Tapestry of Whispers Session 19
The Disoriented Express
Well, I can hear the whistle from a mile away
It sounds so good but I must stay away
That train is a beauty makin' everybody stare
But its only destination is the middle of nowhere
-Josh Turner, “Long Black Train”
Unable to find out much about the agenda of Whispering Oaks’ inhabitants, Daniel decided that perhaps the next best thing to do might be to look into those who seemed to be their allies. Whoever Colonel Ebonshard had been in life was also impossible to determine, so the most obvious, to him, was Councilman Boudreaux. He began to look for the Boudreaux’s media presence; what was important to him might yield a clue of what his supernatural interests were.
He discovered that Boudreaux was a strong advocate for building an Amtrak station in Monroe. The Councilman was holding a fundraiser called "A Night on the Orient Express," a 1920s-themed event on a passenger train. Daniel thought they could attend the event, listen to Boudreaux's speech, and learn something about his future plans.
The event was rather exorbitantly priced, far beyond what their budget would ordinarily allow. Beth reluctantly agreed to go, as they might be able to learn something about the Councilman and his agenda. They were able to scrape together the entry fee, but then they needed to find suitable attire. They searched Antique Alley and were able to find what they needed. Chance and Victor agreed to come with them.
On the night of the event, the group had to drive three hours to reach Lake Charles, where an Amtrak station was still in operation and could host the train. The trip itself was uneventful, but as the event approached, Daniel became nervous because neither he nor Beth were up to magic or fighting shape.
The station was small and shabby, and the attempt to make it look like an opulent passenger train station from the 1920s was at once laughable and commendable. The station was unusually full of people, most dressed in faux 1920s finery. Guests were encouraged to put on their costumes before boarding the train, which seemed to add to the atmosphere of the event. Daniel didn't see Boudreaux at the boarding platform, so the group boarded the train without being challenged.
The reception car was a disappointment. It was empty except for a few placards indicating where the various events of the party were taking place. There were also some rope barriers to help shuffle people through more efficiently. The only sounds were the footsteps of the other guests and the hum of the air conditioning.
The group entered the next car, which had a delightful atmosphere, complete with 1920s music and perfumed air. They were greeted by a pleasant hostess, who pointed them to the champagne and hors d'oeuvres. Boudreaux was moving among the crowd, shaking hands with guests and smiling. Daniel almost didn't recognize him, but Beth elbowed him in the ribs and pointed Boudreaux out. Daniel realized that Boudreaux might recognize him from the Marina, so he and Beth quickly started conversations with other guests. Chance pretended not to recognize him, which was only to be expected given Blackwood's spells, and Victor greeted him directly.
Daniel and Beth began mingling with the guests to try to learn more about Councilman Boudreaux. Unfortunately, even people from his own district didn't seem to know much about him. Daniel found it difficult to mingle with the guests at the fundraiser. He had to ask the same questions over and over again, and it felt like an imposition.
Daniel was taking a break from the fundraiser at the drink table. He was next to an older man who looked as if he had just stepped off the farm. The man's attire was very out of place at the event, but it was clear that he was enjoying himself. “Did I hear you asking about Mr. Boudreaux,” he asked. “Let me tell you, he’s the finest Councilman that Monroe has had in many a year.” The old guy pumped Daniel’s hand. “Zeke Caldwell. I can tell you all about Mr. Boudreaux!” His voice was becoming so loud that Daniel was afraid it would attract Boudreaux’s attention.
“He’s improved things for us farmers in his district 110%,” Caldwell continued. “Got our taxes down, got us some subsidies. He’s done more for this town than anybody.” As Councilman Boudreaux came by, Zeke waved him over. There was nowhere for Daniel to go. He saw the light of recognition come over Boudreaux’s face.
Shaking Boudreaux’s hand, he felt the impression of great darkness, but the blackness hid the specifics. “Nice to meet you,” said Boudreaux. As expected, he had a pronounced Cajun accent. “Say, do you like boating?”
“I tried it once,” Daniel said. “But I had really bad time.”
“Never boated myself,” Zeke said. “But if Mr. Boudreaux likes it, maybe I should give it a try. I tell you, nobody’s done more for the farmers in North Monroe than he has.”
“I need to get back,” said Daniel.
“No need to rush off,” said Boudreaux.
Daniel turned back to the conversation with Zeke and tried to appear interested in what Zeke was telling him about Boudreaux's farm initiatives. Beth and Chance were moving toward them, but then a bartender recognized Chance and started talking about their high school days. Chance looked like he would rather eat nails and glass than talk to the bartender. The bartender started telling Chance a story about how he won the lottery, although he lost the money later. Chance looked anything but interested.
