PFC Episode 20: The Value of Patience

In the Season 1 Finale, Loretta Onfoy delivers some unfortunate news. Initiate Ellen has failed the initiation program. In this cautionary lesson, she explains how Ellen decided to summon the demon, Harold Taylor, rather than wait to complete the initation program and how Harold Taylor decided to eat Ellen rather than be bound to her will.

Written and preformed by Elizabeth Guizzetti
Initiate Ellen ... Jennifer Brozek

MUSIC: Intro/Outro: Loretta by Evan Witt.  www.wittynotes.com

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Transcript

Paper Flower Consortium Episode 20: The value of patience

00:00: Opening
 
Paper Flower Consortium Episode 20: The value of patience

MUSIC: LORETTA by Evan Witt

 Recording by Loretta Fabron Onfoy, former lady of the Kingdom of France and current historian and librarian of the Paper Flower Consortium.

Welcome back beloved initiates and other listeners, 

00:41: Unfortate News

I shall begin tonight with some unfortunate news. Initiate Ellen has unfortunately failed the Initiation program. You all know the initiation program takes a minimum of three years, but as we have said depending on your age and experience, the process might take longer. Ellen lost her patience and decided to try to become an immortal another way.  

I warn you You cannot hurry the process. You must endure the wait.

However, my beloveds, the wait serves a purpose. Vampires learn to exist with forbearance as eternity is a very long time. There is no way we can know exactly when something is going to happen. We cannot know what the future holds or when danger will find us, but existing with patience permits us to analyze different situations, keeps us calm and in control.

Now I have heard the grumbles we ought to have done more to save Ellen, however, that type of talk only spreads ill will. Hopefully the entire story set in an official manner should stop it. And if you find you cannot abide what you hear, you are free to leave the initiation program.

While I wish I could have stopped her from destroying herself, there is little to nothing a person can do when another adult decides to follow the path of folly. As you know, I hide nothing from the initiates. The coven must be able to trust you for eternity as a vampire. Well unfortunately for her, my stories piqued Ellen’s interest.


02:50: Our Library Holds Dangerous Knowledge 

As you know our library holds many books: most of them are safe.  There are are  fables, myths, or hold blood-chilling terror and that is just the fictional section. Some are non-fiction. Some are journals of our past. We have several complete sets of encyclopedias and scientific studies. People in this modern age are often shocked about our collection of dangerous knowledge and that we keep them out for anyone to peruse. My only comment to that is what good is the book if I do not allow our residents to peruse them. 

These books with dangerous knowledge comes to us by way of estate sales when there is a death of a witch, wizard, warlock, enchanted humans, werewolves or members other short-lived species. I keep this knowledge as safe as I can, but it is knowledge and meant to be shared. 

And finally If I, and the coven, cannot trust you to act with respect to the world’s dangerous forms of knowledge now, than how is the coven supposed to trust you once you are a vampire?

 
04:31 Summon a Demon at Your Own Risk

If you choose to explore summoning a demon, you do so at your own risk.

I am not your mother, I am the librarian. 

Over the summer, Ellen began spending more and more time in the library. I knew that she had pressed deeper into the stacks. She has always loved history and as the summer weather was so miserable this year, she was also coming for the air-conditioning.

I thank my God above, Norma has moved back home where she belongs. 

I also thank God Norma was in the library. 

She and her friend, Carlos, were assisting Ryan Jones with a research questionnaire about pollants. You see he is trying to ensure his surveys are written with respectful language.

For those who don’t know him, Carlos is Norma’s shade friend whom you might see on occasion at our Fellowships. The word Zombie is now out of favor with this community as it gives most of the populace ideas of flesh hungry, brainless monsters and shades are none of those things.

Their own work had dried up during the pandemic and it happened to be in the library. It was Norma and Ryan who felt Ellen’s intentions change, from learning to be a vampire, to finding out knowledge that would give her power. Perhaps that was always her intention. 

While Derrik ensured his surviving offspring are educated enough that they don’t often read people’s minds without permission, when their focus is elsewhere it is easy to fail in that effort. At that moment, Ryan’s focus was on Norma’s experience with Sea Serpents and the children of Poseidon. And Norma and Carlos were both focused on Ryan. 

And then I saw Norma turn as we saw Ellen cross the library with a large book in her hands. 

“You don’t want to do that,” she called over her shoulder. 

Carlos grunted and Ryan saw that Ellen had caught Norma’s intention. Ellen threw a dirty look at them, but said nothing.

“It’s your funeral,” Norma warned.

