by Zel Spasov
The king’s eyebrows shot up. He scratched his chin, looked at the pieces of paper in front of him, and finally said: “I don’t believe you.”
With that, Cayden’s last attempt had become a complete failure.
“As an impartial judge, I have the heavy burden of passing a sentence,” Fraud said. “Given the facts in this case, the verdict can only be one. I must admit that I usually enjoy coming to a fair and objective sentence. In this case, my joy is even greater, because this sentence is at the same time a triumph of the principle of law. Today order has overcome chaos. All rise!”
This can’t be happening, Cayden thought. Everything had developed so quickly, and his last chance to defend himself had gone in a flash. The trial, which at first had seemed like a ridiculous dream, now came to its grim conclusion.
“The court of Agapea finds the defendants Cayden Starosta and Jean Dieudonné,” the judge said in an official tone, “… guilty! The punishment for their crimes is death.”
Cayden’s inner monologue went silent. His feelings scattered away like mice to their holes, leaving only empty darkness and dread in their place. All the sounds and colors around him mixed into one overwhelming experience that swallowed him up. He wanted to yell out, but his voice was stuck in his throat.
“Cluck!” said the hen.
“The court orders the accused to be returned to their cell until the preparations for their execution are completed. Sharpen the axe for Mister Starosta and boil a pot of water for the Frog.”
The two boar guards, who had been waiting outside, entered the room, grabbed the defendants, and took them back to their cell.
“No! Not the pot of boiling water!” Jean screamed. “I don’t want to be turned into frog’s legs! Help!”
Cayden's head throbbed so loudly that all other sounds were muffled. His mouth dried up. He couldn’t believe what was happening. In his ears thundered the word: “GUILTY!”
He found himself in his cell again, not remembering how he got there. The guards locked the door and left him and the Frog to await their execution.
Chapter 5
T he conversation with Director Petrov had frightened Varvara. The situation in the hospital was far worse than she had imagined. Recently, some of the old assistants had been replaced with new psychiatric technicians, who looked more like security staff than anything else. Doctor Perfect was behind it, Varvara was sure. Nurse Venari feared that something terrible was going to happen to Cayden if she didn’t stop her.
Persephone was taking care of Cayden herself. She visited him at random times that weren’t on her official schedule. Luckily, Nurse Venari was looking after the patient in Cayden's neighboring seclusion room, Jean “The Frog.” He was from the group of patients who suffered from schizophrenia associated with clinical lycanthropy. Jean was older than most of the other patients. He had a long, white beard he refused to cut. He was also a kleptomaniac—he could steal the clothes off your back without you knowing. Though he was rude to others and cursed at every opportunity, he was a caring soul. His eyes betrayed his good nature—they were soft and full of compassion. If anyone needed help, Jean was always there. He shared his food with those who didn’t have enough. If a patient had a nervous breakdown, he remained with them until they calmed down. The cursing and the insults were just a mask; his actions revealed his true character. The more he cursed someone, the more he cared for them. And Jean didn’t curse anyone more than Cayden.
Tonight, Varvara was making one of her regular visits to Jean. Staff at the hospital had to check up on patients who were in seclusion at least once every thirty minutes to make sure they hadn’t hurt themselves. She was hoping Jean would tell her at what times Doctor Dimitriou examined Cayden. The task of getting this information from Jean wasn’t going to be easy, as Jean disliked the hospital staff. After Persephone’s appearance at the hospital, he had completely shut himself off. Having witnessed Doctor Dimitriou’s harassment of the other patients, Jean had lost the little trust he’d had in Varvara. Now that the doctor had put him and Cayden in seclusion, convincing him she was still on his side would be almost impossible.
At the beginning of the hallway with the seclusion rooms, there was a small office for the nurses. From there, they could observe the corridor. Just opposite Jean's room and next to Cayden’s was a shared bathroom with three showers and five toilets.
