City of IF

[D-Lotus]

Dedications: This chapters goes to all my readers, all my teachers, all my critics and advisors. And the Spanish soccer team, of course. ;) Good luck!

Storygame process: Read the story, and then based on the character's personality, suggest what he/she should do. When all suggestions have been given, the author (me) will post a poll. You must vote for your favorite option on the poll, and based on that decision, the author will write the next chapter as it affects the story.

By the way, if you don't have a good memory, you should probably check out the Cast of Characters, just as a refresher.

Chapter 10: The Height of the Matter


"Son," Devine began, pausing somberly, "I'm afraid you will have to abandon these strange desires inside you." Devine waited for a reaction, but there was only silence. He tried searching for emotion within O'Hara's demeanor, and discovered a tangible pain and self-pity within the silence.

"Listen, son. To love means wanting what is good for the beloved. Your desires are not sinful in themselves, but you must seek aid in leading a good life." Devine tried to transmit his own pity through his words. He was short of uttering 'I'm sorry'.

"I understand." was the only response. It was a defeated sigh of contempt for himself and for the universe. Devine mopped his brow with his sleeve.

"I can recommend you a friend of mine, a priest who is more qualified to help you than I."

And suddenly, like a wave that washed them both, their spirits were calm, and their silence communicated understanding, rather than ignorance. The church, seeming dark and sinister at that time of night, as opposed to it's nature, ushered both men through it's passageway towards the door. They spoke in whispers which resounded in low beautiful tones throughout the nave. It was an angelic orchestra of silence and sound, both intermingled in equal degrees. Then, the door opened, and the moon rays shone upon the duo. It had stopped raining, and the snails had become ubiquitous, slowly promenading through the mud, closely followed by their trail of slime. The crickets chirped in unison with the frogs, the wind, and the swaying leaves. Even the shadows seemed to dance in tune.

"Go home, son. And never stray from it. May you always rest upon God's bosom." Devine blessed the other man, waving his hand and arm into the shape of the cross. He pressed his fingers against O'Hara's forehead and whispered his plea for God's help. There was harmony within the cleansing melody of nature and the warmth of human reconciliation. The man thanked Devine and wrapped himself in his jacket. Then the sounds of his feet crunching upon the gravel faded into the backdrop of the owl's hoot and the sounds of a scurrying squirrel.

Devine closed the door as O'Hara's figure disappeared into the distance. Perhaps God would have smiled, if He hadn't known that the man walking into shadows would take his life someday, not so far way in the future.
*

Devine awoke. It was a bright morning, an unusually hot day. It was the antithesis of a day for a stormy culmination to any story. God works in mysterious ways.

After his morning ritual and his usual walk, Devine was heading back to the church. In the opposite direction walked Andy and his wife, perhaps in an ingenious attempt by the author to drop another clue regarding to plot advancement, or perhaps it was simply coincidence.

Devine, gripped by an incomprehensible hunch which could only have been delivered to him by a forceful writing hand, decided to try to shock Andy into some sort of admission of the crime as the couple walked beside him. The spirited priest waited for the right moment, avoiding all eye contact with the haughty large men, and his tense wife, who gripped her hand-bag with a peculiar tenacity.

As both parties met, Devine stopped without warning and rested his hand on Andy's shoulder, forcing the man to turn towards him.

"Andy, tell me what you know about the murder, and don't lie to me. I know too much." Devine said, speaking quickly. His hope for an answer resided in the quickness and brevity of his verbal attack.

The sun shone brightly on Andy's perspiring, puzzled countenance. The sun was like a pressing, urgent presence. Omnipresent, at that, except for those who sought refuge indoors or in the shade of some narrow alleyway. The sun that day was like a force which shook time into a forward motion. The clock-hands sizzled and sped, as the sun chided them abrasively. This ball of fire, so far away, angrily spun the earth on it's axis with increasing momentum. The sun spun land, water, and sky wildly, wrapping his fiery finger around the globe and whirling it around crazily like a top.

And there stood Andy in the center of the world, confronted by Devine's accusing face. He felt the heat, and he felt the world revolving wildly on his very head. Even Devine's hand felt like a searing iron, burning through his clothes and imprinting his chest with a burn-mark. And on his other side, his wife, Alice, clutched his arm in an equally scorching, frightened grip.

