Chapter 9: The Darkness beneath Part 1
A/N: I may try a different format here…
A small, isolated coal-mining town nestled in a rich green valley. Bone-weary miners covered in coal dust trudge home. The back door bangs opens and Lannis Cadogan, enters. Lannis' huge dinner sizzles in various skillets and pots. Lannis grabs his whiskey bottle, pours a tall one.
"A bit like you."
"Careful Weasel…"
"Bad day?" His wife, Beth, asks. He ignores her and has another glass. "Lannis?"
"Three more on my shift threatened to quit today. Candy asses."
"They still hearing the sounds?"
"Don't you start in, to. They put me in charge of a bunch of Johnny Newcomes. Barely old enough to shave. There's nothin' down in that mine for 'em to hear."
"Are you certain?" Constantine asked as if he were mocking the man on the screen.
"Why don't you go on and get yourself cleaned up. I'll have your dinner ready when you come out."
"I'm hungry now."
"It's not ready."
Lannis stares at her. Beth doesn't move. Lannis swipes the whole bottle and exits towards the bathroom. Lannis' clothes fall to the floor. Lannis drains his glass. Looks at himself in the mirror. He turns on the water.
"Something's going to happen and it's not going to turn out well for him."
Lannis steps into the shower of opaque glass. He sticks his head under the stream and lets the steaming water work on his tense muscles. Because his eyes are closed, he doesn't when notice the water from the nozzle turns completely black. After a beat, he pulls his head out, opens his eyes, and sees the thick black water covering him, also spraying from the nozzle. As he watches, however, the black water sputters and ceases flowing.
"Ugh. Disgusting. You'd think he'd figure out that it wasn't water the second it changed. The two can't feel the same."
"I'd be less worried about the water changing and more about the fact that it has stopped flowing."
Lannis turns to exit the shower, but the door won't open. Behind him, Lannis hears a distant metal clank or two from deep within the plumbing. He turns back to the shower head and leans closer to assess the problem. As he stares up a gush of red-orange flames shoots from the nozzle, right into his face. Lannis screams in agony. From outside the shower door, we see the haunting image of a naked man being sprayed with fire behind the opaque shower glass.
Mick had a pleased expression. A few of the watchers scooted away.
John sits in the Mill House. He whisks through a very impressive display of playing cards wizardry. Cards disappear, reappear, change suits in the blink of an eye. John sits with his feet up on his ratty suitcase. Bored, waiting. He sits upstairs near the old mill gears. Chas comes down the entry stairs and joins him.
"Working on your skills?"
"Just one. Patience. What the bloody hell took you?"
"Patience? John Constantine? Now those are two words you'd rarely hear together, unless it's about your lack of it."
"At times!"
Zed just looked at him, as if daring him to prove his defense.
"Had to stay till the daily double. It was your only pick that paid off." Chas tosses John a thick envelope with a stack of cash.
"Capnomancy isn't an exact magic. Divining the future through the movement of rising smoke is tricky business."
"I would think you'd be an expert." Chas replies as John rises to his feet.
"Saddle up. We're flying to Pennsylvania. Look at the map." John says as he looks at the map.
Chas steps to peer at the scry map. A closer look reveals one wet drop of blood in Pennsylvania among all the dry ones. "One of the drops is wet."
"Seems that Liv's danger map has some unique properties, eh? Our destination is the tiny town of Heddwich. According to local papers, a mining boss was just flash-fried in his shower."
"You're on your own." Chas speaks. John sends a questioning look at him. "Pennsylvania? The succubus on a freight train?"
"Wait, what's this about a freight train?"
"That warrant's still active?"
"Funny what a long memory the law has when it comes to train derailments. But I'm willing to risk it."
"I think I've heard about that accident…"
"You've risked enough, mate. Here's tomorrow's picks. Knock yourself out." John hands Chas a Racing Form and heads out with his bag.