Bram's Hollow

Both Tobias and Dr. Donavan ran from the laboratory threw the protected wooden double doors and toward the infirmary. As Tobias ran behind the doctor he felt weightless and numb. He was focused on his mother and was scared of what could have possibly have happened to her. He had never been so frightened in all his life. They rounded several corners and ran through several doors before they reached the twin white swinging doors leading to the medical facilities. They stopped. Dr. Donavan reached back and placed her hand on Tobias’s chest holding him back.

“I need you to stay back.” It was an order not a suggestion. The doctor burst through the doors leaving Tobias behind.

The swinging doors had a round window in each one. Tobias looked threw one, the sight was grizzly. He saw three bodies sprawled out on white sheeted beds. Rotigan laid on the bed closest to the doors, Arthur was on the second and farthest away from Tobias was his mother. They were all covered with blood. Rotigan was writhing in pain shouting muffled words Tobias couldn’t make out at the doctor tended to his wounds. Arthur and Vivian weren’t moving at all. Tobias stared at his mother from the door window. A short Biclops he recognized from town was working feverishly to stop the bleeding from a frightfully deep gash in the side of her neck. Both of his heads working independently of each other watching his patent’s wound while the other called out to Dr. Donavan.

Tobias cried uncontrollably. It was like watching a nightmare, and there was nothing he could do. Donavan hurried away from Rotigan and joined the Biclops by Vivian. Tobias watched as the doctor held gauze to his mother’s neck while the Biclops readied needle and thread. Another nurse, who like the doctor looked stitched together from other people though this one was male and not as well pieced together and his counterpart, tended to Arthur. Rotigan kept shouting as he held gauze over his own chest wound. There were small tares up and down his clothes, each lined with small streaks of blood.

Shock suddenly settled into Tobias’s body like acclimating to a bath drawn too hot. He wasn’t so much watching Dr. Donavan and her medical staff help his mother, It was as if he were present in the room but as an omnipresent observer. He didn’t feel like he was in his own body. He felt like he was just there, detached from the situation though still aware of it. He became aware that this was caused by something, or someone. His mother and her friends were attacked, and it was just after he had left the house. It had to be, he hadn’t been gone long, no more than forty-five minutes.

Every cell in Tobias’s skin felt as if it were pricked with a cold needle. If he hadn’t left, he could have been attacked as well. He hated himself for just a second for thinking of his own safety when his own mother was in serious danger. Once again, he looked in the rounded door window again. Dr. Donavan was working on Arthur now who had not moved since Tobias first saw him. The short Biclops was stitching his mother’s neck now. He was using both heads and was concentrating on his work. Rotigan had calmed down a little bit but still borderline hysterical and talking loudly.

Two more white dressed medical assistants, a Gilwoman and a something that looked like a goat with a human’s midsection jogged in past Tobias and into the infirmary. When the entered Tobias could hear some of what Rotigan was yelling, it was only a few words but they told the story.

“Lycos was right. He’s after the ashes…”

The doors swung closed. Tobias felt like he was hit in the gut. Cold scale covered fingers touched Tobias’s shoulder. It startled him, Tobias turned around quickly. Snide was standing behind him and he heard what Rotigan said as well. He looked at Tobias and tried to say something of comfort but couldn’t find the words. Tobias stared back, his eyes red and swollen with tears. He opened his mouth as if to talk but nothing came out. What was there to say? He heard Rotigan’s words over and again, spoken threw painful yelps. Any thought Tobias had about his father had all but faded away what he thought he knew from memories were false. He just tried to kill his mother, all for the ashes of a long dead vampire lord. He didn’t know what to do, he felt powerless in the face of such adversity both mental and physical. He turned away from Snide and looked to the longest corridor and ran away down it.

He had no idea where he was headed, and he didn’t care. Somehow running made him feel better albeit in the smallest of increments. He ran turning corners now and again and passing by monsters, beasts and spirits. The corridors became warmer and he started to see lights emanating from windows in the walls. He was out of the mountain and back into the actual castle. He turned left almost sprinting in the halls. As he turned the corner he slammed into someone coming from the other side of the turn. They fell to the floor. Tobias hit the ground hard on his side facing the wall. When he turned to look at who he collided with he saw himself face to face with Docherty, or at least one of them. The other two bodies were also running but one of them stopped and turned to see what happened.

