Graveyard Gossip - Cabin in the Swamp

Chet sat on the front porch of the little cabin in the swamps, slowly sharpening his bowie knife, while the gutted and butchered corpse of a small alligator lay near by.  Bethy liked her gator meat, and the Malkavian was happy to oblige her.

Unafraid, she and her cat made their way to visit the other one who could talk to ghosts. She stopped a good bit away from him, the cat on a leash looped easily around one wrist...

"You Chet?"

He glanced up and put the blade back in it's sheath. "Ah be Chet. I take it ya be Alexandria. Now who sent ya and yer furry critter thar?"

She reached down to scratch the tiger between his ears.

"This is Loki. And I talk to the dead."

He reached for a chunk of gator flesh and waited for Alexandria to give the ok to feed Loki.

"Al'ight. Ya kin talk ta' the dead. Who you know who knows Chet here?"

She gave the Malk a nod about feeding the big cat, tilting her head.

"I've been hearing strange whispers about someone stealing the bones of the dead. I spoke with them, told them to call me if they saw the culprit again. They did so, said you were trying to help them, too."

He held laid a chunk of flesh at Loki's feet and nodded

"Yah, ah be helpin' 'em. Me and a family member. Whatcha know about who be takin' them, and whatcha know about me?"

He stared intently at Alexandria as he spoke

She shrugged.

"Just that you're helping them and I'm not sure I want to delve into what I know about who is behind it with you just yet. We've just met, you know."

"Yeah we just did didn' t we? Ya look funny ta' me though. Have a seat, care fer a coke or sumpin' ?"

"Alight, so how do I know ya ain't lyin ta' ol' Chet here about talkin' to the dead? Mebbe ya be the one what is stealin' 'em?"

She took a seat and nodded.

"Coke would be good. And if I were the one stealing them, I wouldn't be looking for you to help me stop the one who's doing it. Though, if you really are all that worried about it, ask the dead. They'll tell you."

He got up and came back with a cold Mexican style coke in the glass bottle, with the cap already removed.

"True 'nuff that." he nodded "Ok, what you be wantin' from me?"

She took the drink with a nod of gratitude. Sipping it carefully* she gave him a smile.

"I'm not entirely sure. I just know that whatever is happening to those poor dead people, it needs to stop. Nothing good ever came from grave-robbing."


*see IM

"Ah be robbin' gaves" he smirked "Lot o' good comin' from that. But ah reckon when they be askin' ya to rob their graves it be differn't. Been storin' the bodies with a priest ah know. He give the ones who need 'em last rites ta' move on, but that ain't helpin a lot of folks, and there be more bodies than ah can move without rousin' suspicion among folks. Gotta find who be doin' this and cut the bastard down and hard."

A giggle could be heard off in the swamp, and Bethy came running, happy.

"You're it!"

Chet stood up with a grin and scooped the laughing ghoul into his arms with a kiss.

"Bethy love, this be Alexandria. The dead sent her to talk to us"

She returned the kiss, then looked back. But whatever she was playing tag with was gone. So she turned to the new woman, and grew a little stiff.

"Hello."

"Shh..." he said stroking Bethy's hair. "Alexandria, this be Bethy. She right protective of ol' Chet. Let her know ya ain't a threat."

She tilted her head a little curiously, but shrugged once and gave a nod.

"Not really sure how I could be a threat. I came to ask about the dead. Then again, I have no idea what kind of threat she might be worried about, soooooo I can't really convince her that I'm not a threat if I don't know what kind of threat I'm supposed to be."

She turned so Chet was to her back, and she was between them.

"Mine."

Chet smiled and kissed the top of Bethy's head. "It's ok love, she just gonna be helpin' us"

She tilted her head first one way... then the other... and laughed.

"Not making fun of you. Not. But uh... I'm not exactly interested in penis."

Gotta love lesbians.

She tilted her head. Then she nodded and relaxed.

"The dead sent you to us?"

Chet chuckled and squeezed the ghoul close. "See love, she be a carpet muncher. Now why don't ya tell her what ya done seen."

She nodded.

"They did. They gave me Chet's name and said he was trying to help them."

She looked up at Chet, then turned to Alexandria, her eyes glazed.

"He is coming."