Almost finished

A venture down Hemlock Lane
The First Somerset Adventure
By Susan Waterflower Bell

Somerset was a rustic little town of cobblestone paved streets, gas powered streetlamps and a wide selection of mom and pop owned and operated stories that lined the Rue Principale of the village. There was also a lesser known side to this picture perfect settlement, a darker more seeder side called ‘Hemlock Lane’. The Lane was nothing more than a simple dirt track, a dozen or so poorly built public houses, alehouses and cathouses lined the often muddy and deeply rutted trail. Raw sewage often flowed from theses place of vice and formed puddles and sometimes pools.

The lane was a blight on the town, a blight and to many tarnished the wholesome image the town was trying to project to the outside word. But the ward provided a steady flow of hard coins to the coffers of the ‘Chamber of Public Works’ and thus many elected official turned a blind eye and advised the chief of police to do the same. Thus the place was almost lawless.

***

Sunflower took a deep breath as she listed to the old brass school bell ring up and down the hallway of the small schoolhouse all around her one could see her classmates where in the process of packing away there books, paper, pencils and finally there all important homework booklets. The young lass shook her head as she noticed groups of students where already starting to form, everybody seemed too belong to there own little social group. The popular girls formed there own little circle each one them seemed to fawn over each others dress, purse or new hairstyle. Sunflower quickly shifted her eyes away from the gathering.

“Must be hard being so popular,” Came a mocking tone of voice from the side of Sunflower. The voice belonged to a girl around Sunflowers age. The girl had been blessed with long golden locks of hair, pale blue eyes and a heart shape face. Like Sunflower she wore a simple dress, nothing fancy, nothing trimmed with lace and nothing sewn of silk or satin, just a plain dress sewn from soft cotton.

“I know right,” Said Sunflower looking up from her packing long enough to offer the girl a smile. The girl was one of her few friend and one of select few people beside her family she felt she could really confine in. Once she was done packing, she picked up the bag by its straps and started toward the door.

The girl took a deep breath and rolled her eyes. Quickly she finished her own packing and with a sudden fling of the wrist she tossed her caring case over her shoulder and gave case, Sunflower and her had been friend since the start of there formal education some nine years ago, but still there where days when she could not help but wonder about the girl.

Halfway out of the schoolhouse, Sunflower heard the heavy footsteps of somebody giving chase to something. Quickly she looked over her shoulders, only to notice the nimble frame of her friend rushing to catch up with her, shaking her head a little she paused, thinking it was only right to give the girl some time to catch up with her.

“Hey, brat!” Called out the girl, as she finally caught up to Sunflower. She took a deep breath and peered into her friends deep blue eyes. Releasing her breath and clearing her mind she then returned to her previews frame of mind. “I was wondering if you’ll like to visit  Joann’s Malt Shop. You know get a malted milk,, shake, hamburger or maybe even a corndog.” Offered Rachel.




Sunflower blinked and blinked again, “Sure Rachel,” She said blushing a little as she reached up and started to rub her forehead.  “Sorry for kind of running off on you back there.” She said offering the girl a soft smile, and in truth she did feel sorry for running off on her, looking back it made her seem a bit like a brat. Maybe she was justified in calling her a brat just a minute ago.

Rachel smirked a little as she noticed her friend blushing, there was something sweet about seeing a girl blush. Once the question of them going out for the afternoon had been settled, she reached into her dress pocket and pulled out a neon pink coin purse. Once the zipper was pulled back, she dipped her hands into the confines and quickly pulled a handful of round silver shillings.

“We might need to go half an’ half on it.” She said counting the coins. Sunflower took a deep breath as she reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out her own pastel blue coin purse. Quickly she dipped into the confines of the poach, a quick second or two of fishing around reveled she held only a dozen or so round silvery coins to her name.

“I think we have enough to cover it.” Said Sunflower as she slipped her purse back into her pocket.

Rachel blinked and blinked again and soon the two where making there way through the doorway of the school and strolling across the common. Another minute passed before they found themselves walking upon the square, brown cobblestones that paved the main thoroughfare of the village. As the pair made there way down the road they passed several noticeable village landmarks.

