«What you just…» he stuttered but couldn’t work the whole sentence out.
«I’m used to love-sick Romeos. At first, I had to cope with that, but then… Well, it’s complicated».
Cogito did not say anything more and lead me towards the quest’s location. We walked behind some well-aligned houses, each one had the same shape, same encrusted walls and poles and telegraphic cables implanted into dome-shaped roof. We ended up in an isolated alleyway, afar from the chaotic crowd of local people. I walked rapidly, listening to the echoes of my steps, as I noticed washing lines on some old electric cables or as I heard the distant cry of a baby; the uproar of a broken item. Passing by an open door, I peeked in with the corner of an eye; a bunch of men was gambling around a table, they did not bet just their money but even other belongings, each one trusting firmly the luck of their cards.
I passed through a junkyard where, amongst the garbage, a path had dug its threatening way from which would spring some glassware-broken bottles, electric cables and lots of other sharpened things.
I looked up and saw, in the distance, a stronghold made of scrap and junk heaps: a landing place among the ruins made of debris of garbage. “A jumble of scraps in the shape of a castle” — if you want.
I turned to leave, «Hey! What are you doing?», but Cogito yelled incredulously.
«Are you kidding me? I do now understand why nobody except us and the other weirdo, has queued for the mission! If we go in there we're gonna get tetanus, at best! »
«Oh, come on! », Cogito urged me. «You can’t give up right now!»
«Of course, I can, darlin’! Will is power! I was a total idiot not to realise that in the past twenty years! ».
«But this makes no sense at all! », insisted he, shouting, « If you don’t bring this quest to its conclusion you’ll have to pay seven gold coins to the customer!»
His avowal stopped me, «Wait, what? », asked I in a choking voice.
«And we don’t even have seven gold coins!».
«I know well we don’t have seven gold coins! If I had, my bra would look a 34 C!», grunted I turning back to the Castle-scrap. «I warn you, Cogito! Try again to omit a detail like that and ours will be a pair-suicide! »
« I’ll never do it again! », he declared directly and concisely.
However, he won over me.
As we arrived before that massive and chaotic clunker, similar to the Tower of Babel but in the kingdom of trash, I overstepped the castle wall assembled with junk. Thereafter, I walked through a garden full to the brim with garbage, in some cases it was bunched against the skeletons of the trees. And the hedges in the end had their roses made with cherry cans. The entrance was an imposing front door of rusty iron, and it was so broken-down that I was afraid it would fall on me at any moment.
« Ehm… What about now? », I asked Cogito, for I ran out of words, while hearing the long-lasting buzzing of flies that I shooed away with distracted and quick movements of my hands.
«You will activate the checkpoint if you touch the door.», he suggested.
«I’m afraid to do that. It might fall on me! », stated I.
«Don’t be ridiculous!», he bursted out, «remember you’ve got a rival! You must win this competition if you want the seven coins! ».
«You’ve said there’s the risk the customer might divide the payment in two, am I wrong? », grunted I, «So, why risk it, then?»
«Tap that door! », he shouted, and his voice was a piercing sound into my ears.
Deafened, I touched that door and my hand left a bluish print on it which disappeared straight afterwards. A mechanical shot was heard all over the place and one of the two wings opened up a bit, uttering an ear-splitting and rumbling squeaking. I walked in carefully, clearing some space in the narrow gap that had created. Darkness came to say hello and the same did the silence: a frightful match made in hell. A feeble light alone seeped in through the interstices and the small opening of a door; that was my only gleam when the main gate closed loudly behind my back, leaving me with no way out.
«The amount of cortisol as well as adrenaline in your body is growing. Tachycardia. Nausea. Getting pal…»
«Shut up, Cogito!», I growled, «what about Dysentery!? Why don’t you put that in your list, too? »
«I hope I don't have to, to be honest», said he expectantly.
Silently, I went forth up where the door shape glowed. Paying close attention where I put my feet, I gritted my teeth and rattled off a mixture of prayers and curses, until I grabbed so violently the handle that I could have even cleaved it. After the door was open, I walked in to find the queer fish with the rucksack who was comfortably sitting before a fireplace, nibbling at something like chips.
I twisted my mouth and took a glance at my back; the strip of light inside the fireplace barely enlightened the Castle hall. I could almost see some old newspapers, boxes, an old couch covered with dust and lots of junks all around. It seemed more a campsite, rather than a Castle. My gaze ran back on the gangly stranger, whose gaunt muscle tone was emphasised by the countless number of straps that winded up both arms and calves. A studded belt squeezed his muddy-coloured robe against the waistline, as well as the puffy breeches on the thighs.
«You must be, Bianca.», said the man, he had a thin voice, narrowly audible, and with a hissing shade.
«And you must be, uhm, Brother Lustig, right? Was it so?», I stammered dubiously.
«Yes. You’re right, but my actual name is Tail. Come here, have a sit», he encouraged me pleasantly, «I don’t know the reasons behind, but the customer only requires spending a night in this Castle, so you’ve got nothing to fear», he explained, then he watched me cautiously.
Carefully, I watched the room; it was tiny, dark, and filled downright with old yellowed books whose torn up covers laid, bunched in piles, at every corner of the room. I felt the rough carpet, below my heels; by now, it was faded as a consequence of all that dust, and it was mucky because there were foul-smelling stains on it.
Tail’s eye has been caught by my appearance. He was observing me thoroughly.
«Have we already met somewhere? », he said.
«Yes, today. On the cable car», said I taking my place next to him.
«Sure! I remember now! I am so sorry for having turned on my spotting-scopes, but they do that only when I get curious about someone.»
«And why you got curious about me? », I asked suspiciously.
