Nightmare Cafe

[Ravenloft]

Blackie:

Sitting back in one of the cafe's booths, Blackie read a paper with a slight chuckle. Flipping through it, the front had an old and yellowed picture of a massive cruise ship. In bold text across the top was written "Titanic: The maiden voyage."

On the wall behind the cafe's serving counter, an old clock turned its hands to eight o'clock. With a sigh, Blackie sat his paper down and looked up toward the cafe's doors. The open sign flipped over on its own, the lights came on, a neon lit juke box kicked in, and the cash register chittered to life.

 

[Maid of Marvels]

Fay Petulia Peronivic

The lights of the Cafe flickered as she walked in the door hoping for a hot cup of coffee and some pleasant conversation. The place was empty except for a guy sitting in one of the booths.

"You open?" He nodded.

"Umm... Coffee?" He shrugged and pointed to the empty coffee maker behind the counter.

"Talk much?" He grinned.

Spotting a uniform draped across a stool, Fay walked over to it and picked it up. "Whaddya know. Just my size." She looked around again, spotting the sign for the Ladies Room and headed toward it.

Five minutes later, dressed like a respectable waitress, Fay Petulia Peronovic walked back out into the Cafe.

"By the way," she said to the man in the booth. "I'm hired."

 

[Lethe]

Once there was a man who commited a terrible crime and went to Hell. That was all there was known about Ash, but speculation was rife through all the Underside, the miserable borderland on Earth on the brink of Hell.

He was Icarus, Judas Iscariot, Atlante, Faust. Nobody knew for sure. Even Ash didn't know for sure. His memories of Hell were misty with pain and torment, and further than that his memory almost could not stretch, beyond occasionally throwing up isolated images and moments. He only knew he did not want to go back to Hell and he would do anything to avoid it.

He was a tall man, with a close-cropped, short brown beard and he habitually dressed in a black trenchcoat, whatever the weather. Immunity from heat and cold were among his blessings, if you could call them as such considering their source.

Ash appeared suddenly, as was his wont. He did not appear out of thin air. That was impossible, as passers-by well knew. He just... appeared. And looked around. Saw the sign 'Nightmare Cafe'. And smiled.

Nightmare Cafe was a good place to go looking for souls in torment.

 

[Ravenloft]

Blackie:

"You were hired long before you said so..." Blackie said with a humor to his voice as he stood up. Looking toward the exit, he suddenly scowled. "This is new..." He sighed as he looked out the glass door. "We have some opposition coming... Or rather... YOU do, Fay..." Blackie laughed as he looked over at her.

 

[Lord Kenshin]

Frank

Frank frowned as he walked through the cafe door, looking around and noticing a lady walking into the ladies room and a man sitting in an empty booth.

"Any business lately?"

The man nodded, chuckling and reading his paper. Frank walked behind the counter, turning on the coffee maker and putting on a batch of rolls and a pan of chicken noodle soup.

Frank flipped on the tv, leaning against the counter as the picture came into view. The lady was changing into the outfit she had picked up at the counter. He blushed bright crimson and turned off the tv, sitting down at the counter and setting two bowls out.

"Would you like some" Frank said to the man at the booth.

 

[Maid of Marvels]

Fay Petulia Peronovic

Fay eyed the newcomer curiously. Now where did HE come from? He barely acknowledged her presence, mumbling something that sounded like "coffee's on" while turning a lovely shade of red.

She didn't know what had brought her here. Or Frank. Funny that she knew his name. She supposed that Blackie knew... What the hell was going on here? Fay gave a mental shrug. She sure as hell didn't know, but whatever it was, it felt "right". Weird. But "right".

"We have some opposition coming... Or rather... YOU do, Fay... " Blackie said, laughing mysteriously. Curiouser and curiouser, she thought as she looked out the door to see what he was talking about.

A tall dude in a black trenchcoat was headed their way, a determined set to his approach. She turned to Frank who had quietly stepped up beside her. "Don't take my word for it, but it doesn't look good. Boy do I need a cup of coffee."

Fay walked behind the counter, took down three mugs from the shelf and began to pour. "I don't suppose you'd like to give us just a little clue, would you?" she asked Blackie without turning around.

