Story Title: Scent of Iron (couldn't think of a better name), Part 1
Style: Steampunk
Words: 4845
Authors Note: This is a Steampunk-Horror story... though not strictly speaking there are fantasy elements and it starts off as a mystery. I just finished it and I was planning on getting some one to proof read my story but I don't have a lot of time for that so I did it myself. Hope that doesn't cost me.
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On a train, a massacre occurred. A horrible sight that is beyond imagination as Jonathon, a young investigator boards the passenger car of the steam powered train. Jonathon couldn't believe what he saw when he boarded the train, an endless thought ran through his head 'Dear God, what a bloody mess.' The brutal sight that Jonathon saw before him was more than a bloody mess, it was an atrocity. Blood, guts and various ligaments scattered all over the passenger car; several dead bodies, which have yet to be cleared of the crime scene lay on the ground and the gut wrenching sight of a melted face on the walls of the car.
Jonathon was about to leave the train to vomit at the sight, when he was approached by a large mustachioed man wearing some sort of armor.
'Ah, you must be the detective in charge of this gruesome affair? I'd recognize a detective anywhere, what with that long coat and fancy hat.' said the man proudly.
Jonathon shook hands with this man and said to him: 'Nice to meet you, I am Jonathon Martin and by the looks of it, you're one of the Queen's men. What's your name sir?'
'Oh where are my manners, I am Captain Pratchett of Her Majesty's Royal Armored Guard.' he answered 'I have been instructed by my commanding officer; by orders of the Queen to assist the detective of this case. That detective being you ofcourse Mr. Martin.'
'No reason to be so formal' Jonathon said, 'please, call me Jonathon, Captain Pratchett.
'And if I may ask, what makes this investigation so important that her majesty has sent one of her men to assist me?'
Pratchett answered: 'You mean you don't know? All these victims have connections to the royal family; the Queen has the entire Royal Armored Guard patrolling London searching for this man.
'Ofcourse, if you saw the sight in that car, you wouldn't be able to tell that they were aristocrats.'
Jonathon was suddenly reminded of the gut-wrenching feeling in his stomach.
'Excuse me Pratchett' he said with a pale look on his face, 'I need to go vomit.'
Once Jonathon was finished expelling all of his vomit he returned to the passenger car of the train.
'You alright Jonathon?' said Pratchett with a worrisome tone of voice.
Jonathon answered: 'Yes I am, I am just not a fan of dead bodies and massive amounts of blood and guts.
'I am ready to start my investigation, so do you have more information for me Pratchett?'
Pratchett answered: 'Unfortunately, the only information I know is the fact that there were 12 passengers on this car and somehow, they were all brutally massacred and that they are all connected to the Queen.'
'Are there still bodies in that passenger car?' asked Jonathon
Pratchett answered: 'As far as I know, the coroner moved the last bodies off the train.'
Jonathon walked towards the passenger car, looked into it and saw that Pratchett was correct, the bodies were no longer in the vicinity, though he still felt queasy from the massive amounts of blood; he tried to ignore it.
'Damn' Jonathon said aloud, 'I forgot my forensic equipment at the office. I suppose I have to do this the old fashioned way.'
Jonathon pulled out his magnifying glass from his coat and began to look for clues. As Jonathon looked around for the smallest details; a finger print, a hair fiber or anything that could lead to him finding the person who massacred 12 people. But the sight and the smell of blood was making him feel ill and he couldn't find any sort of clue or decisive evidence whatsoever.
'Is there a problem Jonathon?' asked Pratchett from afar.
Jonathon answered: 'Yes Pratchett, I could use some help finding clues. Damn me for forgetting my forensic tools.'
'Tools?' said Pratchett
'Yeah tools' replied Jonathon, 'Specifically the one I use to check for hidden marks, the cloud generator. I'd have to go to the office to get it.'
'No need' said Pratchett 'I think I know what you need.'
Pratchett turned a couple of knobs on his armor as Jonathon, still unsuccessfully tries to search for clues. A cloud of steam floods the passenger car of the train; Jonathon is confused by this.
'Where the hell did this steam come from?' he said and turned towards Pratchett and noticed that his massive gauntlets are on the floor. Jonathon was incredibly confused by all this.
'Pratchett, what is the reason that those enormous gauntlets of your are on the floor? This is a crime scene.' Jonathon said angrily as the steam started to clear.
'Hmm, you needed a "cloud" and I provided you with one; look at the floor, for heavens sake.' Said Pratchett.
Jonathon looked at the floor and was aghast; footprints appeared before him, bloody footprints hat lead out of the passenger car. Jonathon followed those prints as Pratchett began to ramble.
'You see, my armor is powered by steam, and is built with a system of gears. Your cloud generator is the same way, just more convenient and it only releases steam.
'Hey were are you going, this is important.'
'Don't care' quipped Jonathon.
'Don't care? You're the one who wanted to know why my gauntlets were on the floor?' Pratchett replied.
'And right now I want to know who the murder is. Let's go, where ever the murderer got off it wasn't at this station.' Jonathon said as he stormed off, Pratchett following behind.
Jonathon was at the ticket counter, demanding that they reopen the station immediately.
'A murder has been committed!' exclaimed Jonathon profoundly to the ticket holder.
The ticket holder informed Jonathon that: 'The train stations are closed because of the ongoing investigation.'
'But I'm the investigator!' Jonathon exclaimed, 'you mean to tell me that not even the investigator of a major crime can not board a train?'
'Yes' said the ticket holder 'I couldn't even allow the Queen to board a train.'
Jonathon left the ticket counter as Pratchett approached him.
'Jonathon, it was worth a shot, but we don't need a train to find this bastard.' he said to him.
'Know of a better way to find him?' Jonathon asked.
Pratchett answered: 'Airship.
'As a Captain of the Royal Armored Guard, it is my duty to serve Her Majesty and the United Kingdom at all costs and by many, many ways.
'And one of these ways is by Airship.'
'Where is the Airship?' asked Jonathon.
Pratchett replied: 'Close by, follow me.'