So much I'd like to talk about... I wanted to talk about the gift I gave Hannah (I'll let her tell what it is, first). I wanted to talk about getting to see Ron, Ei, and Hannah again, and introducing them to Julian (who loved Ei and Hannah, and wasn't too sure about Ron). I was looking forward to a barbecue with Ben (who cooks up a damned fine fish, and I'd love to see how he handles a full rack of ribs).

Right now, it's 2:45, EST. I've been on the road for all of two and a half hours. Julian was getting restless, so I'm letting him stretch his legs in a rest stop. He's watching people come in and use the restroom, and he's looking at the stuff they've got on the walls. I hung out with Ben and co for most of the morning, had lunch with them, and got a late start back to Chicago. This is as good a place as any to start typing this up.

I pulled up to The Brick at about 8:40, last night. 20 minutes early; always good. I unstrap Julian from the car-seat, and walk in. I saw the barkeep, and stretched my mind... I couldn't remember what Ben had said her name was. Ah, well. I asked her where I could find Carter, figuring she'd know who I was talking about. I felt really out of place... Dressed in all black, black leather trench coat, long hair, toddler in my left arm, right in the middle of rednecksville... Oh, sure, *I* was comfortable enough; I grew up in Kansas, after all...but until I asked for Carter, everyone was giving me real funny looks.

I met with Carter. Told him I needed someone to look after Julian while we were out looking for Ben. He talked to the barkeep, she called in someone to take over, and she talked with me. I reassured her that at this time of night, taking care of him was easy... I had bottles, and the travel crib I'd brought along for him. All he needed was a bottle full of cold milk, and to be laid down in a room with a night-light of some sort (I admitted we usually just leave his closet light on 24/7). She had me set up the crib in a room, and we put him down with a bottle, and Carter and I were out the door.

I pulled out my runes, and started to do a rune-reading, to see if I could figure something out. Midway through drawing them, though, I got a vision, not too much unlike Ei's premonition dream... Little cruddy-looking shack, north of Cypress Cove, way the hell out of the way, Dybbuk-infested corpse inside, torturing Ben, and some mind-fucked humans with guns... There was more, but it was just "off-camera" from the vision, so I knew there was more, but couldn't see it. Something to do with fire.

Well, I thought it was obvious that someone wanted us to get there, on the double. I don't normally have visions, and the fact that this one was incomplete spelled out the letters "T R A P" to me, plain as day. I told Carter what I'd seen, and he got on the phone.

Not even five minutes later, we were heading up the road with two other cars... There were five of us in total. I had the handguns that Ron and Bert had given me, plus the shotgun that Ron trained me on... That feels like years and years ago, now, but I guess it was just about a year...

I'll post more later. If I'm gonna make Chicago before midnight, gotta keep the wheels moving. (Hey, at least it's not a cliffhanger, right?)

Time to feed the kiddo and let him stretch his legs again, so I'll get another burst written...

We pulled up to the shack. I told Carter and the deputies to head around back, and I took the front. I got inside, and just like Ei's premonition that she posted, I saw the corpse about to make the incisions to draw and quarter Holister... I shot him in the back, as I ran in. The guys with rifles took some potshots at me, but Carter and the deputies got their attention with gunfire of their own...

I dove at the Dybbuk--still hanging on inside that body--and Negated. The Dybbuk shrieked in sudden pain, and jumped back, out of range of my aura...

Carter and the deputies were dealing with the riflemen just fine, so I checked on Ben... He was conscious, and I could tell he was glad to see me. Carter and I had grabbed bandages and medical supplies, and I put my limited first aid training to use for the first time since I got my license... I patched him up as best I could, and untied him...and that was when it showed up.

Fuggin' HUGE snake with arms, comes slithering in like someone just stomped on its tail. It went straight for the deputies, and it used some kinda flamethrower or something... Damned thing was moving fast, like snakes always do, so I couldn't tell whether it was coming from its mouth or its hands, but it hit one of those deputies, and he went down hard and fast. I gave Ben my two handguns, and grabbed my shotgun, and bolted for the downed man. I was still Negating, so I managed to force some distance between the snake and us...

