked again, placing a hand on my back and steadying me. "You suddenly turned super pale and staggered. Are you sick?"
"I'm sort of feeling that way," I answered meekly.
"Here," he said, leading me towards the wall of the cathedral, "sit down for a bit and rest." I eased down onto the sidewalk and leaned my head on the stones. Skulduggery sat down next to me and pulled me closer to him, so I was leaning against his thin frame. I looked up as the two guys we were fighting were lead out by Madame Gabs and Monsieur Spar. The guy I had been fighting looked over his shoulder and smirked evilly. I glared at him, but then remembered what he had said:
"Whatever will happen to you won't last forever, so don't sweat."
Apparently, after biting my finger, he had made me sick, because in that next instant, I leaned over to my left (not the Skulduggery side) and threw up. Skulduggery's gloved hand pulled my hair back gently and held it there until I finished gagging. I gave a few coughs, and then gasped.
"Skulduggery…Look…" I said meekly.
"I'm not looking at your throw up, Valkyrie," he replied.
"No, seriously!" I mumbled, gripping his arm and pulling his body over to my "puke."
He gasped and said, "What. The. Hell."
"I don't know."
"That's…
"That's not puke, I know."
"That's…"
"I seriously just threw up sand."
"Oh my God, that is so not natural!" Skulduggery shouted, pulling me up and yanking me towards the Bentley.
"Did she…?" I heard Monsieur Rhett say.
"I threw up sand!" I barked and pointed to where I previously was. "Don't ask how, but I certainly didn't have a balanced breakfast of crushed up rocks! The guy that I was fighting bit my finger and said that whatever would happen to me wouldn't last forever, and I now am vomiting sand."
"Get her to Doctor Jacques," Monsieur Rhett said simply, grimacing as I suddenly bent down and threw up again. "Hey!" he bellowed suddenly, turning to his detective posse. "Does anyone have a bucket?"
There were murmurs in French, but Madame Gabs emerged from her car that was parked on the side. She was carrying a plastic bag.
"Thank goodness we made a grocery store run today," she said cheerfully. She handed me the bad, carefully avoiding my sand pile on the ground. "I suppose, feel better and…bonne chance." She gave a curt nod to the two of us and returned to her car again. Monsieur Rhett bit his nails, but then approached us.
"Will you guys be alright?" he asked softly.
"We'll manage. Doctor Jacques's place isn't too far from here. Valkyrie can make it, right?"
I nodded, but refused to speak, for fear of vomiting again.
"I'll call you soon, then," Monsieur Rhett amended as he heard Madame Gabs's car horn beeping. He hurried over to the sleek car and slipped into the passenger side. They drove off quickly and quietly in the night. Skulduggery led me to the Bentley and forced me inside. He turned the engines to life and sped out of there as fast as he could.
I threw up a total of three times in the car, and once up the stairs to Doctor Jacques's place. Skulduggery burst through the door, and instantly, Lythia grabbed my arm and forced me into a chair. Doctor Jacques rushed over to me and took the plastic bag o' sand and shoved a bucket under my mouth as I vomited again.
"This is strange," Doctor Jacques muttered. "I've never seen anything like this. Mr. Pleasant, did you see what happened?"
"No, but Valkyrie told me one of those Sand People who work for the Nottinghams who are causing all the ruckus bit her finger, and he said that whatever would happen to her wouldn't be permanent, so him biting her had to do with this."
Doctor Jacques nodded grimly and he grabbed my fingers. He poked at the one that was bitten. "Lythia, can you get me some of the cloths?"
Lythia nodded and disappeared with some of cloths and handed them to the doctor. He pressed them to my finger and I yelped in surprise.
"Soo-rrryy," Doctor Jacques attempted, patting my hand lightly. "Lythia, please get the bed ready. It'd be best if she stayed here, I think. Mr. Pleasant, what do you think?"
"It's not my decision," Skulduggery said suddenly, yet I suppose it was in response to Doctor Jacques's question. "The doctor wants you to stay here for the night, since it'd be best. He asked what I thought. But what do you think?"
I shrugged. "If he can find a cure, it'd be totally fine with me," I said feebly.
Skulduggery nodded and turned to Doctor Jacques. "She says if you can find a cure, it'd be fine with her."
"There's no guarantee about the cure. I may have to call Professor Grouse about this. He's more familiar with the things you get into."
