Part 2 (Conclusion)- MANSIONS OF MADNESS/Mansion of Madness: Confronting Josephine then Zeek

FROM THE BEGINNING: https://rigglew4.blogspot.com/2017/01/entry-1-andrew-keetling-is-missing.html

Victoria Valencia (Bill) Mob Accountant	James (Tony) Student of Egyptology	Khatan Rajar (Criv)   Parapsychologist

We finally board the train and settle into our own sleeper room for the 2 day trip to Muskrat Falls southeast of Pittsburgh. Time to compare notes and plan our approach to Josephine. And time to chat with other travelers, some returning to their Muskrat homes. A worker community supporting the steel company, thus slapped-together boarding houses. But at least 3 wealthy families to include the Garcetti who acquired their money by other means. The father long dead; his widow living alone in their 2-story mansion outside town.

After a decent meal in the dining car, we settle into our room for nightcaps (yes, we brought our own liquor bottles). James taking the top bunk and Khatan the foldout sleeper couch. Surprisingly easy to fall asleep to the rhythmic clackity-clack of the wheels on rails. Until we are awaken by muffled screams as an intruder attempts to suffocate James by clamping a hand over his mouth! James fighting the ghoulish image of Andrew, “What the hell? I thought you were helping us rescue you?” Answered by slashing claws and apology, “I have no control.”

Unable to see his face nor realize what the intruder is, Victoria (Tori) awakens to punch at the eye-level crotch. A solid hit that would cripple a normal man; except this creature barely notices. From behind, Khatan has better recognition and swings for a solid hit with his blade. Except the ghoul still fights, slashing James who fights back with his own dagger. Victoria reaches for her mace but only succeeds in sending James into a coughing fit. But with Khatan’s next swing, the ghoul explodes into a mist; vanquished. Turns out James wounds are not as severe as suspected, so he volunteers to stand watch. Tori and the doctor finally fall asleep awaking to the belief the prior events were but a dream.

 

The train slows to a stop at the Muskrat station. We easily learn of the local Pelttrapper restaurant, and General store. But James seeks out the local doctor. “Dr Anthony Pritchard MD is busy, so let me look.” The nurse receptionist then hands the Londoner aspirin, “I don’t see any wounds; you probably suffer a headache.” James would be indignant if he wasn’t already hitting on the nurse asking about the locals while mentioning Josephine. “Scandalous tramp. Left, or run outa town, near a decade ago. Playing wife and bedmate to all the local boys. She’s back in town?! I haven’t seen nor heard.”

Even the General store offers no clues. No Garcetti seen in town for months. Flashing a picture of Andrew draws blanks. So we walk to the restaurant which serves as the local speakeasy.

 

Rock-gut whiskey; appropriate for the blue-collar workers. Two suited men standout in the back corner; mob. James strikes up conversation, “I recognize the accent. Where you on the train with us from Boston?” Turns out they drove their own green Packard. Been here a few days. On the lookout for a young beauty. And good-ole keep-a-secret James, “You’re looking for Josephine too?” Tori is more subtle as she pulls out a cigarette asking for a light…one mobster pulling out a matchbook from the Sailor Club. To which James absently mentions Zeek to which they admit him their boss. James so proud of himself.

It’s still daylight when we find a ride out west; old man Gus delivering milk to a neighbor house, drops us one mile short of the Garcetti house. Two story rundown mansion with peeling paint surrounded by an overgrown hedge and unkempt yard. No lights. Khatan noticing 2 ft tall bone totems planted on each cardinal-side of the hedge, “Barrier spell.” Tori suggesting we climb a tree with overhanging branch to enter the yard, while James is more eager to eliminate the totem. The best he accomplishes is uprooting and dragging the northern totem to the east side before we climb the northern tree. Then J and K gag as they peer into the covered well…wafts of flesh rot!

K peers through the front windows: an empty livingroom, and dining room with table for 6 but set for one. Tori climbs in and listens at the door as the others climb in. From a room above, “Fine, I’ll do it tonight. He’s almost ready.” Then a door slam and footsteps along a long hall. We exit the dining room into the foyer. Tori and Khatan listen at the base of stairs while James searches the area finding a coat-rack (long female coat in the style of a flapper; another male fancy overcoat).

As the footsteps fade to a distant upstairs area, K climbs the stairs. Then freezes as he hears footsteps descending stairs to his right. Turning to descend, a board creaks under K’s foot, “Who’s there?” J and V scramble to hide in the livingroom. K? “Excuse me. I knocked at the front door but no-one answered. I’m looking for Andrew; his sister sent me. Yes I come alone.” By now a beautiful face peers around an upper corner, wary of the intruder. “Controlling sister. Andrew is a grown man; my fiancée if you must know. He’s actually gone to town for groceries again. Now leave my house before I call the cops.” Except K knows better as he draws his pistol, “Cold outside. Why would Andrew leave without his overcoat? Besides I checked in at the grocer…they never heard nor seen Andrew per this picture, nor do they know you are back in town.”