When she reached the door to Jean’s room, Nurse Venari stopped to compose herself. The meeting was important, and she had to be prepared. She was familiar with the procedure: as soon as she stepped into his room, he would overwhelm her with verbal abuse. If she survived the onslaught, Varvara would have a chance to talk to him. Before Doctor Perfect had appeared, the insults had come from a place of affection and trust. Now they were filled with hatred and fear. Keeping her cool was imperative. Any sign of aggression on the part of Varvara would jeopardize the success of her mission.
As soon as she opened the door, the creaking of hinges sounded, immediately followed by a verbal attack from Jean: “Get out! I don’t want any guests! Ribbit.”
Varvara ignored him and entered the dimly lit room. The furnishings were standard. There was a small bed opposite the door; adjacent to it was a wooden desk. There were no mirrors in the room so that patients didn’t break them and injure themselves or others. Jean was squatting on the bed in a frog's pose. He frowned and refused to look at Nurse Venari. She kept her distance.
“How are you doing today?” she asked.
“You're trying to kill me, ribbit,” he said in an accusing voice. “The food is terrible! You’re probably poisoning it, that’s why, ribbit! How long are you gonna keep us in here?!”
“Doctor Dimitriou has extended the seclusion for another eight hours,” said Varvara. Even though that information might anger Jean, it was important that Nurse Venari establish herself as trustworthy.
“Who does this Persephone think she is?” he said indignantly. “She’s just a harpy, nothing more! Ribbit! Locking us up, telling us when to stay in our rooms and when to go outside! And you’re all obeying her commands!”
His reaction was expected. Varvara stood quietly on the carpet while Jean continued his complaining.
“It's all gone to crap ever since she arrived... Ribbit… Not that everything was peachy before, but now it’s unbearable. And that look she has…” Jean shuddered. “Whenever she comes around to Cayden’s room, she just stares at him like a predator, ribbit.”
“When’s the last time she came to see Cayden?” Varvara asked.
Jean's eyes narrowed.
“Why do you wanna know?” he asked. “Go and ask her yourself.”
His answer rattled Varvara. Asking Persephone wasn’t an option—this whole operation was just to avoid it. Jean snickered.
“You are afraid of her too, aren’t you? Ha! I knew it, ribbit! The whole hospital is working for her. You can’t trust anyone, ribbit!”
Nurse Venari had revealed too much, but this was not the time to give up. A change of approach was needed. Maybe if she offered to help him with some of his problems, Jean would be more cooperative.
“I'll see what I can do about the food,” she said. “Is there anything else that bothers you?”
Jean didn’t respond. Instead, he faced the wall, turning his back to her. There was a croak and a muffled murmur, but nothing more. She had missed her chance. Jean didn’t trust her enough to share the information she needed. It would be best to try another time.
Varvara headed for the hallway, but as soon as she opened the door, she heard footsteps. Her skin crawled. The air became colder, as if something had sucked the heat out of the room. This could only be Doctor Perfect.
Varvara slammed the door shut, which startled Jean.
“What is it, ribbit?” he asked. “Get out of m—”
The words stuck in his throat as he sensed the falling temperature. He covered himself with a blanket. Varvara put her back against the door. Her heartbeat elevated. Log
ically, there was no reason to fear Miss Dimitriou. She was just one of the doctors at the hospital. Besides, Nurse Venari had the full right to be in this room. But her deep self-preservation instinct had kicked in. As though a serpent was crawling outside, looking for a victim to eat.
The sound of Persephone's heels drew closer. Jean shivered each time they struck the ground. She stopped in front of the room. Varvara didn’t dare breathe. The evil presence of Doctor Perfect was more tangible than ever. Its tentacles slowly covered Nurse Venari’s body, paralyzing her with their touch.
Every second lasted an eternity. After several eons, the heels started moving again. The metal door clanged, and the lock to the neighboring room clicked. Varvara waited for a few more seconds, then slowly opened the door. It creaked. Varvara stiffened. She waited in anticipation of the familiar sound of heels, but it didn’t come.
