BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Role Playing Games CoC Scene 3: Back At The Diner

The inside of the diner remains unchanged, as hard as that is for the returning group to believe. Mike still stands behind the counter, fiddling with his battery powered radio.

Nothing but static issues from it. He looks up at the group.

"Any luck?" he asks.

Larry carries Ray into the diner, and sits her in a booth. He sits next to her, propping her up with his body.

"Get us some coffee, Mike," he says, "and if you have anything stronger to put in it, bring that too."

Mike pours some coffee and brings it over, along with an unmarked bottle.

"What happened out there?" he asks.

Larry shakes his head. "Either the government is using us for a test ground, or Jacob was right, and it's the last days."

Larry puts Ray's hands around the warm cup of coffee, and pours in a liberal shot from the bottle Mike brought. "Drink this, Ray, it'll help."

Derek walks in behind Larry. He looks at Ray, "What happened to her?"

Ray clings to Larry as he carries her and whimpers, resting against him. When she feels the warmth of the cup in her hands, she seems to relax a little bit and lifts it to her lips taking a deep drink of it. "Thank you, Larry...and Mike? It's terrible! That's all I can really say...you'll have to ask the others for what they saw. Something about a lighthouse or something. I don't know, I just know that I've become very interesting to something and I can't get rid of it!" She gives another whimper and lifts the coffee to her lips, trembling slightly and sitting very close to Larry.

John follows Derek walking in the diner and plops on one of the diner stools staring at the counter for a moment trying to understand what he just saw in the water. He then shakes it off knowing for the time being they are safe. He then takes out his gun and begins to dismantle it to check if the water had done any permenant damage to it. [Would the car that John drove in be where ever they are now? Since he pulled up to the diner?]

[Yes, the diner has a parking lot in front. There are currently three cars and a tow truck parked out front. The gun looks okay, but could use a cleaning.]

Mike looks with some alarm at the gun that John starts to dismantle.

"What did you all see out there?" he asks.

"Mutated squid," Larry says, "or a demon from Hell. Take your pick." He shakes his head.

Ray murmurs softly, "...my vote is with demon from Hell...I can't see it, but it's talking to me..." She snuggles a little closer to Larry.

Derek frowns and keeps looking at Ray. The gears in his head are turning. Eventually he sits down in an empty chair and takes out his folding knife, twirling it with his fingers.

Without looking up he asks, "Hey Mike, you keep and guns around here? Or know anyone that does?"

John leaves the diner and heads to his car and pops open the trunk and grabs some dry clothes and his gun cleaning kit. He also grabs a magnum that he keeps in the trunk and grabs two boxes of bullets one for his magnum and the other for his glock. [The glock is what he has been using the entire time so far] Before he closes the trunk he almost forgets to grab a couple of empty magazines for each gun, he grabs them and closes the trunk and heads back into the diner. John sets the equipment next to his dismantled gun and without saying a word heads into the bathroom to change clothes. [The clothes are a simple red shirt and pair of blue jeans and some simple sneakers.]

Mike heads over to the counter and grabs a shotgun he'd had stashed behind it.

"This ain't the city," he says, "everyone out here has something at home to use for protection."



"And apparently our friend has extras," Mike says. He sits down on top of a table, making sure he has a good view of the front windows.

"I don't know exactly what you all saw out there, but I think it's time I told you what I know." He holds up a hand. "It isn't much, but I'm here because my father was in World War 2, and at the end of it he was assigned to live here and run this diner."

"Apparently," he continues, "in the 30s the government got wind of something going on in Abramton. Devil worship, cult type of stuff. It was bad enough they came in with troops and leveled the town, doing everything but erasing it from the maps."

"Dad was put here to give word if anyone came around and tried to start anything up again. He collected a monthly government check for running the diner, and when he died I took over."

"When the pink skies showed up, I tried to call the number they'd given me, but there wasn't a connection."

He looks out the window at the light shining in. "I wish I knew more, but that's it."

John starts to clean his gun and replies "So you think this whole thing is part of demonic rituals?"

Mike shakes his head.

"I don't, but the government thought something was going on here back in the thirties, and felt strongly enough to level the town."

Larry looks up suddenly.

"Hey Mike, are you saying you're a government spy?" Larry laughs, a bit louder than it calls for. "I *told* you they were watching us!"

John looks at Larry and shakes his head. "What ever the case is we sure as heck in a strange place now." John continues to clean his gun and sighs and thinks to himself "Hope she is ok."

Ray lays her head on Larry's shoulder and clutches the coffee in her hands. Her eyes stare blankly ahead of her, seeing nothing, as would be expected. She mumbles something softly, then lifts her head and sips the coffee before setting the cup on the table and snuggling closely to Larry. "I won't let them hurt you, Larry..."

Derek almost grins and laughs a little. "You're right. In the city all the thugs carry concealed."

He looks at the guns John brought in, "OK, so a 9mm glock, .357 magnum, and a 12-gauge shotgun. I've got two knives on me. Anything else we can use as a weapon around here?"

