How do you clean up this dust? With a vacuum cleaner? With a rag? Wave your hands off?
But I didn't want to touch it. Is it wrong to say that madness is contagious?
I looked around.
- Ah, the wind would...
There was a slight draught over the body of the lying fox. Dust flew slightly over the grass. So, can I ask? In words? Let's try it!
- Tell me, can't a strong wind blow this dust off her and take her somewhere far away? So I don't breathe it in? You're welcome!
That's enough.
A gust of wind blew through my hair, whipped my eyes. I wince. But Clara had to do much worse. She was treated like a vacuum cleaner from a commercial where everything was sucked in. The wind was blowing from me, and I could watch the fox take off all the grey stuff.
It took me five minutes before the dust left no trace. Unfortunately, so did the ropes. The wind is a verse. Now I could talk to Clara, but I was careful to keep a distance of five steps. Won't they save me? But this...
my
a place. И
my
strength.
- Do you understand me?
Clara threw a contemptuous look at me.
- What are you, Leoverenskaya, crazy? Why can't I understand you?
Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh! Adequate. Let's make a deal.
- What's that? - Suddenly a fox asked. - Paradise? Hell?
I rolled my eyes. Yeah. Not for Diego's cleverness. Yeah, he did.
- It's such a special place where the dumb ones go," I explained. I didn't even want to be mocked. It wasn't because of my high spiritual qualities. It's just that when you don't know much about yourself, it's stupid to make a fool of yourself. But I was angry. How much trouble because of that mop!
- So what, you're gonna annoy me when I die?!
I snorted a snort.
- Oh, you're alive! You're alive!
- But... I stopped my heart! And the doctor wasn't there! No one could have done it!
- I did," I condescended. - I told you that...
I won't let you
you're going to die. You don't deserve easy care. And you can only go to your Diego when I let you go.
As I explained, Clara's face changed from stunned to hysterical.
- You bastard! - she snapped. And she threw herself at me. But she didn't.
- To take her," I commanded. - And hold her until I...
The dandelions swung up with steel ropes, wrapped her legs, and Clara fell to the ground for the last time.
- ...give another order.
I didn't expect such a quick impact. I knew I was in charge here, in this place. Otherwise, I couldn't do anything about Vlad or Peter, but just like that...
The trees rustled as if they were reading my mind.
"Like this... like this... this is you..."
Clara was sparkling with her eyes.
- I hate it! - she wheezed, twisting and trying to snack on the stems. But my will held on tight. The fox's mouth spilled out a select mate. I croaked.
- Your scolding won't hurt me. And I will not let you go. You'd better stop fighting and let's make a deal. I can stay here as long as I want. And I can hold you. And I won't be hurt. But you...
- There's nothing you can do to me, witch! - Clara's spike. - Are you going to torture me?! You don't have enough strength! You don't have the guts!
I'm out of my mind.
She was really right about something. I did torture. I was killing. And now it's gonna stay with me forever. And I will always hate myself for it. And for not torturing me at that moment.
- You're right. I won't torture you, I agreed. - And this place...
- So what?! Are you saying I'm gonna get tickled by dandelions?! Oh, that's scary!
I snorted. Yeah, you did. The fox with the yellow flower heads here and there didn't seem scary.
- Dandelions? Dandelions... Do you know what those flowers are? They'll bite you off and dissolve you into a little piece.
The glade, as if to demonstrate the seriousness of my intentions, immediately grew a half-meter dew-terrorist neat at Clara's left heel. The flower slammed with its "mouth" and began to try on the leg of a beautiful lady.
- There you go. And I can grow 40 more of these. Or a hundred. As many as you need. And by the way, don't be under any illusions. I can keep you from dying in any condition. Even when you've got one skeleton left here...
- Damn you!
I shrugged my shoulders.
