5. Flight From Terror

As the wave of pestilence crashes upon the group, panic arrives. While the mobsters were used to atrocities, what confronted them in the night was not meant to be. Ripping someone's teeth out, cutting fingers off, even burning alive were all somehow right compared to what confronted them in a tidal wave of vermin. Running where was not important, just away from the horrors that seemed to be flooding into their current reality. Without communication and with competing instincts, the group scatters. Jimmy runs south, towards Blackwater Creek. Manny runs to the northwest in search of the beacon that calls to him. Lenny and Mickey run to the west, away from the Jarvey house.

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Manny runs with a sense of purpose, something thrumming in his chest and telling him each footfall brought him closer to his destiny. The man paused as he turned to regard a six foot tall fence he had just leapt in a single bound. Manny blinked in surprise and looked down at his body. There was no flab, no hint of fat. His arms were lean muscle with exposed veins and a power. A power like Manny hadn't felt since... well since forever. His stomach was not visible, showing clearly his muscular thighs that had somehow propelled him better than an olympic athlete over a fence with barbed wire ringing the top.

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Jimmy runs until his legs and his belly ache from exhaustion. He ran through wheat, corn and grass, stopping finally to dry heave to the side of the path. Ahead of him is the small village of Blackwater Creek. The only light seems to be coming from the church that stands across from Dick Sprouston's house. Jimmy hears the occasional clap and murmur coming from the church, a sign that some kind of service is happening.

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Lenny and Mickey run to the West, keeping ahead of the tidal wave of rodents that seems to be ever at their heels. As they run, Mickey keeps having to fight the urge to turn to the northwest, shaking his head and forcing himself to follow his brother. In the mad scramble, the brothers run into a fence, at least six feet high with barbed wire lining the top. As they survey the almost impenetrable barrier and look at each other, they hear a voice calling from within the corn behind them. It is a spectral, breathy kind of voice that almost sounds like the combination of insect chitters and wild animal groans combined to give voice to some preternatural entity. Mickey Valentine... I long for you...

A massive grasshopper with bulging black eyes lands on Lenny's chest. The thing is at least four inches in length.

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As Jimmy sits down, the reverend takes up his sermon, but Jimmy is focused on the congregation. As he looks at the people, he notices that on any exposed skin he can see welts, blisters or raised areas that seem to be leaking a black viscous goo. As Jimmy notices it, he realizes there are black stains and residue on the very pew he sat down in. What's more is as he looks closer at the surrounding congregation, he begins to notice things "missing" from their bodies.

A couple rows up, one person's ear seems have eaten away, the black liquid pumping seemingly continuously from the remainder of the ear. To the right and up four rows, Jimmy sees someone's jaw that seems to have partially dissolved exposing the bone underneath the flesh. Jimmy looks to his left just as a woman of the congregation turns to look at him and her cheek flesh has been eaten away up to under her eye. The orb is white and lifeless looking amidst a mass of rotting flesh that weeps the black fluid down her chin.Jimmy's ears catch up to Dick's sermon.

...we all felt that pain. We shared it together. It's what brings us together tonight. For we know that pain is just a fraction of what we must give up. God calls us to give up more of ourselves, more of this sinful world that tries to cast us astray... But just like Abraham on the mountain, who was called to give up everything and willingly would do it... God gave him mercy and sent to him the ram that was to be sacrificed. Brothers and Sisters, I tell you truly that our Holy Mother cares for us the same for in her tender mercy she has sent us the fatted calf to be sacrificed.

Dick points at Jimmy, at which point the entire congregation turns to look at the man. Their eyes carry the weight of a religious fervor Jimmy hasn't seen in a long, long time.

Jimmy feels a pain shoot through his hand as he looks down and the skin splits apart, black fluid immediately begins to seep from the wound and Jimmy finds himself wondering what his body would look like without all this excess skin covering it. Jimmy blinks and finds himself back in the church with the glaring congregation looking back at him.

Manny moves through stalks of corn, although their appearance is no longer really corn like. The stalks themselves seem to be swollen, nearly three to four inches across. And thought the plants would normally stand at least fifteen or twenty feet tall, they all sag from the weight of the enormous ears of corn. Those ears are at least five inches in diameter and look more akin to a football than corn. The smell of overripe fruit mixes with the earthy smell of the corn and each of the plants seems to be weeping a black fluid from every joint and crevice.

As Manny moves, the black fluid seems to saturate his shirt sleeves and trousers. Manny is surprised at the strength and vitality he feels. It feels like someone is inflating his muscles and every movement is easy and fluid. The liquid is almost like molasses, just sticky and clinging to everything it contacts. As Manny pushes through the last stalks of corn he feels splitting pain from his right arm and left thigh. Manny sees his shirt sleeve and pant leg saturate with the black liquid from underneath as he is overcome with the thought of a balloon pumped with too much air and bursting.

