Ring of Madness

by Royden Labrosse

  - I know.

  The voice sounded deaf.

  - Well, that's great. You get out of the tub, we'll figure it out. You take all the bath you want, okay?

  I felt a pen behind my back, and I fell out of the tub.

  Ewww!

  What do I have in the fridge?

  In the fridge there were six sausages curled with longing. There were also smoked chicken and eggs in the fridge. There were also fermented milk products, jam and fruit.

  Separately, there was a large flat cheese salad with garlic. After communicating with Mieczysław, there was a lot of pull on something... antivampire.

  It's not much.

  And you gotta feed the guy. From what we've seen, he doesn't miraculously starve. So what do we do? Treat him to diet cottage cheese? We don't actually allow torture.

  Yeah, tell that to Alfonso, the beast from the mirror agreed grimly.

  I would say. Something heavy on something soft. In the meantime...

  Ten minutes later, the frying pan was full of eggs. Sausages, cheese, mayonnaise, herbs, vegetables - all in large quantities were added inside. The smells were fantastic. Meanwhile, I was melting sandwiches with smoked chicken, cheese salad and herbs.

  We'll eat now and go to bed.

  Oh! Where do you sleep? On the mat in front of the doorstep?

  Right. I don't even have an inflatable mattress. I don't even have a folding chair, either. And I don't even have a lousy folding bed. Why? If someone from the family comes, they stay at Mom and Grandpa's, there's still four rooms. I'm in the middle of nowhere and you're quiet.

  So one night we'll have to sleep together. Sleeping is not about having sex, it's about sharing a bed. It's good to have a blanket and a pillow. My mom forced pillows on me, and the blanket makes me cold before the heating season. Tomorrow we'll strain Mieczysława, and let her pay for the cot. Or a mattress. Or a hammock. At least a sleeping bag!

  But I can't kick Charles out on the rug in front of the door tonight. And it's blowing on the floor. And I won't be able to sleep if I do that. And it's just a piggy. It's not like I'm Alfonso to do that. And he's not an asshole. He's a human being. That's why he's a bed. It's wide, we can fit in. We'll wrap ourselves in blankets, and we won't even have to put a sword near it. Yeah, without a knife. Any hero would be without an arm or a leg by morning. And the princess has a short haircut. Swords are sharp. And only mummies can sleep without moving.

  Charles came out of the bathroom when everything was ready and waiting only for him.

  - Did you bathe? - I cried. - Crawl in here!

  Shit. I'm an idiot. In five minutes, Charles really crawled into the kitchen. On his stomach and in Plastun. Well, at least I didn't have anything in my hands, I'd drop it on his head, fact!

  - What are you, a fool!? Get back on your feet now!

  A former prisoner of the A. Da Silva concentration camp obediently rose.

  - Don't you get the joke? You don't know the slang?

  A stone face. Empty eyes. A body frozen in a strenuous wait for impact. Well, hello, statue of the commander!

  I'm just getting my head together a little bit. Let's be brief and beads!

  - Okay, here's the deal. I'm sorry about the stupid words. I should have thought you understood it literally. You want something to eat?

  He answered with a second hitch. It was like I was messing with you again.

  - Yes.

  - Okay, great. Then sit down at the table, I poked my finger towards the cutlery. - Let's feed you now. Grab sandwiches, bread in the breadbox, juice in the decanter, don't be shy.

  Three quarters of all the food on the table went to Charles. But to give him credit, the werewolf ate beautifully. Not a smug, elbow-deep in elbows and a little inept with cutlery. As if he had been able to do it for a long time, but had already gotten used to it.

  - I'd cook more," I honestly confessed. - But I'm afraid. Alfonso hasn't fed you much, you'll have a colon wrap.

  - Not gonna happen. But you really don't have to anymore.

  It started talking. And happiness is over!

  I didn't say it out loud.

  - Well, that's great. Then let's go to bed, and tomorrow morning I'll make pancakes with jam. You want some? Or should I have oatmeal? Same with jam?

  It's another hitch.

  - I will.

