The Dark Man

Tuesday, April 15, 1924

Julia Rheingold is having dreams about roses. So am I. Roses seem to often be the focal point of her dreams; they tend to just insert themselves into my dreams. I would think that this is just our subconscious minds sorting out our experiences with the house on Bunker Hill, but these rose dreams are increasing in severity and frequency over time, not deceasing.

My performance review went so-so. I'm renewed for another year, but they expect improvement.

Friday, April 18, 1924

I began interviewing new subjects for my night terrors research. One in particular--a jazz musician, Gil Henson--dreams of a black man: black-black skin, wears red, big teeth. Often he's a child in the dream and has feelings anxiety. He feels the "dark man" hates him, even though the dark man never speaks to him personally He wakes up sweating, shaking, terrified.

Monday, April 21, 1924

Gil had called me Sunday morning. I returned his call about 9:00 AM; he was asleep. I call back at noon. He calls me back at 3:00 PM.

Gil's Hypnosis Session 1

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After he left me Friday, Gil went to The Den. He dreamed about the black man in the red suit. He was at the crossroads in Mississippi. He said "You better get ready boy. It's almost time." Gil reverted to a little boy and ran from the black man with big sharp teeth that was going to eat him. He woke up screaming and they threw him out of The Den. Gil wanted to find a doctor, but it was too late. He went to his gig. He saw the black man on the way to his show that night and in the audience at his gig. After his show he went to a bar and got a bottle, took it to his room. He drinks all night

The next morning, on no sleep, Gil tries to find me. He tries a Dr. Parkman in Pasadena. It wasn't me. Here his memory is very disjointed. He barely remembers the train ride to Dr. Parkman's, an attractive older gentleman with a beard. He could provide no details about the house. Gil remembered very little of a train ride to the end of town; not were Gil wanted to go (home)--Gil thinks he must have gotten on the wrong train in Pasadena. Nobody was in the train car with him. He recalls a beach, but I'm not sure where in his narrative he was near or on a beach. Almost nothing from the train he apparently took home. He remembers taking a walk for about an hour, killing time while waiting for the train. He got on the train, nobody else was in his car. The next thing he remembers is waking up in his apartment, although he felt the trip was shorter than it should have been.

Gil abruptly and quite unexpectedly came out of his hypnosis at his time. He felt well rested and was much less anxious. I warned him not to get his hopes up; that it will likely take several more sessions. I scheduled another appointment with him at 2:00 PM tomorrow.

Preliminary Diagnosis

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Gil's fear of the dark man is so visceral that he feels like a child around him. He is even suppressing his memories of him. E.g. The dark man has talked to him. He is seeing the dark man even in his waking moments.

Follow Up

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Dr. J. Parkman in Pasadena confirmed Gil's story. There are only two trains out of Pasadena; there is no way Gil could have got on the wrong train and then taken another train to get back home. The most likely explanation is that Gil did get on the correct train, but simply missed his stop. I'm not sure how he could have ended up on a beach.

Concerns

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The dark man warned Gil that "It's almost time." Could this be a reference to the coming darkness.

Tuesday, April 22, 1924

Roberta (ceramics) and Sonia (singer), serious minded, gifted artists; Roberta and Sonia were both murdered after having similar nightmares. The dreamed of a dark man in a red cape. Sonia disappeared 17 February after church in Sanora town. Roberta disappeared 5 March in Sanora Town.

Mathers 21 Jan, Painter; two Mexicans; Josephina Martin girl--all found in a park.

Gustav suspects a lunar aspect. Indeed, they are disappearing on a new moon and they're found a day or two after the full moon.

Gil Henson: Hypnosis Session 2

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He seems to be losing his memory of the train ride to the other Parkman's house. To help him sleep, I recommend a doctor than can write a prescription for laudanum. I ask if he ever saw the the D M

When he was a boy, a town voodoo lady told him a musician could make a deal with Legba at the Crossroads. Legba was a man in a red suit. I was unable to put Gil under. He under some kind sinister influence.

6:00 Kolchek

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Carl was not there but the men were expecting me and he had the file waiting for me on his desk. Paper clipped to the folder was a note: "Doc, Call Mia Yen Fu in China Town"

In the file, Ryan (he came with me) and I can confirm the all the victims are female, were abducted on a new moon, killed on a full moon, and dumped in a park soon after. I further notice the bodies were all left near fountains. Their throats were cut cleanly and deeply. Their bodies had been ritually cut--apparently the ritual cuts were performed daily, the same markings cut into their flesh over and over. The had ligature marking and appeared to have been feed while in captivity.