I could see by the intensity on her face, she knew there would be a problem. She looked over at me and mouthed: “The box.”  

Carlos patted her hand. Norma always has had too big of a heart. I am glad she has a friend who knows her so well. She whispered something at him. He rose and left the library. 

You may remember in lesson 5, Norma and Marion had captured the demon who went by the name Harold or Harry Taylor, and had put him away for a few decades or even a century. Some say that it was in punishment; some say it was more of a vacation and some vampires look at it as a torpor. I don’t say anything of the sort. Only Mr. Taylor knows the truth about life in a bottle.

Just as all of you do, Initiate Ellen knew of the box where Mr. Taylor the demon was held.

The day before, when all the vampires were sleeping, she took down the box out of the infirmary closet and brought it into the library. She shoved it in the back of a long row where she knew I wouldn’t find it.

A little before midnight, she came to the library.

She plucked the book of ancient spells to summon a demon and bind them to her will from the shelf. 

She untaped the box and unpacked the glass bottle from the layer of sand and opened an ancient text. 

INITIATE ELLEN: Dear God, Hear my prayer! I ask for your blessing to bind these creatures of darkness who have forsaken your warmth and light. Who mock you by mimicking the steps of your blessed Mass. 

 Norma jumped to her feet and raced to the back of the library. 

INITIATE ELLEN: I compel thee, Creatures of Darkness,  Bind thee to my will. I have the glorious God’s blessing to bind you all to my will. 

Ryan and I behind her.

 INITIATE ELLEN: I compel you... Creature of darkness....

The library was suddenly filled with ghasty sounds of ancient tongues spoken with an American accent. Then there was something worse: A horrid sound of silence followed by the cruel sound of wood breaking against soft flesh.

You see,  Ellen hadn’t finished her summoning when Mr. Taylor’s spirit collided into her so fast; he knocked her to the floor and the breath from her body. She took in a mouth full of smoke or mist or what ether followed him. 

“Damn it,” Norma said. 
Quickly, grabbed a handful of salt which had spilled from the box and made a circle around Ellen, the box, the bottle, and hopefully Mr. Taylor’s spirt. Now before you complain that our Norma didn’t even try to help Ellen…well that is false. As I said, Norma warned her. Moreover, she saved your still human existences. Norma, Carlos, Ryan and I would not have died. We are vampires and Carlos is a shade. But if Mr. Taylor had escaped into the coven, it might have been a blood bath among our humans who aren’t so foolish as to summon a demon.

Carlos pushed past Ryan and me and threw a box of salt toward Norma. She caught it. He gestured Ryan and me back as poor bloodied Ellen grabbed a nearby chair for support and as if gravity suddenly didn’t work, it toppled on top of her. Then an unseen force flung the wooden chair scratching our lovely pine floor, and tossed Ellen into the wall, damaging the plaster. Of course, we could hear Ellen’s heartbeat, her muscles in pain and screaming for the blood that being soaked into our floor. We knew she was still alive.

“Damn it,” Norma said.

“Don’t swear.” Ryan muttered

Damn it, now I have to fix the wall,” Norma said this time louder. Carlos grunted and his dead stare a warning.  Always keeping herself between us and the demon: Norma created another barrier. The coven and the demon.

I’m not sure if Norma heard the apology over the noise, but Ryan did mutter Sorry. 

From the outside, we watched as the chair leg was broken off and Ellen was stabbed in through the chest. It screeched through her torso and into the floor below. She screamed in agony. 

“Mind the floor, Taylor!” Norma shouted.

There was a loud bang as an unseen force hit the circle of salt, but it held. 

Inside, blood spilled from Ellen’s eyes, her nose and ears began to bleed. Beside me, I felt Ryan’s bloodlust pique. Norma remained calm.

CHAPTER: 13:13 Mr. Taylor Appears in Velvetine Leisurewear

The force darkened into a form of a middle aged man in velveteen leisure wear: Harold Taylor. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light. 

“Hello, Miss Rollins.”

“Hi, Mr. Taylor.”

“Has it been a century?” he asked.

“Not yet. It is 2021, Why you ready to come out now?”

“What’s going on in 2021?” he asked.

“Well, there’s a pandemic and economy’s not so good right now. Want a paper? Most people don’t read the paper on papers anymore, but Madame Onfoy still gets it for the library.”

“No need. Economy is never good after a pandemic. You need to live a few more lifetimes.” He licked his lips in a salatious manner. “How’s Miss Marion?”

“Great. She’s the head of security now. Got tired of the force.” Norma said. 