  I didn't say what. I'll make some pancakes. Anyway, what do you want a guy to do? If I wasn't crazy, I'd be glad to.

  - The bedroom is that way. Get settled, I'm going to get changed.

  And it was only in the bathroom that I got it. Who's the brake? I'm a stop tap! We have to sleep in the same bed. I took it perfectly well. I know for a fact it's friendly. And Charles?

  Idiot.

  I'm the one who can sleep peacefully next to a man. After Daniel, I don't need anyone (definitely nobody? I said NO!!!). When we were celebrating my birthday, everybody grunted so much that I found myself between Nadia, Valentin and Konstantin this morning. The vampires got out before dawn, but I think they were junkies, too. So what? It was all childishly innocent anyway! At most, the guys and the girls were in the bushes.

  And next to Charles, I can sleep completely brotherly.

  Now we have to explain this to Charles. Delicate and polite.

  But the boil broke through earlier than I thought.

  When I entered the bedroom, I found Charles kneeling on the bed... uh, naked and almost on full alert. I had to turn my back immediately.

  - Put some clothes on, please.

  - What for? - the werewolf's voice sounded surprised. - Or do you like it dressed up? Dressing up?

  I clenched my fists.

  - I don't like it at all. Get dressed. I can't talk to a naked man.

  - And buying it like a thing!? You love it!? Yes!? - suddenly Charles broke through. - You've got me all to yourself! Now you can do whatever you want! It was explained to me quite clearly... Mistress!

  He spit out the last word like a slap in the face.

  - Are you dressed? - I asked you harshly.

  The fabric was rustling.

  - Yes.

  - Then listen! - I turned sharply towards him. - I'm not your man. I'm not a mistress. And I don't own you. I just felt sorry for you! That's all! Honestly, I'd be afraid to mess with Alfonso for nothing. I wouldn't break my spears for you. But he attacked first - and I decided to do a good deed - to kick him in the ears and pick you up at the same time. And I have no claim to anything. You get some rest, you get some sleep, we'll find you a job. Mechislav will find you one. I'll tell him. I brought you here just so I wouldn't break the game. Like I got you for personal use, so I use you. And Alfonso can't get to you here either. And the other vampires. I don't think you dream of seeing them now. The only reason we sleep together is because I don't even have an inflatable mattress in the house. No, and that's it. Neither is the ordinary one. Or do you want to be evicted from the mat in front of the door!? If you're going to hit on me, I will. Just tell me.

  Charles looked at me with huge, almost square eyes of incredible, reddish lilac color, the color of a thunderous sunset sky.

  - You're not lying... So you're not...

  - I'm not. If you can smell me telling the truth, you have to understand it. I just freed you from Alfonso without wanting any benefit for me. No benefit at all. And you are free in your destiny.

  For a few seconds, while the semi-dragon was digesting my words, there was silence in the room. And then, as if an invisible rod had been pulled out of it, Charles wept.

  It was a strange sight to see a big man, two meters wide, kneeling in the middle of a typical woman's bed with coloured pillows - and crying in three streams. He didn't even cover his face with his palms. His fingers clutched on the bedspread, piercing holes in it, his hair fell, his face covered, his shoulders shaking, some hoarse sounds ripping out of his throat...

  I sighed. Well, that's hysterical. Okay. But Uncle Kondratius isn't coming to visit. Let him cry. It's good fo
r you, too.

  I sat next to him on the edge of the bed, reached out and touched Charles' shoulder. I didn't dare stroke his hair.

  - It's okay, I'm here for you, you're among friends. No one else will hurt you, no one will touch you. Alfonso left your life like a nightmare...

  When you talk to a sick animal, it's not words that matter, it's tone. My tone turned out to be the right one. Charles raked me up like a teddy bear, stuck his face on my shoulder - in funny blue pajamas with giraffes - and wailed even more. I didn't stop him. I was just saying some comforting nonsense that it was over, it's okay. It's gonna be okay now, he didn't break, he held out, and Alfonso's gone, he's gone, and he's gone, and if he tries to get out, we're just gonna kill him, and if we don't, we're gonna kick him so hard that he's never even in his afterlife...

