From: Philippa Chapman (Glastonbury, Somerset, UK.) Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 15:00 +0000 Subject: Gothic Leap, Part 2/3 GOTHIC LEAP Underneath the streets of Trinity, the hundreds of green worm-like creatures began to swim purposefully towards one another. They sensed each other, met, coalesced into one giant form, then undulated slowly up the sewers towards the house of Lucas Buck. "Three hundred and five; this is it, Sam. It's got his name-plate on the right of the door." Sam looked at the imposing brass name-plate, then at the front door. He dug a likely looking bunch of keys from his pocket and opened the door, then the inner glass door. The hallway was a symphony in polished wood, with an imposing staircase going up on the right-hand wall. Just inside the hall were two large palms in pots, then several doors on the left. Sam tried the handle of the nearest one after shutting the front door behind him. Inside this door was a dark study, all leather upholstery and heavy wooden furniture. Sam could smell both, overlayed with recent polish. "Well, he certainly looks after his things. Some of these pieces could be antique...." [They've been handed down, you might say.] "Al, he's back...." [And this is where the real fun starts, Doctor Beckett.] Sam found himself standing in front of the liquor cabinet and pouring himself several fingers of scotch. [Only the best whisky. This is Laphroiag, all the way from Scotland. A connoisseur's delight.] Sam wasn't normally all that keen on spirits, but he sipped it, then downed the lot with relish. [You're sharing all my appetites, Sam. My pleasure is yours....for now.] Al crossed the room warily, watching Sam intently. "Sam, I don't mean to bother you, but there's the strangest noise coming from the kitchen....." Sam let Al lead him to the kitchen. A strange gurgling noise was coming up from the sink. Sam and Al eyed it with suspicion. Sam reached under the sink and found the sink plunger without a second's thought, then placed it over the plug hole. Several things happened in the next few split seconds. The noise increased to a scream, Sam was thrown back from the sink and a huge green tentacle thrust out of the plug-hole and caught Sam around his waist, then his neck. He didn't even have time to snatch a breath before he was fighting for his very life and Al couldn't do a thing to help him. Sam wrestled, punched, even kicked and bit the unmentionable thing attacking him, but his air supply was being slowly squeezed out of him. With a lunge of desperation, he found the handle of one of the kitchen drawers behind him and reached inside for something that might do as a weapon, even as his vision began to be dotted with black and blue spots due to lack of oxygen. He came up with a carving fork, which wouldn't have been his first choice, but he used it anyway and the tentacle loosened it's grip very slightly for a fraction of a second, giving Sam a much-needed chance to snatch a breath. "That's it, Sam! Give that...that *thing* a taste of it's own medicine!" Sam used the temporary respite to try the drawer again, this time striking gold with a square bladed butcher's knife. As he executed the first blow, thick foul-smelling yellow liquid spurted out of the tentacle. Al jumped backwards automatically, even though the stuff couldn't hit him. After only a few blows, Sam was almost covered from head to foot in the thick, viscous liquid. Finally the huge tentacle- worm dropped to the floor, oozing slowly out of the plug-hole and collapsing with various flopping noises into a stinking pile on the floor. Sam stood, arms held stiffly at his sides, panting heavily. He dropped the knife onto the draining board. "Ohhh, God! I'm surprised that I haven't got broken ribs after that. Al, could you direct me to the bathroom? I most definitely need a wash." "Is it....is that whatever it is....*dead*?" Sam kicked his adversary cautiously, then a second time with more power. "Yes...if it was ever truly alive. Look! It's melting, disintegrating...." Even as they watched the green flesh bubbled and popped noisily, ripping slowly apart to reveal pink flesh and more yellow ooze, which frothed and boiled, spilling over the rest towards the floor. In the split second before it hit the floor, the creature's blood disappeared, along with the rest of what was left behind. In a matter of seconds, all that was left was the kitchen floor, looking for all the world as if nothing untoward had happened. Sam sniffed the air. "Well, it's either that thing or me, but there's still an awful smell around here - like burnt rotting meat." Al covered his mouth with his hand by reflex, then motioned Sam to follow him out of the kitchen. They were going up the stairs when Al stopped and