One of those included the local Masonic Hall, located in the upper level of a large building that housed the ‘Chamber of Defense’ and the local police station  on the bottom level. One could deduce from the large number of buggies and horses stabled nearby that a meeting among the Masonic Order was in progress. From there vantage point on the sidewalk below, they could peer into the windows and make out a few of the faces of those in council. Both where very wary of the masons, for a cloud of rumor and fear surrounded them. Some of the older men in the village blamed them for the Jacobites defeat at Johnston Landing some thirty years ago. Noting that one of the order had been spotted crossing the enemy lines before the battle.

The children did not terry long, for one of them caught sight of the two little ones, the man a balding middle age fellow, gave the little ones a hard look and mouthed something  the two could not understand. Despite the fact the message was lost in translation the meaning was not and the two little ones quickly make tracks, one did not play games with those kinds of people. They where all well connected within the community and many if rumor was to believed did not mind using those connections to further there own cause or release a terrible wrath upon the heads of those who had wronged them or stood in there way.

“Man that was creepy.” Said Sunflower at last as she peered over to Rachel. Ten minutes or so had passed since there encounter with the hard nose fellow. There was a clear sense of tension in her voice as she spoke those words.

“Nan, Just one of those middle age, old farts that smell like bacon grease and day old pizza Thinks he hot stuff cause he belongs to some so called secret society. I mean come on Sun, you don’t need to be afraid of those guys. Hell if one tries to take hold of you, just stand your ground and stomp upon his toes.” She said gently rolling her shoulders.

“I need your courage,” Commented Sunflower, smiling sweetly toward Rachel. “I mean honesty, I don’t think I could ever get away with half the thing you do. I mean you take crap from nobody. And me, I don’t know, just sometimes I let people walk over me.” She commented with a frown.

“Its not courage girl, its being bullheaded, I get it from my mum and dad, both are so bullheaded you think they could break down walls if you have them a good running start.” She said with a little laugh. “But I gotta warn you too, being a bullhead comes with a price, just be sure your writing a check you tush can cash.” She offered, her voice had taken on a very sage like tone, one that lent credence to the fact she was offering to her friend.



“Wait what do you mean, ‘Writing a check your tush can cash’?” Asked Sunflower, confusion was thick in her voice. So lost was the girl she stopped walking and stood there rooted in the same spot for a minute or two. Sun the sun was starting to dip below the snow capped mountains that stood mere six leagues away.

Rachel could not help but roll her eyes, “Bloody hell Sun.” Said Rachel reaching up and placing her open palm upon her face. “I honesty worry about you sometimes.” She said removing her hands from her face, there was a little doubt in her mind that her friend was a little too naïve at times.


“What?” Said Sunflower titling her head to the side, a clear sign of confusion from the young tween. Sometimes her friend worried her, other times Rachel just confused the living heck out of her.

“Your honesty going to sit there and tell me that you’ve never been spanked before? Not even once in your whole life, not even a quick smack on the bottom as a warning?” Asked Rachel, a total deadpan facial expression graced her face as she sat there and peered toward her friend. Then before she could catch herself, she found these words rushing out of her mouth,” And I bet you’ve also been award the Somerset Good Girl Reward too right?” She said with a sign.

Sunflower blushed a little as her ears drank in her friends teasing remarks. “Well, I might have been award the title once or twice, of course I’m to old for that that now anyways. I think they cut you out once you enter into the ninth grade.” She said peering into the darkling night sky. Then a odd thought popped into her head, slowly a rare smirk formed upon the bow of her lips.

Rachel blinked and titled her head as she peered toward her friends. Once she caught sight of her smirk a quick eyebrow was raised. A good season or two had passed since she saw her friend give her a smirk, that was always a sign of things to come, more often than not it was a foretelling of a prank, scheme or something along that nature.

“I’m Sure you’ve heard of the fable, ‘Hemlock Lane’ that collection of poorly built alehouses, old run down pubs called ‘Hells; by some of the older generations of the villager. And please let us not forget the many poorly run and often  cathouses.” Started Sunflower, trying her best to a paint a complete picture of the area. Using words to paint a picture was a hell of a lot harder than using the brush. As each word had to tailored, trimmed and fitted.

Rachel felt her jaw drop a little as she peered toward her friend. Why in the word would her friend bring up something like that now. Nobody who valued there own personal health or social statues would dare venture down the darken, overgrown path that lead to mouth of the hard packed dirt road that snaked its way into the heart of the beast.