The latest victim wanted to be an actress/singer.

I call the China Town office. Mia Yen Fu also had her throat slit. A Pink Moon was killed and found yesterday. (This makes six victims.)

I call Anne and let her know I'll be late.

Diagnosis

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It is my opinion these ritual murders have been done to power dark magics. It's something as significant as prolonging life; but since this isn't virgin blood, it's probably not that.

Angel Knole Park

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Ryan and I stopped off at the site of the most recent death. I spent 30 minutes trying to get an impression, but couldn't pick up much. At least two figures dropped the body off.

China Town Police Office

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Sargent McGillicutty (an immense Polock) gives me a file on recent Chinatown murders. Since January, there have been six deaths, all young Chinese women, spaced about a month apart; two were reported missing before they were found dead: one murder in January, one in February, two on March, two in April.

LAPD Morgue

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A young cop slides Josephina Martin's cold body out of her freezer. She was blindfolded during her entire abduction. During the chanting I was able to pick up the name of He Who Can Not Be Named. HWCNBN manifests in our plane as the King In Yellow, who has an affinity for artists.

When I tried to get an impression of Pink Moon's I was instantly and forcibly pushed away--I got in impression of a Chinaman's face. I tried her ring: she bought it herself, apparent so she could appear married. I tried her bloodstained pearl necklace: it was given to her by the Chinaman that pushed me away; he said "The pearls look beautiful on your lovely throat."

I slip the officer a fin, I think before we'd overstayed our welcome (but it was close).

Ryan has dinner with me and Anne. He thinks it's too late to call Calvin about the events that have been unfolding, so we arrange to meet with him early tomorrow.

Oracle

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Nothing in the dreams I heard today raised any red flags (beyond the obvious).

My Dream

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I sit down at a long table (my house, not my table) and Anne brings me dinner on a covered plate (which she never does).

"I thought we'd try something new." She says, as she lifts the lid off the plate. "It's rose petals cooked in blood." I get up to find the kitchen, but the kitchen isn't where it's supposed to be.

I eventually find myself at the foot of the stairs of the Durkusz Mansion. I hear heavy footsteps coming. It is the Chinaman that pushed me away from Pink Moon's reading and gave her the pearl necklace and commented on her lovely neck (which would later be cut). He walks right passed me a through a wall on the basement. When a try to follow, I wake up.

1924 April 23 Wednesday

Morning

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Anne wakes me up on a panic to inform me we've been robbed. Two Chinaman came in the night, broke into my office and stole my Pazuzu statue, and my case files on The House On Bunker Hill and The Man In Black. The Psychic Chinaman was there in spirit, though not physically.

Gil Henson

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No session today; he found work: some day labor and a trumpet gig at the Blue Lotis (a multiracial speakeasy) tonight or tomorrow. Ryan tells me the Blue Lotus is owned by Lau Cho, some Chinese Hop Sing crime boss/lawyer.

Gil stared having his dreams when he moved to L.A. back in January. None of the other three musicians, all male, have been having bad dreams. I drink myself into a stupor on blue lotuses. Ryan carries me out about 12:00. We get jumped before we get to our car.

Zhangs

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According to Ryan, Abrams and a short Jew saved us from certain death. We were brought to this speak easy in Chinatown and Abrams and the Jew were told to tie us up and watch us till their boss, Li Ping, showed up. Not wanting to be accessories to murder, they released us. Since doing so meant their own deaths, they came with is. They stole a car, drove us a casino, then to a hotel in Venice.

1924 April 24 Thursday

My Dream

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I'm at a speak easy filled with people I know, even people that have died. We're drink blue lotuses. The Chinaman in the red-pin-stripped suit walks in and approaches Anne. I get up to stop him, but am unable to move to stop him. He smiles at me, then bends to kiss Anne's hand. He gives her a small box, a gift, which she is happy to receive. I try to scream so Anne can't hear what he's saying to her, but I can't. He turns to me, I try to scream but wake up instead.

Kolcheck at LAPD

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I find a picture of the red-pen-stripe Chinaman. His name is Lao Chow. He owns Zhangs.

USC

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The dean reluctantly gives me funding for another year, but says he's going to monitor my every expenditure.

See Also

GURPS Dark Jazz