Beads of sweat dropped from his temples, as he swooned by the fierce, passionate sun, as if in a sultry dance with the daylight. Devine, having found no response to his question, pressed Andy further.

"Answer me now, before you lose power over your future." Devine spoke quietly, never releasing Andy.

Then, the tug between the sun and the forces of Time collapsed in favor of the ardent monster, who for whichever purpose was fervent in his battle. Some would say he was working by demand of the author, who had promised him a date with the moon, who always coquettishly avoided him except on eclipse days.

Everything began rolling headfirst like a tape on fast-forward. All motion accelerated into an overwhelming dance. First Andy swooned again, and then fell, almost simultaneously. Devine had released his hand, and behold! Alice had already poured some water on Andy, acquired from a neighbor in the space of a second, and immediately the man incorporated himself, glancing at his wife and Devine almost at the same time. He barely had a moment to accomplish the latter, however, because Devine had already begun walking away, leaving him on the ground like a felled tree.

Andy and Alice then exchanged remarks about the unethical priest, although the content of that conversation remains coded into a set of squeaky chirps characteristic of the speeding video-tape. And so, the story quickly switches towards Devine, and the story has a rough time catching up, for he is already all the way down the road, near the church. He opens the door with speed daring his age, and enters the church, where Jim and Frank, the builders working on the church roof, wave so quickly that it seems half-hearted.

The afternoon progresses in this unwavering hastiness, although the story only catches glimpses through the half-open door of Devine's rapidly and rhythmically rising and falling belly as he sleeps. Then, he wakes, and suddenly everything returns to normal again. Apparently, the author has transmitted his satisfaction to the sun of a job well done.

"Psst, Father Devine." Frank's face appeared behind the door. "I found somethin'." He waved an envelope in the air. Devine blinked, and Frank handed the mysterious envelope to him. Devine opened it and read it's contents. It was brief.

If you want more information about the murder, meet me at the murder scene at midnight.

Devine's heart leaped. Then he frowned. Could it be some sort of trap?
*

Devine stood at the door of the murder scene, holding an oil lamp and contemplating his decision. He had left Turner and Dole sound asleep in their rooms. He glanced into the sky, and discovered a glutinous dark, as dark as when everything first began. The reason for this singular darkness, was that there was no moon shining; it was a lunar eclipse tonight.

Breathing in heavily, he gently pushed open the door of the crime-scene, Mick, Debbie's, and Jeannie's house, which had been unoccupied for some days now. The fact that the door was unlocked made Devine's skin crawl. Somebody was definitely inside this house. Resolute in his decision, however, he stepped inside noiselessly.

Devine guessed that the obvious reason the writer of the note had appointed this meeting place, was because it was somewhat separated from the rest of the town, which was why the gunshots had never been heard in the first place. Also, the crime-scene pertained to the crime, so it was the perfect location. Devine wasn't sure what he expected to find, but he was determined to face his demons.

He looked around with his dim lamp. The yellow hues shone on the walls, giving them a ghastly appearance. Everything seemed intact at first glance. Then, when illuminating a certain corner of the dining room, he noticed a lengthy coil of ropes bundled up neatly. He approached it; it was near a large, closed, wardrobe.

He stooped to look closer at the object of his curiosity. It was simply rope, nothing more to add to it's description. He stood, and at the same time, he caught notice of two things. First, he glanced through the window out into the moonless night, and thought he discerned the glint of a car in the back-yard. Then, he felt a shadow move behind him. He turned around, too late, and felt a solid object connect with his head, knocking him out.
*

He awoke, the third time that day, tethered to a chair by use of the same rope that he had previously observed. The oil lamp rested on the kitchen table before him, languidly burning. Devine coughed, unable to restrain himself.

A figure making some sort of preparations turned around to face him. Devine gasped, in a state of shock. Alice McDonough smiled at him pityingly as she took a seat in front of him and crossed her hands on the table.

"Father Devine, you seem to have awoken before due time."

"Alice, please untie me." answered Devine, mustering his courage.

"I don't think so, Father, I am very sorry." her manner was apologetic and stern. It reminded Devine of his own attitude the previous night.

"What are you doing?" Devine's voice shook.

"I am going to have to rid myself of you, Father." she stated, as a matter of fact. She was pert and seemingly unbothered by her criminal actions. Devine swallowed and tried to calm himself by invoking God's name.

