Am I the Quiet Man?
The mist fogs the memory. Lately, Shade was more and more doing things that kept him from the dream world. He wasn't sure what was worse, the waking, zombie feeling, or the utterly real dream state? He did whatever it took to keep his mind off of that night.
Except, something wouldn't leave him in peace. He slaughtered no less than four people. All the while the song played constantly in Shade's head, even now;
*When the Quiet Man comes to town, you can’t even make a sound.
Can’t scream, can’t cry, the Quiet Man won’t let you try.
No shouts, no yells, the Quiet Man comes up from Hell.
Run, run, run away, or the Quiet Man will make you pay.
Moons in sky, end of fall, the Quiet Man will kill you all.*
The team from the Carnival came upon a Loaded Crossbow Wedding, at least that's what it looked like. On closer scrutiny, it was a classic 'sell your claim or else' note.
There were two swindlers from one of the gangs. One went to make sure August signed the deed. The other stood guard over the prego by the cart. Shade saw an opportunity to back attack from under the wagon, FROMUNDER CHEESE. Shade sliced the dead man standing, from Achilles to throat. He fell into three halves.
And, the song played, "Run, run, run away, or the Quiet Man will make you pay."
The pregnant lady took off in the wagon and August ran after her. Shade rounded him up. By that time, guards were being called.
As a exclamation point, Titus boot crushed the other bandit's skull!
The second was an enforcer. Shade hid in the shadows to see who was following. He slashed out and killed him with two blows. The other ruffian ran into his friends.
A little while later, the song still played, there was a thief. Shade was the better thief, surprising the two. He ratcheted the net around the guy's front catching him up his face and down his arm and a nasty hook into his groin. Shade ran him through with his rapier. The net kept his mouth shut and would not let him scream.
The song played, "Can’t scream, can’t cry, the Quiet Man won’t let you try. "
The thief's eye was hanging out. For some reason Shade held fast to the net when Sympos went to help the man. The net tightened and ripping could be heard. It completely tore his face off. His nose was severed and the taught net sent the detached nose sailing thru the air.
Shade saw this as an omen for him to rend the true shades of humanity limb from limb, or nose from face.
The song plays, "and then he will kill you all."
The team forms a circle, back to back. Vision was impaired as the mist grew. Shade heard "Ring Around the Rosie," and suggested they all fall down. On second thought maybe he has misheard the song.
The song kept playing, "No shouts, no yells, the Quiet Man comes up from Hell."
"Shades come from Hell. Do I come up from Hell?" Shade ran behind the big tent where someone important was playing as the Marinette.
It was an omen! The dopplerganger was right in front of Shade, with his back to him. He made sure his two, lit, greek fire grenades broke against him by running up and wrapping his arms around him. Boom! And then the Hellion was gone. Shade had heard the witch Famke use those words, 'gone'.
Shade was burned and knew something in him had changed. "I Am The Quiet Man."
Laughter from beyond could be heard echoing in the tent.