pointed upwards. "What do you make of *that*?" Sam looked to the landing at the top of the stairs where there was a huge multi-colored eye-shaped stained glass window in shades of blue, red, green and purple. "It's quite striking, isn't it?" Al's eyes narrowed nervously. "I don't like it. It's spooky. You could imagine witches coming through that, especially tonight..." "Al, I don't like this any more than you, but right now I really need to wash. If anything nasty turns up, I'll have the shower head as a weapon." "The only witch I know who was susceptible to water was that one in 'The Wizard of Oz' - and Tina's mother, but then I always had my doubts about her..." Al found the bathroom quickly even as Sam was giving him an old- fashioned look. Sam quickly stripped off his clothes, which were now beginning to go stiff as the jaundiced blood started to set. Sam found a pail and put them into soak and then washed himself thoroughly under the shower, while Al kept watch for anything suspiscious. Sam wrapped himself in a towel and headed for the bedroom. Al helped him locate underwear and a pair of dark blue pants, then looked out of the window. "Sam, things are going really screwy around here...come and see." Sam put the towel around his bare shoulders and went over to the window. "It's like the effects of heat-haze.....there are several patches of disturbance, like mirages." Six distinct patches, ranging from around five feet tall to eight feet tall, were making strange disturbance in the evening air. None of the objects or beings causing these disturbances could be seen, but they all gave off the impression of being in control of what they were doing. "Do you remember the film 'Predator'?" Sam nodded quietly. He remembered only too well. It was one of the few movies he'd seen just before he Leaped that had actually given him nightmares. [And if you have nightmares, then you need a knight to defeat them.] "Oh, very funny, Lucas. What can I do against those.....entities?" [Anything you like. They are your playthings.] "Lucas says that I can defeat those 'entities' out there." "Then I should step on it, Sam....before they become solid like that thing in the kitchen." Sam flung off the towel and ran back down the stairs with Al hot on his heels. He flung open the front door and stood silhouetted against the light in the hall. A bolt of lightning shot downwards from the sky at the same instant. "Talk about dramatic surroundings," Sam murmured,"We'll be getting the Munsters coming to call next." [What do you think *those* things are, Sam? But these are *real*, not some cheap Hollywood imitation.] Sam took a deep breath and went around the house to the street where the entities waited, flexing slowly against the darkness of the night. Sam took a fighting stance automatically, poised on the balls of his feet just in case he had to engage them directly or make a run for cover. He raised his right hand in front of him somwewhat uncertainly. A bolt of blue fire streamed out of Sam's hand and hit the nearest disturbance. It stretched, warped, screamed like scraping metal, then vanished. Sam got the vaguest impression of claws imprinted in his mind before his hand moved onto the next one. He could feel the power surging through him, more potent than adrenalin and testosterone mixed together. His solar plexus and his gut thrummed with something like electricity, as the power increased. It was incredibly seductive and pleasurable, to be in control of such elemental force. Slowly but surely, he dispatched each of the semi-realized mirages, but the last and biggest one was already becoming real and solid by the time he reached it. Sam could see definite indications of dark hair bristling, glowing yellow eyes and huge jaws as the creature actually moved from it's spot towards him. The eyes moved intelligently between Sam and Al. They watched, dumbfounded as the creature sniffed in Al's direction, obviously confused when it couldn't pick up his scent. Then it charged in a blur of incredible speed towards Al, it's jaws open wide. Sam stepped in it's path instinctively, felt the teeth beginning to pierce his right arm, then the creature disappeared in a blinding white flash. Sam fell backwards through Al with the momentum, then slowly sat up, examining his arm. There wasn't a mark on it. "Well, Lucas, honey. You sure have an unusual way of welcoming me to your home." Sam looked up into the face of Selena Coombs. He stood up and went to open the door as she reached the house. The light inside the house illuminated her perfectly. She was wearing a red woolen dress that covered her from shoulder to mid-calf, but it clung to her curves in such a way as to make her look almost naked. Sam swallowed hard. "I'll....I'll just put a shirt