"I wouldn't have done anything of the sort, Father, but you forced my hand." She stood and resumed her previous occupation, which consisted of rummaging for something within her bag. She sighed as she pulled out a cleaning rag.

"I...forced your hand?" asked Devine, incredulous.

"I'm afraid so. Did you not incriminate yourself today when halting my husband and warning him you knew too much?" She walked over to the spot where Devine had been hit, and began scrubbing away the blood on the floor. Devine noticed for the first time the pain on his forehead.

"For God's sake, woman! You speak as if I had committed the crime myself." Devine shouted.

She didn't turn, but continued her task. She was neither hasty nor leisurely. "Shout as much as you like, Father. Nobody will hear you- we're quite detached." she answered with her back turned. "Although, if you over-indulge yourself, I will be forced to silence you earlier than you expect."

Devine glanced towards the door, and noted it was locked.

"Why are you doing this? Who are you covering for?" Devine whispered accusatorily.

She finalized her task, and stood, smiling cold-bloodedly. "Isn't it obvious, Father? I killed Debbie. I'm covering for myself. The murderer always returns to the scene of the crime. I thought you knew most of the story already, though." She frowned. Then she hunched her shoulders uncaringly. "Ah well, too late now. It's never foolish to eliminate the possibility of doubt, anyway."

"Alice you can't do this." shuddered Devine, while sweat rolled down his cold, clammy body.

"Why not?" she asked, taking her seat opposite him once more. "I can shoot you, load you into my car, and drop your body somewhere where it won't be found." She said this as zealously as could be mustered. She laughed. "Oh, I've learned a bit after the first time."

Devine's mind whirled for an answer to this situation. Maybe if he could keep her talking... "What...what was the first time like?" he asked.

Her eyes grew excited. "Ah yes, it was very foolish, but exhilarating nonetheless." She clutched her hands together obsessively, and shuddered in pleasure.

"What made you do it?" pressed Devine.

"The letter." she stated. "It was a soft-sand colored letter. But it's content was blood stained already, as I read it."

"A lover..." whispered Devine, as things began to set into piece.

Ignoring him, and absorbed with her own observations, Alice continued. "It was a letter warning me of my husband's affair with the Rennolds woman. So the day they all left for the city, I pretended to be sick and stayed home, boiling with rage. Burning with hate, I couldn't restrain myself, and I came here, armed with a pistol." She paused, reflecting on the past.

"The wretched woman wouldn't admit it, of course, but I could tell she was lying. In retrospect, I acted hastily and irrationally. It could have all been so much more smooth."

Devine gulped. "You...you mean, the note said Debbie was Andy's lover?"

"No." she answered. "It simply said 'a lover within the Rennolds family'. Of course it must have been Debbie. After all, there exist no secrets between Jeannie and I." She smiled grotesquely. "Well, only one."

Devine said nothing. An innocent victim- Jeannie had unknowingly caused her mother's death through her affections for Andy.

"I left the note in her death grip, so it would accompany her to the grave." continued Alice, "Then I called my husband and told him of what I had done. He rushed back in his car in the middle of the night and cleaned up the evidence after me. He was scared I should be discovered, and he is as guilty as me." She frowned. "That's right. We're both in this together- until death do depart."

"Alice, you are a God-fearing woman. Why would you commit these atrocities?"

"Father," she said, indignation in her voice, "I punished a sinner. She got everything she deserved."

"You have knocked unconscious a servant of God, Alice!" cried Devine, without adding her threat of death, since he wished to distract her mind from that purpose.

"Father, you have sinned. You should have minded your business inside the confession box." Her voice grew stern once more. She drew a long, sleek gun from her waist. Devine said nothing. "That's enough chatter, Father."

She leaned over the table and pointed the gun at his head. "Father, please stand up and walk outside. Quietly." She shook the gun slightly in warning as she cut his bonds free.

Devine didn't stand up. Alice raised her left eyebrow inquisitively.

"Do you want me to shoot you now?" she asked innocently.

"I don't want you to shoot me at all." said Devine calmly.

"I will have to shoot you now, Father." she laid the gun on his temple.

"Then God help me." said Devine, and he shut his eyes. There was a loud bang, and Alice recoiled from the shock, accidentally knocking over Devine in his chair. She also shook the table, causing the lamp to topple and extinguish. She stood in front of him, astonished. Her gun hand was laid low. Everything was covered in darkness. There was another bang, and finally the door gave way. Through the doorway jumped in three dark figures. Alice dropped her gun and took flight. She ran through the back door, as one of the figures pursued her. Another lighted his oil lamp and knelt towards Devine.

