Machina Mortis: Steampunk'd Tales of Terror

by Derwin, Theresa

  Kate and Maximus found their place at Blackburn’s left.

  “I chose the decorations for this car myself,” came Lafayetta’s voice from under her veil. She had placed herself at Blackburn’s right and directly across from Maximus.

  “An interesting choice of palette,” Kate replied, trying to keep any trace of sarcasm out of her voice.

  “It was chosen more for the spiritual aspects of the colors than any aesthetic value,” the medium said. “Scarlet and Onyx are colors of power!” the Cameroonian’s accent rolled with the last word and Kate suppressed a new shiver. “Power, life, and death! But,” she motioned her hand toward Kate. “I can see from your exquisite gown that you understand this already.”

  Kate had not been thinking any of this when she had dressed earlier, yet she had to admit that the medium’s words had a ring of truth.

  The guests took their seat as the train began to roll away from the Blackburn estate. Servants brought forth the first course and the elite of St. Louis began to relax as they fell into the age old tradition of food and conversation.

  As he saw that his guests were cared for, Blackburn turned back toward the Golds and renewed their conversation, “You are correct in what you said earlier, Maximus.”

  “Oh?”

  “There is power in the spirit of a human being. What we call a soul has an untapped potential that Lafayetta’s demonstration shows is real.”

  “Of course,” replied Maximus. “If we could only tap into this reservoir. Can you imagine the lives we could save?”

  “How so?” Blackburn was genuinely interested.

  “If we could control machines as Lafayetta powered the toy carriage, we could have police and soldiers that would never have to actually enter the arena of battle.”

  “Ah, but my darling medium has no control. She can only deliver the power source and hope for the right movement.”

  Maximus was not dissuaded, “But, is that not the next step? If the mind can supply control to a machine as Lafayetta’s body supplies power, the possibilities could be endless.”

  Blackburn looked intrigued, “You have set my mind racing in ways that no one has in ages, Mr. Gold.” He clapped Maximus on the shoulders. “I underestimated you!”

  Kate watched all of this with growing suspicion. She saw a clear difference in her husband’s discussion of the works of the mind to help stave the suffering of the world and Blackburn’s discussion of power.

  “It is true,” Blackburn continued, “that the power of the human body is the power of the new age. Ectoplasm is stronger and more efficient fuel than steam and, by God, we have it in ample supply.”

  “Ah,” Maximus smiled in reply, “Not all of us can be as adapt at controlling it as your medium.”

  “Control is not something for the supply, but for the supplier.”

  With this, Blackburn rose and clinked his fork to his glass. As his guests quieted down, he made a flourish of checking his pocket watch. “I believe we will be ready to take the Banshee up to speed presently and beat the record for traveling around the city.”

  His announcement was met with applause from those gathered. The dining car must be prepared for the extra velocity and I must show you all to the next cabin where protective seating has been put into place. I would hate to have anyone hurt by the jostling of the speeding train.” He turned and stepped away from the table. “Please, follow me.”

  Kate and Maximus stepped in line right after Blackburn and the crowd followed close behind. They moved through from the dining car into a car with seats lining the walls.

  Kate noticed that the red of the last room was not repeated here. Instead, black material lined the walls and ceiling and Kate could swear that there was some sort of tubing just under the surface. The windows, again were beveled glass and distorted the small amount of light that came through. The room itself was dimly lit, but Kate could see that the chairs lining the walls were not your ordinary train car seats. These were individual chairs, all in black and all one piece. The other strange thing was that they lined the walls facing inward. There were about twenty in the car. Kate felt claustrophobic as she stood there and more people entered. This was not the room for a relaxing train ride.

  “Everyone,” called Blackburn, “quickly choose a seat. Though these will not be the final designs for seating aboard the Black Banshee, my engineers have assured me that these will keep you safe and secure throughout the rest of the trip.”