on..." Selena smiled slowly. She put her hand on Sam's chest, stopping him dead with her touch. "Don't bother, sugar. It'll only get wet when we go bobbing for apples." Her hand moved slowly upward and round the back of Sam's neck. Sam gave in to temptation and pulled Selena into his arms and kissed her hungrily. "Wow! I am *definitely* going to try this with Tina when I get back home. Sam, are you going to go through with the apple bobbing or are you planning on skipping it and going for the main event? Just so I know if I should make myself scarce, you understand. Unless you *want* me to stay and watch?" This last remark had the effect of temporarily bringing Sam back to his senses. He pulled away from Selena somewhat reluctantly. He smiled at her. "Let's go apple bobbing, then." Selena made a small protesting noise, but followed Sam through to the kitchen. Sam distracted himself by sorting out the bowl and the apples, plus a couple of drinks. Selena took a taste of hers. "Ohhh, Southern Comfort, Lucas! You know what that does to me..." [I certainly do, Sam. But tonight, the pleasure is going to be all yours...] Sam almost choked on his own drink of beer. Lucas' voice echoed back in Sam's mind. [Don't be such a prude. You'll both enjoy yourselves.] Sam set his jaw and put the full bowl and the apples on the table. He placed the apples in the water as Selena sat down at the opposite side of the table. She slowly picked up an apple in her mouth, then held it in her hands to take the first proper bite. Al groaned with pleasure. "Oh, boy! She even eats like an adult movie. I bet she's watched that naughty eating scene in 'Tom Jones' *hundreds* of times." Sam gave Al a dirty look. "Well, it certainly seems that you did," he commented between gritted teeth as he picked up his first apple in his mouth. "Oh, come on, Sam. Don't tell me you've *never* used food as part of seduction?" Sam tried to look impassive. "I'd just rather not be reminded of it right now. How far are we off midnight?" Al grinned at Sam attempting to cover his embarrassment. "I knew you had hidden secrets," he muttered,"Okay, Sam. We've got two hours to go. Enough time to...*enjoy* Selena's company." Sam ignored Al as he finished his apple and went for the next one. Selena pulled up her second apple with rather less finnesse this time and water trickled off the apple and inside her dress down her cleavage. Sam tried to pretend he hadn't noticed, but having Al drooling at his elbow was making things slightly difficult. Selena went for the jugular quite deliberately the next time, deliberately splashing the water at Sam. He splashed back, then wished he hadn't. The dress might as well have become transparent. "I'm going upstairs to dry off, Lucas." Selena's hips swung slowly as she left the room. Al grinned at Sam. "Do you want me to leave yet?" "Don't you *dare* leave. It's your presence that is actually helping me. Lucas actually *wants* me to, is expecting me to....you know....while he rides piggy-back inside my mind." Al's face became like thunder. "Now *that's* obscene. There's no way I'd ever let another man.....and I might even balk at Miss Hot Hips there if I had *that* sort of offer. He's still inside your head, isn't he?" Sam nodded, slowly, "That's worse than voyeurism...I've done my share of that, especially in the last few years, but to actually be inside someone else's head. Role play is one thing. This is definitely in the area of twisted and warped. I'm right beside you, Sam. Though goodness knows how we're going to cool down the human volcano we've got upstairs." Sam grinned. "Cold shower?" Al grinned back. "Never worked for me, Sam.....in fact made the problem worse, if anything." [You are going to refuse my gift?] "Yes, I am. Selena is off-limits...no matter how tempting." "Atta-boy, Sam! You tell that *nozzle*..." Pain sliced through Sam for a second time, but worse than before. This time, the white-hot agony stretched from the tip of his head to the soles of his feet and everywhere inbetween. He went rigid as a board on the floor, with waves of excruciating pain pulsing through him every second. He couldn't breathe or even blink. Al crouched beside Sam, in helpless concern. Sam felt the blackness of unconsciousness reach up to swallow him and he fell eagerly towards it for relief. He was within seconds of achieving it when the pain was ripped away for a scant second, giving him space to breathe, then it returned in full ferocity. Lucas kept him like this, wracked in agony, until the second Selena walked back through the kitchen door. "Lucas, honey...I thought you were coming to dry me off..." Selena's words trailed off as she saw Sam stretched out on the floor. His face had gone through grey and white and was now a sickly