It was Phineus. He held his hand towards Devine and helped him up. Andy was the third figure, leaning guiltily on the doorway.

"We've come to rescue you, Father." said Phineus, smirking satisfactorily. "The inspector, Andy and I. Pretty lucky, you are, eh?"

"How...how did you know?" asked Devine, incredulous.

"Andy confessed in time, though the inspector said he'd get minimum sentence, and a small fee. He'll only spend a couple of months in jail, hopefully." replied Phineus.

Suddenly, the inspector returned. "She got away in the car, but she won't get very far. Is there a phone anywhere?" He was out of breath.

"Follow me." said Andy. He began to leave, but then he turned and looked at Devine. "Father...I hope you can forgive me...I..."

Devine simply raised his hand and made the sign of the cross. "You are absolved."

Andy and the inspector left, leaving Phineus and Devine alone. They sat down, as Devine examined his wound.

"Better get that cleaned up soon, eh?" said Phineus, his eyes twinkling. Devine looked up from his blood-stained hand.

"Phineus, I was wrong about you. You are an honest man."

Phineus smiled. "Well, you must be happy now that the true criminal will be arrested and hanged."

"No. I feel like I only traded one life for another. Alice needs help that is beyond imprisonment or death." he sighed. "Phineus, my friend, what can you rescue from all of this? What is it that threads the last few months together in a string of united events? What is it that we've learned...what is it that makes it worth living? What is it that should drive me to try and tie up all the loose strings?"

Phineus rested his hand on Devine's shoulder as they both stood up and began to make their way out of the forsaken house.

"Faith." he answered, and he smiled in his strange, quirky way.

THE END

Well, that's it. Thanks all for reading. I know I completely destroyed the seriousness of the story with this chapter, and I apologize. The reason I did this was because I am leaving on a trip, and I won't be back for the whole summer. I wanted to wrap this up before I left, so I created a somewhat strange chapter. I won't have much computer access (probably) throughout the summer, so I won't be on the site much. This is kinda like my good-bye gift. Well, have a nice summer, y'all.

[Chinaren]

Woooo! Well done D! A good ending, I enjoyed the last bit, but I have to say your change in style didn't add anything to the story for me I'm afraid, quite the opposite in fact. :(

Anyway, well done, and enjoy your holiday! You will be missed.

[LordoftheNight]

I've got to say - I liked the ending, but I feel it did come across as being too hasty. I prefered the style of writing, but it seemed as if it happened without warning, without giving us a chance to figure it out.

Unless of course everyone else already had, and I'm just being obtuse.

[Chinaren]

I didn't mean the style was bad, I just meant that it was too radically different from what you have been doing before, and doesn't fit in with the overall feel of the thing. If you had done the whole story like this, it would have been fine.

The unnessessary* humor spoiled the last chapter, at least the first part, somewhat for me.


*I really must learn to spell that.

[D-Lotus]

I understand your complaints. I had originally planned another ending, but my time-limitation brought me to this end, sorry.

Maybe I should have tried sticking to my original style, but if I had, I felt it would also seem even more improvised and unplanned than if I made it somewhat satiric.

In any case, I'm sorry the ending spoiled it, but I promise I will be back with a new storygame after the summer! :D

[Crunchyfrog]

I understand your reasons for hastily finishing the story, but I did feel a little cheated. The O'Hara episode was nicely rounded off, but had no consequence, and the middle part I found disappointing. However the final part of the chapter was very well done.

I could have seen this being finished in two to three chapters, if you had the time of course.

This has been a brilliant SG, and I for one would have been quite happy to wait for you to come back from your holiday before the next chapter to save you from rushing it!

Still, well done, I really enjoyed reading and participating in this. Have a great vacation!

:clap:

[Mother Goose]

Well done, D! I've enjoyed this story, and the ending seemed right and satisfying, if a little sudden. Too bad you've been so busy lately and couldn't take the time you wanted to, but I'm glad you did finish it before you went away. When there is a long gap in a story I sometimes lose track of the characters and have to go back and read the whole thing again to catch up.

We'll miss you while you're gone. Don't forget us, and be sure to come back! (Keep away from WOW!)

[DELETED]

DELETED