He scans the room for usefull objects.

"Some knives in the kitchen," Mike says, "but if we need those, we're probably in bad shape."

He looks around at the group.

"I don't know what's going on here, but why don't we just make a run for the nearest town? Get the heck out of here, and call in the Feds again."

At that moment, the door swings open, and Jacob and Clarissa stumble in. Jacob is leaning heavily on Clarissa, blood dripping down his hand. Clarissa's face is bruised and battered.

Derek looks at the two as they stumble in the door, and calmly states, "I rather doubt that's an option."

He glances out the window before asking, "What happened to you two?"

John looks at the two people and rushes over to aid them "What happened?" He then looks at Mike "Is there a first aid kit here?"

A small gasp and Ray jolts upwards, spilling some of the coffee on her lap. "Wh-who--OW!" She tremblingly drops the cup on the table and looks around, clearly not focused on anything.

Mike lays the shotgun on the table and goes behind the counter, coming back with a well stocked first aid kit. He hands this to John and prepares to help.

Jacob's coat is torn, as if by swipes of claws, and his arm and chest underneath it scored by slashes. John starts disinfecting them as best as he can, bandaging them afterward. Jacob endures this silently, his lips pressed firmly together.

Clarissa collapses into a booth, leaning heavily back against the seat.



Larry pats Ray's hand. "It's Jacob and Clarissa, and they look like they've been through a war."

John lays Jacob on the opposite booth next to Clarissa and goes back to finish cleaning his gun. After finishing cleaning it he re assembles the gun and begins to fill the empty magazines with bullets for both guns. While loading up the magazines he asks Jacob, "What the hell attacked you two?"

Derek gets up and checks his knives. He moves to the door to look outside. He frowns deeply, fairly certain few, if any, of them will survive.

"The devils of Hell," Jacob answers calmly. "Beasts with a thousand eyes and claws of hellfire."

Clarissa glances uncertainly at Jacob. "Nothing attacked me, but I managed to run my car off an escarpment. The road south of here just ends after about a mile. I think I passed out when my head hit the wheel, and Jacob found me on his way back here."

"Well...sounds like demonic stuff to me..." John puts the glock in his holster and tucks the magnum into his other holster. He then looks at Mike "You said the government wiped out the town...surely they would have some sort of base setup to oberserve. This diner isn't going to be much protection against what ever did to that guy *points at Jacob*

Mike shakes his head.

"I don't know about any base," he says. "My father always said he was put here just in case anyone was on vacation when the Feds hit the town. But he always said it as a joke. You know, cultists going to Florida to enjoy the beach?"

Clarissa looks up, interested.

"The government wiped out the town?" She nods. "That would explain a lot. The town's disappearance didn't follow any of the typical patterns of normal small town withering away.

She gets out a notebook from her backpack and starts to write.

Ray frowns and then leans her head back on Larry's shoulder, murmuring, "...I don't like this...I don't like this at all...Larry, I'm really scared...Where's Mike?"

Mike looks over.

"I'm here, Ray," he calls. He seems like he wants to say more, but can't quite bring himself to reassure her that everything will be all right.

John thinks for a moment "Alright....I see we have two options. One we stay here and fortify this place and hope someone will come and resuce us since there is food and water here. Or two we pack up what we can and try to leave this place. I don't know if we have been transported or not or whatever. So what is it going to be people?"

Derek comes back in. "I say we run. This place is pretty [censored] poor for a defensive stand, and I don't like the idea of just sitting around waiting for whatever's out there to come get us."

Ray understand's Mike's meaning. She closes her eyes and lays her head back on Larry's shoulder. "We should stay here. We have a better chance of surviving if we stay together..."

Jacob stirs, and looks up. "We should fight the servants of evil, and cleanse the Earth! Else we will burn in eternal hellfire!"

Larry shakes his head.

"Didn't do so well with that, did you" Larry glances at Ray. "We need to stay together, but I'd agree with knife-boy there, if it comes to a siege, the diner isn't the place to be."

"Well," Mike says, "the gas station and my house are the only other places around, unless we head to one of the farms."

"We're in Hell," Jacob says, "the farms are nowhere to be found." Clarissa looks up from her notebook.

"He's right," she says, "about the farms at least. Past where the road ended, the landscape looked different, changed. If we're going to run, we'll need to try heading north, or find a boat."

"I said we, lady. Stick together but not here."

Derek frowns at the news, "[censored]. If we go, I say north. I ain't to keen on the idea of going out to sea again."

He looks at Mike, "How far's the station? Maybe something there we can use. If nothing else, a bit of gas might come in handy for burning things."

John thinks for a moment "Yeah....it might be best if we do make a run to the north." So it's agreed then we all head north right?

Ray frowns and clings to Larry's arm, whispering, "...If we're going to die, I'd rather be some place familiar..." She releases the death-grip on Larry's arm and takes up her coffee again, finishing it. She nudges Larry a little to move, then takes her cup back to the kitchen, trying to get back to routine. "...water, anyone? Coffee? Tea?" She gives a weak smile, her face looking in Derek's direction.

