“I just kept praying for God to end the nightmare; it didn’t matter how or at what cost. He didn’t hear me, just as he didn’t hear the moans of the beings whose cries created the background of my own torture.
“ ‘All right!’ Cannat yelled and pulled me against his chest. He pinned my arms so I couldn’t wipe my face with the edge of my skirt, as I desperately fought to do. Then he asked, ‘You like little animals, don’t you?’ and with that he grabbed the clothes that covered the decomposing body and exposed the immense cavity where its chest had once existed. Inside, repulsive insects fed on flesh as if it were a delectable desert. Suddenly, the man’s arms moved making the chains rattle and his fleshless jaw opened into a silent scream!
“My scream was so forceful and deep that my throat began to throb. After such an aggressive scream, I was barely able to emit a few ridiculous and hoarse shrieks.
“Cannat’s eyes burned with profound satisfaction, with a malignant pleasure.
“ ‘Sweetheart, they too are God’s children. Maybe you want to get a better look.’
“I was crazed by terror when I realized he was pushing my head toward the opening in the man’s chest. He wanted those repugnant insects to tear at my flesh. I fought with all my strength as my hoarse screams joined the demented shrieks of the young woman and the chorus of moans of the undead.
“ ‘Shallem,’ I begged barely even realizing what I was saying. ‘Shallem.’
“Then, I thought about the gift he had given me and that one day, he had explained, I may find necessary to use, but I didn’t even know what it was, how to use it, or if I could use it against Cannat.
“ ‘Shallem’s not here sweetheart. Or did you think we were omnipresent?’ he mocked.
“ ‘Yes, he is,’ I sobbed. ‘His soul is inside me.’
“This infuriated Cannat.
“ ‘So why are you calling him?’ he asked, forcing himself not to scream and shaking me violently. ‘I’m not enough! Don’t I take care of you? Don’t I protect you? Don’t I feed your soul and teach you things Shallem never bothered to? Tell me this isn’t true! What did you know before I came around? Shallem thinks you are too weak and incapable. He thinks teaching you anything would be dangerous and a waste of time. Aren’t I better? I’m the one who confided in you, who opened your eyes to the world as if you were my brilliant student. Or would you have preferred to stay ignorant and blind? You didn’t even know part of Shallem’s soul lived inside you before I told you. He didn’t even explain that, did he? You find that justifiable?’
“He stopped for a moment, as if bothered by his outburst, and then tempered his voice, ‘Shallem is too inconsistent to pay attention to something or someone for very long.’ And with a bitter expression of pain on his face, he confessed in a low voice, ‘He hasn’t even paid attention to me for a long time. He’ll love you until you die, probably, but he won’t be with you when that day arrives. And he’ll suffer for leaving you, I assure you, but he will leave you. And he would abandon you at this very moment if he could see your face! Clean yourself, you’re repugnant!’
“He let me go so I could wipe my face. A thick paste of decaying and cold flesh had dried onto my skin making it difficult to open my eyes during Cannat’s brief outburst. However, my tears had helped soften the paste and I was able to wipe it away.
“ ‘Is it true what you told me? Could he have kept me from growing old?’ I asked.
“ ‘Yes, of course it’s true,’ he answered and there was no malice or sarcasm in his voice.
“ ‘Then why didn’t he do it?’ I continued. I had hoped Cannat could give me a comforting reason but I felt humiliated and stupid, because by asking, I was giving Cannat another reason to gloat at my misfortune. Nevertheless, I asked him.
“ ‘Your body must die so your soul can rest. Your soul has to rejoin God and be at peace for some time until it is ready to occupy another body. Shallem believes your soul will become ill if the cycle is broken.’
“The ease with each he told me, the lack of hesitation, his unexpected and sincere response and the comfort that it gave me, left me feeling empty for a few seconds. But I didn’t have time to think about it.
“ ‘And you, enough! Enough!’ Cannat abruptly yelled and with long strides walked toward the woman that hadn’t stopped shrieking frantically. When he reached her, she grew silent with fear and her eyes bulged in their sockets. She was suspended by chains, her body formed a tense x and her face was pale and rigid.