“Come on Sun.” Said Rachel peering toward her friend, concern was thick in her voice. “Please don’t tell me you thinking about going down into that snake pit.” She pleaded, her mind was now going a mile a minute, sure she wanted add a splash of color to the dull color of gray that colored village life. But venturing down into a lions den of sin, vice and human waste as appealing as it sounded was not on her bucket list.

“I’ve been thinking about it, I mean that place can’t be that bad after all.” She said peering toward the setting sun that was slowly starting to dip below the tall mountain peaks of the Mutton Mountain rang. The shadow of night was quickly starting to fall all around them, and the drunken whispers of the Lamplighter, the fellow employed to light the many gas powered streetlights that dotted the city could be heard as the ragged fellow appeared before the girls.





Taking a deep breath, Rachel moved slowly toward her friend, then with a half formed smile upon her lips she placed her hands upon her shoulder. A minute or two passed before the young women found the words she needed. “Sun, don’t do it now, I’m telling you this as your friend. That a bad place, people end up dead in places like that. Scum gathers there, you know thugs, highwaymen, old Jacobites still fighting to war of Southern Succession.”

“….” Sunflower blinked and blinked again as she peered toward her friend. A sudden chill ran down the spine of her back and caused her to shake in a manner of a dog returning from a quick dip in a pound or lake would shake to remove the water from its fur. “You know how I feel about those types of people.” She said looking over her shoulder.  The sky above them had turned from a pale milky blue to a deep rustic brown. The bright ball of warmth called the sun was just above to vanish and the rising silver lunar disk called the moon was quickly rising.

“I know how you feel about them Sun, so trust me, you don’t need to go down there.” Said Rachel peering toward the rising moon. She sighed a little, it seemed time had slipped right through there finger. Then her ears picked up the faint voice of the bells of ‘Saint Maries’ could be heard, ringing over the commons and the cobblestones.

“The church bell is calling the faithful to Evening Prayer.” Commented Sunflower as she peered into the general direction of the chiming bells. The church bell was rung thrice in the morning for Morning Prayer, thrice in the afternoon for the Holy Eucharist and thrice in the evening for Evening Prayer.

“I gotta go now Sun, you know how my mom is about being home on time, but maybe this weekend we can hangout and maybe have a sleepover or something. You know give us a chance to catch up and chill,” She said offering her friend a smile. And with that she turned upon her heel and dashed away into the setting sun.

Sunflower smiled and softy waved goodbye to her friend, once she had vanished from her line of sight she took a deep breath and reached into her skirt pocket. After a good solid thirty seconds of fishing around she pulled out a silver Two Shilling coin, called a florin. The head size of the coin showed a proud women wearing a crown, the tail side of the coin showed a Tudor Rose.

“Heads, I venture into Sodom and Gomorrah, or tails I go home and say the rosary for allowing my mind the sin of entertaining such a idea.” She said with a little smile, the budding young writer was proud of the way her words seemed to ring and evoke a sense of biblical drama. One on pare she thought with Paradise Lost.   A minute painfully ticked by before the young girl had the courage to toss the coin into the air, as the round silver disk twirled around a sense of fear, dread and excitement took hold of her.  And then the moment of truth, a proud engraved image of the women wearing the crown appeared. It seemed she will be venturing into that area after all.

Sunflower wasted little time in reaching down and picking up her florin, once the coin was safety pocketed a strange thought entered into her head. How was one suppose to venture to Hemlock Lane without attracting the attention of the local patrolmen or local busybody. A young lass still in her school dress venturing in that direction was bound to raise a eyebrow or two. While a drunken sailor, flushed with the Channels Merchant Company silver would only bring smirk from local businessmen and money hunger elected officials.

“I’ll figure something out.”  She peering up at the violet moon that hung in clear night sky, A dozen or so bright shining stars seemed to twinkle all around the moon.  A sudden wind brought the bitter smell of dark roasted coffee beans and savory rolls. It seemed ‘The Daily Grind’ was welcoming the night owls and the would be poetics. All of whom enjoyed the strong house brew the local coffeehouse was known for.