“You?” Docherty was just as surprised to see Tobias as he was to see Docherty. The second body of Docherty, the one that wasn’t running, shouted urgently at his grounded counterpart. “We don’t have time for him now.” Docherty got to his feet quickly and joined his other selves and ran away into the castle leaving Tobias on the ground alone.

He couldn’t find the energy to pick himself up off of the floor. Instead he sat up against the wall and held his legs up and sobbed. He didn’t want to go back and potentially watch his mother die. He couldn’t even seriously consider it without weeping even harder than he already was. It left him with little alternative. He couldn’t go back to Rotigan’s. The scene of his mother’s attack might prove just as gut wrenching as going back to the infirmary. He considered going to Isabelle’s house, but this was a situation too serious to involve someone he had only known for less than a week. He needed to talk to someone, someone who could make sense of all this.

Tobias lifted his head from his knees and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He thought of the one person who knew both his mom and dad. He was the one who had been honest and informative since Tobias left his home for Bram’s Hollow. He remembered his great uncle Jerome, and his mission became clear. In an attempt to pull himself together Tobias lifted himself up off of the floor and onto his feet. He was determined to find Jerome and started off down the hallways once again. This time he knew what he was looking for, the dining room.

It didn’t take long for Tobias to gain his bearings. He was walking in a hall that was extended from the downstairs passage that led to the front of the castle. As he walked into the front room Tobias felt a sense of unease. This was where he first met Lycos and was almost attacked by him. He was sneaking thru the castle just as he was now. It was a bizarre sense of déjà vu that floated around him like an unwanted fog. He crossed the room quickly and entered the dining room. The long table and its settings were as dust covered as before, it all looked the same minus the fingerprints on the tall landscape painting that Tobias used to escape the castle with the help of his great uncle.

“Jerome?” Tobias spoke softly as he took one of the old candles from the long table.

There was no reply, Tobias returned to the entrance hall to light his candle on one of the wall mounted torches and returned to the dining room. It was still empty.

“Jerome, are you there?” This time Tobias was talking at his normal volume.

He waited but again there was no response. Tobias felt lost. He had no idea where he could find Jerome, and he was reaching his wits end. Too many questions with nowhere near enough answers. He began to cry once again as his thoughts returned to his mother. It seemed foolish or him to have ran away like he did, and he decided that he should probably go back to the infirmary. With a gentle blow he extinguished the candle in his hand and returned it back to its place on the table.

Tobias turned back toward the entrance hall and walked toward the rear passage. As the passed the front staircase he heard the creak of the front castle doors. Tobias froze, he felt as if he was caught doing something he shouldn’t. It was the castle. It seemed like someplace none should really be walking around in. The front doors opened, Isabelle’s father Henry walked into the castle.

“Tobias?” Henry said, “What in the blazes are you doing here?”

He didn’t know how to answer. The attack on his mother and her friends was too hard to bear just thinking about it let alone explaining it to someone.

Henry Walked up to Tobias and quickly wrapped his arms around him. “Are you alright? Why aren’t you in the infirmary with your mother?”

The question surprised Tobias. “How did you know about the attack?” He asked.

“Poor Isabelle heard the screams from Rotigan’s house and got help. She was heading over to see you.”

“Is she…?” Tobias couldn’t finish the question.

“No, no she’s fine. She’s just a bit rattled. She is at the house with her mother.” Henry loosened his hug on Tobias and held his by the shoulders. “How are Vivian and the others doing?”

Tobias tried talking but lost his wind for a moment. He breathed deep and tried again. “They look bad. I didn’t, I couldn’t watch.” He began to cry once again. “I ran away, I shouldn’t have, but I ran.”

“It’s alright, Tobias.” Henry patted him on the back. “No child should ever see what you saw. You did nothing wrong.”

After a few deep breaths Tobias was able to compose himself again. “Rotigan said it was my dad.” He looked Henry in the eyes, pleading with a gaze. “Is it true? Do you know if it was my dad?”

“Isabelle says she didn’t see anyone.” Henry said mournfully.

“Why? Why would he do that?” Tobias lowered his head.

“What’s important right now is your mother and her friends in the infirmary.” Henry said firmly. “Come on, let’s see how they are.”