Manny pushes forward as the terrain begins to change. The relative flat area at the base of the Miskatonic Valley gives way to the valley wall as the ground begins to meet the surrounding ridge. As Manny walks he finds himself entering a near alien landscape. He sees wild lily flowers, bulging and almost scraping the ground with their massive petals and stems that seem too small to support them. He comes across a mulberry tree laden with massive berries, one of which might cover his entire hand if picked. The entire land reeks of the smell of overripe fruit and an earthy almost moldy undertone.

Suckling at the flowers and fruit are bulbous flies, at least three inches in length that seem barely to be able to fly their massive bulks with their miniscule wings. The buzzing of these insects seems constant, rhythmic and almost entrancing. There is an underlying "beat" to the atmosphere that Manny finds himself walking, even breathing too. A oneness that is alarming and comforting at the same time. Manny occasionally feels a wave of disorientation come over him in which the colors seem bright and foreign, hurting his eyes. In these periods he can't shake the feeling that his skin, his body is alien. Something... else... something... to be discarded.

As Manny walks, he feels one of his teeth dislodge in his mouth. There is no pain associated with the dislodging. It falls into Manny's palm.

The bulbous mulberry pops like an over inflated balloon, filling Manny's mouth with a rush of black viscous fluid. For an instant it almost seems to choke Manny, until he begins breathing through his forearm. Manny watches with an impassive expression as his skin seems to break apart and reform into a deformed mouth with needle teeth protruding from its depths. Manny feels a tightness to his back as large teeth seem to erupt from his skin, tearing his shirt. Manny raises his left palm to see the hand balloon and a separate heart take shape, thumping to the rythim of the land. He lurches with the odd perspective as his right eyeball seems to extend from his face on a oily tendril, pivoting this way and that.

Manny hears clearly as if someone was sitting next to him. There you are, sugar... Oh, I've been waitin so long fer you to show... Now, be a dear and go get me yer friends. It's been so long since I've eaten... and I do so LOVE the fresh ones.

Jimmy makes it to the bridge and stash of weapons with no issues. He does not hear pursuit from the town following him.

Mickey gets to the fence and looks back into the surrounding fields. He sees the rolling tide of vermin as they pour through the stalks of corn. He sees something else walking among the corn. A humanoid figure, misshapen and malformed. It appears to be missing its lower jaw allowing Mickey to see into its exposed throat. Black fluid streams from the elongated hole that was the thing’s esophagus. Its hand looks like a large pincer of a crab and is covered in boils and pustules. Its eyes are milky white as it twitches its head violently side to side at if listening.

Mickey hears the rasping voice that seems to be coming from the vermin, not the man. Oh… Mickey… It’s been so long. How’s the leg? This time you won’t be limping away…

Mickey turns and scrambles up and over the fence as the barbed wire cuts his hands.

Lenny runs to climb over the fence only to get his shirt sleeve caught on the barbed wire. His feet slip and he falls back, the barbed wire caught and hanging him from the fence for a moment before tearing a hole through his shirt and he crashes to the ground. Centipedes, spiders, rats, snakes and raccoons swarm over Lenny biting and scratching as he sees the figure approach.

Lenny scrambles up throwing off the nasty things gnawing at his skin. He has some rather serious gouges on his neck and abdomen where the creatures seemed to be burrowing in into his body. Lenny stands mere feet from the abomination that was Damien Carmody, it regarded the man with dead white eyes.

Mickey looks as the vermin begin consuming his brother through the chain links.

Jimmy makes his way back into town, as he rounds the last house and turns to move into the main square of Blackwater creek, he quickly darts back behind the house. He peaks around the corner to see a procession of the congregation coming from the church. They bear the broken body of Dick Sprouston at the front of the procession as they turn on the path that leads back to the Jarvey farm. A few of the congregation are carrying torches, some are carrying clubs, pitchforks, and Jimmy can see two of them that are carrying shotguns.

Manny Ziegler finds his way back to the southeast a much easier journey. The various plants, insects and cornstalks that seemed to be impeding his progress towards the heart of the Mother, now seemed to open freely for his passage. Though he felt "loose" in his body, as if extra bits were hanging all around him, he felt a vigor that livened his step and propelled him forward at unnatural speeds. In short order, he finds himself by the corpse of Adelaide Jarvey. There is a smell that the lawyer picks up, a sweet... new smell. Something different than the oddly sweet overripe fruit smell that permeates everything in this valley.

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Jimmy finds the preacher's house open and well organized. In the kitchen he finds a case of the whiskey that brought the group to this place. Hanging on the wall of the parlor he sees a commendation to Officer Dick Sprouston from the Arkham Police department for showing bravery and dedication above the call of duty. Jimmy finds a simple bedroom with a decent sized bed that appears to only have been slept on one side. Next to the bed is a picture of a younger looking Dick and a woman who sits in a chair, obvious signs of illness in her gaunt features. On the opposite side of the bed, sitting on a nightstand, Jimmy finds a journal with a charcoal pencil tucked between it's pages.