“ ‘That’s it,’ Cannat murmured as he stroked her stiff cheek with his fingertips. ‘That’s it, my sweet Ornella.’
“Suddenly, she screamed and I saw a trickle of blood stream down her face toward her mouth. She tried to move her head away from his hand and shrieked again but her cries were hoarse, weak and broken, like hiccups. I approached her and was horrified when I saw what the girl was trying to get away from. Cannat’s fingernails had turned into sharp, pointed claws. He had them slightly embedded in her cheek. The girl’s tears mixed with the blood on her face and flowed in rapid, wine-colored rivulets down to her neck.
“I screamed and losing all notion of my own vulnerability, I threw myself at him. I grabbed him by the arm; I kicked him; I pushed him, but it was like trying to move a lead statue. He remained practically immobile except when he protected his face with his hands when I tried to slap him. He easily grabbed one of my arms, but the other was hidden behind the girth of my stomach and with it, I clawed his face with my long fingernails. I regretted it immediately. Now Cannat had a reason to destroy my face with his claws.
“He let me go and touched his cheek. I saw the expression on his face change from shock to indignation. Then, for a few seconds, his expression turned dubious.
“I took a step back, he took a slow step forward. He waved his deadly claws menacingly in the air, purposefully trying to terrify me, and clucking his tongue repeatedly while he shook his head as though he were chastising a small child.
“I wanted to run but couldn’t, the numerous stalagmites and stalactites impeded all movement. Cannat stood so close to me our stomachs touched.
“ ‘Why are you defending her?’ he asked and his beautiful voice rippled with exquisite nuance. ‘Is it because her flesh bleeds as your flesh bleeds? Or because she screamed louder than you?’ He slowly directed his gaze toward the girl and smiled mockingly. ‘Has God suddenly enlightened you? Did you have a revelation? Did he make you realize that both of you belong to the same great human family and that in itself is reason enough to help one another?’
“ ‘It’s not that simple anymore, Juliette. It’s too late. You’ve already chosen and you can’t change your decision. You can’t go back. You move around in a human body, but so do I. Does that make me human? You’ve rejected your species a thousand times, and with reason. Now Shallem and I are your family. We’re your family! And any mortal you meet on the street, any mortal who speaks to you kindly and with admiration, any mortal who stops to talk to you about beautiful Florence or prices at the market or the weather, doesn’t have anything more in common with you than the bird that perches on your windowsill and breathes the same air as you, who eats like you and who inhabits a mortal body like you. And that’s it! You’ve changed families Juliette! You’re married to Shallem and now I’m your only brother.’
“He rested his claws on my face and I stood as rigid and horrified as the woman had before. But he didn’t sink them into my flesh; he just delicately grazed his fingertips across my face.
“Puzzled, I stared into his eyes, took his hand away from my face and interlaced my fingers with his. I looked at his nails, I felt their hardness, the sharpness of their tips and I studied the way they joined his long, white, and beautiful human fingers. They were perfect, as if they had never turned into claws.
“When I looked into his eyes again, I caught a strange glimmer of satisfaction. At once, I understood perfectly. Cannat had enjoyed my outburst, my audacity.
“As I held
his hand, I felt completely at ease. I ignored the nauseating stench, the pitiful moans, the girl’s cries and saw nothing but Cannat’s dangerous beauty, so meticulously perfect in all of its details, and the brilliance of his blue eyes that penetrated me like smoldering sapphires. I fell into a stupor of a sweet and promising dream. I was captivated by its hypnotic seduction and desirous of the peace it offered, I let myself be dragged behind it like a leaf in the wind, completely lacking volition.
“I ran my fingers through his thick hair, it was warm and pleasant like a soft angora skein. Meanwhile, I surrendered to the dream without the slightest resistance. My eyes opened partially and saw how his were closed. His lips parted and he crossed his hands behind my neck and leaned toward me.
“The world had disappeared. There were no noises except the monotonous and pleasant crackling of the torches. Like a flame of passion, I felt Cannat’s hot breath on my skin. Its heat burned into my face, my eyes, my cheekbones, my cheeks. My lips hungered to feel the wet caress of a kiss that I knew would never come.
