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matrixrefugee) wrote2005-08-21 11:51 pm
matrixrefugee) wrote2005-08-21 11:51 pm
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31_days One "Constantine" fic
Today's challenge was a tough one: I couldn't come up with a blessed thing except... well, read for yourself. ;8^D
Title: Spooks in the Basement
Day/Theme: August 21: Who would take us to be women?
Series: "Constantine"
Character/Pairing: John - Chas (Friendship, master-apprentice)
Rating: PG-13 (language)
Chas stared at the bundle of black cloth John dumped in front of him, on the table in their room at the convent guest house. "Okay, what is it?"
"What's it look like?" John said, already shucking his jacket and tie.
"A bunch of black fabric all rolled-up together," Chas said.
"Stop grumbling: put the damn robe on," John said, tugging a black robe free of the bundle and pulling it on over his head. As soon as John had the shapeless black garment settled on his frame, Chas realized what it was.
"A nun outfit?"
John glared at him sidewise as he looped a plain brown leather belt around his waist. "Of course it is. How else would you sneak into a convent without getting caught?"
"I dunno. Couldn't we dress like gardeners or something? Why nuns?"
John pulled another length of black fabric, almost like a long, narrow poncho with the sides cut high on the shoulder, from the bundle and slipped it on. "Didn't you hear me spell it out to you? We're going into the convent cloister, in the basement. Nobody can go in there except the Sisters who live here. Only trouble is, they got a houseguest in their laundry room that doesn't understand the meaning of 'Please, leave us alone, Mr. Unwelcome Djinn'."
Chas took off his jacket and started to pull the other robe on. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this."
"You wanted in on the action, now's your chance," John said, shaking out a veil and draping it over his head.
"Yeah, but you really think these get-ups are gonna fool the Sisters?"
"We're not trying to fool anyone: we're trying to blend in," John said, fumbling with something at the back of his neck and settling the veil straighter on his head.
Chas regarded the black poncho-thing and the veil hesitantly. "Do I have to help you with that?" John demanded.
"No, I'm cool with it," Chas said, pulling the poncho over his head. Next, he draped the veil over his head and fumbled with the ties at the corners, which held it together against the back of his neck. The veil slipped forward over his left eye, requiring John to re-drape it and tie the ties for him.
"Do I look as wierd as I feel?" Chas asked. John looked almost convincing: he made a tall nun, but he looked all right.
"Shuttit, you look fine," John said, taking a flashlight and an odd-looking antique metal bottle from his satchel, then tucking the bottle under his robe and handing the flashlight to Chas.
"I'll take your word for it," Chas said, taking the flashlight and finding a pocket in the robe to stick it into.
"Now stop jabbering and follow me," John said, leading the way out of the guest house and into the courtyard, where the evening light was fading into darkness.
As luck would have it, they met up with a group of young Sisters heading to the convent's main building for night prayers. John fell in behind them, keeping his hands under his poncho -- or scapular, rather -- and his gaze lowered. Chas followed his example, trying to look as holy as he could.
They parted company with the nuns at the vestibule of the chapel; John lead Chas along a short hallway to a staircase leading down into the basement. Chas knew better than to ask how his boss knew where to go: he'd talked about how spirits -- good, bad, or indifferent -- gave off different auras. He'd probably picked up the djinn's aura and was following it like a bloodhound on a scent. The staircase lead down to a set of wooden swing doors marked "Cloister: No Admittance." John ignored the sign and pushed through the doors into a hallway lined with bookcases crammed with old books.
At length, they came to a vestibule leading off in two directions, one way to what looked like a storage area, the other to short staircase leading to sub-basement with a furnace room-utility room-laundry area.
"Chas, some light?" John whispered. Chas pulled out the flashlight and flicked on.
"On the walls," John whispered, pointing. Chas trained the beam on the walls, moving the light along them, following John as he felt along the blocks. He paused before a chink in the wall and pulled back.
"Keep an eye on the stairs," John said. Chas did so, keeping the other eye on his boss.
Setting the antique bottle on the floor at the foot of the wall, John peered into the chink, then leaned closer and spat into it. He stepped back, making some kind of sign in the air with one hand and murmuring in something that sounded like Hebrew.
A cloud started to emerge from the chink, flowing into the neck of the bottle.
Right at that moment, Chas heard footsteps in the hallway above. "John..." he said, voice shaking a little. He shut off the flashlight.
Something growled, and there came a hissing sound like water on a hot pan. The noise spooked Chas and he nearly bolted for the stairs.
"Is there someone down there?" a woman's voice asked.
Chas quailed against one wall, resisting the impulse to say, half-scared, half-joking, No one down here but us demon-hunters. He was getting a "we're fucked" vibe off John, but the vibe had gotten so strong, the nun could probably feel it.