The deputy was still alive, but he was fading fast... Bandages wouldn't fix this problem. I dropped my Negation field, and the snake-thing closed in fast...but Carter and the other two deputies were there, driving it back with gunfire. Across the room, I heard Ben shooting at the Dybbuk, shouting something about "Rolf, get the hell offa me" or something along those lines... I tried to focus, to will my magic to return... I called out for healing magic...but it just didn't come.

A man needed me, and he died in my care... I couldn't do anything about it.

That thought kept going through my head for several seconds...and then I felt a rage building in me. As I turned back towards the snake-thing, my vision went red...and then it went black.

I don't know what happened after that...

Anyway, after this, the kiddo should be able to sleep in the car the rest of the way home. It'll be late before I get home, though...

Has that "blackout" happened before?

Ethan: I guess it has, though most times, I'm not aware of it...

Ron: Thanks again, for everything. I hope Hannah liked her gift...

Well I don't think it was a "blackout" more like a switch hitter stepping up to bat.

KT thank Gabe for me and Carter.

PS: No sign of Rolf anywhere. How a Dybbuk pulled this off I'll never know.

I have more of this story, now... I'll post it soon as I have time.

You do that man, and get some rest you've earned it.

Being tortured by a Dybbuk, not fun. Getting the crap beat out of you by a Dybbuk is even worse. It felt like being hits by a truck. KT/Gabe should know, he took a haymaker to the breadbasket that would have made Mike Tyson cry for his momma. How he was still standing after that hit i'll never know.

As Gabe recalls, we weren't standing, for a few minutes...but I'll let Gabe tell that story in a bit. We've gotta run to the store pretty soon...

I'm glad you liked your runes, Hannah. ^_^

As for reading them... Give it time, and use whatever casting method is most comfortable to you. The book I gave you is a copy of the same one I use... You'll refer to it a lot at first, and after a while, you'll find yourself needing it less and less.

Of course, I do castings less and less these days, so I find myself referring back to the book more and more for each casting...

The biggest thing to remember about reading runes is that everything is in interpretation. "Gifu" (the big "X") means, in general, "relationships", but this could refer to a relationship with a boy, or your dad, or Ei, or a friend...or it could be a business relationship. Look to the runes around it--oftentimes, the runes around it will tell you what kind of relationship it's talking about.

Anyway, I hope they come in handy for you. ^_^

That depends... What came up?

Ha....after the shot he took...I don't think he'ld even feel it kid. I mean who just gets up after a hit like that. Hell, Im lucky to have been able to act at all during that fight. Gabe kept me on my feet long enough just for me to go toe to toe with a dam dybbuk.

And he got away!!! That pissed me off more than abything. No one's fault really, I reckon we were just out powered for the moment.

I appreciated the gun Gabe/KT gave me...it helped. Carter couldn't shoot to save his life though. He shot once...and missed....shot a second time and almost hit me. Thankfully the dybbuk just shoved him to the side allowing me to get a clear shot....thats when Gabe came back in the fray.

Soph, understand that Gabe is in a lot of pain right now... Imagine having a part of your soul permanently planted in Hell, where a large crowd of entities who hate you can do whatever they want with it. Imagine that your will can leave this place, similarly to astral projection, but that no matter where you go, you can always feel what the demons are doing to you... He's limited in how much time he can spend "out" right now.

He's lucky he stuck around as long as he did after this fight...

Soph...? What are you doing? Besides bothering Master Greydawn?

Hello everyone.

This is Carter here again. Well Ben went and got into another scrape the other night as those of you attending the BBQ already know. Why he does the things he does is beyond me at some times. Its as though he has something to prove.

Either that or the man has a death wish...hmm...but I digress.

The BBQ is going well. Tomorrow we will be having a hunt...and Miss Carlisle has voulanteered to be the subject of our hunt. So please, no live ordiance.

Ben, myself, and those here in attendance would also like to express our best wishes to those opperating in Vermont to help that unforunate Miss Chambers. Good luck and god's speed to you all.

As a scholar of the Chuthulu Mythos and the works contained within the infamous Necronomicon, I know that you will be in for a rough ride.