For a minute or two, Sunflower stood there, lost in thought, once her head was cleared she started down the cobblestone paved street. The dark brown interlocking stones where bathed in bright light that spilled from the display windows of the shops, or from the dim rings of light cast by the street lambs. A sudden feeling of tension and dread overtook her as the thought of taking the tram one of the halts near Hemlock popped into her mind, yes that was perfect. Though she’ll have to use the payphone at the halt to phone her mother, and tell her some story to throw her off her trail. One had to be careful venturing.

Ten minutes passed before she reached ‘Blackstone Station.’ The station was nothing more than a raised platform, with a open air wooden shack near by. A dozen or so hard face men, smelling of iron and salt sat huddled inside the shack.  The rancid smell of poorly cured tobacco filled the air as the tough men sucked the bitter fumes through hollowed out wale bones pipes the men had clenched between there teeth.

Upon entering the shake, Sunflower felt her blood run cold as they lifted there soiled faces to greet her, there eyes seemed be fazed over. One fellow stood out though, most because he was easily the tallest one of the lot. Tall and skinny, clothed in a dirty shirt, soiled workpants, worn down work boots that had turned from brown to some mixed matched mud color. But his face and hands where the most striking features of the man, his chin was covered in black stubbles. His hair seemed to shine in the dim light provided the old railroad style lantern suspended from the center beam of the old shack. His finger nails where long and dirty and foul smell of rotting fish hung around him like a blinding cloud.

The man blinked and blinked again as he peered toward Sunflower.

“Look alive boys, we have a little lady in are presents.” He said with a sneer as he peered toward the girl. His violet colored eyes soaked the little treat, zooming in on her budding frame. With a evil look he peered toward her face and then slowly shifted his gaze toward her budding chest. His breathing became tense and his body seemed to tingle. A dozen or so things where buzzing around his head. One thought stood out above all else, that was signal thought was this. How I would love to make that little pretty into a women.

Sunflower took a deep breath as she caught sight of the mans eyes, something about those eyes made her feel scared. The feeling of being scared and surrounded was cause enough for her to shift to the defensive. Quickly she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her cheeks slightly pinking from a wide rang of thoughts running through her mind.

“Nare need to blush.” Came another man, the fellow was quite old, his face was covered in bush of facial hair. A old flannel shirt covered in spots of grease, and chicken fat, tucked into a pair of old fading jeans rolled over a pair of old work booths was all the clothing that covered his boney frame. “Ol’ Spotty will treat you right, ol’ spotty been with them French girls, ol’ spotty a heor.” He said with a devils grin. Each time he opened his mouth a foul smell seemed to fill the air around him, a large number of teeth where missing from his mouth and a few of those remaining teeth where nothing but rotten, yellow nubs.

“That Spotty,” Chimed in the other fellow as he reached over and looped his arm around the fellows boney shoulder. The man peered toward the fellow before releasing a laugh that sounded more like the bark from a dog than a laugh. “Don’t worry though, he’s just a little crazy, ever since that shell landed right in the middle of his united while he was serving in the Somme.”

Sunflower took a deep breath as she peered toward the two fellows, something deep inside of her was telling her to hike up her skirt and make tracts toward the exit, then once she was clear of this bloody rat infested shack, find the nearest call box, drop a bob into the slot and phone home and the police.. And hope one of the two came to find her before these fellows where allowed to follow through with there plans.






The older man raised a eyebrow toward the girl, war had sharpen his senses. He could feel the little one was over her head,  also he could see the growing storm cloud of doubt  starting to form over her head. All of this caused his old heart to speed up as the thrill of the hunt filled his veins.  Slowly with shaking hands he reached into the front pocket of his oil stained overalls, after a minute of searching he pulled out a round tin can of snuff.


“Now, no need for that little missy.” Said Spotty shaking the tin can gently before removing the screw on lid. Still shaking he reached down and pulled out a plug of tightly packed and finely tobacco. With all the cool the man could muster he placed the wad into his mouth. A long thirty seconds passed before the strong mixture took effect and old spotty fell into a series of coughs, hacks and  noises. Ones that could easily pass as a death rattle .

“Don’t worry, Spotty here there is harmless, a bit off his rocker but otherwise harmless.” Came a voice from the corner of the room. The voice belonged to a tall fellow, the fellow had been graced with golden blonde hair that had been chopped close to the scalp.  There was something odd about the fellow, he spoke with a refined tone of voice, while the voices of the others where rough and vaguer.