- – Я
already
cursed. You lost a loved one recently, and I lost six months ago. It's scary. Painful and nauseous, you know. And they don't let you die. That's why I won't feel sorry for you, either. Don't do to others what you don't want to do to yourself? And everything I do to you here is happening to me.
- Do they eat you dewy too?
Clara's been going around. And I could have answered in the same way, but I didn't. I was being honest:
- No. I'm being eaten by guilt. I know that...
couldn't
to prevent, influence, something else, but I have nowhere to go. You could die. But first, you have to tell me everything in detail. Who gave the order. What. How. Where legs and arms grow from. And if you do that, I'll take you to Diego's. I can do that.
- I don't believe you! - Whether it's a scream or a moan.
I shrugged my shoulders.
- Do you want me to show it to you? Do you want it?
Clara's eyes sparkled.
- How do I know you won't fool me?!
- I'm the only one who's willing to lie to you! - I'm genuinely offended. - I'm going to call him and step aside. You'll have about five minutes to talk to him. And then I'm sorry. If you want, ask him something I don't know. Or something that only the two of you could know. It's your choice. Should I open the aisle?
Clara didn't think twice about it.
- She did!
I sighed. I came up from the grass. I reached out with my whole body.
- Give me your hand.
- What's that for?
The dandelions slipped down, letting go of one fox hand.
- Because otherwise he won't come. I'm nothing to him. And there's no way to call me. He won't respond to my call. Let's call it your blood, your love, your heart... Oh, fuck, you've already spoken in verse. Well, you understand me, don't you?
Clara obediently extended her hand to me, forgetting her hatred.
* * *
Mecislav cursed himself and all those around him. His conscience ate the poor vampire with food. He held the light body of his surname in his hands and cursed with the last words.
Why?
He couldn't stop it. And now he's got a werewolf spy in a coma and his surname in a trance, which is a little better. And nothing is known: how long will they stay like this, or will they come out of this state, and what will they do? And what happens next?
Shit... shit... and three more times... shit!...
Hear any hell, what perversions an angry vampire accuses him of, - and a place in a frying pan for Mieczysław would be provided for five hundred years ahead. But the vampire didn't care about that.
Where did that brainless girl get into again?!
Why the hell did he give in to her entreaties?!
Next time, you'll have to wrap her in a rug, put the rug itself in a closet, and chain the closet in three layers and lock her in the basement with four bolts!
You little idiot!
As long as she stays alive!
I'll kill the fool myself!
- Chief! Vadim's voice has distracted us from our sadistic thoughts. In his mind, Mechislav just imagined how he'd whip a cheeky girl so she couldn't sit down for three weeks! And slept only on her stomach! A fungus! To worry about all her antics even immortal nerves are not enough!
- What?! - A vampire barked.
- Clara's bleeding.
- Where's that?!
Turns out she's got blood on her arm. The
re was a neat cut in the palm of his hand, like a knife with a red liquid dripping from it.
- Did anybody touch it?
- No.
- Damn it!
Mecislav looked closely at Julia, who he never let go. As if he was afraid he'd let her go, and the girl would fall even deeper. And he'll never come back to him again.
- Julie has nothing. Well, let's wait.
It didn't take long to wait. Just a few minutes later, both girls opened their eyes.
* * *
I took a fox's palm and thought. Where's the scalpel? Don't bite it... Nothing better just occurred to me. I opened my mouth and asked for space:
- Guys, can I have a scalpel?
I hadn't finished the phrase yet, when a branch of one of the trees was smoothly spiked at my feet. It was a small one, with a pine needle tail. But when I picked it up, that was it. The branch was broken or cut so that one end formed a sharp edge.
- Aren't you afraid? - I faked it.
Clara didn't even dignify me with a look. And she didn't even squeak her teeth when I rinsed her hand with the sharp end of the branch. She buried blood on the ground.
