9 August 07:20. This when events began to become strange. I awaken startled for when I sit up I see a black cat with yellow eyes examining me closely. Curious I think, I could have swore the creature left me before I locked the door. I removed the small animal and donned my uniform. I opened the door and the cat ran out and disappears out of sight. I enter the lobby and hear a commotion. "Did you see it, its awful isn't it? I hear a voice say. I see a crowd surrounding a lamppost through the lobby windows. I walk out side and see french police and MPs are on the scene examining the disturbance.
There hanging on the lamp post is the body of a young woman. As a matter of fact, I recognize her, it was the same woman that had given me my lead. She sways gently in the cool breeze her eyes frozen with fright. On her, a sign swings at her feet bearing the inscription, "Silentium." I stare for a while at the woman and think this must be a warning for me. I eye the crowd suspiciously and back away. I return to my room and retrieve my colt 1911 and holster. I leave the hotel and pass the shocked audience who still stares up at hung woman.
08:30 I manage to call another ride which drops me off at the corner of tenth street. I walk down the road aways until I come up upon a black stone house with a chimney that must be at least two stories. In front of it sits a iron gate and fence. I pass through the unlocked gate and made my way up the porch stairs.
I knock on door and after a while it opens and there stands before me a short elderly woman. Lines winkles her face, her skin is pale with spots and looks paper thin. I ask "Is this the residence of a Miss Niome?" She light up with surprise and in a frail voice says, "Yes, what can I do for the United States Army?" "I have some questions involving the Pink Slipper and and the disappearance of U.S. solders. May I come in?" I state. She nods and lets me through.
We take a left turn passing a stair case and enter the living room. The room has a couch and a coffee table and a chair sits across from it. A gramophone plays soft classical music in the corner. The walls are a teal green and ornamental plates and picture frames decorate its surface. Piles of books are piled near the fire place. My boots clack on the hard wood floor. We both take our perspective seats, mine on the couch and hers in the chair.
She starts in a soft delicate voice," You should know I haven't worked at the Pink Slipper in over three decades." "I understand that miss but your name came up from a girl there and that girl is now dead. I need to know why there is thirty missing soldiers that were last seen at the brothel you use to work for. If you have anything you can tell me I would be appreciative." I say more aggressively than I meant. " Well the Pink Slipper has been there for many of years and under many names. When I was ugh working there it was called the Pearl during the first war. I left in nineteen after I was informed of some unnatural practices that the gals there partook in." I ask, " What kind of practices?" "The kind that I am not permitted to speak of." she says looking me in the eyes. Now frustrated I start, "Miss thirty families are now being informed that their sons and husbands are deserters. How do you think they feel?" She looks to me with soft eyes. "My peace here was bought with silence." she states.
"I really need your help though. I must find these men." I press.
She looks to me almost guiltily and says, "Fine I will tell you but you must never speak a word of this. Do you understand." I nod in agreement. She continues in whisper, "There are catacombs under the house. There the girls perform unholy deeds." "Like what?" I ask also in whisper. "They practice...." She freezes mid sentence, eyes wide with fear staring past me. I quickly turn to look and see nothing behind me, nothing even in the window. I look back and see her pointing at me with a frail and wrinkled hand. I see blood running from her eyes down her frail and wrinkled skin. " They know!" she shouts, "Look what you have done!" I'm shocked for her eyes and flesh begin to melt! She screams a bloodied scream that I cannot adequately describe. Her faces shrivels and flesh can be seen hanging, her eyes melt in her skull. Liquid white can be seen running down her face like egg yolks. Her skin falls off to reveal meat then bone. "You did this to me!" she screams still pointing at me. I sit there mouth agape for I do not know what I am witnessing. She lets out another blood curdling scream louder then the first as she slowly starts to sink into a pool of flesh in the chair.
My eyes are thrust open and I awaken. I am shocked to find that miss Niome sits there sleeping in her chair. We must have fallen asleep in our talks. What a horrible nightmare. I look to my watch, eleven o'clock. "Miss?"I say, there is no response. "Miss Niome?" I say louder. I rise and start to her. Still she sits slumped in her chair. "Miss Niome! " I shout rocking her shoulder. Still no response. I am now worried. I shake her aggressively and shout loudly, "Miss Niome!"
Still she does not wake. I quickly reach for the phone sitting on night table next to the chair and dial the government building.
Twenty minutes later two army medics followed by MPs enter the room and go about examining the unresponsive body. "She dead." A medic says calmly while checking a pulse. "What happened?" The MP asks me bringing out a note pad and pen. "I don't know we were talking and must have both fallen asleep, I woke up and she was like this." I state. The medic comes over to me and says, "Must have been a heart attack. I mean the old lady must have been in her seventies. Its not your fault." The MP continues, "So what were you doing here?" I reply, "I believed she had information on the missing soldiers." " Oh your the guy that is looking in to that. You should know another two went missing this morning. Better hurry up before the whole damn regiment disappears. Anyway your dismissed Lieutenant." I nod and take my leave. Damn I just lost my lead, but now I know there is definitely something suspicious about the Pink Slipper. And I think I know where to find answers.