Title: Spooks in the Basement
Day/Theme: August 21: Who would take us to be women?
Series: "Constantine"
Character/Pairing: John - Chas (Friendship, master-apprentice)
Rating: PG-13 (language)
Chas stared at the bundle of black cloth John dumped in front of him, on the table in their room at the convent guest house. "Okay, what is it?"
"What's it look like?" John said, already shucking his jacket and tie.
"A bunch of black fabric all rolled-up together," Chas said.
"Stop grumbling: put the damn robe on," John said, tugging a black robe free of the bundle and pulling it on over his head. As soon as John had the shapeless black garment settled on his frame, Chas realized what it was.
"A nun outfit?"
John glared at him sidewise as he looped a plain brown leather belt around his waist. "Of course it is. How else would you sneak into a convent without getting caught?"
"I dunno. Couldn't we dress like gardeners or something? Why nuns?"
John pulled another length of black fabric, almost like a long, narrow poncho with the sides cut high on the shoulder, from the bundle and slipped it on. "Didn't you hear me spell it out to you? We're going into the convent cloister, in the basement. Nobody can go in there except the Sisters who live here. Only trouble is, they got a houseguest in their laundry room that doesn't understand the meaning of 'Please, leave us alone, Mr. Unwelcome Djinn'."
Chas took off his jacket and started to pull the other robe on. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this."
"You wanted in on the action, now's your chance," John said, shaking out a veil and draping it over his head.
"Yeah, but you really think these get-ups are gonna fool the Sisters?"
"We're not trying to fool anyone: we're trying to blend in," John said, fumbling with something at the back of his neck and settling the veil straighter on his head.
Chas regarded the black poncho-thing and the veil hesitantly. "Do I have to help you with that?" John demanded.
"No, I'm cool with it," Chas said, pulling the poncho over his head. Next, he draped the veil over his head and fumbled with the ties at the corners, which held it together against the back of his neck. The veil slipped forward over his left eye, requiring John to re-drape it and tie the ties for him.
"Do I look as wierd as I feel?" Chas asked. John looked almost convincing: he made a tall nun, but he looked all right.
"Shuttit, you look fine," John said, taking a flashlight and an odd-looking antique metal bottle from his satchel, then tucking the bottle under his robe and handing the flashlight to Chas.
"I'll take your word for it," Chas said, taking the flashlight and finding a pocket in the robe to stick it into.
"Now stop jabbering and follow me," John said, leading the way out of the guest house and into the courtyard, where the evening light was fading into darkness.
As luck would have it, they met up with a group of young Sisters heading to the convent's main building for night prayers. John fell in behind them, keeping his hands under his poncho -- or scapular, rather -- and his gaze lowered. Chas followed his example, trying to look as holy as he could.
They parted company with the nuns at the vestibule of the chapel; John lead Chas along a short hallway to a staircase leading down into the basement. Chas knew better than to ask how his boss knew where to go: he'd talked about how spirits -- good, bad, or indifferent -- gave off different auras. He'd probably picked up the djinn's aura and was following it like a bloodhound on a scent. The staircase lead down to a set of wooden swing doors marked "Cloister: No Admittance." John ignored the sign and pushed through the doors into a hallway lined with bookcases crammed with old books.
At length, they came to a vestibule leading off in two directions, one way to what looked like a storage area, the other to short staircase leading to sub-basement with a furnace room-utility room-laundry area.
"Chas, some light?" John whispered. Chas pulled out the flashlight and flicked on.
"On the walls," John whispered, pointing. Chas trained the beam on the walls, moving the light along them, following John as he felt along the blocks. He paused before a chink in the wall and pulled back.
"Keep an eye on the stairs," John said. Chas did so, keeping the other eye on his boss.
Setting the antique bottle on the floor at the foot of the wall, John peered into the chink, then leaned closer and spat into it. He stepped back, making some kind of sign in the air with one hand and murmuring in something that sounded like Hebrew.
A cloud started to emerge from the chink, flowing into the neck of the bottle.
Right at that moment, Chas heard footsteps in the hallway above. "John..." he said, voice shaking a little. He shut off the flashlight.
Something growled, and there came a hissing sound like water on a hot pan. The noise spooked Chas and he nearly bolted for the stairs.
"Is there someone down there?" a woman's voice asked.
Chas quailed against one wall, resisting the impulse to say, half-scared, half-joking, No one down here but us demon-hunters. He was getting a "we're fucked" vibe off John, but the vibe had gotten so strong, the nun could probably feel it.
no subject
Great stuff! I can sooo see this happening. *snerks*