Nurse Venari stepped into the hallway. The door to Cayden's room was closed. She gently opened it and peered inside. The furnishings were the same as in Jean's room. Cayden was lying on the bed without moving. Persephone was preparing an injection at the desk with her back to the door. She picked up a vial of transparent liquid to look at it, then withdrew the liquid into a syringe. She repeated this action with a second vial.
Cayden moaned from the bed.
“Wh...” he tried to say. “Where...?”
His voice was weak and fragile. Whatever “experimental” drugs Persephone was giving him, they were powerful enough to keep him in this state.
Persephone turned to Cayden with a syringe in her hand.
“Persephone?” Cayden asked. “What’s happening? What are you doing here?”
“It's all right, Cayden,” she said in her chilling voice. “You will fall asleep again in a moment.”
“No... I don’t want to...” he said. “I have to get up...”
He was too feeble to stand. When he tried, Doctor Perfect pushed him back onto the bed.
“Stay calm, Mister Starosta,” she told him, sucking the warmth from the room with her words. “It will all end soon.”
“No…” Cayden said. “Mira... she...”
But it was too late. Doctor Dimitriou stuck the syringe into his flesh and pushed the plunger. A few moments later, Cayden lost consciousness. Varvara watched the events unfold with silent horror. This had to be the “experimental medicine” Director Petrov had been talking about.
At that moment, Nurse Venari knew she had to find a way to keep Persephone away from Cayden. She needed help. But who could assist her, when the entire hospital staff was frightened by Doctor Dimitriou?
What if...? An unexpected idea made her gasp. She quickly covered her mouth with her hands, but it was too late. Persephone turned toward her. With a lightning reaction, Varvara hid behind the corner. Had she seen her?
The heels struck the floor once more. Nurse Venari jumped into the shared bathroom. As soon as she got inside, she immediately looked for suitable cover. On the right side were three toilets with showers; to the left there were the other two toilets. She picked one of the lavatories at random and closed the door. Once inside, she stepped onto the toilet lid and waited.
Doctor Dimitriou entered the bathroom. The sound of her heels echoed over the tiles on the floor. She started opening each door to see if anyone was hiding there. Finally, she reached the toilet where Varvara was hiding. She put her hand on the door and pushed. The hinges creaked.
“Hey!” cried Jean from his room. “What's going on in there?!”
Persephone froze before she had opened the door completely. After a moment, she backed away and went into Jean’s room. Varvara started breathing again. Although her body was still numb from fear, Nurse Venari wanted to hear what was going on in the patient’s room.
She quietly popped her head out into the hallway. She could hear the muffled voices of Doctor Dimitriou and Jean “the Frog” coming out of the seclusion room. The door was slightly ajar, and through the opening, Varvara could see Miss Dimitriou lean dangerously close to Jean.
“Mister... Frog,” Persephone said, “have you had any unannounced guests tonight?”
“What guests, ribbit?” Jean asked in a sharp tone.
There was a long pause. Persephone stood in front of the patient, staring at him. Finally, Jean said: “N... No. Ribbit.”
Doctor Dimitriou left the room. The piercing sound of her heels disappeared down the corridor. Varvara came out of her hiding place and went to Jean, who was still paralyzed with fear.
“Thank you...” she began, but was interrupted.
“We have to stop her,” he said. “She's not human, ribbit. She’s evil, dressed in human skin.”
The nurse completely agreed, but she couldn’t stop Doctor Dimitriou alone. She needed help. Her plan was crazy, but it was the only idea she had.
“We'll start a rebellion,” she said.
Jean raised his eyebrows. A sly smile appeared on his face.
“Will you help me?”
“You’re in luck. Look at what I’ve got,” he said, pulling out a keychain with a red ruby attached to it. On it were the keys to every room in the hospital.
“When did you...?” Varvara started to ask, when she recalled how Doctor Dimitriou had leaned over him and what a capable kleptomaniac Jean was. “We need to act quickly. We don’t have much time before she notices her keys missing.”
