| Over the last 3 days I have witnessed and heard disturbing things, I thought only the stuff of fiction. |  |
Sunday, June 20
The Coming Dark...
Wednesday, April 26
Have I lost my way?
Things we’re looking bright a month ago. My journal is bare. For what cares does a man have when he has good fortune?
I’d had a big success with a wealthy employer who put me on retainer. I got a new car and was in line for a partnership at my office. Sure, the investigation had taken a weird turn and put us up against some obvious ancient and dark forces. But they seemed to succumb to a well placed bullet just like any man or beast.
I’d had a big success with a wealthy employer who put me on retainer. I got a new car and was in line for a partnership at my office. Sure, the investigation had taken a weird turn and put us up against some obvious ancient and dark forces. But they seemed to succumb to a well placed bullet just like any man or beast.
===
Perhaps it is some character flaw, an obsessive need to be liked, that compels me to try and whitewash any uncomfortable news that would put me in a bad light. Perhaps, it was that flaw, grown out of bias against my mixed ancestry, that caused my clash and departure from the London PD. I have been lying to myself that it was just my doggedness for justice and their natural bias to my birth. but it’s clear to me now that could have never been true.
I could have asked for help, from Lennox; come clean about my involvement in Puncheon’s disappearance. I could have made a useful ally for when we found ourselves narrow victors in a shootout with the Delgado boys. But pride and fear took over the better part of my nature and I led us to flee like criminals - with blood-stained hands and shoulder that will never fully heal. What good is it to save a man’s life only to lose your own soul.
===
Another encounter with Lennox, and I know my time is running out. Time is on his side - the one real advantage of the police. When the truth finally comes out, he won’t look kindly on me. Again, charm failed where truth was needed.
And now, after witnessing the broken mind of Gibbons claw out his own eye, after hearing the torturous screams of a man and woman sucked into a realm of hell before me, after giving int to my own cowardice to save myself from the same fate. What is my life still worth.
I stand here in this pit, the basement of this wretched monument to man’s passed failings, the cursed fount of all my trials, sure in the feeling that I’m digging my own grave. Beside me - an ignorant porter, my good-natured but naive friend Longton, and his boss, Thompson- our partial benefactor - man who himself brought back unholy artifacts that God had buried - clearly on the edge of revealing his true nature.
I want to run, but I have no stomach for it now. I can only dig, and count the bullets in my revolver. I must be sure to save one for when the time comes. I will see this thing to an end, and pray to God I find myself in a better hell than those that went before me.
Friday, February 24
Success, but at what cost
The Assyrian tablets are recovered! I had hoped for a quick resolution to the matter of the missing artifacts in order to secure my position at the FLDA, but wonder where how much deeper this case will lead. With the help of Mr. Patrick Laughton of the Museum, the antique-book purveyor Edward Pike and his man Corso, we were able to quickly track down Williams through his parter in crime who we found at the swarthy establishment -- Fox and Hound.
William raved about a man of shadow haunting him for the tablets. Just as I was about to lose my temper with his ramblings, behold, the thing did appear as fearsome as he described. Could the cursed thing be the man Ginger who had collected 2 of the missing tablets? He answered us not, but quickly retreated in search of his prize.
In an attempt to head off this foul creature, we made haste to Lady Isabella Nichols - purchaser or the remaining 2 tablets. Though we had made good time to her home, we were plied with much sherry and chocolate and for Pike and invitation to brunch before gaining access to the stored artifacts.
Too late, the devil had collected his due and headed to his home to complete the evil rites that had brought him to his shadow state. We found ourselves lost in the maze that is the London streets, hope beginning to fade that we could stop the beast in time.
Arrived at last, we snuck to the 3rd floor of Ginger's home and rushed in - guns blazing - against the chanting evil. Distracted, the creature attacked and I was just able to fight it off from the thing closing it's ghostly black arms(?) around my throat. However, in a moment of clarity, Pike companion Corso, took advantage of the fight and smashed 2 ancient tablets that were the focus of the creature's power.
The horror defeated, and with great reward from Sir Rayburn-Price, my future should be secured. But I find myself dwelling on the events of the day, trying to find a meaning to what I have seen. My mother warned me as a child to avoid studying the history of her Egyptian homeland. I always thought her superstitious and ashamed of her old world origins, but perhaps she knows more truth than I had realized. I must travel back to Ipswich and tell her what has happened and see what light can be shed. I also plan to study the ancient tome of Pike with a ritual centered on an holy Ankh symbol like the one I carry. What power lies in these old symbols? What further horrors await with the remaining lost artifacts?
William raved about a man of shadow haunting him for the tablets. Just as I was about to lose my temper with his ramblings, behold, the thing did appear as fearsome as he described. Could the cursed thing be the man Ginger who had collected 2 of the missing tablets? He answered us not, but quickly retreated in search of his prize.
In an attempt to head off this foul creature, we made haste to Lady Isabella Nichols - purchaser or the remaining 2 tablets. Though we had made good time to her home, we were plied with much sherry and chocolate and for Pike and invitation to brunch before gaining access to the stored artifacts.
Too late, the devil had collected his due and headed to his home to complete the evil rites that had brought him to his shadow state. We found ourselves lost in the maze that is the London streets, hope beginning to fade that we could stop the beast in time.
Arrived at last, we snuck to the 3rd floor of Ginger's home and rushed in - guns blazing - against the chanting evil. Distracted, the creature attacked and I was just able to fight it off from the thing closing it's ghostly black arms(?) around my throat. However, in a moment of clarity, Pike companion Corso, took advantage of the fight and smashed 2 ancient tablets that were the focus of the creature's power.
The horror defeated, and with great reward from Sir Rayburn-Price, my future should be secured. But I find myself dwelling on the events of the day, trying to find a meaning to what I have seen. My mother warned me as a child to avoid studying the history of her Egyptian homeland. I always thought her superstitious and ashamed of her old world origins, but perhaps she knows more truth than I had realized. I must travel back to Ipswich and tell her what has happened and see what light can be shed. I also plan to study the ancient tome of Pike with a ritual centered on an holy Ankh symbol like the one I carry. What power lies in these old symbols? What further horrors await with the remaining lost artifacts?
Wednesday, February 8
Progress
The case proceeds well. We have already discovered that two museum employees are at the source of the artifact thefts. While one partner is missing (Williams), and his home ransacked(?) we manage a full confession from the second (Gibbons). We also obtained a partial list of the names of individuals who bought the looted (ha) artifacts as well as the name of a 3rd co-conspirator.
Hoping to close this case soon and impress the partners at FLDA.
Hoping to close this case soon and impress the partners at FLDA.
A new client
After a few jobs tracking down unfaithful dames, I 'm finally onto a case that has some real meat. Sir Theodore Rayburn-Price has enlisted my help in tracking down a set of missing artifacts from the British museum. It seems he wishes to keep this theft quiet from the public in light of a forthcoming exhibit. The partners at the First London Detective Agency (FLDA) tapped me for this job, perhaps due to my familiarity of Egyptian and Arabic communities here, and hopefully not just for my ability to blend in to some extent. Regardless, it appears they assume it is some foreign national involved.
The museum is at least capitalizing off the recent murders by selling the public on a mummies curse story. Nothing like a good scare to get the masses to spend coin at the museum.
The museum is at least capitalizing off the recent murders by selling the public on a mummies curse story. Nothing like a good scare to get the masses to spend coin at the museum.
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