Iron Quill - Pound of Flesh

[Titcher]

Please see below for my entry into this months Iron Quil.

Mystery ingredients used are Character - The Bookkeeper and Line - "How hard is that?"

Enjoy

Pound of Flesh

“What can I get you Pip?”

“A glass of your least watered down beer and a chaser of your strongest whisky.”

“You must be having a seriously bad day if you’re daring to drink my whiskey.” The Barkeep said turning to get Pip’s order.

Pip Lovell dropped onto a stool next to the dusty bar and the old wood groaned as it attempted to keep his considerable weight from crashing to the floor.

“Probably my worst day since I came through the breach. Not a single customer in the shop and to top it all I have been summoned to meet with The Bookkeeper tomorrow.” As Pip finished speaking his face lost all colour.

“The Bookkeeper? Wow, things are bad if your thinking about borrowing Scrip from him.” The Barkeep said placing the drinks in front of Pip.

“Worse than that.” Pip sighed. “I have already borrowed money from him. I am behind on my repayments.”

Pip picked up the dirty glass full of the pale yellow whisky and swallowed it back in one, coughing hard as he slammed the glass back on the bar and the whisky hit the back of his throat.

“If I was in your shoes I would run.” Said an old man who was sat at the end of the bar. “Unfortunately you don’t have any where to run to.”

“Shut up Sam, you dirty headed numb nut, what do you know about the Bookkeeper?” The Barkeep said.

Sam was one of his regulars and over the years the Barkeep had grown to hate his dirty yellow beard and small wonky eyes.

“I know a lot about the Bookkeeper, let me tell you. I know too much about that man. I know that people go missing when he is involved, and those that don’t go missing, which they were, if you know what I mean.”

“What does he do with them?” Pip asked, his voice hollow.

“Well, do you remember Anton Veteska? Small chap, beady eyes, borrowed money from the Bookkeeper to buy out his contract from the Guild. He had this crazy idea about treasure buried out in one of the quarantine zones and his plan was to find it, pay back the Bookkeeper and buy a ticket Earthside. Only the daft twit didn’t find it, and after two month’s searching the quarantine zones he came back and was taken straight for a meeting with The Bookkeeper. He was in here, like you, the day before the meeting, face like dead man.”

“And then what, did you see him again?” Pip asked.

Even the Barkeep was listening at this point because he remembered seeing Anton that night.

“Yeah I saw him again. Wish to all the Gods that I hadn’t though.” Sam picked up his glass and drained the last of beer, licking his lips and wiping his beard in pleasure. “It was during that kerfuffle outside the Guild building. I was heading home after last orders a few weeks ago and I saw a host of Death Marshalls heading down an alley, at the bottom of the alley where they had trapped some of them undead abominations and I swear on my sweet Mothers life that Anton Veteska was there fighting alongside them creatures, it looked like his head had been pulled off and then sewn back on again, only it wasn’t on straight and he was always looking to the left.”

Pip turned back to his glass and swallowed his beer.

“Don’t listen to Sam, he is crazier than most of the people in Malifaux and drunker than every one.” The Barkeep said, but Pip noticed that he wasn’t looking at him, his eyes were down on the bar.

The small bell above the door tinkled as it swung open and Pip looked up, hoping against hope to see a customer, any customer, but instead he saw two large figures dressed in identical brown coats step inside. Pip sighed heavily, this was it, these men were here to take him to The Bookkeeper.

Since leaving the last night after polishing off another three glasses of beer and two whisky chasers Pip had done nothing but worry and pace around his small apartment. He could not sleep or eat, which was very much not like him, and he just worried more and more about what was going to happen.

He wasn’t thrilled with his life, he was much to fat, had no money and was stuck in Malifaux, but that didn’t mean he wanted it to end.

“Good afternoon Mr Lovell.” Said the taller of the two men. “I am Mr. Dupe and this is my associate Mr. Swell.”

“Hello.” Said Mr. Swell.

“We have the wonderful honour of escorting you to The Bookkeeper. Would you be so kind as to follow us?” Mr. Dupe continued.

“But…But…it’s the middle of the day, I can’t just shut up shop, I will loose custom.” Pip stammered, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

Mr. Swell looked around the small, empty shop. “I think you will be ok.” He said.