yellow with shock. Selena bent over Sam. Al looked up blindly, then took in what she was wearing. "Ohhh, Sam. You'd better brace yourself, kid. She's in her underwear and it's black silk with stockings and garters and as for the bra....ohh, boy. Are you alright, Sam? Sorry, it's just that Selena just got about ten times more distracting. Has Lucas left you alone yet?" Sam sat up very slowly. "I can't see anything. I think the pain took away my sight....." Al tried to touch Sam instinctively, but failed. His hand passed straight through Sam's shoulder. "God, Sam; I'm sorry. I let my blasted hormones get in the way." Sam smiled wanly. [The pain didn't take away your sight, it was me.] "S'okay....." He took several steadying breaths, then Selena helped him to his feet and Sam found himself being seated on the kitchen chair, "It's bad enough just *feeling* some of her underwear, Al," he murmured as he felt Selena move away. "She's getting you a drink of water, Sam." Sam nodded as he felt Selena return and help him drink. Sam felt his color begin to return and the natural endorphins in his body finally kick in. The pain retreated to a ghastly memory as his heart-beat steadied to something approaching normal. He could hear more acutely with his ears and feel the sweat on the palms of his hands. "Lucas, honey, you've never been ill before. Was it the apples?" [Remember Adam and Eve?] Sam nodded to cover himself. He let Selena walk him to the front room where he collapsed gratefully on one of the leather couches. The smell of leather and wax seemed to be overpowering around him and he could hear the soft rustling noises Selena made as she moved. "Can you see *anything*, Sam?" Sam slowly shook his head. [You defy me and I have my ways of correcting you. It would be so much easier and nicer for you if you gave in. I could make tonight very special...] "It's Lucas," Sam whispered, "He's angry because I'm resisting Selena." The lady in question undulated out of the room, then turned at the door. "I'm just going to put a robe on, sugar, but I'll be back..." Sam closed his eyes and groaned as he lay back on the couch. "I'm cold...so cold. It's the shock, I guess. I shouldn't have gone outside in October half dressed either." Al's eyes were full of concern. [The coldness came from me, too.] "You just hang on in there. If Selena's got any sense, she'll realise you need warmth at a time like this...here she comes now. Yes, she's got a shirt and a couple of blankets plus she seems to be wearing one of your - I mean Lucas'- dressing-gowns." Sam let Selena help him into the shirt and under the blankets. His teeth started to chatter as he warmed up. "I must have got mild hypothermia..." Selena walked across the room. "I'm calling the doctor, Lucas. I've never seen you like this before." Sam heard the phone and Selena's husky voice relaying the details. Al sat on the floor next to Sam. "I'm right here, Sam. All you gotta do is whisper......Sam? Hey, Selena, get over here, he's not responding..." Selena drifted back right on cue and felt Sam's pulse. She smiled softly. "Yes, you need some sleep...the doctor'll be here soon, sugar." She smoothed back Sam's hair and Al watched intently. "If I only had you as my personal nurse, without Lucas in the picture....." his eyes glinted,"Okay, Calavicci, save the fantasies for when you get home. We got Sam to watch...though having Selena here is rather nice, to say the least...." Al's voice skidded to a stop as Selena sat down through him on the floor, "Ohh, *baby* if only you knew what you were doing to me..." His voice came out in a hoarse whisper, then he spent the next few minutes in silent admiration. The doorbell rang eventually and Selena stood up slowly while Al tried not to drool too hard. Selena returned with a tall dark-haired man. "....Yes, Billy, he just collapsed. It was either the cold or the apples. I've never seen Lucas sick before..." Al checked his Handlink. "Sam, you're in good hands here. This is Doctor William Peel, but everyone calls him 'Billy'. Oh, boy...he and Selena had a bit of a hot affair going for a while. No wonder he's looking at her so strangely. He's a good doctor, though - selfless, devoted, lonely - goodness, he could be you! I think I'm going to like this guy..." Sam's eyes fluttered open as the other doctor bent over him. "I hope this is genuine, Lucas, or I'm going to get very cross. I have a hospital full of patients to consider." Sam blinked as his eyes suddenly started to work again and he focussed on Billy's face, taking in the dark brown hair and eyes, the strong chin and the firm mouth. "Hey, you can see again!" Al's smile threatened to break his face in two. "I've got my sight back!" Sam repeated firmly, both for Billy's sake and Al's. Billy