Part 1 - Nameless Horrors/Bleak Prospect: "Esther, Where Are You?!"

Tuesday morning in Crawley, Massachusetts is another chilly November, 1932. Chimneys throughout this industrial town churn out smoke hinting at the families inside their homes lazing around their fireplaces soaking in warmth. Unlike the hobos 2 miles outside of town shivering around their meager fire-pits, inches away from the flames trying to gain what little warmth issues forth. A typical Hooverville gathering of makeshift shanties for the down-and-outcast members of society stricken worst by the October 1929, Stock Market Crash.

Here's our cast and their 'former' profession. Now all common bums:

Ellie playing Nathaniel Coombe, doctor	Hannah playing Thomas Dolan, businessman	Emma playing Agath, journalist
Ashton playing Hiram Melnick, lawyer	Tony playing Maureen Freyn, socialite	Keith playing Karl Rothstein, professor of physics

 

Karl is the first out of his hut, brewing the leftover coffee grounds for the 3^rd time. Others slowly rise to huddle round the fire. And once more Hiram endures another verbal assault from Maureen, “Move your worthless ass over to another fire-pit. It’s your fault I’m here; I don’t need the daily reminder of your inept lawyer skills.” Hiram slides over, giving a little space, as he actually does feel responsible. Two years now since Charles Freyn committed suicide leaving Maureen a single mother facing mounting bills and financial decline. Hiram, her lawyer, trying to settle Charles’ will. What happened? It was an easy case for the best lawyer in town. But he failed her, like the dozen cases afterwards that earned his spot here in Hooverville.

Maureen on a roll, turns her spew towards Karl, “Go back to your Motherland! You Germans started the Great War which plunged us into bankruptcy. You’re to blame for the Stock Market Crash. You claim to be a physicist; what level of lawyer is that?! You’re all the same.”

“Stop it! No more yelling! Screaming, always screaming. You, me, the dummy? Someone screaming. And those white-faced men all around. Why are they screaming? Stop hurting me. Save me. Make that ventriloquist dummy shut up! Stop these nightmarish dreams.” Nancy Carver slumps in tears, wanting to hide in her tent, but so in need of warmth right now. Others trying to console her, troubled how she has begun a slide toward insanity these last months. But her dreams DO sound somewhat familiar…

Dr Nathaniel Coombes emerges from the hospital tent, “Agatha, Harold has taken a turn for the worse. I would have sent Billy, but I haven’t seen him this morning.” You’d think she’d rush to her husband’s side, but she’s heard this news too often; she’s become immune. And once more Maureen chimes in, “I never trusted the boy. Not dependable. Always chasing after my Esther.” Which spurs Agatha to leave the fire just to get away from the mouthy bitch. Thomas decides to join the doctor and Agatha.

Agatha is surprised when she sees Harold, looking MUCH worse. His skin pale and dry, eyes glazed. Then his last breathe, a puff of black air…shock at the sight of his skin melting off his face! His chest collapsing, and multiple slug-like creatures slither forth!! One is already climbing up doctor Nat’s arm as another jumps off the bed and climbs up Agatha’s leg. Initially, Thomas is high-stepping to avoid the other 3 slugs skittering on the floor.

Screams pierce the morning air (all sounding girlish from the fright). Nat tries desperately to knock the slug off his arm, attached like a lamprey to a fish. Shock and horror as the slug burrows into his arm. Surprise no wound is visible as the tail wiggles beneath his skin. All that remains is the reddish circle of initial attachment. Karl enters the tent in time to see Agatha busy trying to brush the slug off her leg. She succeeds only to see the slug burrow into her palm! Thomas tries to stomp on a slug, missing, then runs out the tent in fright having seen Agatha’s failed efforts. Everyone runs from the tent! “What the hell was that?!” Karl applies tourniquets above the parasite entry for both Agatha and Nathanial trying to isolate the threat from the heart.