Mr. Taylor nodded. “Good for her. Glad to hear it.” He looked at me then as if just noticing the vampires and shade behind Norma.

“And you remember her vampire mother, Madame Onfoy,” Norma said.

“Yes, you are as beautiful as ever, Madame.” Demons are often polite and when they are not hungry make lovely guests. It is one of their more dangerous attributes.

And I thanked him for his compliment. 

“And this is my coworker, Mr. Perez, and my bloodline uncle, Dr. Jones.”

Careful not to touch the barrier, he bowed at them. “My complements Sirs.” 

And then he smiled too widely exposing his stained too sharp teeth. 

“So the summoner is….and soon to be was…a human. And I am a bit peckish.”

“Indeed.” Norma said. 

“Dr. Jones, Madame Onfoy, you might want to turn around.”

Mister Taylor’s mouth open wider and exposed his rows of teeth. Ryan did not turn so at first, but his pallor didn’t look good when Ellen made a squeal of agony. We know she was still alive when he took the first bite.

Mister Taylor bit into her cheek. She beat her arms against his body. 

By the licking, slurping, sucking, and smacking of lips, Ellen apparently was scrumptious, though of course, we all wish demons eat with more cleanliness. They tend to spill their saliva a bit and they just leave bloody bones and torn clothing on the carpet.

Once satiated, he asked if he might check out a few new mysteries for time in his bottle was slow. He slipped into the bottle and brought some old library books.  

As pleasant as Mister Taylor was, he was quite disappointed to hear Agatha Christie’s passing in 1976 and I admit I was worried he might throw a tantrum and break something else. You see, he was one of the Londoners who rioted when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle killed off Sherlock Holmes, fortunately he kept to his polite genteel behavior that afternoon. Of course, Norma had him trapped in concentric salt rings. I found him some new traditional mysteries to read before he returned to his bottle. 

So for those of you who knew and cared for Initiate Ellen I am sorry for your loss. 

CHAPTER: 17:34 A word from The Law Office of Derrik Miller.
Now a word from our sponsor: Tonight’s lesson is sponsored The Law Office of Derrik Miller.

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CHAPTER: 18:06: Question and Answer Period

Now time for questions:

Initiate Jason asks: Lady Loretta: It seems to me this Harold Taylor is too dangerous to exist- especially within the walls of the coven. Why doesn’t Norma kill him and why did you let him check out library books?

My kindhearted Initiate Jason, 

Harold Taylor is a true immortal. We, and by we, I mean Norma and Marion, can trap him in a bottle and of course he can travel to Hell or other dimensions, but we have no idea how to kill him. Or even if he can be killed. One issue we’ve seen with many horror films concerning demons is that the humans win. Humans never win when dealing with demons – at best there is a short time of delicious power or wealth – and then the human is most often consumed either quickly or mind-numbingly slowly. 

However, Mr. Taylor is a resident of the Paper Flower Consortium and therefore has lending privileges at the library. Perhaps next year, I will tell a story of when a demon ate a vampire. For now, just know, it is best to stay polite and act in kindness which is good advice when dealing with all types of people.

CHAPTER: 19:34:  In Closing

So that’s all there is tonight, 

This is that last episode of our first year or what many of you are calling “Season 1” 

To give you time, my beloveds to decide if you are still interested in vampirism, I will be restarting the initiation program in the Spring. However, I will be reading Immortal House over the break, so you understand the fears and existence of a rough vampire. Good day beloved initiates and sleep the sleep of the dead. 

The Paper Flower Consortium Podcast was written and performed by Elizabeth Guizzetti. Tonight, the amazing Jennifer Brozek joined her as Initiate Ellen. 

 MUSIC: LORETTA’S THEME

If you love this podcast, like and share this episode. And if you can please consider donating either onetime or through the patreon.

If you have questions or comments for Lady Loretta, please contact her at info@paperflowerconsortium or through the Paper Flower Consortium Patreon. And check out Season 2’s Initiate topics there or at elizabethguizzetti.com.

 Information about Sound effects and Royalty Free Music is found in the show notes

The amazing intro and outro music was written by Evan Witt and you can learn more about his music at www.wittynotes.com.

Thank you for listening

20:57
Hi everybody, Elizabeth here.

I started this podcast to share the vampire’s stories in the Paper Flower Consortium Universe and its one of the best decisions I ever made. I started small – and realistically, I’m still small, but I’m also proof that anyone who wants to start a podcast can do it. I literally record in my bedroom closet with a Yeti Mic. I use Logic Pro for Editing and for hosting, I went with Buzzsprout. 

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