Into the Valley of Death

Early this morning I awoke to a shuffling sound coming from one of the other tents. When I went outside Klaus was examining the third of our four tents and there was a definite shadow moving around inside. We stood like this for about fifteen minutes, listening to something clutter about, cursing, scuffing its boots, when Klaus decided to just knock it away from its pegs and reveal its intruder.

Robert.

He looked horrible. His shirt was mostly rags and he had several cuts on his face that looked like he had gotten whacked with branches. His hands were calloused and burnt and his hair was patchy at best, but his eyes...his eyes were the worst. Robert's eyes were bright and alert and yet somehow clouded over, and it scared me. I haven't seen him like this ever before.

He didn't notice us, though, until he had found what he was looking for - a small black leather satchel. I don't know what was inside; originally it had a first aid kit but it could be anything at this point. When he had the satchel he stood up straight and looked at us with disdain for a few moments before turning and shambling off to the southwest, in the exact opposite direction of the forest. Klaus threw a few rocks at him, but I honestly don't think Robert felt anything at all.

Then I looked at where he was going. There were some old stone buildings in the distance - ruins. And they hadn't been there before.

Everett out.

Miss me?

Not like I was gone my dear children...I am always watching from the sidelines.


Shall we commence to play our game? Because I have some fun for all the family in mind!

My everything hurts

Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow.

Klaus has been unfairly beating me since we met. It is not enjoyable. He said it was for my own good, but it's basically amounting to me making an observation on a bird that's picking up burning twigs for its nest or a car that's smoking and puttering around and then getting cuffed hard on the back of the head. He also promised he would help me find and perhaps fix Robert, but so far we've sat around doing nothing and making observations about birds and cars and the strength of old men.

I'll post again when we get to business, but I wanted to make sure everyone knew we weren't dead. Well, maybe Robert is, by this point. But I don't think so, and I wouldn't want him to be anyway.

Everett out.

Klaus Gage

The child led me to a hovel about a mile away from our original encampment. I paid him what I promised for his help, and started walking up the path. The surrounding area was a bit swampy, but as long as I stuck to the dirt it wasn't so hard to get through.

There was a sign above the door that said, in very messy, scrawled-out handwriting, "Kein Zutritt!" Of course that wasn't going to stop me. I knocked on the door, and a gravelly voice shouted "Verpiss dich lieber!" I waited for him to say something else. "Ich hab ne Knarre!" I paused again, but nothing else seemed to be forthcoming.

"Klaus?" I called.

There was a grunting noise, a shuffling noise, and then the door opened. He was hunched over, and I knew it wasn't just for effect; his back was twisted from years of hermitage - or from something worse, maybe. His face was mostly hidden behind a thick, matted salt-and-pepper beard, but it wasn't hard to see the touch of madness in his eyes. For all his ways of discouraging visitors, he was well-dressed in a suit and tie, though I think his shirt was around backwards. In his arms was a long gun. "Was willst du?" he said.

"I'm sorry, I don't speak German."

"Huh," he said. "What do you want?" I couldn't find even the slightest touch of an accent in his words.

"My partner and I were on a dig, you see, a mile or so from here, and if you're Klaus Gage..."

"Yes?" He was looking at me suspiciously, like he knew what I was going to say.

"We found your trunk." He dropped the gun and grabbed me by the shoulders, wincing from the pain in his back.

"Get out. Get out now before it gets you, too."

"Mr. Gage, I just wanted to see if you could tell me anything about this...you see, my partner, Robert, has reacted badly to what was in the trunk, and I hoped you could help me show him the light."

"It's gotten him? This Robert? Then he's doomed. Get out now while you can. Go home!"

"Mr. Gage, please. I don't believe in fairy tales."

Then he slapped me. For an old cripple, he hit me pretty hard. He grabbed up his gun again and began limping about the hut, throwing several things into an old trash bag. "We must go. It is coming." I was very confused, but I helped him gather what he asked for. Klaus brushed past me and hobbled out the door, beckoning me to follow. I hadn't gone ten feet out of the door when the place erupted into flame. Klaus didn't even look back, but I couldn't resist. There was someone standing in front of the hut, watching it burn. He was at least eight feet tall. "Turn. Keep walking. If you can't see it it can't see you."

I thought that was pretty ridiculous too, but it seemed to be working well enough for Klaus, so I followed him back to town, and from there led him to the dig site. Robert's old watch was resting on top of my pillow, the face cracked, as if smashed by a knife, or perhaps a sword. The clock had stopped at 11:00 exactly.

Everett out.

Arghhhhhhhh

Despite Robert's repeated denials that I will find Klaus, one of the village children believes that he can show me the way. It was difficult getting any information at all as the best I have to work with are a few stray words and a phrasebook. I plan on following the child's directions within the week, though probably nearer to the end of it. Until then I'll hope Robert comes to his senses.

Just a short update. To let you know I'm alive and kicking. And have a plan.

My God, Robert...what have we done?

Well done!

He got it right!


The rest of you...Well you made quite a mess of yourselves there.

It was amusing...I will give you that.

Poor Kurt...11 years old...On holiday from England...


Taken by a strange man, forced to talk to the microphone and then...

Well you just don't want to know what He did to him.

And you wont even remember him.

If you want to know what it really said...Go ahead...Just do not expect it to mean anything any more.

I do hope you continue playing

What a horrible mess...

You are solving this task slower the you ought to have done...


Are you sure you are on the right track?

Lets have a warm up, shall we?

Have Fun!