  Kate was wary of stepping forward and sitting herself into the black jaws of the seat in front of her. She could feel her husband’s hesitation as well.

  Blackburn stepped toward them and put a hand on Maximus’ shoulder. “Please, my friend. Stay back with me while the others are sitting. I have something I want to share with you.”

  Lafayetta was at his side instantly, her cloaked figure soundlessly moving across the carpeted floor. “Master,” She said and Kate was taken aback by the strangeness of the term. “I do not believe this is a wise choice.”

  “Nonsense,” Blackburn replied. “Mr. Gold has shown himself to be a man of similar sensibilities.” He raised his hand off of Kate’s husband’s shoulder and raised it as if to backhand the shrouded woman. The medium did not raise her hands for protection.

  She stood her ground and Kate barely heard her whisper, “As you wish.”

  Blackburn guided the Golds to the far end of the car and there in the gloom stood a tall item covered in a black curtain that, in the dim light, hid it from the rest of the room.

  As the last were seated, Blackburn walked the middle of the car, glancing at each seated individual in turn.

  “We have gathered,” He began. “The elite of our city. Those who live and work on the edge of the west. We have gathered to witness the glory of my newest invention and the breaking of a speed record.” Blackburn shook his head as if this was of no consequence. “But, what would you give to not just be a witness? How many of you would be a part of history?”

  There were a few questions thrown back at the speaker, and more than a few nervous negative statements. Dr. Albert began to rise from his seat, but Blackburn’s movement in his direction kept him rooted.

  Kate grabbed her husband’s arm. This was all the prompt Maximus needed to raise a voice.

  He maneuvered himself in a protective stance in front of Kate as he asked, “What’s your game, Blackburn?”

  “Ah,” replied Blackburn as he turned from the seats and moved back toward the end with the covered object. “The ‘socialite snoops’ are finally seeing something afoot.”

  Kate caught a small movement to her right as Lafayetta flipped a lever causing braces to move across the legs and stomachs of those seated in the black chairs.

  A loud mummer sounded in the room as the seated guests began to protest and try to lift off the black bars.

  Blackburn raised his voice to calm the protests, “Ladies and gentlemen, I assure you that this will protect you from the velocity we are about to achieve, but I am afraid you will still not survive the night!”

  Kate could see that Blackburn’s ranting was bordering on madness. As he spoke, she stepped over to Dr. Albert’s chair and ran her hands across the brace. It felt like a large pipe. She caught her finger on something sharp protruding from the middle of the bar. Even in the low light, she could see the huge needle. She deduced that the brace would provide protection, but the needle did not fit Blackburn’s claims. As if in answer to her thoughts, the needle shot out from the pipe and stabbed into Dr. Albert’s stomach near the navel.

  Kate jumped back startled by the sudden violence. She saw that whatever was in the needles had placed the good doctor and the rest of the guests into a deep sleep.

  Maximus took her arm protectively. “Good God, Man! Have you gone mad?”

  Blackburn looked their way and Kate saw that his face was contorted into a mad grin and a pistol had appeared in his hand. “I apologize for the weapon. I believe that once you see my true purpose her
e I will be able to put it away and we can talk business.”

  He motioned to the medium as he came closer, “Please unveil what is under the curtain, my dear Layfayetta.”

  The woman pulled the curtain off of the object with a great flourish. Before them stood a crimson chair, much like the ones that the seated guests were locked in.

  “You wanted to know what ectoplasm can do, Maximus my friend.” Blackburn laughed maniacally. “I assure you that it will be the fuel of the future!” Blackburn said as his medium climbed into the chair. A bar matching the one that held the guests in place came up to cover Lafayetta’s waist.

  “This train will be the fastest locomotive ever created and it will run on the ectoplasm of the pompous and privileged of this city.”

  Just then, the Cameroonian medium began to softly chant.

