Bryan, a Scholar

“Don’t poke the Bear”, Bryan chuckled, strutting around him as though he were ten foot taller.

The old woman laughed a tobacco-worn raspy laugh beside him. This would usually get on Bryan’s nerves, but today he would let it pass, for today he was too absorbed with the capture.

The occult four had been aware of Granoldi’s presence for some time. Not only did they see he was a bear hiding out in the flat above, but they had the inner knowledge of who and what Granoldi was, and this was very dangerous.

Old Peter had wet himself with excitement. To capture a god was a dream come true. Granoldi was still in a half-sleep half-wake condition. Whenever he would rouse from his journeying in the spiritual worlds back into earth, his consciousness was slow to resume. Added to this his demeanour was generally so affable that he allowed the ropes and plastic ties (the type with teeth) to constrain him as they pushed him into the waiting cage.

They had plotted and planned for some weeks.

The activist Peter had believed that all possessions belonged to him and thought nothing of the taking for himself, even of another life. Yes, these four knew full well that Granoldi was no simple animal. They perceived the prize within. and by some mishap of imagined reflected glory thought to take power from the young god that he naturally emanated, expecting to make it for their own.

It wasn’t quite the kidnap one might think. When the four elderly stole away Granoldi from the flat, they used a key that Violet had taken some time ago. When Eve was out shopping she used to like exploring the knick knacks in the draws; Violet had always been something of a snoop. Although one might not have guessed this from her quiet demeanour.

Peter, Bryan, Violet and Leticia had simply gone in knowing that he was about to wake. Granoldi had no reason to doubt the seeming kindness of the elderly four. and they appeared to know him, and so he followed obligingly into the corridor and down to Violet’s apartment below.

It had started with the borrowing of the wheelchair when she knew something was up. Bryan, a scholar, in archaic mythology and occult demonology, was intrigued with her story she confided of discovering Granoldi in the bed.

“This is important enough to consult with the great one about” Bryan had said authoritatively.

And so it had begun.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series