  And I stroked him in the hair with my only free hand.

  Charles was grabbing me, sobbing hard, and weeping. And I said something, calmed him down, assured him that Alfonso would never be in his life again... and suddenly remembered my feelings when Alfonso and I... when the Beast looked out of me.

  Oh, my God, what for?

  I remembered everything. Until the last moment. I remembered the taste and smell of Alfonso's fear. I remembered the feeling of his terror at the very tip of his tongue. I remembered the delightful pliability of his aura under my claws - and how I loved playing with them...

  I remembered all the feelings of the Beast. My Beast. The Beast - with human - my goddamn eyes!

  And it was the scariest!

  He was enjoying it.

  Enjoyed every second of his power. Every moment.

  Every little bit of fear around him. Every...

  He liked the way werewolves trembled and pale. How they stopped, as if in the presence (and why - as if!? It is!) of a large predator, vampires! How strained is the victim under his claws.

  And the Beast would love everything he could do with Alfonso.

  Or he could have done a lot of things.

  I wasn't kidding about rats and worms. I wasn't joking for a minute.

  He could have done it.

  I could have done it.

  It was scary to face the truth, but...

  This Beast is part of me.

  The scary, filthy, crazy part of me! The part that you can hate, press, hide, fear... but you can't wipe it out!

  Am I really like this?

  Fear, madness, panic, evil, pain and blood...

  The beast dreams of sowing it all. And I am afraid. I'm afraid because I understand that it can. They say God hasn't given a horn to a cheerful cow! I'd love to trade all my horns for an extra udder! Hey, hey!

  But...

  This beast is a part of me. It will always be with me. I am alive and he is alive.

  And the scariest part is, he's free in my soul. He can get out at any time. And then what happens?

  WHAT!?

  Gods and heroes, why me!?

  I never wanted this!

  Danielle, Danielle, my love, could you see this beast and not turn away? Did you not think of how to use it for your own purposes? How do you put it on a leash? How do you tame it? How do you tame the enemy? Didn't you ever think about it!?

  But I already know the answer.

  You saw it. And you did. Maybe I did. With your love, the love of an artist, but you loved even that monster in me.

  And I hate it in me!

  I don't want to be scary! Evil! Brutal!

  I don't want to torture people - and enjoy their horror and pain! Well, it could happen that way. If something kills a man in my soul, the beast will burst out. And the only way to stop it is with a bursting bullet! No less.

  I used to read a story. There was a hero who could turn into a dragon. And his country was moaning under the yoke of a tyrant. That's what the hero did. He did. He killed a tyrant and started to rule himself. And he turned a few more times later. But there was a reservation. He can transform as much as he has the strength. And then he can become a monster.

  He knew that. The country was glorifying the hero. And then one man tried to kill him.

  - Why do you want me dead? - the emperor asked.

  - Because you can be a monster," said the killer. - And then death will come for everyone.

  Then the emperor pulled out a blade to kill the dragon - and gave it to the killer.

  - Why are you giving me that sword? - asked the killer.

  - Because you can kill the monster. And if I am, you will do me this mercy," said the Emperor.

  They've lived a long time. And the Emperor ruled happily. And the killer always stood to the left of his throne. And the magic sword was with him.

  But where do you get a sword like that for me? And where can I get a man who will kill me if the Beast in my soul definitively defeats a man?

  I cried quietly. And Charles was crying. Tears streamed down our faces, blending, and I couldn't tell whose tears made my lips salty.

  Mine? His?

  I don't know...

  We were clinging to each other and weeping in our voices, trying to at least throw out our pain and fear.

  Half Dragon and Half Beast. Two unholy people? Or two people?

  Two wreckage of human souls in a cold and cruel world.

  * * *

  Charles has been quiet for a long time. I managed to cry all the tears and even wheeze during that time. And he cried and sobbed, first with tears and then with dry sobs that seemed to tear his wide chest apart.