“Thank you..” Said Sunflower, quickly peering toward the new actor who had entered into this little drama.


“My pleasure.” He said smiling toward Sunflower. His lavender colored eyes locked with Sunflower. There was something enchanting about this girl, maybe because she seemed so young and so sweet. So ripe for the picking, and unlike this other under educated fellows, he could really understand her true value, many of man would pay top bob for a untouched, unsoiled girl. All he needed to do was spin a web around her, and once she was deep within his web of lies, he’ll simply close in and take her.

Sunflower shivered and softy whimpered as she caught sight of the man’s eyes. Quickly she started to back away from the man, there was something wrong, very wrong about this man. There was something evil about him, almost like he was a huntsmen of some kind. And oddly enough he reminded her of a Disney villain.

“I hate to leave such fine company.” She said taking a deep breath as she peered around her, “But I really must be going now.” And with that she quickly ducked out of the warm light provided by the old lantern hanging from one of the rafters. ‘Pox on the hour and the day my mind and curiosity lead me down this darken path. A bloody god forsaken pox.’ She increased her speed, the paving stones under her foot where now slick from the falling dew. And though each step she took put a little bit of space between her and the hellish crowed back there, it might not be enough, for with each step she took a voice of doubt became louder and louder.

Then out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of something, a old police substation,  thinking she’ll at least be safe within the company of a officer of the law she quickly rushed toward the sliding door. Without thinking she pulled the old wooden door back and within a split second she found herself face to face with a gruff looking fellow,

At first glance, Sunflower could tell the man was a veteran of the recent wars, for pinned above the breast pocket of blue police tunic was the Mons Star, British War Medal and the Victory medal.  Three downward pointing golden chevrons sewn to the sleeves of his tunic marked him as the stations commander.

“Something wrong miss?” The gruff man said peering up from his paper work. The horrors of the Western Front and the harsh hit and run tactics of the War of Southern Succession had sharpen his mind to a point most mortal men could only dream of. He could smell fear, and the girl was just dripping it.



“Yes sir, I kind of ran into some trouble down by the halt sir.” Started Sunflower. “A few men drunken channel men came onto me, and spoke really foul words toward me, I was in fear of my maidenhood sir.” She quickly added, trying to pour a sense of well fear and fright into her voice.  Only a fool would tell a officer of the law that she wondered willing onto the platform that would take them to the foxes den of sin and vice.

The clerk raised a eyebrow and peered toward the girl. There was something odd about the girl, she was still dressed in her gymslip, her hair was still in the classic ponytail and her school bag sat over her shoulders. She looked quite blushed and was breathing was heavy and deep. Yes indeed a girl like her should not be out and about at this hour, she should be at home or making her way home from the evening services at St. Mary’s.

“May I please have your first and last name.”

“Sunflower,” She paused and then she  added her last name, “Beauvilliers”

“Okay, Miss. Beauvilliers, I’m going to go phone you’re your mother or father or both. I trust you’ll stay, you will be safe from all harm and I will post a guard to watch you, in case one of those fellows might have followed you.” He said standing up. Once he was standing he reached into the top of the desk drawer and pulled out a dust covered phonebook.

Sunflower only nodded her head as she peered in the general direction of the fellow. And without a word being said the man vanished from her line of sight. The paused allowed Sunflower for a minute to cast her mind upon the events that had unfolded thus far.  What was suppose to be a test of courage, and a daredevil stunt, had proven to be nothing more than a folly of her own pride. Not only had her courage failed her at the first sign of danger, but alas her maidenhood had been in danger. Maybe that was a sign from divine.

Fourteen painful minutes slowly ticked by, and then the wooden door of the little outpost was thrown open and a middle age women with sandy blonde hair, came marching in. The women was dressed in a fine tailored dress that reached down to her ankles, a white lab coat was worn over the dress. Quickly the women turned her head and cast her eyes upon the young girl how was waiting for the commander of the station to return.

“Sunflower Elizabeth Beauvilliers,” The middle age women said to the young girl, “I’ve been looking all over town for you.” Said the women before striding toward her daughter.  “And finally at my wits end, I walk into the nearest police office, hopping to find a officer to post some kind of bulletin or something, only to find you hear.” A dark scowl crossed the women’s face.