Reluctantly Pip climbed to his feet and the two men in brown coats led him outside and into a small, black carriage pulled by a grey horse. Pip didn't bother locking up the shop as he didn't believe that he would be coming back to it.

The carriage itself was windowless, Mr. Dupe rode on the outside and Mr. Swell sat across from him, their knees touching.

"What's going to happen to me?" Pip asked after the silence had become unbearable.

"I couldn't possibly say." Replied Mr. Swell. "Probably not nice things."

Pip tried to swallow but his mouth had gone unbearably dry and he had trouble catching his breath.

The small carriage rumbled on and to Pip the journey took both an age and no time at all and when it finally stopped Pip had no idea where he was.

He climbed out of the small carriage and blinked in the grey light. The buildings around him where crumbling and old, parts either falling down due to age or had been knocked down by something.

Mr. Dupe led Pip through an open doorway and through a series of confusing tunnels, seemingly taking turns at random. As they walked Pip noticed that the doors and walls were in better condition and when Mr. Dupe stopped outside a particulary large and heavy looking door Pip knew The Bookkeeper was inside.

"The Bookkeeper is inside." Mr. Dupe said confirming Pip's thoughts.

Pip pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside. After being in the dark hallway, Pip found himself momentarily blinded by the light in the room. As his eyes adjusted he saw large book cases that stretched up to the ceiling filled with leather bound journals and sat in front of them was a small man hunched over a desk. The Bookkeeper, thought Pip.

The Bookkeeper looked up and pushed his glasses up his nose. He looked back down at his book and rifled through the pages until he found the one he wanted. He put a long bony finger onto the page as he read the words.

“You owe me a considerable amount of scrip.” The Bookkeeper said.

“I know…” Stammered Pip. “I am trying to pay you back but it’s hard….”

The Bookkeeper glowered at Pip. “You borrow money from someone, you pay it back. How hard can it be?”

“That’s what she said.” Whispered Mr. Dupe, from his place in the corner.

“Oh ha ha, well played Mr. Dupe” said Mr. Swell.

“Well you are going to pay back a portion of the balance owed to me today, Mr. Lovell.” Said The Bookkeeper.

“How?” Said Pip. “I have no money.”

“No, but you do have plenty of something else. Flesh.”

“What?”

“Mr. Dupe, Mr. Swell, please restrain our guest.”

Pip felt his hands grabbed by the two men and he struggled to break free. The Bookkeeper hopped off his tall chair and walked round the desk. As The Bookkeeper approached him Pip was once again struck by how small he was, he barely reached Pip’s waist but Pip had never seen anyone so scary.

“Lift his shirt, please.” The Bookkeeper said.

Pip’s shirt was pulled up and The Bookkeeper placed his hand on his sizeable gut and Pip could hear him mumbling words under his breath. As The Bookkeeper talked Pip felt a warmth spreading from his hand.

“What are you doing?” Pip squeaked.

“Making sure you don’t die. A man your size can provide fresh flesh for a few months.”

The Bookkeeper said, taking his hand from Pip.

He turned back to his desk and picked up an ornate letter opener that was so big it looked like a small sword in his hand.

“Mr. Dupe, please hold the bowl.”

Pip watched in horror as The Bookkeeper plunged the knife into his belly and began to hack off bits of flesh, pulling out bloody lumps and dropping them into the bowl. When the bowl was full and Pip’s belly was a bloody mess The Bookkeeper took the bowl and walked over to a corner of the room.

He lifted a small trap door and Pip heard the sound of groaning and shuffling. Mr. Swell led Pip over to The Bookkeeper and Pip saw that under his feet were a huge group of monsters, people who were once living but now dead stood shuffling, growling up at the living beings above them.

“My little army.” Said The Bookkeeper. “Very useful but expensive to feed.”

The Bookkeeper upturned the bowl and Pip watched as his lumps of flesh fell down through the hole. The undead went crazy trying to grab the bloody meat and Pip felt himself start to wave as he nearly passed out.

Th Bookkeeper slammed the trap door shut and turned to Pip.

“Consider this month’s payment met.” He said.

Pip’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and he crashed to the floor in a dead faint.

Edited April 12, 2013 by Titcher