Chapter 5: My Song Is Long And Twisted

Official Synopsis
Faulkner takes the initiative, and learns the location of a fellow member of the faith in the process. Carpenter, recovering from her injuries, makes a new acquaintance.

Establishing Shots
We open on Charity. She talks of her family history, serving The God of Penda's Slake, and sings a song they would sing in worship to the god. These, are the Silt Verses.

Then a radio clicks, and we get the six o'clock news bulletin from Sid Wright. Our perspective pulls out, as Faulkner gets up. In aside he critisises Carpenter, and then begins to etch prayer-marks. Practicing his handwriting. The water in the sink rises and twists in response to his marking.

Dealing with the Hotelier
Then he is at the front desk, looking to settle up with Stanton, the hotelier. Stanton begins to pry, where they were last night, where they might be headed. Faulkner is evasive, and notices the security camera is now on. He asks about other guests, and Stanton talks about other visitors. Faulkner can see the board of hotel keys behind Stanton- and only Faulkner's and Carpenter's keys are missing. He asks for Stanton to take his case into the backr room for security, offering the bait that it doesn't have a lock. Stanton takes the bait and the case, and next we hear is three violent sounding thumps, and the sound of fabric on floorboards. Faulkner then begins an aside.

He talks of being prepared for these things by the Katabasians, of this episode being put into the Silt Verses (the in-canon text), as an early test of his talents. He uses this to hide his uncertainty and fear, stating that Stanton reminded him of his father. Stanton begs. Faulkner continues his narration, saying that his father didn't look his children in the eyes. Stanton is making persistent eye contact. Faulkner begins his interrogation, asking how Stanton found out they weren't really birdwatchers. Stanton says that was obvious the moment they walked in, but also he went through their rooms when they were out, found a prayer mark Faulkner had carved, also a copy of the Silt Verses. Stanton taunts Faulkner, talking of how good it was that the followers of the Trawlerman had been chased out. He then asks to see Faulkner's boss, referring to Carpenter.

Faulkner responds by beginning a ritual to the Trawlerman, piercing Stanton's skin with fishing hooks. He uses Stanton's fear to ask after other members of the faith, and Stanton directs him towards an artist, who lived out of town a decade back. He talks of breaking his statues. Killing his dogs. Beating him when he came into town for supplies, until he left. The artist is named as Roake, and Faulkner is directed to his house, 113 Longray Mansions.

Faulkner then continues the ritual, with the water not showing his reflection. Stanton pleads, that Faulkner's not the type to kill. Faulkner responds that he's not going to hurt Stanton, he's going to make him a Saint. Faulkner carves canticle marks into Stantons forehead, and the water rises. Stanton begins to drown, and change, and Faulkner expresses a little worry. He comforts himself that they won't write about this part.

Carpenter gets Breakfast.
We jump back to Sid Wright, starting our day wright. It's nearly eight o'clock, and he's selling a psychotropic tea. Carpenter wakes, complains about the amount of gods she has to deal with, complains about the pain in her calf, complains about being in this town, without direction of where to go next. She knocks at Faulkner's door, to no response. The hotelier is also otherwise occupied. We are then in a diner, with Carpenter getting pancakes and a coffee. She is approached by Hayward, who opens conversation about new evidence regarding the missing fishermen, carved stone dolls marked with ritual signs below the mooring, marking them for sacrifice.

He then asks if Carpenter's married, given that he cant see any good reason for an out-of-towner would be in a miserable place like Marcel's Crossing outside of a partner, and then bemoans the sort of relationships that would take you to a place like Marcel's Crossing. Carpenter responds by talking about the waterfowl of the White Gull River, that she's birdwatching. She then asks if Hayward's married, to which he repsons increasingly less so. He talks about anticipating resolution, about terror and shame. Carpenter offers that you could destroy the other person, salvaging your self, but Hayward responds that he doesn't want to begin a new start with the destruction of another. Carpenter responds that to respond to the loss of intimacy with passivity would be like losing your faith, but letting the lie of it keep standing. From an outside perspective, they are both clearly working through some things.

Hayward then tells the story of a parochial (local/narrow) god, the Lady of Linked Hearts, who was tied to a bridge. If you and a partner attatched a padlock, she would judge your love, and if it was untrue, she would drown you. People would go multiple times, and he compares it to russian roulette. He then says that experimental theologists tested the bridge with a bag of cats, and determined that the bridge was taking sacrifices to feed, with no other determining factors. He says that his point being, that 'Love eats us all'. He deflects Carpenter's inquiry to why he knows stories about outlawed gods, and that he's going to just wait for a sign with his marriage. Then he says he's got to get to the docks, that ther's a sibyl seeking guidance from the Cloak. Carpenter gives her name as Sandra, and he gives his as Investigating Officer Hayward.

Leaving Town
Faulkner expresses doubt about the saint-making, but resolves himself, that it could be weeks before the Saint is found. Carpenter calls him over, and Faulkner tells her he knows where to go, and has removed traces of their identity from the motel. He is interrupted by Hayward tapping on the window. He tells them that he thinks they'll be sticking to the river, and though he'll be hanging around town, he'll likely drift around a bit, He says that if they encountered each other again, it'd be coincidental. By his tone, it's clear he suspects them. After he goes, Carpenter reassures Faulkner that he doesn't have anything on them. Faulkner says he thinks he's made a mistake.