Corruptable

Chapter 6

Chapter 6: A Swinging Wake

Ambassador Nitrokoff dumped the tea in a houseplant and pocketed the cup.

"I prefer coffee"

"So, we're really doin' this, huh," said Robert, "We're just... doin' it. First, we're all just gonna accept instructions from a severed head in a fish bowl and her invisible orchestra, then, were gonna search mansion fulla spooks, talk to the spooks, and find a set of whatsits that belonged to someone whose got something to do with the weddin' march. And that someone is already dead, but is now not totally dead-"

"Undecided," said Thomas recalling what Leota had said.

"Yes, thank you, someone who is 'undecided', to make them dead again. Am I getting all this?"

"That seems to be the gist of it." said Sally, brushing passed him.

She turned and pointed to the right, "Look, the endless corridor, just like Leota said."

Before her was a long hallway extending into total darkness. Within the darkness, a candelabra floated aimlessly. The doorknob to the right of it jiggled. A male voice called out,

"You folks lost?"

"Just on our way to the dining room." Sally replied. "First staircase down this way, right?"

"That's the one!" The voice called back. "Say, if you see Hal, tell him Manny locked his keys in his room, will you?"

"Sure thing!" said Bill, as they walked onward.

"Just... doin' it" Robert said again, trying to convince himself.

"We really don't have any other choice Mr. Thorne." said Abigaile.

"I don't understand," said Nitrokoff, "if he is ghost, why does he need key, can he not just go through door?"

Sally lost interest in his mumblings when she spotted another portrait, just at the edge of the staircase. Like the one in the other hallway, it was a framed picture of a regal backdrop, with the shadow of a figure seemingly stained into the canvas.

"Hey, guys," said Sally, slowing down at the frame, "look at that picture."

"It looks like something's missing!" Abigaile said shakily.

"Or somethin's escaped..." Tom uttered

"Remarkable," the ambassador reached out and caressed the canvas, "I swear I have seen that curtain before!" He pointed to a red curtain in the portrait, tied with a golden rope.

"It's a purty standard lookin' curtain if ya ask me. Heck, I'm sure we've all seen one like it before!" said Bill.

Nitrokoff protested, "No, I know this curtain, like I have seen it in a dream..."

"Or a nightmare," Tom remarked.

"Good Lord, Tom!" Robert exclaimed. "Would ya quit it with that? Who died and made you crypt keeper, geez!"

"C'mon guys, focus," said Sally. She turned back toward the painting. "There was a picture just like this on our way in."

"S'right," said Bill, "that one in the hall leadin' up to the parlor, yeah?"

"That's the one," said Sally, "and I think Ms. Patecleaver's right, too, someone's missing. I'll bet our missing person is the same one in these pictures"

"You'll bet? How much?" said Robert.

"I see what small girl is saying," interrupted the ambassador, "You are thinking that the person who is absent from paintings is person we are looking for, yes? And so maybe paintings are clue? What was in the first one?"