The vote has been made. The duck is to die. The villagers round on him, not long before dusk. If he is a penguin, he must be slain before the moon is in the sky.
He is dragged into the centre, to where the subquark string ropes have been tied ready-made into a noose. His eyes go wide when he sees it.
"Can- Can I at least have my last words?" he said.
The villager slook among themselves, but shrug. There's no reason why not. Duckdodgers sighs in relief.
"I'm the exorcist," he said. "I know you don't believe me, but I hope Rowbotham will enlighten you tonight. I was keeping you safe! QUACK- ahem. Sorry. I'm on your side!"
The Duck takes a step forwards. "Wise! Oh wise one, you were the first to vote for me, but I can forgive you, if you can forgive me. And Shifter! Can you let go of your suspicions and simply see me as I am? Bullwinkle, you are a moose and I am a duck; shouldn't we non-humans band together?"
He makes a sweeping motion with his hands. "We lost our oracle! We killed our idiot! Can we truly afford to fight among ourselves at a time like this? If you must kill your exorcist, if that makes you happy, please do so. If that is what must happen, so be it, but please take my words to heart."
He casts his gaze skywards, through the window set in the roof. Blue has almost turned to black. The crowd is rather more sombre as they approach him. Jura holds the rope up high, Deadsirius manhandles him closer.
"May- May I have one last request?" Duckdodgers says.
Who could refuse him?
"A last meal," he says. "Before I die."
There is a pause. Since the loss of Space Cowgirl, they have less in the way of food. Nevertheless, if he is truly the exorcist...
"What do you want?" one says. The duck pauses. He looks up at the sky and smiles, serene.
The grey light of the moon shines through the glass, and DuckDodgers straightens, a new strength in his form.
"All of you," he roars. He stretches out his arms as they become flippers, and hurls his body forwards as it becomes black and white.
"QUACK. QUACK. CAW!"
The fierce werepenguin Edward Flipperhands is free, and with nothing left to lose! Those near him flee; those far from him are already gone. Flippers patter against the floor.
They leave the exhibits in their attempt to flee, for how could they lynch the discovered werepenguin now, in his monstrous form? They run, but the Son of Orospu falls behind; then he trips as a flipper grabs his ankle.
"Of those living, you were the first to vote for me," Edward Flipperhands honks. "You will be the first to die!"
The penguin rears back, preparing to strike with its beak-
And there is an almighty groaning, an almighty sound of straining. The werepenguin pauses, and turns, and has no more than a split second to see the vast statue of Samuel Birley Rowbotham standing over him, before its foot comes down.
There is one last caw, a scattering of feathers, and then silence. The Son of Orospu pulls away.
Duckdodgers, Edward Flipperhands the werepenguin, is dead.
His vile spirit raises from his body, drifting through the statue. He glowers at it, and then turns to see Space Cowgirl, a smile on her face and a flaming marshmallow on a stick in her hand.
Night falls, and Bruce Forsice wants revenge.
The true exorcist, PM who you want to protect. Bruce, PM me your victim.