Punch's Cousin, Chapter 35

Punch continued to rant within Julian’s body. “Hurt me master, will ya?” His screams did nothing to move Julian’s lips. Punch could feel Julian’s heartbeat slow as the embers in the man’s belly swelled into a fire that only served to fuel Mr. Punch’s anger. “Hurt me chum!”


Punch let out a cry to no avail. “Never had a chum afore. Never did. I’m fond of that one even if he is human.” He concentrated and struggled to get a response from his corporeal shell, yet Julian’s body would not respond.

The passage was strangely empty—devoid of the usual stream of passengers hurrying to and fro. Julian lay on the cold floor of the corridor, a trickle of drool running from his mouth to the polished surface below.

“Damn you!” Punch hollered in Julian’s head. For a moment, Punch thought he heard a voice. “Someone’s comin’!” He listened through Julian’s ears, but the voice was unclear. “Who’s that? Someone’s singin’.” He began to make out the words.

Though death be printed on his face
And o'er his heart be stealin',
Yet little better shall he be
For bonny Barbara Allen.

“Young man, I think you’re dyin’.” Punch shouted the lyric. The sound faded again, and, for a moment Punch wasn’t sure if it had been the words of someone outside of himself, or another of the echoes in Julian’s mind. “Noise, noise, noise!” Punch groaned in the blackness that surrounded him. “Always too much noise.”

Punch forced Julian’s body to draw in breath. “Master, rouse yourself. I’m lost! I need you to help me find meself. I need you!”

“How does it work?” Punch continued. “I can’t see if you don’t open your eyes! How does it work, this collection of meat and bone and blood?”

Punch thought—as best as he could—of Julian as a boy and how they had played. Julian’s hands were soft then. He didn’t mind the feeling of the boy’s hands tickling the hollow of his head, supporting him on the thin arm of youth. They had talked to each other then. They had. Perhaps Julian hadn’t heard Punch’s responses, but they had talked as Julian made Punch, in his glove-like form, come to life.

“I done gave you life, too, you know, Master!” Punch railed.

Julian’s heart began to beat faster again.

“I done so once, and I aim to do again.” Punch said strongly. “Move!”

Punch laughed as Julian’s fingers twitched. Punch could picture the sparkle of Julian’s ring. “Look at the fire on your hand, man!”

A dim light slashed into the darkness around Punch. “That’s it, Master! Open your eyes! Let me move you as you did me!”

Julian’s legs spasmed, and his body doubled into a ball on the floor as his lungs drew breath and his mouth sputtered.

“That’s it. I know we can rise!” Punch cried. “I can see!”

Though Julian’s body was in agony from the burning in his gut, Punch forced the man to roll over and lift his weight from the floor of the passage. On his feet, Punch willed Julian to stumble back into the cabin. He propelled Julian toward Robert, and with a strength he did not know Julian possessed, he lifted the man from the chair and dragged him to the bed, propping him up against the pillows.

“They need air and they need water,” Punch said—Julian’s lips finally cooperating, if only slowly.

He pressed Julian’s ear against Robert’s mouth. “There’s breath in him still.”

Using Julian’s hands, Punch struggled to undo Robert’s collar and cravat. He pressed firmly on the doctor’s chest, trying to massage the man’s heart and lungs. “Awaken, chum!”

Punch considered pouring water into Robert’s mouth. “I know they need water. An awful lot of trouble.” But, Punch recalled all of the times Julian had choked when he tried to swallow, all the times Julian had gagged and the contents of his insides had risen to the surface. “Don’t want to choke him.”

And, then, Punch had a thought. “When somethin’ bad is inside of these creatures, they got to spit out what’s hurting them.”

Again with a preternatural strength, Punch used Julian’s arms to lift Robert up and turn him on his side. He pressed Julian’s hand against Robert’s abdomen and tried to squeeze the evil from out of him. “Unswallow it!”

With deep circular motions, Punch massaged Robert’s stomach. “Spit it out!”

Robert’s face grew pink as the man vomited over the side of the bed. Punch laughed. “That’s it! Spit it out.”

Punch whooped with glee as Robert’s eyes fluttered.

“God help me.” Robert gasped.

“Don’t need, God, Doctor! Ya got me! I beat the Devil!”

“Julian, we’ve been poisoned.” Robert weakly said through shaking lips.

“Not Julian.” Punch grunted.

A spasm rocked Robert’s body as he vomited again.

“There now,” Punch said, helping the man sit up.

“Water.” Robert groaned.

“I knew you’d be needin’ that.” Punch said, propelling Julian’s body to the pitcher on the washstand. He didn’t wish to use the water Arthur had brought. He poured a glass for Robert and helped the doctor sip from it.

“You better yet?” Punch asked.

“I’m terribly dizzy,” Robert gasped.

With a quick motion, Punch pressed on Robert’s stomach again. Again, Robert threw up.

“Drink more of the water.” Punch ordered. Robert did. “Now, more.”

“My stomach is aflame.” Robert said, looking a bit stronger.

“So’s me master’s.” Punch nodded Julian’s head.

“That oily bloke’s gone and given us poison like when he tried to give me master that tincture.”

“Why? Why would he?” Robert panted.

“Cuz he’s a bloody…” Punch began. “Devil.” Punch’s rage grew so much that it made Julian’s hands clench into fists.

Robert tried to rise, but was still too weak.

“You’re not gonna die are ya?” Punch asked. “Not like me father?”

“No.” Robert said softly.

“Fine, then, chum.” Punch laughed. “You rest yourself there and get the poison outta ya.”

Punch headed for the cabin door.

“Where are you going?” Robert asked weakly.

“To kill the Devil.” Punch grinned.


Did you miss Chapters 1-34?  If so, you can read them here.