Part Thirty Seven

*An abandoned home, a merging of worlds, a greater purpose...*

### Content Warnings

Memory loss, insect horror (burrowing into skin, swarms of insects), claustrophobia, sounds of gore, limb dismemberment, axe violence, body horror (body infestation), vomiting

## Summary

Arthur, Oscar, and John arrive at Edward William Allan’s other property, 61 Boulder Road. They find evidence of a previous ritual in the barn, with similarities to the secret room in Marie’s house, and clues in the bestiary as to what Scratch is. In the farmhouse, insectoid creatures attack Oscar. To save him, Arthur severs his arm and drags him to safety.

## Synopsis

Arthur, Oscar, and John ride to Edward William Allan’s other property. Oscar discusses what he’s learned in the bestiary. It is much older (possibly ninth or tenth century) than John thought. Oscar lists several physical monsters in the book (Larva of Outer Gods, Hounds of Tindalos, Boltworm of the Bnazic desert) and several god-like creatures (Hypnos, Lord of Dreams and Sleep, Tulzscha, the Green Flame, or Vorvadoss, Trader of the Sands). None seem a perfect fit for Mr. Scratch.

They review what they know of Scratch: its appearance (violet skin, silver eyes), its voice, the dust, its trance-making and manipulation abilities. Oscar admits that he saw Alexander during his encounter with Scratch. They briefly discuss Scratch’s time dilation effect, and Oscar returns to the book once again.

John is upset that Arthur is ignoring his input. Oscar continues to talk while John accuses Arthur of being too honest with Oscar; as the argument continues, Arthur shouts at John to stop. Oscar believes Arthur is talking to him. While Arthur lies about his outburst, he simultaneously tries to address John’s concerns unbeknownst to Oscar. He is not ignoring John, Arthur explains, but he is trying to keep them focused.

Arthur wonders if they are dealing with a fragment of Hypnos rather than the full entity, similar to John.

Oscar reveals they’ve driven by the turn-off – John has missed their turn for the second time. John turns around, makes it, and arrives at the property. It is a two-story farmhouse with a wraparound porch. The property is large and has outbuildings, including a large barn. It is overgrown with fallen trees.

They investigate outside first. Oscar notes that it is 11:23 PM. Arthur discusses the stone, its origins, Scratch and Hattie, and the deal he made with Scratch. Arthur insists he had little choice. Before he can reveal the contents of the deal, John protests that they shouldn’t tell him. Arthur compromises and lies by saying that that wherever the person who is given the stone sleeps, that this is the new building that Scratch will become attached to, in the same way that Scratch appeared to be trapped within Marie's building.

Arthur apologizes for being secretive, explaining that he was uncertain about how much Oscar would be willing to take and how far he'd be willing to go to help Arthur. Oscar believes God has placed him in Arthur's path, and that Arthur is his purpose. He is willing to help as far as he is physically, mentally and spiritually able.

Oscar asks to take the stone, expressing a desire to trap Scratch here. John wants Oscar to take the stone, but Arthur refuses.

While Oscar studies the bestiary in the car, Arthur investigates the barn. John notices a shadow over the barn, similar to the one over Marie’s building.

They enter the barn: a large open area, no animal partitions, a blackened ceiling, dust-covered floor, and a large, carved symbol that matches the one in the secret room. John believes the barn is stained by the presence of some otherworldly dimension. He is uncertain if it is the Dreamlands.

They also find human-head-sized, frozen pustules attached in groupings of three, as well as long, spindly strands of icy hair-like rope hanging from the ceiling. There are red and yellow stains around the carved symbol. Wasp-like open celled combs cover the right wall, surrounded by a mud-like multilayered outer shell. John does not know if they are empty.

They speculate that this is the ritual site – but, given the secret room in New York, that this was a test or a failure. John suggests that something clearly worked here. Arthur, spooked, retreats from the barn. They collect Oscar before going to investigate the farmhouse.

Inside, they find a kitchen and a den. Arthur relates what he found in the barn to Oscar. Oscar relates what he found in the book: Scratch might be a Forgotten One - trapped entities from outside, and are manifestations or counterparts of Great Ones.

Oscar checks the kitchen while he looks into the den. Arthur and John discover a very bare and destitute room, with marks that indicate children at play. Arthur speculates that this must have been Allan's childhood home, and that poverty may have driven him to seek the power of otherworldly entities.

They reunite with Oscar, who found nothing in the kitchen. Together, they briefly consider investigating the cellar hatch in the kitchen (which has a similar shadow to the barn), but opt for upstairs instead.

Upstairs, Arthur finds a room with a furniture barricade, a mattress on the floor, and a wall with many tally marks. Oscar returns from another room, confirming he’s found nothing. Together, they search the final room.

It has a collapsed roof, where the chimney blew over. There are mounds of snow, a table against the wall, and a woodstove. John directs Arthur to investigate a painting of a woman with black hair and pale skin. He is briefly transfixed. Meanwhile, Oscar opens the stove and screams in agony.

An insect has burrowed into Oscar’s arm, its body completely under his skin. Though John wants Arthur to cut the insect out, Oscar begs him not to. Arthur heeds Oscar’s request – and Oscar tells Arthur to ‘cut it off’.

Oscar wraps his arm above the elbow and tells Arthur to retrieve the axe in the backyard. They do so, also acquiring some towels for bandages in the kitchen. In the room, Oscar has made a tourniquet. His veins have turned black and start to pulsate.

They cut off Oscar’s arm, using the dagger to finish slicing through the remaining skin. Oscar vomits, hyperventilates, and passes out from the pain. Arthur notes he is going into shock.

Oscar’s severed arm begins to move. Thin black tendrils are branching out from the open wound, as if tasting the air. The fingers begin to twitch, the arm flips itself over, and begins to drag itself away, with the tendrils pushing along the floor while the fingers pull it along.

Arthur realizes that Oscar was right: there had been no way to cut the creature out of him.

The insectoid creatures give chase. Against John’s insistence, Arthur begins to drag Oscar to the room which had been previously barricaded. They make it, and kill any insects that made it into the room with them. They push the barricade into place, and discover the room has been perfectly sealed, but that they are now trapped here, unable to leave.