Screams erupt from neighboring tents, foretelling the remaining slugs having found easier slumbering prey. Maureen now in a panic concerned for her daughter, “Esther?” She returns to her tent finding it empty. Esther’s bed used but empty, her coat and shoes still remain dumped beside the bed. “Esther, Esther, where are you?!” Hiram and others join in the search. “Where’s Billy too? His bed is empty and undisturbed; obviously he didn’t sleep in it last night.” Nancy adding to the fright, “The dummy, the white faces, screaming, all screaming.”

Maureen welcomes any and all help finding her daughter, even Hiram. “Over here; footprints in the garden.” But they are adult-sized shoed prints, with heels. No-one in camp wears such; heels having worn out years ago. “More around your tent. And they continue on the path to the road.” Easy tracking to the edge of the road, ending near tire tracks. Wide tracks. Gravel kicked up suggesting the car sped away south toward Crawley. Hiram muses, “Those look like my old Caddi. Deep impression. I’m guessing 3+ adults.” As they talk, Maureen is already fast-walking toward town.

 

“Wait up” as the others run to catch-up. 15 minutes later they come upon the Blue-Star Diner; 2 sedans parked out front. Karl offers, “Wait here while I go round back to get Ida Brodie (his source of used coffee grounds and leftover food) per our special signal.” But Maureen is already up the steps and inside. “Hey Ida, get these vagrants out of here. I don’t need the smell spoiling my appetite.” “Maureen, how many times have I told you…” “Ida, Esther is missing. Have you seen her?” Ida walks Maureen outside to talk. Agatha slips by to go inside, peeking under the stools and booths at shoes looking for caked mud. Nothing. “Hey, get the hell away from me. IDA! Get them out of here!”

Meanwhile, Ida consoles Maureen, “Sorry to hear about Esther. Haven’t seen her. In fact, I was up late last night. Insomnia. Only thing I saw was a large car speed by around 2am.” Hiram describes his caddi now owned by Casper Brinck (another lawyer who took over his clientele AND his Greenley estate). “Sounds about right. Not that I got that good a look at it. Porch lite, its headlights…blinding.”

And once again Maureen (M) is off at a fast pace. Hiram and Agatha contemplate hot-wiring one of the sedans, but are dissuaded by Nathaniel’s stern look. M to the police station while the others angle toward the Bentham Hospital seeking treatment for the parasite infestation. Rippling skin shows movement past the tourniquets.

M is up the steps to the station and already providing details of Esther’s absence to the desk sergeant Eamon McCoole. “Calm down, catch your breath, quieter. No need to wake the whole town.” Maureen actually tries her charm, “Captain. Captain McCoole is it? Please help. My poor little daughter is missing. ” McCoole faints listening but isn’t writing anything down in his police blotter. And M notices, “Why aren’t you writing?! Listen SERGEANT! Write. My daughter. Esther. 12, about 57 pounds, brown eyes and short brown hair.” “Sorry mam, I don’t have any officers available.” Lowering his voice, “Under strict orders to cater to my city folk. Captains orders. His orders from the Midas group. Theodore and…”  Maureen has heard enough and has already stormed out.

The others arrive at the hospital and enter to the desk where they encounter the head nurse, Doris Cain. “Out! This is a city hospital caring for its citizens. Not the likes of you rift-raft.” Her hackles raised further when she spies Dr. Coombes (who once tried to get her fired for ineptness). A few notice her hand lowered beneath the desk; Nathaniel knows that’s where the alarm button is. Agatha pleads her case, “Please, I need a doctor. Something entered my arm. I’m afraid I’ll die like Harold.” Agatha doesn’t realize Doris’ fake smile is just delay as she waits for the orderlies. The brutes arrive and start to usher the hoboes out, just as Dr. Cavendish steps from his office, “What’s all the commotion? Doris, give them a minute. At least listen. Nathaniel, please step into my office.”