Skulduggery chuckled once and helped me out of the chair once Doctor Jacques said something else I didn't understand. Skulduggery led me to the bed that Lythia had made all neat. He pulled the covers back and forced me back, handing my bucket to me.
"How did they know we'd be here?" I wondered quietly.
"I imagine Monsieur Rhett or someone called them with a heads up," Skulduggery replied, falling into the chair beside the bed. I scooted back and propped my pillows up and crossed my legs, and waited to throw up again.
Alright, so, after a bit of just sitting there, Skulduggery called up everyone back at the villa and gave an update about what was happening. Tanith began freaking out, and she insisted she pack me a bag of random stuff I'll need. Skulduggery left for a bit to get the bag, and when he returned, he had the bag, and Monsieur Rhett was trailing behind him.
"Hey, what did you all bring me?" I asked cheerfully, catching the bag that Skulduggery tossed at me. "I have a bag full of crap and a French guy!"
Monsieur Rhett smiled as he pushed his hair back. "I – We were all concerned about how you were. It's not everyday someone vomits sand up."
"Who's 'we?'"
"The Sanctuary and your friends," he answered coolly. That was a pretty good save, I admit, but it could have been better.
"Valkyrie, I have to actually leave," Skulduggery said suddenly.
I stared. "Really?"
"Yeah, China and Tanith wanted me to help them with something back at the villa. Call me at some point, alright?"
I nodded and watched him walk out.
"That was only slightly strange," Monsieur Rhett whispered softly.
"What do you have behind your back?" I asked a bit later, finally realizing Monsieur Rhett's hands were together, hidden from view.
He smiled again and revealed his hands. He was legitimately carrying a six pack of beer.
"Wow, beer in a doctor's place," I muttered sarcastically, "that's classy."
"I asked Doctor Jacques if I could bring it, and he said yes. I thought it might help with that disgusting taste that is bound to be in your mouth."
I frowned and stuck out my tongue in disgust at the taste. It was like…sand, spit, coffee, and bacon. I love bacon and coffee, but those combined with sand AND spit was terrible.
"Thanks," I said sadly, "but I pretty much never drink."
"Aw, just spit it back out into your bucket over there," he replied, "and then you'll be totally fine." He put the pack down on the table and popped open the cap on one of them and handed them to me. I took a small sip and cringed.
"Wow, this is why I don't drink alcohol," I mumbled.
Monsieur Rhett smirked. "Pretty soon the taste just mingles in with everything else. Especially when you're drunk. Everything tastes like pure ecstasy when you're drunk."
"Wow, thanks for letting me know."
"Haven't you ever been drunk?"
"Yeah, a few times."
"And aren't I right?"
I took a moment to respond, but nodded eventually. "I suppose so," I grinned and took another sip and spit it back into the bucket.
He stayed with me for a bit, and we talked about random stuff. No one got drunk or anything, though Monsieur Rhett I believe was only slightly tipsy. ("How do they get the ink in those pens?")
He eventually left after giving me a freaking kiss on the hand. Lythia saw him out and Doctor Jacques gave me a look like, "I c whut u did thar." I pursed my lips, cried out when I felt that familiar feeling in my stomach, and threw up again in the bucket.
I slept through most of the night, and it's morning of the day I'm writing this. But I'm sure how you're wondering how I have you, Diary. Well, when Tanith packed my bag full of whatever, she grabbed you and chucked you in there as well. I guess she figured I'd want to write in your or something. And I did.
But anyway, back to Monsieur Rhett and his kissing my hand things…D: I like the guy, and I know that there are the French stereotypes where all they want to do is be in your pants, but I didn't really think that was true. I really hope it's not true, either. Monsieur Rhett is definitely a sweet guy, and he gave me beer, and we talked for a long time, but I…I'd have rather have been with Skulduggery.
But, oh God, I truly think he was getting a little jealous. I don't want him to be jealous. I want everyone to be jealous of ~our love~ Stupid guys. I hate them for being cute and nice and sweet and adorable and for being Monsieur Rheeeeeeett.
Shot through the heart…And you're to blame…
Poo, now I have Bon Jovi stuck in my head.
…
Poo, I just threw up again.
I think I want to call Skulduggery. I think I really love him. I think I'm just really confused.
~Valkyrie
Failed ending, but I'm alright with everything else. I forget where my sand puke idea came from, but it amused me, so I wanted to use it.
Thanks for reading and sorry for mistakes (I didn't have enough time to proofread)! :D