 

[Lethe]

Ash

Ash pushed open the glass door of the cafe and strolled nonchalantly in. He grinned insolently at Blackie.

'Blackie! It's been what, five years? Madrid, right? There was this bullfight...'

The stupid bullfighter had given his soul never to lose a fight in the arena. Blackie had tried to persuade him not to, but the bullfighter hadn't listened, had signed Ash's contract. Ash had won that round of the game, and got a commendation for it. He didn't feel good about sending others to the fate he had once recieved but.... oh, hell, thought Ash, It's better than working

'I see you've hired some help since then'. Ash's gaze flickered over the two new people without interest. 'Get me a coffee'

 

[Lord Kenshin]

Frank watched the two as they talked, casually glancing back to Fay as she poured the coffee in the mugs. He blushed, thinking of the TV and what he'd seen. He turned back, continued listening to Blackie and the stranger talk.


"Funny " he thought, "How do I know these people's names?"

Frank shrugged it off and took a seat back at the counter, wondering what the point of all these was. All he could remember was swimming, then stepping into this place and not having a clue what the hell was going on.

"Coffee" The stranger said, not even acknowledging them.

"Are you for real? " Frank thought angrily, "This guy thinks he's some kind of freaking celebrity... ugh.."

Frank turned and grabbed the coffee mug, turning and walking to the stranger, handing it to him and going back and standing behind the counter next to Fay, giving her a sidelong glance.

"What now?" Frank muttered under his breath to her, keeping his eyes on the two at the booth.

 

[Ravenloft]

Blackie:

Standing up a few minutes before Ash walks in, Blackie looks up at frank with a smile, folding his paper up and dropping it onto the table. "No, not much, not lately... Ah, She's rather pretty isn't she?" He added as he looked between the tv and Frank. "A clue? But that would take all the fun out of this Fay... Frank... Meet Ash..." Blackie said as he waved a hand toward the door, as if reveiling the guy in a trench coat. He took a mug of coffee then and sat on one of the stools along the cafe counter.

Between sips Blackie corrected the man, simply saying. "Barcelona, the RUNNING of the bulls... The guy didn't run fast enough..." Another sip of coffee and Blackie turned in his seat. "You know why they're here, just as well as I know why YOU'RE here..." Blackie said seriously as he stood up and went back to his booth. "So, go ahead, give them your speil already..."
And with that, Blackie took up his paper, unfolding it between himself and the others.

 

[Maid of Marvels]

Fay

"Meet Ash... "

Frank didn't seem to know anything more than she did about who this Ash was or what was going on and she wasn't sure if she really wanted to know. Yet somehow, Fay was positive that she would find out anyway. It was just that there was something about this dude that set the little hairs on the back of Fay's neck on end.

Pouring a mug of coffee, Fay set it on the counter in front of Ash. Blackie had his paper in front of his face as if that would segregate him from the conversation that was sure to come. It more than agitated her to think that he wasn't reading at all, but sitting there with a big grin on his face and Fay couldn't help flicking her finger against the newspaper in annoyance. She looked at Frank, arching an eyebrow and shrugging as she poured each of them a second cup and leaned across the counter.

"A spiel? Evidently Blackie thinks you have something to tell us, Ash. Me? I don't have all day. The lunch crowd will be in soon and this place will be hopping." She heard the hopeful tone of her voice reveal itself an untruth as she waited for a response. Something told her that this place would never have more than one or two customers at a time.

 

[Lethe]

Ash

Ash raised his coffee mug, and looked at the two of them. Blackie had ostentatiously raised his newspaper, making clear he would have no part in what came next, no matter how his two new proteges decided. Ash, despite his slight distaste for his job, always did feel a warm glow when he reflected how much it must annoy Blackie every time he lost another soul to Ash.

' My "spiel" as Blackie calls it, is quite simple. You want something. You must or you wouldn't be human. Our desires and our dreams are what keep us going, what makes us get up every day. Forget all that crap about immortal souls. What we need is something we can touch.
'Blackie and the people he represents can help you. Me and mine have never denied that. But Blackie's road is hard. He claims to give people what they need, not what they want, but in my experience, he gives out what he thinks they should need, not what they know they want. That isn't the way.
You can continue slaving for him, working your asses off, and sometimes risking them, forever, because that is his way. Redemption through blood and tears. If it doesn't hurt, it doesn't count, right, Blackie?'