Victor was completely in his element at the fundraiser. He deftly managed to steer some big donors toward Boudreaux, forcing him to abandon Daniel and Zeke. It wasn't so easy to get rid of Zeke, however. He just kept blabbing on about how farming was going to make a comeback in Northeast Louisiana, and it would all be thanks to Boudreaux. Daniel managed to warn Thorne without letting Zeke know, and Thorne in turn warned Beth not to talk to them.
Daniel and Victor managed to get away from Boudreaux while he was busy talking to the donors, motioning Chance and Beth to follow them later. However, they were still stuck on a moving train filled with civilians, and Boudreaux and any henchmen he might have brought along were still on board.
Leaving the car that Boudreaux was in, Daniel and Victor found themselves in a car decked out like Al Capone's casino. All they encountered there were donors, happily gambling away their money for the Amtrak fund. Keeping an eye out for Chance and Beth, they began searching for a way off the train.
Daniel stopped short when he saw Primo Blackwood among the donors. Charming as always, Primo still wore his cheerful smile, but his eyes were jet black, and his soul seemed to have been replaced by something much darker. On his arm was a woman in Victorian widow's dress who was similarly possessed. Daniel felt a shiver run up his spine as he turned away, unable to shake the feeling that he had just seen something profoundly evil.
If he noticed Daniel come in, whatever was now driving Primo didn't pay any attention. He appeared more interested in speaking with his fellow gamblers, who seemed to be hanging on every word. Daniel could hear him talking about the transitory nature of wealth and the ultimate illusion of security. Casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, Primo tried to incite one of the people next to him into hatred and violence against the other partiers. The man just gave Primo a disgusted look and told him to go away. .
Primo turned to a wealthy looking woman next to him and repeated the same line of statements and insinuations as before. Again, his conversation partner looked at him as if she thought he was insane. But this time, he also received a glare from the woman sitting behind her, who was not amused by his behavior.
A cold chill ran through Daniel, as whispers seemed to come from the very walls. He noticed for the first time that the Shadowlands around the train car was teeming with not Wraiths but the Shadow-Eaten. Delightedly they whispered to each other and to Primo, inciting him to try suggesting even worse things than he had before.
Primo turned his attention to the catering staff when he realized the guests weren't interested in his ideology. Daniel couldn't hear what he said to them, but it seemed Primo was less skilled at manipulating people than his brother Gideon. The staff were no more interested than the guests, and one waitress threatened to call the deputy sheriff if Primo didn't leave her alone. The woman in widow's weeds said nothing.
Primo's continued rhetoric and the Shadow-Eaten presence in the casino car cast a pall over the entire environment. The once-festive atmosphere evaporated as guests quickly left for other areas. This turn of events made it easier for Daniel to slip away unnoticed. He made his way back to Beth and Chance without attracting Boudreaux's attention.
“You’ll never guess who I found,” Daniel said. “Our old pal Primo Blackwood. I guess this is where he got off to. He's trying to stir up some kind of trouble among the passengers. It's actually kind of pathetic. But there are Spectres here too."
He gestured toward where Primo was now apparently looking around the train, as if he were searching for something. The woman with him shook her head at him and pointed back toward the casino car, but he seemed to be ignoring her.
Chance looked toward the woman, and his jaw dropped. “Evelyn?” Shocked to see her with Primo at the fundraiser, Chance looked as if he might start a fight, but Daniel stopped him. Fortunately, the deputy sheriff he had heard mentioned before intervened and asked Primo what he was doing.
Primo dropped his mask of civility and told the deputy to mind his own business. The deputy didn't like that and started to arrest Primo, much to Evelyn's dismay. Boudreaux walked over to the deputy, dragging Primo and Evelyn back toward the casino car. He didn't look pleased. This commotion caused the remaining guests to leave the casino car, making it impossible for Daniel to hear what they might be discussing in there.
Suddenly, there was a jolt and a loud screech of tortured metal. The train car pitched upward, throwing champagne glasses, hors d'oeuvres, tables, and other guests all over Daniel as he was thrown into the wall. He found himself falling into darkness, as unbelievable pain shot through all his bones and the smell of fire, oil, and steel filling his nostrils. The last thing he heard before the darkness claimed him was the sound of Boudreaux shrieking and the wild laughter of the Shadow-eaten, mixed with terrible slurping sounds. Their hands were ice cold.