examined Sam carefully, yet warily, checking his eyes in particular. "Well, you certainly seem to have suffered from the cold, Lucas. Next time, wrap up warm. As for the attack in the kitchen....I have my theories, but it doesn't seem to have caused any permanent damage. You'll be pleased to hear that I shall be going away for a few days. A fellow doctor who specialises in tropical medicine is giving a lecture tour in the States and I am going to attend. That'll be one less thorn in your side," Billy turned to Selena,"Lucas will be fine, Selena. Just keep him warm." Billy's jaw tightened as he passed by Selena without another word. Selena saw Billy out, then returned to Sam. She perched herself on the edge of the couch and kissed him. Sam clenched his hands on the couch. "Shall I come and keep you warm?" she asked, seductively. Al whimpered. "How far is it off midnight?" Sam asked, more to Al than Selena. She got up and moved over to the clock on the mantlepiece, which was obscured by deep shadows in the darkened room. "It's eleven o'clock, Lucas. I hope you're not planning on disappearing around midnight like a ghost....you did invite me for the whole night, remember. I've given up trick-or-treating to be with you." She slowly slipped out of the robe and Sam got his first view of the underwear that Al had described earlier. "Ohhh, boy!" he whispered and closed his eyes, but that just made things worse. "Do you want to go upstairs, sugar?" Sam decided that it was risky, but it would buy him some more time. "Yes, Selena." "Can you make it all by yourself or do you need some help?" Sam blinked as he sat up rapidly. "I'm feeling much better....I'll make the stairs without help. You go on up and I'll be there in a minute...." He smiled persuasively at Selena. "Very well, but don't keep me waiting too long...." Selena undulated slowly out of the room and Sam let out the breath he'd been unconsciously holding. Al shook his head. "I know *exactly* what you're fighting, but I'd've given in *hours* ago. Probably more than once, too." Sam put his head in his hands. "Al, I just need to get through the next hour. *He* may have retreated again, but I can feel the echo of his presence in my mind. You can bet he's just waiting for an opportune moment." [And this, Samuel Beckett, is that moment.] "Uh-oh. He's back, Al." [You know how good it felt, dealing with the little diversions outside. The thrill of power and invulnerability. You could have equalled Superman in those moments,] Sam felt himself rising to his feet. The surge of pure undiluted energy came back, but even stronger this time,[Doesn't that feel *good*, Sam?] Sam's legs carried him to the door and slowly to the bottom of the stairs. "SAM! Hey, don't go up there yet....you've got nearly an hour to go.." Sam clung to the pillar at the bottom of the stairs, caught between the seductive persuasiveness of Lucas and the power surging through his body and Al's presence at his left elbow. [My powers are at their strongest tonight, Sam. Let me show you a taste of how good it could be if you gave in...] Sam reeled drunkenly as he saw a graphic vision of himself inside his mind beginning to seduce Selena. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to concentrate on Al and the reasons why he shouldn't give in. He sank to the floor, still clutching the end bannister. "Sam, are you okay? Is he hurting you again?" "It's not exactly *hurting*, Al," Sam managed,"He's giving me a little preview of what to expect upstairs." Al's lips quirked in amusement despite themselves, then he got angry. "Now, that's not playing fair, Lucas...besides, it won't work on Sam. He's a regular boy scout; he doesn't go in for the simple pleasures of the...er..flesh." Sam gritted his teeth as the images continued and became more intimate. In spite of his resistance, desire blossomed inside him. "If you were inside my head, you might have a different point of view." The flames inside Sam grew stronger, more insistent. He groaned, caught between protest and pleasure. "That good, huh? Don't worry, Sam...start declining Greek verbs or something, translate everything into heiroglyphics or algebra...whatever works." "Heiroglyphics won't work, Al. It's a language of pictures, remember?" Al raised his eyebrows, then he smiled slightly. "Well, it can't be so bad if you can still crack jokes like that." Sam started to laugh, softly at first, then louder. The scenes inside his head vanished along with Lucas' immediate presence. Sam continued to laugh in sheer relief, then he opened his eyes and looked at Al who was completely non-plussed. This set Sam off again. "Ohh, boy, *you* must have had an interesting time when you first made love. I hope the poor lady could take a joke." Sam hiccuped with