Tobias Weiss.

Chapter 31

© 2014 by tore56789 (GOS) All rights reserved.

He had invented the protocols, to deal with that. They were like his Ten Commandments.  But what they mostly said, he would respect the host he was in.  And treat them all as if they were family.  Never to do anything that would harm them, and to leave their bodies the same, just as they had been, before he had occupied them.  There was only one exception.  If he felt a host wished to do harm to themselves or others, before he left, he would intervene, to assist, by leaving an order they were to go to the right authorities, once he had left their bodies. (Either, a doctor, the Cops, whatever)  In truth, he had very little need to do this.  Except maybe on one occasion. Other than that, like in Star Trek, he followed his Prime Directive, not to interfere with the person he occupied.  Only for such guidelines, he reckoned, he might have been easily persuaded to do really crazy things. As the Prime Directive, was his guarantee, to his hoast, he would respect them to the upmost, while he was occupying their bodies.    

With that thought, he instructed the woman to dress. As he knew part of his fatigue came from the fact  his host was hungry.  As it was hours since she had eaten.  Another thought hit him too.  He wasn’t looking forward either to confronting the owner downstairs.  As for some odd reason, he and the woman hadn’t hit it off?   But a part of him reckoned that maybe the old were always a bit like that to the young, cranky as hell –simply out of jealously alone.  After all, what had they to look forward to, except the cold embrace of death, itself?  But he thought it strange too, how a man could act like that in a woman’s company.  But would never dare to do it in another man’s company, fearing he’d get a good boxing. 

                    

                                                      

He was happy, but at the same time disappointed, when the desk was unoccupied, when he headed to the main lodge, after walking down along to the door.  As he was hoping to ask Mr Grumpy, where was the nearest good place to get a bite to eat?   Preferably, someplace, one could sit down and relax in some comfort. 

Two were standing around. A young couple, who looked like in their late teens, early twenties?  They appeared like Summer College students out for fun, leaving their hair down, before having to delve back again to boring old lectures, in gaseous rooms, before brain numbing sad old professors.

The guy smiled, when he spotted his host, “Creepy. Is it run by ghosts, or what?”  He laughed.  “By the way, I’m Jed and this is my friend Becky.”

Becky smiled, “Hi, pleased to meet you,” she said offering her hand quickly.

“Nice meeting you too,” his host replied, shaking it.  Following that, she shook Jed’s extended out hand.

Again, the guy rang the bell, by lifting it up on its attached chain, and shaking it.  He even made a comment about that, “Are they afraid I’m going to run off with it,” he said, pulling on the chain. 

Tobias liked them.   As it seemed like so long since he had laughed with people.  And Jed and his humour even reached into all his gloom. 

“If you think that’s bad. Just wait till you meet up with the ogre, who tied it there.”  Jillian then whispered to Becky, “Don’t think the old coot likes girls either, very much.  Or at least that’s the impression I got, when I arrived earlier and checked in.” 

Becky was attractive, a little heavy. But not to the extent that would have made her less attractive to men; as some men are drawn to a more curvaceous woman.  She had wiry unnatural blond hair, with highlights.  And features which could have sprung from, along with an accent, from an Italian, American, New Jersey, background.“Really,” she said back, her tone showing somewhat amazement.”

Just then the Irish wolfhound appeared, standing on its hind legs, to appear almost at human height, on the far side of the counter.  It gave a bark, and examined everyone suspiciously with its dark shiny eyes.  As if wondering, you might think, why they were hanging around there for?“  Think the owner has arrived,” Jed laughed.

“What a big dog,” Becky remarked back, examining it, “even kind-of scary looking.  Like something out of Hound of the Baskervilles.”

“It’s an Irish wolfhound,” Tobias offered, “Think they were bred specifically in Ireland centuries ago, just to rid the country of its wolf population.  And as you might’ve guessed, they needed a very large sized dog to do that, if it was going to take on a fully grown wolf.”

“I’m more into the cuddly type,” the girl said back, smiling at Tobias’s host.   

“You mean the shitty, stupid type,” Jed laughed, without taking his eyes from the counter, where he was still standing. “That animal of yours Becky,  I swear, would crap on your face, as you sleep.”

Just as the girl was going to retaliate, the dog started barking, startling the girl to silence and making Jed react by stepping backwards.  And then jumping down, it ran off, as if the conversation had peeved it off somewhat.  And the barks were just to show its distaste to the levels to which the conversation had fallen.    

Tobias, then instructed Jillian to ask, as he didn’t want to hang around, if he didn’t have to, “You wouldn’t know of any place nearby that does food?  As this place doesn’t seem to cater for that.”

“Which way you come?  Right or left?”  Jed asked.

“Left.”

“Well, if you continue about five miles further down that road.  You’ll find a place called the Dirty Piglet tavern,” He laughed, “I know the name isn’t the most appealing.”  Then after a moment, he added, “We just came from there.  Some rowdy farming types in the back, listening to some local band.  But if you stay to the front, in the extension, you should be okay.  The food too wasn’t bad for such an isolated spot.”

Becky then tossed in, “Until we saw the menu, we kind-a expected the house choice to be stewed racoon or possum pie, or something like that.  But as Jed said, you’ll be really surprised once you eat there.  Even some nice girl comes to your table; again catching you by surprise.  Because with the type inside the place, you kind-a get the feeling, if they just threw the food in the air, they’d be just as happy catching it in their teeth.”  Both laughed at that.   

And after, as the lad grabbed hold of the bell once more, and gave it a good rattle, seeming to be getting a little more annoyed, Jillian thanked them both, and walked outside.

The fresh air hit, along with the distant sounds away off in the hills. This was certainly moon shine country, bleak, large, and not a cop anywhere to be found.  He guessed, as he instructed the girl to go to her car.  If someone wanted to vanish, they couldn’t find a better place.  It was a no man’s land between civilizations? 

Moments later, the car pulled off, in search of the amazing Tavern at the farthest end of the universe.  The Ford Escort passing by a light blue 2002 Land Rover in the process.  Which Tobias assumed, belonged to the couple he had just been chatting to?