Ash's voice was low and soft now.

'But my way is much simpler. My employers are in the business of gifts, tangible gifts, not vague promises and talk of things like redemption. We can give you anything you want. Anything'

Ash took another sip of coffee, and smiled almost paternally. Inside he felt somewhat nauseous, and tired, yet treacherously excited, as he always felt when making the sale.

'I realise this is a big decision. You're new to the Cafe, to the Underside. We don't want to push you. Take a few days to think about it. When you're ready, here's my card'

Ash handed Frank and Fay business cards; simple, white card affairs, with no sinister blood-red ink or other drama. The only thing unusual about them was the given phone number. It was three identical digits.

It was the number 666.

 

[Firesprite]

Felicity risked a look around the corner of the building, the zombies were distracted for a moment by the remains of one of the whores. Looking across the way at the house there she saw the back door.

Bracing herself, she sprinted across to it, slamming her shoulder against it as she wrenched the doorknob, almost tumbling inside in her haste. Slamming the door with a crash she leaned her head against it, regaining her breath, her eyes closed. A bright light seemed to shine on her - brighter than any lantern, but softer than the sun. Opening her eyes she could see the grain of the wood, smell its scent, and the light was very bright after the darkness outside.

Slowly turning, Felicity held her pistol in a firm grip, ready to confront whatever caused such brightness. Afraid that she was already dead and the light was an angel to take her spirit, Felicity tried to still her trembling.

 

[Ravenloft]

Blackie:

Abruptly standing up, Blackie set his paper down and slipped into the store room of the cafe, he flicked the floresent lights on and smiled as he caught sight of a girl. "Hello Felicity." He said companionably. She turned about and leveled her pistol upon him, he still smiled. "Rough day?" He asked with a grin.

 

[Firesprite]

"Who.. Who are you?" she stammered, throwing one arm up to shield her eyes from the glare above "How do you know my name? What are you doing in Buck's house?" Felicity pressed back against the door behind her, feeling the cool metal of the doorknob in the small of her back.

 

[Ravenloft]

Blackie:

"Me, i'm Blackie, I sort of keep an eye on this place, oh, but its not Bucks house, you must have gotten confused and came through a different door without realizing it..." Blackie said reasuringly as he came up to her, offering her his hand. "You look like you could use some coffee and a while to relax Felicity, and you're in luck, we can give ya both, come on in..." He said with a smile.

 

[Firesprite]

Raising her hand to her head in confusion Felicity nodded to this Blackie person. She was coming down with a major headache, Coffee would help she hoped. Fumbling with her dress she managed to lift it and sheath her gun in her suspender holster before following Blackie out.

 

[Ravenloft]

Blackie:

Leading Felicity out to the cafe, he offered her a booth or a spot at the counter, leaving her the choice, then went to get a mug and the pot of still steaming coffee. He smiled at Ash mockingly. He knew Ash would be offering her his normal routine, but with this one, it was pointless, at least, until the cafe offered her what it would... Coming over to her, Blackie started up a for a conversation. "So, them Zombies, pain in the ass arn't they?" He said with a smile as he set the mug of coffee in front of Felicity.

 

[Firesprite]

Sitting down in the strangly upholstered chair of the booth, Felicity eyed the other occupants of the room. They were attired as strangly as everything else here and Felicity hardly knew where to look.
Blackie startled and angered her with his casual comment on the Zombies. The were a very serious matter, hardly cause for levity. It was like saying "Gee Ma'am sorry to hear your entire family drowned in the flood yesterday. Must have been annoying"

Her eyes flashed with her anger at him, and she replied in a patently false sweet voice "Perhaps you'd like to step outside and see just how much of a pain in the ass they are, sir."

She gasped and put a hand over her mouth in a vain effort to take the words back. She thought such insolent things frequently, but never had she voiced them before! What manner of witchery is going on here? she thought, becoming truly scared at her odd situation.

