Subj: Quentin's Thoughts and Barnabas' Demise XIX
Date: 5/29/99 8:31:44 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Mysterious Millicent
Quentin's Thoughts and Barnabas' Demise XIX
The woods near the Collins Estate.......
Rachel continued to search the woods for Quentin. She must find him and help him. Magda said that she had something that would cure him. She was not sure just exactly what that Hand would do, but if there was a chance. Rachel continued to walk. She knew that she would be in danger, but she had to help him. Quentin had always been so good to her. And since she had lost Tim, there were few that seemed to care about her at all.
Behind her, she heard the sound of rustling leaves. Rachel stopped and looked back, her eyes wide with fear. But there was no way she was going to run, if it was the beast. She would find a way to coax the beast back to the Old House.
Rachel stood very still and listened to the sounds of the night. Then she saw a faint light grow slowly brighter. She knew now that someone was searching the woods as she was. Then fear began to overtake her. What if it was Reverend Trask out looking for her? She hesitated for a moment, and it was a good thing she did. For slowly approaching her were Magda and Sandor.
"Oh, thank heavens it is you!" Rachel said with a relieved voice.
Magda, holding a lantern walked over towards Rachel. "Yeah, you lucky Rachel. You lucky Magda is here. You have no protection against the beast!"
Rachel smiled and then said, "I have been searching for what seems like hours and I haven't seen any trace of Quentin. Where could he be?"
"He walks the night as a beast and could be anywhere. He has no will of his own, only that of hunger." Magda said fingering the silver pentagram around her neck.
Then Sandor, Magda and Rachel heard the low growl of an animal. Turning around they were just in time to see the beast running in the woods not far from them. Rachel called out, "Quentin! Quentin!" The beast stopped and turned around, seeing the three figures, it growled then sprang forward. But Magda was quicker. She held out the pentagram and the beast stopped again and began to cower. Then it suddenly collapsed at the feet of Rachel. Within a few minutes the form of Quentin Collins lay in the place of the beast.
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The Romano Gypsy Camp near Collinsport.....
Two figures slowly approached the camp of King Johnny Romano and moved towards a lone guard standing on the outskirts of the camp. One figure was smaller than the other and wore a cape and hood. It appeared to be that of a woman. The other was the figure of a tall man who appeared to be carrying a body.
They came closer to the guard. Marco the guard pulled out his sword and said "Halt, who goes there?"
The hooded figure said, "We bring a message for King Johnny Romano! Let us by."
The guard turned around and yelled at another guard close by. "Devon, watch the front. These people wanna to see King Johnny!"
Marco told the two figures to follow him and they moved inward to the center of the camp. There were many wagons parked in a circular fashion and horses in back of each one tied to the wagon. A large campfire was lit in the middle of the camp and many people were seated either near or close to the fire. Some men stood near the fire talking with each other and several people were playing insturments. A young woman was dancing and another one was singing a very upbeat song full of zest and energy.
The figures continued walking and as they passed the campfire, the music began to slowly stop and the dancing woman stopped as well. All the people watched the two cloaked figures walking with Marco toward the wagon of King Johnny. Some of the people began to mumble to each other.
When the figures came to a rather large wagon with two other men standing on either side of the entrance Marco put out his hand signaling for the two figures to stop. He climbed up the three steps on the entrance of the wagon and disappeared inside.
King Johnny was sitting at a desk of sorts and checking maps. He was a tall, hefty man with olive skin and piercing black eyes. His black hair was shoulder length and his beard was as dark as the hair on his head. He turned around and said, "What is it Marco?"
"King Johnny, two visitors have come with a message for you." Marco replied.
King Johnny looked at him and said, "Who are they?"
"I dunno, King Johnny, but I think ya oughta see 'em. They got powers!"
King Johnny looked at Marco with eyes growing smaller and squinting, trying to decide if this was something important enough to check out. Finally he stood up and said, "OK, send them in Marco." He said finally. Marco bowed and then went outside the wagon and signaled the two figures that it was ok to go in.
The two figures walked into the wagon and Johnny looked at them with deep interest. He could sense a great power from both of them. And that piqued his curiousity. "Marco, he says you got somethin to tell me?"
The smaller hooded figure walked a bit closer and removed the hood from around the face. The figure was that of a woman. A most beautiful woman. Long blonde hair, big, round blue eyes, and a very full set of lips. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She spoke in a soft voice. "King Johnny Romano of the Romano Clan, we bring you bad news. One of your clan has been killed."
The other figure carrying the message laid it on the bed near Johnny. It was covered with a blanket. The figure pulled back the blanket near the head to reveal a woman's body beneath.
King Johnny's eyes grew large with surprise and then his eyebrows dropped in an angry frown. "Julianka! Who has done this to you?"
The beautiful woman said, "One of your own kind, King Johnny Romano!"
Johnny shot the woman an angry glare. "No games! Tell me who?"
The beautiful woman looked at Johnny and then motioned for the other figure to join her. When they were standing side by side they slowly began to fade from King Johnny's sight. He started towards them saying, "What is this? Tell me who has done this!"
As the figures continued to fade the woman said, "Look in the town of Collinsport for a woman of the Ravno Clan. She is the one responsible!" And then the figures were gone!
King Johnny stood there in silence. At first he was overcome by a bit of fear at the disappearance of the two figures, but quickly composed himself. He walked slowly over to the bed and the motionless body of Julianka. "Julianka, my sweet daughter! I will revenge you." Then he called out, "Marco!"
When Marco suddenly appeared in the wagon he was taken aback to find out the strangers were no longer in the cabin, and then he saw the body of the woman lying on the bed. "Julianka! NO!"
King Johnny walked over to Marco and said, "Get the fighter sect together. We must avenge the death of my daughter! Go!"
Marco bowed before King Johnny and left quickly out the wagon door. King Johnny could hear shouts and cursing outside his wagon. He walked over to his daughters body and putting his hand on her cheek, began to caress it. I will avenge your death Julianka. Those who dare to kill my family will pay with their lives!"