“Then, with his hands, he lifted my chin delicately. His lips were very close to mine. I parted my lips and sighed, yearning to feel the burning heat of a kiss that would never be.
“ ‘You stink!’ he suddenly yelled.
“I immediately opened my eyes. Waking myself from the stupor, I saw the ugly mask of repugnance in which his face had turned. He abruptly let go of me.
“ ‘You’ve been bad, Juliette, very bad.’ He gently chastised my violent outburst, shaking his index finger with its sharp and dark claw. ‘It’s because you know I love you and I would never hurt you. So...’ In two strides, he approached the woman and struck her brutally across the face with the palm of his hand, making her scream in anguish. ‘This little girl will pay for your audacity.’
“He looked at me expectantly, studying my slightest gestures carefully, with a frown and his ear strained, as if he were waiting for me to do something drastic and unexpected like lunge at him violently or simply something dramatic like throw myself on the floor in a fit of cries and broken screams. I didn’t react and I saw disappointment in his face.
“ ‘Now I understand.’ He smiled. ‘You want me to kill her. Is that it? Even if I were to kill her in the most cruel and brutal way, even though you’ll never forget how she screamed with pain, however long her screams last, you’ll find solace in the fact that her soul is free. You don’t want us to leave her here alive. Isn’t that right? And she? What does she want? Answer me Ornella.’ The poor woman cried so much I was certain her famished body didn’t contain anything but tears.
“ ‘Ornella, do you want to die or do you want to live? You already know what your fate will be if you live,’ he warned and pointed his finger at the rest of his victims. ‘Do you want to become one of them, watching your own body decaying, your flesh falling off in pieces like a leper, your eyes, blind and useless hanging from their sockets, insects devouring your insides? Oh, but you won’t feel a thing because you’ll be dead. Only your soul will suffer, imprisoned in this cave as long as one particle, one ash of your mortal body exists. Only I can free you and I assure you, I never will.’
“At that very moment, the pyramid of cadavers collapsed and the anguished cries of the undead flooded the stone tomb. Some of the bodies, those that had suffered a more recent death, began to move slowly and purposefully, as if they were trying to crawl toward Cannat. Horrified, I screamed. But their movement lasted only a few seconds.
“ ‘You see?’ he commented sarcastically. ‘They are alive.’
“Then he turned his attention to the woman.
“ ‘So, what’s your decision, Ornella?’
“She kept crying and looked at me imploringly, her red eyes bulging. I wondered what conclusions she had made about my and Cannat’s relationship after all that she had heard and seen. Judging by the way she looked at me, she seemed to ask herself: What type of human is she to be able to liberate me from this torture.
“ ‘I’m losing patience!’ Cannat yelled in her face and her cries grew in intensity due to the new wave of terror.
“She began stuttering something incomprehensible, which she pathetically repeated in rhythm with her hiccups. Her matted and tangled dark hair fell over her dirty, bloody, tear streaked face. The tears had sketched white winding grooves into her face. Her horrific appearance made my heart contract, as did her terror, her emaciated body, and her dependence on that sacrilegious being.
“ ‘W-wa...,w-wa...,w-wa..., come on honey you’re getting there,’ Cannat encouraged insufferably.
“ ‘to die... I want... to die,’ she finished, her voice dull and broken.
“ ‘Excuse me?’ He pointed at his ear pretending he hadn’t heard her clearly. ‘What did you say?’
“The girl’s cries renewed their frenzy.
“I refused to speak or move. I knew the entire scene was being played out on my behalf. Cannat was waiting from me to participate, waiting for me to rekindle his cruelty. I was astounded and powerless, but I tried to act indifferent. However, I just exasperated Cannat and revived his fury.
“ ‘Repeat it!’ he demanded.
“ ‘I want to die!’ she screamed. She was completely broken. From the expression on her face and the tone of her voice, I realized she was losing her mind.
“What a mercy it would have been if she had been able to faint. How natural and reasonable it would have been for her to be submerged into a benignant state of unconsciousness. She was much stronger than I expected, or would have wanted her to be.
