Thursday, October 9, 2014

Vampire, Tomas, Observes The Dogs' Dinner .... 10/9/14

Tomas saw the dogs, huge, acculturated, rather human-like things dressed as Late Victorian or Edwardian gentlefolk, but with full, somewhat fox-like tails protruding through all the velvet and worsted wool fabric. Actually, he only saw their backs and even then he couldn't see what was happening on the table.  But he was able to discern tiny screams and cries. The beasts were at their dinner, dining and conversing with upper crust ease. Dog arms reached toward the center of the damask covered surface. For a moment he caught sight of a long, tapering metallic thing.... Like a chopstick, though it didn't have a mate. But what were they eating? And who was making all the fuss? 

There was some sort of drapery hanging behind the potted plant. Perhaps he could climb it and disappear into the foliage? Though it's hard for tiny hands to find purchase. He couldn't crush the fabric. How would be hold on? But the bottoms and edges were fringed, long, twisted, dark green, silk things. One edge was maybe two body lengths away. The porcelain planter still hid him. He's have to chance it. And based on the giant doggie slurping and chomping sounds he heard, a little shrimp sized 'human' thing shouldn't draw much attention. So he quietly stepped over, grabbed hold and went up. His vampire strength served him well. Soon he looked down over the rim onto carefully tended rich brown earth. He jumped over and scrambled into the greenery. From there it was an easy climb up to a point where he could peek out and see the table. Then he knew...

Apparently, our misplaced 'human' thing was not alone. Huge mounds of frantic, swarming, naked people occupied three immense silver, or pewter bowls set into crater-like indentations down the center of the dining table. They desperately struggled, trying to avoid the long, thin, pointed poles. But the dog things didn't care. Clams don't want to be shucked. Crabs don't want to be boiled. That's how it is. And humans don't want to be impaled.

As a vampire, Tomas could not look away. Sometimes a terrified little person managed to claw up out of the hellish mess, attempting to hide amidst the tableware and crockery (condiments, you know) scattered about the vast formal plain.  A canine diner would momentarily stop conversing in that yodel-like way they have, reach out and brush them back in. Limbs broke. Heads cracked. Skin ripped. Domestic staff scraped out all the dead ones after for the koi pond. Sometimes left over live ones went in too.

And that's how they ate. Stab a sentient morsel. Maybe dip it in some sauce. Bring the tip to the mouth. Draw off the meat 'tween the teeth and chew it up. If the dining pick didn't finish them the teeth would. Average dog ate eighty, or more at a sitting.

God knows what's in the pantry. Maybe they raise them there? 

Afterwards the dog-folk licked scoops of flavored ice, topped by some sort of intoxicant, from shallow, crystal, stemware. A few chewed savory, biscuit things. Then the males went off to another part of the mansion, while the females retired to an adjacent room for some sort of table game.

Footmen came in to clean up. A few humans were still alive. They toyed with them, pretending not to see, as they raced 'cross the damask looking for shelter. But there was no escape and all were thrown into the chill, dark waters of the koi pond.

Tomas waited for maybe two or three hours, til the house grew quiet. Then he carefully leaned out over the rim of the pot, grabbed the fringe and climbed down, making for what he assumed was the kitchen, or at least the passage that led there.

He found one crazed human ( a male, I think) trembling behind a chair leg in the dark. How he got down there is anyone's guess. The man looked to Tomas for help. Clothed humans were few and far between. The man babbled something in a whispery patois. Tomas pretended to understand and moved to comfort the terrified being. But he was hungry too, so he ripped open the throat and drank up all the blood. Then the corpse ignited into a cool, blue flame (as victims always do). In the morning some chamber maid or other would find a small, greasy stain.

Ashes and water clean that, you know.

Tomas watched the flame go out, then continued on his way...

<more next time>

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