Despite the pistol pointed her way, Josephine gets the drop casting at K who bends over vomiting his guts out. And that’s when James steps out firing warning shots but she still runs. This time his aimed shot hits (001) dropping her. J sprints up the stairs as V takes time to turn K’s face so he doesn’t chock on his own vomit. J interrogates the dying bitch who speaks of her “Lord” and admits Andrew is upstairs. James cold-cocks her with his pistol butt then searches to find the black stone in her pocket. Khatan revives to climb the stairs to tend the unconscious woman’s bleeding in case more interrogation is needed.

A search of the upstairs reveals a disturbing room: empty with undulating walls and a green light from the rear shadowing an approaching shape. J and K stare uncontrollably seeing a mummified body stuck in webbing (James seeing his own face stuck in the webbing). V slams the door shut to break their stare.

Eventually we find Andrew handcuffed and lying in his own shit, his legs broken. James carries Andrew out of the house when we spot the green Packard, “We thought you’d find our package. Here’s your reward, now hand over the stone.” We try to plead ignorance as we only wished to rescue Andrew. Reluctantly we return to the house. Moments plotting to eliminate the mob before we decide the cash will do. So we drag Josephine out with the stone, getting an envelope full of $100 bills ($2500 total). As they stuff the bloody woman into the trunk, they offer us a ride into town. Warily we accept, soon to be dropped off before they head on their way to Boston.

Dr Pritchard tends Andrew’s wounds with little questions. “He’ll have to stay overnight.” We return the next morning finding Andrew ready for the train ride out of town, with the doctor asking, “Did you happen to know the men driving that green Packard? News report of them crashed 20 miles east. All chopped up. Dead woman in the trunk; ID’d as that Garcetti woman you were inquiring about. Ghastly.” We pay for his services (James almost offering a $100 bill before he gives a $20 bill instead).

Another 2 day trip as we deliver Andrew to his Boston house [he’ll have a permanent limp]. We split the reward on our ride back to the train station, each to go our own way. “James? Is that you?” A distraught Bobby from the Sailor Club stands on the platform. “I’ve been looking for you. Well, really Milly. Have you seen her?” We are all drawn into the long story of Milly visiting the back of the bar and never to be seen again. Just a week ago. Bobby fearing the madman Zeek. He and his Roman orgies. He didn’t make any European trip; he laid up being deadly sick those months ago. Never the same afterwards.

And now James actually caring for his one-night-stand. So we’re hooked as we return to the club. Bribes to get the bartender talking. Yeah, Milly went in the back room. No stone package was delivered here. Personal deliveries would go to his mansion up on the hill, where Zeek is now, probably with Milly.

Zeek mansion…2 story house. Lights spill from the downstairs windows but the upstairs windows are boarded up and dark. The floorplan similar to the last mansion: downstairs livingroom and dining room with a near collapsed table. Moonlight thru a side window reveals a man hanging in shackles but the window locked. Another back room has a sleeping mass on a rug, “It’s man sized. I’d swear it has wings and 6 legs!” Another window reveals a kitchen with white smear on the floor, “Is that bat guano?!” So we enter via the unlocked front dining room window spotting old gas lamps. And James bumps the unstable table…”CRASH!!!”

Footsteps…more like the clatter of dog-claws upon wood. James bars the side door are we face the open double-doors where a wing creature appears. And Zeek’s voice calls out, “Come outa there else my children get you.” James tries to reason, getting Zeek to admit he has the black stone. Tori on the other hand takes action, pumping her double-barreled shotgun at the creature…2 solid hits (10 and 18). The 1^st shot bouncing off the tough carapace while the 2^nd shot splatters fluid. But the creature still advances on the now defenseless gal, swinging one appendage that slashes open her chest (11 point major wound) dropping her unconscious. Zeek now appears at the door minus his cape: human torso and upper body but the multi-legs of his offspring!

James throws a gas lamp that hits Zeek spreading flames. Zeek retaliates casting Shrivel at the student but fails. Khatan prepares his own spell dumping all his magic (16) into his Shrivel spell which drops Zeek. The creature hovering over Tori jumps at Khatan but misses before attempting to flee. James and Khatan combine their swings that drop the aberration. But they hear glass breaking from the adjoining room and soon see the silhouette of another aberration flying across the moon.

James finds the black stone on the now dead Zeek. A search of the house, upstairs, has them finding Milly…what’s left: her hands and feet chopped off, pregnant, and near birth [in just a week!] as her stomach pulses with life of multi-legged babies clawing to get out. A gunshot to her skull and shotgun blasts to her womb silence any screams. And in the aftermath, pause to read Zeek’s diary: Josephine cursed him, turning him into the beast they witnessed. Voices telling him to impregnate women on the off-chance of restoring his former body…a lie.

The image of James and Khatan carrying Victoria down the hill is enhanced with the backdrop of the mansion up in flames.