 

[Maid of Marvels]

Fay

Fay took the card from Ash, turning it over in her hand to look at the back before reading the front again. 666. She shrugged and glanced sidelong at Frank, trying to look nonchalant. She wanted to believe this was a just a daydream, but deep down Fay knew that it wasn't.

Movement from the back of the Cafe caught her eye as Blackie came back with a woman in tow. Where the world did she come from? Fay watched as Blackie poured the strangely dressed customer a coffee.

"Howdy pardner, Welcome to Dodge," she murmured under her breath as bits and pieces of their conversation carrying across the small room. When Fay thought she heard the word zombie, she elbowed Frank in the ribs.

"Zombies?" she mouthed silently. No, this was no daydream. It was a full-blown nightmare, or soon to become one.

 

[Ravenloft]

Blackie:

"Oh, its no witchery, Felicity, well, not exactly anyway." Blackie said out of the blue, giving her a small shrug. "I'd have to say, its much more, really. But we can talk about that later. Right now, im certain you'd like to know how you got here, and why you're here." He stopped and looked over toward Fay and Frank. "But it's not really my place." He said misteriously as he walked over toward them, in midstride, he produced a well read paper back to Fay and winked. Then he slipped into the back room. The cover read; Mystic West: Zombie Boom Town and Other Tales.

 

[Firesprite]

Felicity shook her head. Surely he didn't know what she was thinking?
She watched as he got up and walked away. He handed a book to the woman. She didn't see where he got it from - it must have been in a pocket.

He headed to the back room. Curious, Felicity rose to follow.

 

[Maid of Marvels]

Fay Petulia Peronivic

Mystic West: Zombie Boom Town and Other Tales. Fay riffled through the yellow, dog-eared pages of the book wondering how many people could have even WANTED to read this trashy dime novel to make it look this way. She really hoped that Blackie didn't expect her to read this.

Fay spun around to toss the book back at him and blinked. Then rubbed her eyes and blinked again. "What the... " She looked around and felt herself being pulled backward just as a stagecoach came clattering down the dusty main street.

"What the hell is going on here?" she grumbled, picking herself off the ground and trying to get some of the dust off her ankle-length skirts. "This does it. This really does it!" Fay Petulia Peronivic of Tulsa, Oklahoma USA and lately a waitress in a harborfront cafe was standing on the side of an unpaved street in a hellhole of a town named Desolation. Population 480.

 

[Ravenloft]

As Fay watched, a man came trudging over to the sign, only to paint over the population total. A male cleared his throat just behind her. "Ahem, m'am? You're lookin a little lost..." The whitewasher was painting a new total... '465'

 

[Maid of Marvels]

Fay Petulia Peronivic

A little lost was the understatement of the year as Fay saw it. She looked from the sign painter to the sign and back. Cholera. Diptheria. Small Pox. Just what she needed. She had no idea how she got to this place and to top it all off there was a frigging epidemic. Well... maybe not.

"Erm... I'm new in town," she mumbled. Yeah right. Like this was news. "Lots of people movin' on huh? Heading for California or something?" Hey, it was worth a shot. Literally.

"Yeah. Movin' on... " the sign painter pointed a bony finger toward a building across the street. "You might want to get a room over there. It's coming on dark."

Fay turned to look in the direction he pointed. The Grand Hotel. "What the hell does that mean?? Coming on dark?" she asked, but when she turned back the man was gone. Well, she wasn't sticking around to find out, that was for sure.

Money. Did she have money? Reaching for the small bag that was tied around her waist, Fay gave it a squeeze. She could hear the jingle of coins. "Cool beans! Now let's get a move on pardner and git us a room til we can figure out what the hell is going on around here."

 

[Ravenloft]

Bret:

"My name's Bret, Ma'am, and..." Bret snapped his mouth shut mid sentance, suddenly advancing on Fay, clasping his hand over her mouth and yanking her by her arm into some bushes. Dispite what ever fight she gives, Bret holds her tight as several people come walking past, out on the road. The smell hits Fay then, the smell of rotting corpses, Bret whispers a short "shh." in her ear, to try and calm her as the... The things trudge by, moaning and wailing pitiously. "Zombies, nasty critters, just stay quiet and we'll be okay, theirs not much for brains in those heads of theirs..." He whispered as they passed by.