  “I found Lafayetta in the jungles of Africa. A slave to a powerful magician and shaman. Her master had taught her how to conjure and call up spirits as well as how to control the physical material of the soul. The material that we call ectoplasm. Her spirit will guide the ectoplasm out of the bodies gathered here and the tubes will send it up into the engine of the train. Then, she will cut it off from returning and their combined life forces will give the Black Banshee the fastest engine ever created!”

  “This isn’t right, Blackburn!” Maximus screamed through gritted teeth. Kate could tell that he wanted to strike out, but knew that the other man could not miss this close range.

  “I really hoped that you would see the genius of our situation.” Blackburn replied. “With this technology and these people out of our way, we can fully control all aspects of travel in the United States.” Blackburn raised both hands into the air, a gesture that was meant to show the seriousness of his argument.

  “Just think…”

  It was all that Maximus Gold needed. He hit the other man with a full tackle maneuver and they both fell to the floor.

  Kate moved quickly to the chanting medium and pulled the black shroud from her face. Lafayetta’s body looked like a deflated bag. Her cheeks were sunken and her eyes were rolled up in her head showing nothing but the bright white of the sclera. Kate turned toward the strapped in guests and saw that they too looked like husks of flesh drained of all life. Their heads were bent back and their eyes were pure white as well.

  The two men traded blows on the floor and Maximus seemed to be about to get the upper hand when the train lurched forward and started to pick up speed dramatically throwing the two men apart.

  As the train evened out at the higher velocity, Blackburn came up holding the pistol that he had dropped earlier. Maximus, with a swift arm block, knocked it from his hand once more and they were back into a deadly embrace.

  Kate moved to the wall behind the crimson chair and searched until she found lever that Lafayetta used earlier. She switched it quickly and looked back to the bodies of the guests strapped into the black chairs. Nothing happened, the braces were still in place, the bodies were still devoid of life. She switched back and forth to no avail, then searched around it for any other controls. She cursed to herself when found none.

  Kate moved back to where the medium sat in her dark trance. She pulled hard on the apparatus that was drawing the ectoplasm from Lafayetta’s stomach, but it proved too difficult to move. She quickly reared back her right hand and slapped the Cameroonian conjurer across the face. Kate hit her again and again to no avail.

  Blackburn broke free from Maximus and delivered a hard punch to his stomach.

  Maximus struck back, hitting the other man with a strong right fist across the face.

  They stood there, both wobbling back and forth with the motion of the train, both sizing each other up.

  “I really believed that I might have an ally in you, Gold!”

  “Connections made by a deranged mind,” Maximus retorted. “I would harness the astral self to save lives. Your train might as well run on blood! Our ideas, our methods are day and night, science and blasphemy!”

  “You are weak and small minded, Mr. Gold!” Blackburn was pushing himself for another offensive. “Your blood will run in the veins of the Black Banshee tonight!”

  With that Blackburn started a push toward where the gun had fallen. Gold, fully expecting him to move that way, jumped forward to meet the man head on. But, Blackburn was not there. He had feinted to the left in hopes that Maximus would move. Before Maximus knew what was happening, Blackburn was past him and grabbing Kate from behind.

  “Ahh!” Kate screamed as she felt the large hands grip her around the waist and pull her off the lap of the comatose medium.

  Blackburn turned with his arms around the neck of his prize.

  Maximus had picked up the gun and pointed it past his wife at the man who held her life in his mad hands.

  “Let her go, Blackburn!” Maximus cried out in anguished confusion.

  “Drop the…” Blackburn began, but he was interrupted by the screeching howl of the Black Banshee’s cry. The scream was shaped anew by the addition of the ectoplasm to the engines of the beast. Now, it sounded like souls crying out in torment and pain. As if hell itself had thrown a cry into the dark world above.

  The sound of Kate’s gun was overpowered by the great screech of the locomotive’s horn. Blackburn died without even knowing what had killed him. As the horn sounded she pulled her gun from the small holster on her leg, placed the barrel to her captor’s chin and pulled the trigger twice. Both bullets went into Blackburn’s skull and bounced around there, not powerful enough to punch back through to the outside world.