Sunflower took a deep breath as she peered toward the women, the women standing before her was indeed her mother, who at times could be as stern a drill instructor and at other times was as tender and loving as any mother. Though judging from her voice, it seemed she was still debating on the proper course of action.

The women signed as peered toward her daughter, there was only one course of action left open for her. But she had to be careful, teenagers where frail beings, she knew fact from her own teenage years. Taking another breath she cleared her head and balanced her mind, yes she would be fair in this matter. She owned her daughter that much at least. And so without another word being spoken the two left the old police outpost and ventured once more toward there warm, very middleclass and above all Classic English. house, that sat in its own perfectly square plot of land, walled off from the road by a low level ivy green hedge.

***
Once she crossed the threshold of the house, Sunflower found herself being directed toward the bathroom by her stern, but loving mother. In short order her mother undressed her daughter, starting with her shoes, before working her way up to her blouse and finally removing her bra and panties. Not a word was exchanged during this process. A mixed blessing if there ever was one.

“Now Sunny,” Her mother said taking a deep breath as she peered toward her daughter. “I want you to get into the bath and take a nice long soak, I’m going to go call your father now and inform him about your little, ‘Adventure’ once your done, I want you to come to my study and then you and I are going to have a heart to heart talk, understand little missy?” Once she was done she collected her daughters clothing and closed the bathroom door.

Sunflower could only nodded her head along with her mothers words, there was little she could do no, she had worked her way into a corner, sure she could try to mount a defense, throw out a few odd facts here and there, but in the long run that would only delay and possibly only enhance what ever punishment her mother was thinking about handing out.

Quickly though these thoughts where pushed out of her mind, and soon she was scrubbing her body with a pink looking wash rag. The air inside the bathroom soon became scented with the calming smell of Lavender and the soothing smell of Lemon. Once she had finished washing her body, she stepped out of the tub. Once she had finished drying off she wrapped the towel around her body, once the towel was firmly secure, she stepped outside and noticed something odd laying next to the bathroom door.

Raising her brow she bended her knees and looked down at the two items, a piece of folded paper sat upon a folded woolen nightgown. Titling her head to the side in a sign of confusion she reached down and picked up the piece of paper and quickly she unfolded it. It seemed her mother had gone through the trouble of writing her note, the note directed her to change into the nightgown and make hast to her room, where her mother would be waiting.

Sunflower felt her blood run cold as her eyes ran across the neatly printed words, The note was more like a summary note for her own doom. There was not a shadow of doubt in her mind of what lay ahead, the very thought of it caused her reach over and rub her bottom.  But steeling her nerves she retreated to the warm confines of the bathroom, a minute or two passed before the night gown was tossed over her head and her modesty with the help of the gown was restored.

A minute or two passed, before she felt  strong enough, and bold enough to start the long hike toward her room, each small step she took seemed to be drawing her loser and loser to her own death and doom, in her mind, the hallway became lined with phantoms and two men at arms, dressed in plate armor, wearing long swords at there waist flanked her, each one holding her tightly by the arm. The phantom crowds only looked one, some making the sign of the cross as she passed there line of the sight, others simply shaking there head, a few even offering her a little smirk, the eleventh hour was drawing closer and closer.

And then, like a passing thought, the clock struck eleven and Sunflower found herself standing before her mother, her mother had changed into her nightgown as well, the gown was white with a little lace around the sleeves and helms. The gown also sported a lovely ‘v’ neck cut, that allowed a greater portion of her breast to be shown.  The image was only increased by the way her mothers long golden locks of hair, had been neatly braided, said braid was now draped over her shoulder.

“Sunny.” She said finally peering up and looking her daughter square in the eyes, “Rachel Called, and wants you to call her back as soon as possible, she seemed quite worried about you.  I mean really concerned about you. Your quite blessed my daughter to have such a loving friend as her in your corner.” Her mother smiling a little as she stood up from her sitting spot and strolled toward her dresser drawer. Once she reached the wooden dresser, she pulled the draw open and pulled out a oval shape paddle.

Sunflower blinked and blinked again as she peered toward her mother, the sight of the paddle caused her blood to run cold, like the flowing blood in her body had become solid, but being solid did stop there, by some odd accented of nature, the blood had become ice, and that ice was now freezing in her legs and arms. There was no escaping now, no escape at all. Even her patron saint could not save her now.