“It's time for a rebellion. Ribbit.”
***
Charles the Rabbit was running to the secret meeting of the Resistance. In his hand, he held a piece of paper brought by a messenger from Windhaven. He ran through underground tunnels inhabited by badgers, who got in his way; he kept having to push them aside. The badgers cursed after him, but he was already too far ahead to hear what they said, and maybe that was for the best.
He rushed into a large room, where the leaders of the Resistance sat at a table. They were an old, blind badger, and one huge sloth. The room was dark and damp. The only light came from two torches fixed on the walls.
Charles slammed the piece of paper on the table and said, “Cayden is here! They’re holding him in the castle’s dungeons! Our friend in Windhaven has verified the information. Jean the Frog is also with him. We need to get them out quickly or they’ll be executed. The letter also says we’re to meet a man who will smuggle us into the city after we’ve rescued Cayden and the Frog. We’ll be able to enter Windhaven safely.”
“There is no time to waste,” said the old and blind Badger. “You and Sloth will go and break out Cayden, then head for Windhaven. I will organize a party of Resistance fighters to aid you in escaping the city. May you have all the luck in the world.”
From the shadows, the Sloth stretched out his neck to unnatural dimensions until his head rose high above the table. His presence hung over the meeting like a storm cloud. He looked at the Rabbit without saying a word. He understood him perfectly. It was time for action.
***
The atmosphere in the cell of Cayden and the Frog was dark. The human stared at the door in anticipation of the guards to come and take them to their executioner. He had been nauseous for some time, but he had nothing to vomit because he hadn’t received any food yet. Perhaps it was a waste to give food to a prisoner on death row. He thought about looking for a way to escape, but he didn’t even have the strength to get out of bed. And even if he did find a way out of the dungeons, then what? He didn’t know anyone in the city, and there was nowhere to hide. He probably would die of hunger anyway.
No, he couldn’t think that way. The fight wasn’t over until they hung from the gallows, and not even then. Cayden wouldn’t stop fighting until the last breath had left his body. There had to be a way out of this mess.
His roommate, however, had surrendered completely. He sat in his cage with a defeated look on his face.
“Jean,” Cayden said, “we need to get out of here.”
“It’s impossible,” the Frog said. “What are you going to do, break through the iron b
ars?”
“We can’t just give up,” Cayden said. “You sneaked into the palace before, right? You got out once, so it’s possible.”
“Yeah, the only difference being that last time I wasn’t in prison,” said Jean.
“There has to be something we can do,” said Cayden. “Bribe the guards?”
“I don’t think you understand what’s going on,” said Jean. “They sentenced us to death. That’s it, we’re finished. Done. Kaput. Nous avons fini.”
“You’re a thief, aren’t you?” asked Cayden. “You gotta have something.”
“I’m not a thief,” said Jean, “I’m an expert retriever. There’s a difference.” He furrowed his brows, or whatever passed as brows for a frog, as if he’d just thought of something.
Jean spat out a file he had been hiding an unknown number of days in his stomach and started working on the bars of his small cage.
“So, you knew you'd end up here?” Cayden asked, making a deduction.
“Hm?”
“The file.”
“Oh, I always carry that. Just in case. By the way, do you mind working on the door with the lock release kit I’m carrying?”
“I don’t want to touch it if it’s going to come out of the same place the file did,” Cayden said in disgust. “I think I’m going to gag.”
“Well, it won’t come out of the same place...”
Before Cayden could express his repulsion, the hatch on the door pulled open and a boar guard shouted, “Prisoners, you have a visit by His Majesty King Fraud!”
He backed away, and a lion with a crown on his head appeared before the door.
“Prisoners!” said the king. “I'm not much for formalities, but a bow every now and again wouldn’t hurt. Especially since I can order the guards to cut off your balls. If they can find them!” The statement was followed by a storm of laughter on his part.