Henry walked with Tobias back into the halls and toward the infirmary. Tobias was glad to see a friendly face. It made him want to be with Isabelle. He felt sorry that she had to be the one who found them, but he was glad she did or they might not have made it as long as they did. It was clear that Henry knew the castle far better that Tobias did. It took only a fraction of the time to walk to the medical wing than it took Tobias to run away from it. When they arrived Tobias could feel his heartbeat through his chest. He feared for the worst as they approached the white double doors.

Henry approached the doors while Tobias stayed behind, he didn’t want to look. He didn’t want to be reminded of the horrific sight of his mother in torn clothes, covered with blood. Henry knocked gently on the doors and waited. Not long after Dr. Donavan walked out to greet him, her white lab coat was now smeared multiple times with the patents blood. Tobias walked to the two adults eager to hear about his mother’s condition. He didn’t have to ask, the doctor could see the question burnt onto his face.

“I’m not going to sugar coat it Tobias. It’s not looking good at the moment.” Dr. Donavan spoke as gently as she could muster but it wasn’t much.

“How are they doing Doctor?” Henry asked.

The doctor looked at Tobias for a second before turning to Henry. “Rotigan’s injuries were not as severe, he’ll be fine. As for Vivian and Arthur, it was far worse.”

“What do you mean?” asked Henry.

“Arthur didn’t make it. The slashes to his neck were far too deep.”

“I can’t believe it, he was a good man.” Henry lowered his head as Tobias looked away, fighting tears.

“From what Rotigan has been telling us, it’s a wonder any of them are still alive.”

“Is my mom going to be alright?” Tobias tried his best to hold together.

“It’s hard to say, she’s been unconscious since she was brought in. She suffered deep lacerations on her neck and abdomen and lost a lot of blood. The next twenty-four hours are going to be critical.”

Tobias cupped his hands over his mouth, he was trying not to cry again. Donavan looked at him with her unmatched eyes and frowned. “It’s easy to cry sadness away Tobias. Living with the events given to you is what builds true character.”

It was an odd thing to hear at a time like that. But Tobias got the impression that it was a message from one monster to another. He did his best to stay composed.

“It is important for Vivian to rest. In the meantime Tobias, if you need a place to stay-“

“Not necessary Doctor, Tobias is more than welcome to stay with us.” Henry patted Tobias on the back as he spoke.

“That’s very generous of you.” Dr. Donavan looked to Tobias. “We can finish our talk after your mother is hopefully recovered. In the meantime please consider yourself a full member of the monster’s guild.” The doctor did her best to smile but it was an odd expression with her stitched up face. “Would you like to see your mother for a second?”

Tobias nodded, anxious to see his mother. The infirmary door opened. Lycos had been in with the patents and looked furious to see him. “So the thief shows himself.”

The statement caught Tobias be surprise. Doctor Donavan was quick to speak for him. “What on Earth are you talking about Lycos? Tobias is no thief.”

“Then what is the half breed doing here?” Lycos asked almost sarcastically.

“You know damn well why Lycos.” Dr. Donavan stood between Lycos and Tobias. “If you haven’t forgotten that is his mother in there.”

“I don’t care. It was his father that did this. And now his son here loose in the castle at the same time as Orlock’s ashes managed to be taken from my office. He is working with Lance, plain and simple.” Lycos snarled as he pointed at Tobias.

“That’s preposterous and you know it.” Dr. Donavan was not intimidated by Lycos’s posturing.

“Then ask him where he was just now. He knew I was keeping the ashes in my office. And as soon as I turned my back he snuck in and took them.” Lycos took a step toward Tobias but Dr. Donavan blocked the way. “He is helping his father resurrect Orlok. Don’t you understand?”

Dr. Donavan held her ground. “Tobias didn’t even know anything about Lance when he came here. You’re letting your personal feelings interfere with a serious situation.”

“That nightwalker is a Necromancer and a traitor. He deserved to be exiled.”

“Please, you hated him from the second he married your daughter.”

“What?” Tobias was caught off guard.

Lycos pointed authoritatively at Tobias. “I want you out of here now.”

Henry gently pulled Tobias back. “Come on Tobias. I wouldn’t advise angering him any further.”

Tobias looked to Dr. Donavan who nodded in agreement with Henry. They left the infirmary and started the long walk to Isabelle’s house leaving the doctor to argue with Lycos.