Author's Note: We're back to England again. We were there this season, but we haven't checked in with Arthur and Mam. Well, here they are. I might have dropped a hint of what's to come for Halloween. Toward the end just out randomly and I just went with it. I think I will be staying in Europe for a couple of weeks. I am thinking about doing Germany next week. You are going to have to see. For now, enjoy this week's match.
Match Sixteen: Dando's Dogs:
Hecate had sage lit in her hand. She could hear the sound of a calliope playing in the background. She knew that the carnival was coming. It would be coming in three days' time. Her sisters and mother could feel it too.
Hecate turned her head when she heard the door open behind her.
"Oh, it's you," she said. Arthur stood in the doorway with a dull look in his eyes. The nightcomer gave him a little smile.
"How are you tonight?" she asked. He didn't speak. She could see a little bit of life in his eyes. Hecate walked over and gently leaned into his ear.
"Do you know what's coming?" she whispered. "The carnival is coming. Hell is dancing its way to the surface. Can you feel it?" The nightcomer drew back to the Englishman's face. His eyes looked empty but she could feel something inside of him. Hecate chuckled.
She wasn't the only one to notice that something was coming.
Oliver looked through his closet. He was going out tonight. Hm… Should he go for the red tie or the black tie? Or maybe something more festive? Yeah, that sounded like a plan. Oliver looked up when he heard a knock on his bedroom door.
"Yes?" he asked. He watched as the door opened.
"Is this a bad time?" Allison asked. Oliver chuckled.
"No, you're just fine," he said. "Come on in." The nightcomer slipped inside. The Englishman smirked at her.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" he asked. Allison smiled.
"Are you heading to the carnival when it comes?" she asked. Oliver walked up to her.
"Why yes," he said. Allison's cheeks looked a little bit pink.
"Are you looking for a plus one?" she asked. Oliver chuckled as he held out his hand.
"Do you want to come with me?" he asked.
"If you want me to," Allison said. "In fact, we will meet you there." The twisted Englishman nodded.
"Gladly," he said. Oliver took her hand and kissed it. Allison giggled. Her daughter would be rolling their eyes if they saw her now.
The sisters could hear the whispers around London. The internet helped spread rumors.
"I can't take my eyes off of it," Tessa said as looked at her phone. She scrolled through the message boards. The news was playing in the background. Sabine walked into the living room. She turned and looked at the TV.
"Hm, they still haven't found that cop," she said. "So weird."
"Uh-huh," Tessa said. Her sister frowned and puffed up her cheeks.
"Are you listening to me?" she asked.
"Uh-huh," the younger sister said. Sabine gritted her teeth. She reached over and snatched the phone out of Tessa's hand.
"Hey!" she shouted. Sabine gave her a cold look.
"You're not listening!" she shouted. Sabine gave him a cold look.
"Then what did I say?" she asked. Tessa rolled her eyes.
"You were talking about that missing cop on the news," she said. "I was listening." Sabine didn't look impressed.
"Girls, that's enough!" someone yelled. They looked to see Hecate standing in the living room doorway. Their sister marched over and sat down.
"What do you want?" Tessa asked.
"The carnival will be coming up and we have work to do," Hecate said.
"Yes, we know," Sabine said. "What else is new?" The older sister pretended not to hear that comment.
"What do you plan on doing then?" she asked. Her sisters looked at each other.
"Why would we tell you?" Tessa asked. Sabine stuck out her tongue. Hecate rolled her eyes.
"Whatever," she said. The nightcomer already had a guess of what her sisters were planning. They were going to cross paths eventually anyway. Hecate couldn't wait to see how they were going to turn on their mother.
Until the night of the carnival, there was still some work to do. There are rumors of another baby born. A nephilim if you will. That child was in Mam's backyard. Allison just had to know where they were.
Arthur could hear the cries of a baby in the distance. That didn't physically stir him. Still, there was something awake inside of him.
It's been dark inside of him. Arthur doesn't know how long he's been wandering around like this. It's a miracle that he hadn't passed out. Something was making him keep walking.
How am I still alive?
Arthur wasn't hungry, tired, or sick. He didn't have a destination either. That wasn't him in his body on the outside. It was a miracle that he wasn't dead. Was it because of the nightcomers? It was possible. They already turned his life on its head. What else could they do to him?
Suddenly, Arthur stopped in his tracks. The Englishman lifted his head. A large invisible hand rested on his head. A creepy grin appeared in the air.
"'Ello, Poppet," a low voice growled. Arthur's eye grew big. He wanted to speak but found that he had no mouth. Laughter rippled through the darkness.
"Aw, why are you so scared of me?" it asked. "Just want to talk." The Englishman didn't have a choice.
"Look, I want to help you. Don't you want to get back to your body?" it asked.
My body back?
"Yes, my boy. It will all depend on you," it said. Arthur stared up at him with those big eyes. Could he really get his body back? How could he trust this voice? What if this was a trap by them? He wouldn't put it past them. But still…
"I can guarantee you that I am not with them," the voice said. "I am here on my own accord."
I don't get it.
"Get what?"
Why are you doing this? What do you get out of helping me? Arthur could feel the dark empty rolling as the voice chuckled.
"Because I want to. Now, what is it going to be? Do you want to be here forever or do you want your body back?" it asked. Arthur lifted his eyes.
Tell me what I need to do.
All the while, England, along with the rest of Europe was about to be swept up into a night of the dark circus.