  Then he quieted down and just sat there, holding me in his arms. And he only woke up when the dawn shyly knocked on the glass. I tried not to move the whole time. And I didn't come out. Clearly, a man needs someone around him...

  - I'm sorry... I snapped... but you really...

  - I swear to God," I said with all conviction. - And if you don't believe in God, I swear on the health of your relatives. I just pulled you out because you can't make fun of people like that...

  - I'm a werewolf.

  - Paul. Half dragon. And it's very beautiful. It's a pity you're not free in your power.

  - Do you see!?

  Charles twitched so that I almost got out of bed.

  - I see. I'll tell you about it later. When I've got some free time. In the meantime, just listen to me. You can tell the difference between truth and lie, right?

  - Yes.

  - Once again, I swear on my health and the lives of my family. I have no plans for you. I just helped you because it's the right thing to do. There shouldn't be any fascists. If it were up to me, I'd kill Alfonso, too. I can't do that. It's a pity. I wish I could.

  - Are you really sorry?

  - That I can't kill him? Yes! He's a scumbag and a scum. I'd do to him what he did to you.

  Charles held me in his arms even tighter.

  - So I'm free?

  - Any moment now. All I ask is that you don't set me up and get caught like that again. I don't think I can get you out again.

  Charles has been thinking.

  - What did you want to do with me?

  - It's okay. Get some rest, get some rest, and you're free. Mecislav will find you a job if I ask him to. And if you don't want to use his courtesy, we'll think of something else. Go to a course, start working, get a room - and live like a normal person.

  - A normal man," Charles bitterly stretched it out. - It's been almost a thousand years since I've had contact with normal people. I don't even know what kind of people they are now.

  I sighed.

  - Then start with me. I propose we go to bed. I emphasize, just go to sleep. It's when you're sleeping in two holes and you're dreaming. It's better when they're colored and they're good. By the way, if I say so, you won't have nightmares? - The joke went by. Yeah, it's a megawatt retreat. - Wake up, we'll have breakfast, wait for your clothes and go buy you a bed. Somewhere to start, huh?

  - N-nado... - Charles confidently agreed.

  I gently climbed out of his hands - enemies to hug like that - and
looked at myself. Yeah. The giraffes looked like I was bathing in these pajamas.

  - Well, that's great. I'm gonna go change, or it's all wet. And you start by making yourself comfortable on the bed. Do you like to sleep on the left or on the right?

  - It's the same...

  - Okay, great. Well, try it both ways, then. I'll come back and take what's left. Pick a blanket and a pillow. If you want, go in the kitchen, have some water. If you don't want to, lie down like this. I'm gonna go change.

  I took out another pair of pajamas from the closet - with ducklings on a funny yellow background - and went to the bathroom to change.

  While I was there, the footsteps sounded insecure down the hall. That's where it came from. You decided to drink some water after all? Well, that's right.

  When I came back, Charles was lying on his side and looking out.

  - You have a beautiful view from the window...

  What did he find beautiful in the playground with a couple of stunted trees? I shrugged my shoulders.

  - It's possible. Do you feel better?

  - There's not much. Are you lying down?

  - Yeah.

  I dived under an empty blanket and started wrapping up.

  - Have a good day.

  What Charles said, I haven't heard anymore. I fell asleep as if I were in the water.

  * * *

  The weakest mortals. Impotent. Utterly utterly utterly impotent.

  They were weaker than ants for many hundreds of years - and did not get better at that time. I was so hoping to dial a pisser to make it happen even when I was pissed under the pisser. But the tentacles of the piss were much less pissed than I thought.

  Without a word of mouth, there's a lot of people out there. I felt the destruction of an hour of my tentacles, but who was it? Where did it come from? I'm not yet so pissed off that I'm sure...

  And the person who's gonna serve me is, too.

  On the rarity of an impassable compassion. But it's all better than many.

  Alcoholism gives him all the rest. The aspiration to power makes it oyazssvimym and manageable. And I'm gonna use it. For starters. Or maybe later. It's not good to miss such a delightful material.

  The first victim was a disgusting slut. Practically nonsense...

  With his sssops and spleens, he's done everything he can.