laughter. "No, Al," he managed, between bouts of chuckling,"It was the humor...it took the images away *and* Lucas. You just made it worse by not knowing what was going on...." Al grinned gently. "Oh, I see. Glad to be of assistance. I seem to remember that if you laugh at....at you-know-who, he flees from you." Sam caught his breath and stood up, looking up the stairs. "Yes, but what do I do about Selena?" Al thought for a moment. "Well, if you don't go up there, chances are she'll come looking for you, probably in her birthday suit." Sam took another deep breath and started up the stairs. "Lucas, is that you, honey?" "Who else is she expecting? Dracula and Frankenstein's Monster?" Sam chuckled again, but his laughter was cut short by the appearance of the window on the landing. Although it was cloudy outside, something like moonlight was shining through the window, casting patterns of color over the landing and bannister rail. Sam hesitated at the edge of the patch of color. "Are you reading anything unusual in *that*?" Al punched his handlink. "I really don't like this, Sam. The moon is obscured outside, so I have no idea what is causing that light....Ziggy can't detect it at all." "Well, there's only one way to find out...." Sam braced his shoulders and walked through the colored light to the other side, "Didn't feel anything, Al." Al's eyes narrowed. "Well, maybe not, but I'm taking the short-cut," He appeared beside Sam outside the bedroom door, "Now should be the easy bit. Resisting Selena. You've resisted women before, you can do it again. You've even got a valid reason this time." "That'll do, Al." Sam put his hand on the doorknob. "It just beats me how you could have turned most of them down." Sam decided to ignore this last remark and entered the room. Selena had left the curtains undrawn, but the bedside light was on, illuminating her pale form on the bed. Sam swallowed nervously and went over to the windows, making a good show of drawing them closed; anything to buy more time. He sat on the chair facing the bed and wondered what he was going to do next. Selena sat up in bed and smiled at him. "Come over here, honey," she invited, patting the bed next to her. "I...I..er, I'm not sure if I'm completely better yet." "Then I'll just rub your back." Al looked at Sam. "That sounds incredibly seductive to *me*." Sam hesitated, trying to buy more time. He was on the point of giving in out of sheer politeness to Selena when Merlyn drifted through the wall. "Don't, Sam. Hold on until midnight." Sam and Al both swivelled to face her. Merlyn approached Al. He started to back away, but hesitantly. "You and I need to join forces, Al. Hold my hand." Al looked at her, then Sam. "But you're....I mean *aren't* you a...a ghost?" He spat the word out as fast as he could when he got to it. Merlyn smiled but her eyes were sad. "I haven't touched anyone in such a long time, not even Caleb. He's asleep in his bed now, so I'm here, keeping an eye on Sam with you." Selena got out of bed and came towards Sam. "What is it, honey? You look like you'd seen a ghost." Sam turned towards her. "As a matter of fact, I have. It's Merlyn. She's standing right over *there*." "I remember teaching Merlyn. Such a tragic death, too, but it was something of a relief. The poor girl had been out of her mind for years," Selena wound her arms around Sam's neck "I can take your mind off her, sugar." Sam found himself in the middle of a passionate clinch before he knew what had happened. Al began to urge Sam to stop, but Sam seemed to be deaf to his entreaties. Merlyn put her hand on Al's shoulder. Sam managed to break free and man-handled Selena back to the bed. The eager look in her eyes was replaced by anger when he left her there and went back to Al and Merlyn. "Ohh, boy, that was *close*. What did you do....oh, my; you can touch each other." Merlyn's smile grew warm as she gently drew apart from Al. "Together we are strong, Sam. It's close to midnight, so my powers are strong too. In Europe they call this feast Allerseelen - All Soul's Eve." Sam understood what Merlyn meant. "I know, when the dead loved ones can visit their families or friends for one night in the year. It's a positive thing, not all this witches on broomsticks stuff we have over here..." Merlyn nodded. "It's the only night when I am able to touch Al. In a sense, we inhabit the same space because he is outside time too." Al looked at Merlyn warily. "It still scares me....touching dead people, no matter how beautiful they are." Merlyn looked at him. "What about people in your faith who have had tangible visions of the Virgin Mary or one of the other saints, even Jesus himself?" "You're a *saint*?!?" "If that helps you not to be afraid, Al....then you could call me a saint."