  He fell as the scream of the train faltered.

  Maximus ran and caught his wife as her captor fell away. “You were never one for waiting on a gentleman to rescue you!”

  She smiled and locked her mouth onto his in a passionate kiss that showed him how much she cherished life.

  They broke their embrace and moved quickly to face the crimson chair and the husk of the conjurer who occupied it.

  Kate held the gun level and pointed it toward the gaunt head of Lafayetta.

  “Wait!” Maximus cried. “We know that she is keeping the ectoplasm of these good people captive, but we also know that she led them to the engine. Will they know how to return if we take her out? Are they already beyond salvation? Surely the door isn’t locked or the medium would be back in her own body.”

  Kate understood the horror of the dilemma, but was at a loss as to remedy the situation. “Then, what do we do?” she asked as she lowered the weapon.

  Maximus looked around the room and then quickly moved back to one of the remaining chairs. “I will go in. I will go in and lead the others back to their bodies.”

  Kate saw the dangers, but knew that protests would fall on deaf ears. She expected nothing less from the love of her life and she knew he thought the same of her.

  Maximus grabbed her again and pulled her in for a quick embrace. “If there is any way to come back to you, I will find it!”

  Maximus sat in the black chair and the brace moved across his body to lock him in. Kate stared into his eyes for a moment longer, but as the needle pierced his skin, the pupils rolled up and the life went out.

  Maximus felt as if he was being drawn down a long dark hallway. He could hear the gears of the machine crash and rotate around him. He knew that he was out of his body, but he felt trapped in the viscous substance that Charles Richet had termed, ectoplasm.

  He concentrated on the meditation he had been researching and practicing in his basement lab for the last few months. He did not want to be fuel for the machine, pushed and pulled where the machine told him to go. He wanted to seek his prey and find it.

  Suddenly, he felt a change. Not one of physicality, but one of spirit and control. He was more than just the ectoplasm now. He was having a full astral experience and he finally felt as if he could control it.

  Maximus probed out with his mind into the black pipes and gears around him, searching for the presence of Lafaye
tta. He felt a fleeting touch of one of the other passengers—fear, terror beyond anything he had ever felt before flooded into him. He almost lost his own grip on reality. He pushed out with calming thoughts and tried to show the other how to move back along the pipeline, but the touch was quickly ended and the trapped spirit rushed hastily away.

  Maximus moved quickly on, knowing from the touch that he must move swiftly or the people he came in to save would be driven mad by their experience in the workings of the Black Banshee.

  Finally, the pipe he was traveling through emptied into a vast space. Many of the ectoplasmic remnants of the guests were being stored here to later use by the engine.

  On the far end, he felt something else. A creature of vast power was there. Maximus pictured it as a dark bat-like shape with vast wings that drove the others back with its power. It pushed against the gathered bits of ectoplasm, forcing them to move through the machine, showing them their roles, teaching them their new duty before leaving them to the task of powering the demon train.

  Maximus knew that this shape was the conjurer. Lafyetta was using the monstrous entity of her own spirit to guide her slaves in their duty. Once their minds were broken, they would only know the role they play within the locomotive and could be left there to be its eternal fuel.

  He knew that he must act before the medium sensed his presence, yet he had no clue how to fight this monstrosity or even if he could in this form. He locked himself into control of his physical ectoplasm and contorted the blob into a straight spear-like shape. As he did this, he propelled his will toward the dark mass that was Lafayetta.

  Maximus hit the monstrous figure as solidly as he could. The black mass broke apart and he could feel Lafayetta’s concentration waver.

  At that moment he sent his astral projection out to the rest of the ectoplamic entities gathered in that place. He pushed one word that them, “Bodies!” He then, gave them direction back through the pipes of the huge locomotive