- Vampire Diego, former Diego da Morano, aka Alex Versailles, aka Yuri Grachev, aka John Lindsay, originally - Jose Manuel Carras, I call you to us. I call you the blood of a woman who loves you more than life. I call her love, her heart, her soul that she was willing to sacrifice for you. I call her passion, her pain, her despair... Come forward, cast your voice...
Clara screamed out loud. Right in front of me, on the spot where the blood was dripping, a weak glow resembling a gate lit up. This time it wasn't light anymore, it was dark. Paradise and hell? Or is it purgatory?
The glow was getting stronger, so I took a couple of steps. There's no need to tempt people. I don't want to see what happens when you push me through that gate.
Though Clara wasn't going to. From the look on her face, she was already indifferent to everything but her weak silhouette, slowly, like the old photo that appeared in the gate door.
It took a few minutes before Diego was clearly visible.
And I took a few steps aside. I turned around and sat down on the clearing, holding my hands around my knees.
I wanted to wail. At best. At worst, I also rode the ground, pounding my head on the roots. In two voices that I did not listen to, so as not to break promises, love was clearly heard. Turns out, there are some. Of course, Clara went crazy when I killed her loved one. And me? Maybe I'm crazy, too. Danielle's dead. And I can't even talk to him. I know from somewhere: Call him, don't call him, he's not coming. He's gone too far and he's gone too fast. And where is he now?
I don't know.
All I know is: scream, don't scream, he won't come back. Even though he loved me as much as the two of them. Otherwise, he wouldn't have left me his spark of talent. You can't do that for someone you don't love.
A gust of wind pushed me in the back. As if reminding me: "It's time! Long
there
they don't look in!"
That way, where? Paradise? No. Paradise was seen differently. Not even heaven, but a place where the pure soul goes until it's time for a new rebirth. I knew it. That's where I took Vlad.
Hell?
Does he even exist?
I shook my head. So what is this place?
Purgatory, before sending souls into a new rebirth? Not by Christian faith, but it really felt... true.
Exactly what it felt. We'll have to try to get Mieczysław here sometime and talk about it in detail. What he feels for me, what he wants, what he doesn't want...
I turned around and went back. This time I could take a close look at Diego. So that's what you are, a reindeer. Well, what do you think? He's cute. It's a Spanish grand, only young, about twenty to twenty-five. Cracked black hair, short beard, sculptural features, athletic figure. Something as good as Mecislav's.
Klara looked at him with that look... She wouldn't trade that type for three Mieczysławs tied up with a ribbon.
Diego took the first word.
- Hello, my death.
- I beg you not to privatize," I snapped. - I wouldn't be a hammock, I wouldn't get killed.
- And what was I a hammock about?
- Why, is it polite to shoot at wheels?
- It's not like shooting at people! Well, you could have!
- You couldn't have. Didn't Ramirez order you to take me in one piece?
- Yes, he did.
- And who else...
I wanted to ask a lot of questions, but the wind blew up the protesters. A heavy bump fell near my feet, ignoring the fact that the nearest pine tree was ten feet away.
- Talk to me? It's time for you to leave. I have to close the crossing.
Diego's look was... a strange mixture of hope and hatred. Clara was begging.
- You can't send me to him?
I shrugged my shoulders.
- It's not hard to send him there. Is that really what you want?
This isn't heaven. You'll have to suffer a long time.
- I don't care. Just as long as we're together.
- Together - but in what place? It'll be long and painful, I'm telling you.
Clara shaken her head as much as dandelions allowed. - I don't care. I want Diego. I really want to. Will you be able to do that?
The kamikaze heroine. It's going under the guillotine itself. But I wasn't going to talk her out of it, just to clarify it again.
- Did you make an informed and balanced decision?
- Yes. Will you send me there?
- Yes. It'll be up to you there. If you really love each other so much, you can be born and find each other later.
I told you and I felt it with all my heart: it's true. That's what happens sometimes. You say the word, and you realize that...
intend to do so
.