Behind closed doors, Nat tells recent events and the death of his patient Harold. Cavendish explains his predicament, “Theodore owns the hospital and most of the town. I’m under order to deny aid to any and all Hooverville resident. I don’t know why. I just know I could lose MY job and any chance to help.” They arrange a secret handoff of medical supplies in exchange for Harold’s body for examination. “Secrecy else I’m screwed! At my house.” As they exit the office, “I’m sorry Dr. Coombes, but there is nothing I can do for you. Like Ms Cain said, please exit our hospital.” Agatha is drug from the hospital in protest, “But my hand. This parasite. Please! Why can’t you help? Why WON’T you help?!” “Come along Agatha, maybe we can get help elsewhere.”

They walk east through town looking for Maureen. Not hard to find a woman yelling at the top of her lungs. “I’m going to the bakery and my best friend Betsy. Maybe she can help.” As they draw near, Hiram exclaims, “Hey, there’s my caddi parked in front!?” Maureen soon looking into the car for her daughter. Agatha and Hiram trying to pop the locked trunk. Thomas and Nat trying to look innocent leaning against the building. Karl casually peering into the bakery shop, making awkward eye contact with Betsy. Who steps around her counter coming toward the door. “Hide.” Maureen stepping forward to catch Betsy, “I need your help, Esther is missing. The police won’t help. Maybe you can file the report for me.” Another deadend.

They wait in lie for Casper. As he steps toward the car, “Excuse me, we’re looking for a little girl” Karl engaging with him. Startled, Casper spies the others and nervously backs toward the shop, his hand reaching inside his coat, “Betsy, call the police. I’m being mugged!”  “Sorry to trouble you. Didn’t mean any harm.” The group leaves going westward, intending to double-back toward his Greenley estate where they can confront him, alone.

Karl familiar with the neighborhood so close to his old house, “Hey, we’re close. Let’s stop in the old Prospect estate. Ritzy place. Maybe we can find weapons or valuables to ‘bribe’ Casper with.”

Stomachs growl as it’s already 11am and no-one has eaten. Not that they hoped for a meal. Before them the rusted Prospect gates, with new chain and lock. The 30 acres inside the 10ft fence are overgrown from lack of maintenance. Agatha cannot pick the lock. In fact she breaks her pick inside it. Leaving Thomas to scramble up the wall to then provide aid for the others with a makeshift rope crafted from tattered blankets. Up and over to the inside go Hiram and Agatha then Nat. “Eke!” Agatha letting go the rope as she hears rustling in nearby bushes. Everyone makes it over despite Karl’s weakened state...rope burn. More skittering noises. Panic and fear as they realize the bushes and ground are covered in slime and excretion. In fact, for a cold winter day, this area is surprisingly moist and warm.

“Did you hear that?” Paranoia as they find desiccated remains of field mice, squirrels, and rabbits as Karl leads them toward the human moans. Another vagrant prone, covered in slime, struggling to speak. Karl leans in to hear. The others gasp and panic as they spy a parasite crawl out of the mouth then into the eye socket ever so close to Karl’s ear. “Unnnnattttuuural. Ggggiiiirrlll inn side.” Then a puff of black air from the dying man has Agatha and Nat quickly backing up, “Get the hell away from him. Let’s get outa here!” But Maureen protests, “What about my daughter?!” Karl offers, "This way. I've been here before."

The group fights through the overgrowth, down the gravel road toward the house. “Is that pink paint?” Neither Karl nor Maureen remember such color when they visited this place years ago. And looking closer, “No shingles nor sideboard; it almost looks rubbery texture.”

Maureen enters calling for her daughter, “ESTHER!!??” Hiram enters and immediately starts puking at the overwhelming stench of bile and excrement coming from the back of the house. Others tie rags over their noses. Then a slowly delivered call, “HHHEELLLOO?” Karl reacts to a voice he recognizes, “Aston, is that you?” Delay before, “KKAARRLL?? I’m hungry. Feed me.” The voice possibly coming from the 2^nd floor. Karl leads the group up, “Aston Hawkes owned this house. He went missing 6 years ago. Rumor he was working some project on dimensions. I seem to remember his understudy Theodore Sedgwick taking over.” Agatha perks up, “Hey, that’s the name my husband Harold was investigating before he became sick!”

Link to next session: https://rigglew4.blogspot.com/2017/06/bleak-prospect-part-2.html