"We're not going to die, Ray," Larry says firmly. "This might be the government, might be cults, might just be a bad piece of apple pie rumblin' around in my gut while I sleep, but we'll be okay."

"Station's just across the road," Mike says, "you probably passed it on your way in, but I don't run the lights there. Locals know to come to the diner to get the keys to the pumps."

He walks to the counter, leans over it and grabs some keys. He turns around and tosses them to Derek.

"Help yourself to gas, there's a few cans in the station office."

"If we're going to head north," Larry says, "we'd better figure out what vehicles we can use. I walked here, so did Jacob, and Ray's Dad usually drops her off and picks her up."

Clarissa raises a hand. "I've got a rental in the parking lot, it'll fit four plus some supplies."

Mike nods. "I have a pickup back at the house, just behind the diner."

Derek catches the keys and heads over to the station.

Ray stands behind the counter, wiping it down, repeatedly. She looks tense and nervous. "...what if Dad's caught up in all this...?" she murmurs, idly. Finally she lifts her head and looks over in Jacob's direction, "Do you need anything, sweetie? Water? Tea? ...shot o' whiskey?"

"Coffee would be fine, Miss Ray," Jacob says.

Nervously, she grabs the coffee pot and pours the coffee for Jacob, then navigates over to him with a smile. "Here ya go, sweetie. D'ya need anything else? How 'bout you, hun?" she speaks to Clarissa.

Clarissa looks up, and shakes her head. Belatedly, she says, "No thanks." She then returns to her notes.

John replies "My car can seat up to 4" [It's a 73 Ford Mustang]

Derek walks back in with a five gallon can of gas and looks around, "We decided yet?" [He's also tucked a Philips and flat head screwdriver in his coat.]

Mike nods.

"If we're going to go, let's go." He leads the way into the parking lot.

[There are 7 people going. John's car seats 4. Clarissa's car is nose down somewhere to the south. Jacob, Larry, & Ray don't have cars here. I'm assuming Derek has a car in the lot. There's one extra car in the lot beyond that.]

As John unlocks his car, Mike says, "Anyone have keys for these others? We might want more cars than we need, in case one breaks down. We can also stop by my house and get my pickup."

[Derek does not. He hitchhikes or takes a bus everywhere.]

"No keys, but I might be able to break in and hotwire the thing."

Ray just clings to Larry's arm. "Don't leave me, Larry...if you have to, make sure Mike's with me...or Jacob. And, Larry? If we don't make it out of this alive, I want ya to know that I never meant any harm when I was pickin' on you...promise."

[Then there's just the one car besides John's. Derek's skills are equal to getting into the extra car and getting it started.]

Mike nods his approval. "Between two cars and my pickup, we'll have plenty of extra space just in case."



"Don't worry Ray, I ain't leaving you behind," Larry says. "We're all going to get out of this, and Mike and I will be with you the entire time."

"Don't you see Ray," he continues, earnestly, "if something out at that Tower is bothering you, getting farther away from it might help. I sure ain't going to feel comfortable until we put some distance between us and it."

Derek jimmies the lock on the spare car and pops the trunk to load the gas can. He smashes the ignition open and works on starting the engine. "So let's get the hell outta here."

All right who is coming with me? *opens the door and pops the seat foward to let who ever is coming to get in the back seat* [It's a 2 door]

Larry guides Ray to John's car.

"Let's go with John," he says, casting a dark glance at Derek's car. "At least he isn't a jerk."

Mike, Clarissa, and Jacob climb into Derek's car.

"Head about a mile inland, and we can get my pickup," Mike says. "Then we can come back here and head north."

Derek nods and starts the engine. "You got any radios at your place? Be useful to keep in contact while on the road."

"A couple walkie-talkies my kids used when they lived here," Mike says. "Should work for keeping the cars in touch."

Clarissa and Jacob are trying to get comfortable in the back seat. "What is all this stuff," Clarissa complains, shifting aside bags and stacks of paper.

"Hey," she exclaims. "This is the same map of old Abramton I found at the county courthouse."

John gets into his car along with Larry and Ray "Be sure to buckle up." He starts his car and waits for Derek to drive off to follow.

Derek revs the engine and takes off to Mike's house.

Ray feels around and climbs into the back of the car, then feels around for the seat belts. "Maybe you're right, Larry. Maybe if we get far enough away from whatever this thing is, it'll leave me alone..." Finally clicking her belt on, she folds her hands in her lap and angles her head downward. "Mike'll be okay, right? And dad?"

Larry lays a hand on Ray's arm. "Mike'll be okay, he'll make sure the city boy doesn't get into trouble."

The way Larry says the words "city boy" makes it sound like the worst sort of insult he could manage.

The two cars drive inland for a bit, stopping at Mike's house. He heads inside, comes out with two walkie talkies. He gives one to John and one to Derek. Mike also tosses extra shotgun shells into his pickup, and then pulls out onto the road, motioning for the others to follow.

[I've started a new thread for the road trip]