Excerpts from the Journal of Dick Sprouston
28th August, 1927
Miriam and I have come back to our home. I was making a difference in Arkham, but with Miriam’s health, I need to focus on being here for her while I still have her…

10th March, 1926
…I miss Miriam something fierce. I know it’s likely my imagination, but when I walk the woods and creek where we met, I swear I occasionally hear her humming "How Great Thou Art". I miss her voice singing that hymn. It was a sound to sooth the soul.

17th May, 1926
A professor named Rhoades and his wife Abigail along with some students came up this way from the Miskatonic university. He explained he thought perhaps this valley was home to a lost settlement from the 1600s. His enthusiasm for this area is refreshing from the usual judgements I see from city visitors. They are setting up at the Jarvey farm to begin their search which they are going to start just west of town.

13th June, 1926
Professor Rhoades seems quite excited. After almost a month of no additional findings beyond the skeletons, he found something that is leading them further up the creek. He came into town looking for camping gear from Baxter’s and had a fervor that was contagious. I can’t wait to see what he finds.

15th June, 1926
More sounds of dynamiting coming from up the creek. I shake my head at it. How could someone looking for signs of a lost settlement try to find it by blowing things up? I suppose the Professor would know best. I’m still hopeful he will find something, though. It would be great to have something that could bring prosperity to the people here.

17th June, 1926
I said goodbye to the last of the students heading back to Miskatonic. They are all so tight lipped about what the professor found. I plan on taking a walk up the creek tomorrow to see for myself. I’ve been dreaming about Miriam these last few days. It’s almost like she is here with me. I feel like I just need to open my eyes quickly enough to see her laying in the bed next to me.

20th June, 1926
God has done wonderful things for us. Like the rock at Horeb, God sent forth his divine presence to let the waters run forth. I saw Abigail, but in the waters I saw who she truly was. Miriam has returned to me. Faith has carried me through to the promised land.

23st June, 1926
Professor Rhoades is showing his lack of faith. He wants to take Miriam away from me. He’s a fool, a miracle isn’t met to be put under a basket. What’s worse is the Carmody brothers. They seek to take God’s grace that is poured out for all the faithful and wager into divine preference for themselves. I will need to find a way to prune that branch. God send me the answer to my prayers. Help me to bring about your kingdom on this earth.

6th July, 1926
The Carmody’s are becoming more and more a problem. They are close to the holiest of holies and they squander the gift. At least Rhoades has disappeared. I’ve been tending the flock God has graced me with. They all are coming to see the blessed Mother for what she is. The truth and the way and the life. Miriam comes to me in my dreams constantly now. I hear her beating heart in time with the land and see it for what it is. The second coming of God into this world. My flock sees it too. There isn’t a one of them that won’t make sure the kingdom of God is well established.

21st July, 1926
Another of the faithful fell to those bastard Carmody’s. I don’t understand why Miriam let’s them exist. Like rain, her blessing falls on the righteous and the wicked. Damn the Carmody’s… They seek to be at her side, she’s my WIFE!! I’ll be damned if anyone tries to get next to her before I do. We had to sacrifice Baxter today. He was devoted, but she was hungry and he was willing. I hear his heart beat eternally in her heart.

15th September, 1926
Each time I drink of the sacred water I feel her closer to me. The Carmody’s are false prophets that she suffers, but my people are the true disciples. We’ve stored enough of the holy waters. Soon I will send them out like Jesus. Two by two, they will carry the second kingdom to this sinful world. I just wish there was a way to remove the distraction of the Carmody’s. Miriam, my Mother, guide me in this. Let me be your TRUE prophet. Help me to follow the path you’ve laid before me. Jessica screamed. She was the first to do that. Miriam took up the call with her many mouths and gave voice to Jessica’s spirit well into the night.

24th September, 1926 (yesterday)
Finally! Mother be praised, she has answered my prayers! Some men from the city, obvious sinners seeking to defile this place, arrived. They will deal with the false prophets. And then my disciples will feed them to her. One last meal before the pilgrimage. Before the chosen people will bear the Mother of all to the sinful world. I have seen Her glory shining across the ages. I have walked the past, present and future in Her presence. She will be everywhere when my disciples are done. I will stay behind. My flesh will sustain her as the congregation goes forth to make disciples of all nations. Mother be praised. The spirit is willing and the flesh is weak.

Manny sniffs at the corpse of Adelaide Jarvey, but catches only the overripe fruit smell. The fresh scent he catches leads to the west.

The brothers Valentine unload their weapons into the monstrosity that was Damien Carmody. The thing takes the first few hits in stride and then stumbles sideways and slumps to the ground in a heap. The tidal vermin break and scatter into the darkness as they revert to their natural instincts.