“ ‘But, Ornella, sweetie,’ Cannat said with biting sarcasm, ‘Wanting to die is a sin. You don’t expect me to permit that? And you, Juliette? You would sin just to save this woman from her mortal miseries?’
“Trying not to show any emotion, I watched him with a blank expression.
“ ‘I don’t think she’s going to help you,’ he told her as if he were profoundly sorry.
“ ‘God will make you pay for this, Cannat. He has to,’ I assured him.
“ ‘You think so?’ he said with a taunting sneer. ‘One of his pitiful and cowardly messengers already sent us that omen.’ He ridiculously emphasized the word “messenger” as he opened his arms in a gesture of disdain. ‘But Shallem and I gave him a good beating and kicked him so hard, he must still be floating in the universe.’
“ ‘All the angels in heaven will come for you, Cannat. All the powers of heaven will be unleashed—’
“ ‘Now that would be fun,’ he cut me off. ‘However, I still haven’t done enough to be granted that wish. Speaking of which, now that you’ve suggested it, I better start doing more. I’m fed up with killing annoying, insipid humans. Having to do that on a daily basis is so boring, so monotonous. Tearing them apart is too easy and as tedious as plucking the petals off a daisy. I need adversaries that are at my level or my powers will become stagnant. How do you propose I start tempting heaven? Can I practice with this woman? Although, perhaps, it won’t be enough to offend heaven. Do you think there’s anyone in heaven who gives a damn about her fate? Frankly, I don’t.’
“Again he slapped her across the face and waited for me to react. Upon seeing that I wouldn’t, he became red with rage and began beating her face with the palm of his hand but this time using his superhuman strength. As he beat her, his claws pierced her cheek and blood began to pour from the five deep holes. I think he broke her jaw because she stopped screaming and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. She emitted some hoarse, weak sounds, similar to the death rattles that came from the undead.
“ ‘Let’s go,’ Cannat said and brusquely grabbed my arm. He pulled toward the crevice from where we had entered.
“ ‘But we can’t leave them like this!’ I cried.
“ ‘What?’ he said as if he couldn’t believe his ears.
“ ‘Oh please, please!’ I begged. ‘Set her free or kill her but don’t leave her like that!’ I struggled to stop us from reaching the crevice. I fo
ught insistently against the hand that was hauling me away. ‘Free her!’
“ ‘Never!’ he hissed and then grabbed me with both of his hands.
“Then, behind me, I heard a strange piercing sound that made me turn around. The poor woman was laughing hysterically as she watched us fight. She had lost her mind. But when Cannat looked at her, she stopped laughing and terror was frozen on her face as if had she had suddenly regained her sanity.
“ ‘You can’t do this! Don’t do it!’ I screamed again.
“ ‘What does it matter to you!’ Cannat screamed, it was evident he was bored; the joke, for him, had ended.
“ ‘I beg you, kill her,’ I implored.
“ ‘You kill her!’ He bellowed and twisted my arm behind my back. Then he viciously grabbed my other arm and pushed me toward her.
“She looked at us, somewhat bewildered but obviously horrified. It was clearly obvious she knew what was happening.
“ ‘Let’s go Sister Merciful, do it!’ he roared. ‘Pick up a rock and bust her damned head open.’
“ ‘I can’t! I can’t do it!’ I cried.
“ ‘Why not? You’ve killed before! Or do you not remember your boyfriend in Alexandria!’
“ ‘But she’s innocent,’ I moaned. ‘She’s... she’s...’
“ ‘She’s a woman! Just like you! Her soul is trapped in her body just like yours is trapped and she reminds you that you yourself could end up just like her! Isn’t that your fear? Isn’t that why you can’t bear to see her suffer? You can’t bear the thought that her soul will live in her rotting body. That could be you! Yes, it could be!’
“ ‘Have you arranged all of this just to torture me?’ I whispered.
“ ‘Oh no, not at all.’
“ ‘Why then?’
“ ‘This is my collection. My insect collection.’
“ ‘You’re crazy.’
“ ‘That characteristic cannot be applied to me.’
“ ‘You’re trying to make me go insane, just like her.’
“ ‘And that statement is not true. Illness does not affect you. Haven’t you ever thought about that?’
The Devil's Concubine Page 24