Welcome to the Steampunk adventures of Gold Detection. Over nine weeks, we will travel to the very edge of madness and death with our esteemed heroes! Check back every Monday or Subscribe to receive my writing in your Inbox.
If you would like to start from the beginning:
Part One - Wherein we meet our heroes and listen to a strange and eerie invitation.
Part Two - Our heroes attend a night out with a veiled lady and watch a concert by the ghost of Chopin.
Part Three - A small interlude as the Golds prepare for the party.
Part Four - Our protagonists meet the Black Banshee and its uncanny creator.
Part Five - A dinner party and preparations for the last ride of the Black Banshee.
Kate again believed the fading light of the sun seemed to be sucked into the black train’s darkness. The steel looked more like onyx than metal.
“Behold!” cried Blackburn over the gasps of the crowd. “My crowning achievement.” He swept his hands toward the giant engine, and the shrieking whistle blew once more. Many covered their ears, and Kate could tell that more than a few in the crowd were enraged by the release of such a penetrating scream with the group so near.
“We shall board and dine.” Blackburn continued as the sound died away. “Then, you will see what real power and speed can do!”
The crowd moved forward slowly, and Kate was reminded of onlookers at a freak show, scared of what they see in front of them but unable to stop moving forward and on into madness.
She heard soft weeping and looked over to see Isobel, the student who had come with Dr. Albert. The girl was scared out of her mind, and the good doctor had left her behind. Kate thought of going to her, but she quickly turned and ran back into the mansion.
Taking in the onyx monstrosity before her, Kate wondered if Isobel was not the only sane one among them.
The engine was larger than a normal locomotive. It had a coal stove and smokestack, but there was also some other mechanism. Almost as if there were two engines placed together. The cars, six in all, were painted pitch black, and Kate could swear that dark pipes ran along the outside, connecting each like blood vessels feeding a living creature.
Every bone in her body told her to turn and catch up with the young and clearly more intelligent Isobel. Yet, as her husband bid her forward, she moved onto the steps and up into the train car.
The car was set for dining, with a long table and place settings. There was scarlet fabric lining the walls and black curtains on each window. The windows were blown glass and did not allow a clear view of the outside world. Hanging in the center of the table was a huge chandelier of ruby-colored glass. Its light cast the world in a crimson hue that made everyone look as though they were heated by the sun.
Kate and Maximus found their place at Blackburn’s left.
“I chose the decorations for this car myself,” came Lafayetta’s voice from under her veil. She had placed herself at Blackburn’s right and directly across from Maximus.
“An interesting choice of palette,” Kate replied, trying to keep any trace of sarcasm out of her voice.
“It was chosen more for the spiritual aspects of the colors than any aesthetic value,” the medium said. “Scarlet and Onyx are colors of power!” the woman’s accent rolled with the last word, and Kate suppressed a new shiver. “Power, life, and death! But,” she motioned her hand toward Kate. “I can see from your exquisite gown that you understand this already.”
Kate had not been thinking any of this when she had dressed earlier, yet she had to admit that the medium’s words had a ring of truth.
The guests took their seats as the train began to roll away from the Blackburn estate. Servants brought forth the first course, and the elite of St. Louis began to relax as they fell into the age-old tradition of food and conversation.
As he saw that his guests were cared for, Blackburn turned back toward the Golds and renewed their conversation, “You are correct in what you said earlier, Maximus.”
“Oh?”
“There is power in the spirit of a human being. What we call a soul has an untapped potential that Lafayetta’s demonstration shows is real.”
“Of course,” replied Maximus. “If we could only tap into this reservoir. Can you imagine the lives we could save?”
“How so?” Blackburn was genuinely interested.
“If we could control machines as Lafayetta powered the toy carriage, we could have police and soldiers that would never have actually to enter the arena of battle.”
“Ah, but my darling medium has no control. She can only deliver the power source and hope for the right movement.”
Maximus was not dissuaded, “But, is that not the next step? If the mind can supply control to the machine as Lafayetta’s body supplies power, the possibilities could be endless.”
Blackburn looked intrigued, “You have set my mind racing in ways that no one has in ages, Mr. Gold.” He clapped Maximus on the shoulders. “I underestimated you!”
Kate watched all of this with growing suspicion. She saw a clear difference between her husband’s discussion of the works of the mind to help stave the suffering of the world and Blackburn’s discussion of power.
“It is true,” Blackburn continued, “that the power of the human body is the power of the new age. Ectoplasm is stronger and more efficient fuel than steam, and, by God, we have it in ample supply.”
“Ah,” Maximus smiled in reply, “Not all of us can be as adept at controlling it as your medium.”
“Control is not something for the supply, but for the supplier.”
With this, Blackburn rose and clinked his fork to his glass. As his guests quieted down, he made a flourish of checking his pocket watch. “I believe we will be ready to take the Banshee up to speed presently and beat the record for traveling around the city.”
His announcement was met with applause from those gathered. The dining car must be prepared for the extra velocity, and I must show you all to the next cabin, where protective seating has been put into place. I would hate to have anyone hurt by the jostling of the speeding train.” He turned and stepped away from the table. “Please, follow me.”
Thanks for reading and taking this adventure with me! Move on to the next part.
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The Black Banshee was first published in a slightly different form in the anthology - Machina Mortis: Steampunk'd Tales of Terror. Pick up the book for some other great stories.
The image is the dining car "Queen" on the Royal Blue of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, as advertised in 1895.