- I don't want her to suffer," Diego intervened.
- I can't do that. She loves you. And she'll suffer anyway. But that way you can be together. If you want to fry in the same frying pan...
there
they are.
Diego had his eyes down for a moment. And then he nodded.
- I agree. It's better together.
- Then say "see you later" to the girl!
I abruptly crossed the gate with my hand and Diego himself.
Clara cried out in protest, but it was too late. The vampire silhouette was disappearing, dissolving, absorbed into the space around us like a blot in a soak.
- We can't go any longer.
- Why not?
- Because then... What happens when you stretch the rubber long?
- Does it bounce off?
- That's right. And the three of us will go a lot further. Or do you want to suffer two hundred years longer?
From the look on your face, Clara didn't want to suffer at all. But if it wasn't for Diego...
- Are you sure about this?
- Yes, it is.
- How do you know that?
I shrugged my shoulders. How did you know that? Maybe from Daniel. He left me a piece of his memory, along with his talent. Or maybe it was from Mieczysław. I'm his last name, right? And the Seal of Mind doesn't go away in vain... I guess...
There was a third guess. I've been here twice already. And both times, this place taught me. Brutally, painfully, but it taught me something new. Maybe that's what it's all about.
- Do you agree to my terms?
- Yes, I do.
Clara threw up.
- I'll tell you all about it. Voluntarily, in the presence of independent witnesses, on record if necessary, and you'll... let me go to him.
- Yes. Where he went. You saw it.
- What's it gonna be like? - quietly asked the fox.
- In silence. When you're killed, try to remember this place. I'll be waiting for you here by now. I'll open the window, and you'll be gone.
There was something bad in Clara's eyes, and I smiled crooked.
- If you have a stupid idea of hurting me, leave her alone. This is my place. And here I am much stronger.
Clara's eyes are down. Then suddenly she looked up at me.
- And who are you anyway? What the hell are you?
- Leoverenskaya Julia Yevgenyevna. A human being. Last name.
- No. That's not it. Ivan Tulsky had visitors, and I saw many. I saw a vampire with a last name. But there's another one.
power
. Saw a couple of witches once or twice. It's different there, too.
- A witch is the one who knows. She knows. And me, I don't know what. I'm still a little girl.
Clara made up her mind.
- It's a good thing we're not going to meet when you're big.
- Well, who knows, I'm a nasty girl. - Who knows...
- Take us back," Clara asked for an answer instead. - I had these... dandelions already... and she scolded.
The pervert is the pervert. What else can I say?
* * *
Mechislav was closely following Julia. Here she moved a little. She was frowning. She smiled. All this - not coming out of a trance. He tried to follow her, but where is it! The soft wall just wouldn't let him through. It wasn't even like that. You can jump over the wall, get off, go around... And then you don't know what or where. It's like he was wandering in the woods, unable to take the right road. He tried to call, but Julia didn't respond. To break down by force? But where? Just in the woods? It's silly. You'll waste your strength, but you won't do it. But what's going on with this girl?! Where is she?!
Too bad he's a vampire. Vampires are strong in the magic of the mind, but Julie had it a little different. She wasn't used to it. A stranger. We'll have to convince the girl to put the other seals on. Yes, she will. He can call his name from any distance. And now, shout, don't shout...
- Chief, Clara's waking up!
Mechislav twitched. Isn't that what he thought?! No, Julia couldn't have done that! She couldn't give up all her strength to hold that thing and leave! Leave forever!
She couldn't have done it! He would have felt it!
A crushed sigh made him throw away all his thoughts and lean towards his name.
- You're alive! Fluffy, I can take you! You're not gonna be able to sit for a week!
- Sadist," said the girl. - I wouldn't praise you, I'll give you some water and he'll whip you! He's a pervert.
Mechislav literally lost his speech with such impudence. This snot takes himself to the grave - and he should praise her?! Well, you know!
Ring of Madness Page 123