« ‘Cause you were talking to yourself».
«Oh».
In that very moment I figured out that, probably, Cogito was the only Dectorade around with his own will.
«And then I was wondering how come a young girl like you was heading to a hellhole like that», he added.
«Well, I need a job», I lied wavering, but then Cogito suggested me to throw in that I needed money to heal my ailing mother, who lived outside the city walls.
«…Ailing…? », he asked.
«Well, she’s infected! », I said following to the letter what Cogito were saying. « I have to give her some 100% clean air and as you know it’s extremely dear», I spluttered vaguely.
Tail noted I was hungrily staring at his packet, from which he was taking and then eating something similar to French fries
«D’you want some?», he asked.
«Yea! Thanks! », I exclaimed reaching out my hand, but Cogito said immediately to stop. «No! Thank you!», I stated resoundingly, shortly after, as I withdrew my hand. We remained silent whilst Tail stared at me confused. «I’m on a diet», added I, «thanks. Anyway! ».
«Diet?», he echoed me.
«Oh, well, you know… Diet! », said I and then I began to chuckle shamefaced; «Screw the diet! », I thought enraged.
That man was a very quiet person, he didn’t seem threatening at all, and yet there was some tension in the air.
«Uhm... well, Tail!», I tried to give the idea I was at ease, «that backpack, I saw it today! », I said noticing it had
incredibly shrunken if compared to when I firstly met him.
Tail brought one of those chips up to his lips. Finally, I got the answer to a question that’s been bothering me from the very beginning: how the hell could he eat those chips while wearing a mask? Well, there was a sort of sensor close to the filter upon his mouth; if the food was deemed to be poison-free, then it would be disintegrated by a beam and transferred inside the mouth. At least that’s what I guessed.
«You’re drooling», said Cogito speaking in my mind.
«Dammit! I’m starving!», I growled him back.
«You’ll eat when you get the money», granted he.
«Yeah, it’s a little bit heavy but it’s useful. Since I’m a traveller, I always make certain of having what is necessary with me…», Tail explained in the meantime.
Then, the silence swooped upon us again. Flames’ reflection flew over our faces and over the walls around, writhing in feverish and shapeless spots. I questioned him if he had also been into every room of the Castle and he replied he hadn’t and that he had immediately placed in that room.
«…This is tumbledown place that’s falling into disrepair. Also, the level of toxicity is high…», he explained, «…The mission is to spend a night in the Castle, doesn’t matter where».
« Don’t you think that’s a little bit weird? I mean, seven gold coins just to spend a night in this place that... Well, it sucks but this would not prevent anyone from joining the wager.»
«…If it’s seven coins apiece…», Tail recalled.
«The agreement doesn’t state if it’s seven coins per head or they must be shared. So, he can’t say no to our requests!», I claimed confidently.
Tail told me I was smarter than I looked and I didn’t know whether to take it as a flattery or a slur, honestly. Again, a long silence ensued, dirtied with the cracklings of fire and the creaky sounds that slithered amidst those mouldy girders.
I stood up calling stealing Tail’s attention. «I think I’m gonna take a look!», I averred.
«Be careful.», he recommended, and then he gave me a strange object: a kind of rubbery cylinder. He told me to split it in two and, as soon as I did it, a light spread from the broken part. I thanked him curiously watching that strange torch and then I stepped out of the room without saying a word.
By means of the light I could finally see with greater clarity the entrance hall. The floor wasn’t only covered with waste paper but even with worn-out rags; there were also lots of trash and pieces of broken and headless statues. I worked my way in small steps, kicking away empty bottles or cardboard boxes containing little and ravaged objects. I threw a light along the walls where the snatched drapery was entangled with screws of the rods which barred the windows. After that, I placed the light on a tapestry with frayed seams; this has caused the image to be misshapen and therefore unrecognisable. All the ways had been closed off using furniture or barbed-wire fences, so I reluctantly went up taking the stairs. As soon as I set foot on the first step I heard it creaking — when I made the light slip on it, it did not take me by surprise to see it was rotten. I climbed the stairs, enlightening cautiously the ladder to prevent me from falling down, disastrously.
I reached for a long and shadowy corridor, where stringy webs of spiders were hanging from the ceiling; they became translucid whenever the light hit their texture. And again, ancient chandeliers were clasped to slender chains, which swayed and bent so hard until they twined. Some doors lined up along the encrusted walls, and lots of them lead to chock-full rooms of junk; crumbling old-fashioned furniture, expired tinned food, and many other forgotten objects rested in there. Other doors, on the contrary, hang unhinged along the filthy walls whereas others, again, were bolted and were so tough that couldn’t even be thrown down. And I can say that for I tried it myself, but I almost smashed a shoulder in the attempt.
Grinding my teeth and cursing, I went forth walking down those corridors whose dusty and unstitched mat oozed a stale reek. All over the floor laid frames cracked in two, some were overturned and crowned with glass. All of a sudden, I felt my foot sliding over, then an uproaring noise resounded: and I found myself with a leg eaten up in the gash between the floorboards. I pulled a tail of the dusty carpet and breathed its stench while trying to crawl out of it.
«Fuck!», I grumbled, «Fuck that!», and a throbbing pain made me stop.
«How come you did not see it?», Cogito asked surprised.
«How come, huh? I wonder about that myself!».
I heard some footsteps. I swivelled around and saw a shadow approaching plunged into darkness.
«Shit! Shit! Holy shit! No ghosts! No-ghosts!», I panicked. «There are ghosts in this fucking house! Why didn’t ya tell me?»
«How could I know?», objected Cogito.
The steps grew into a crescendo, echoing deeply, reverberating, but I had my leg stuck.
«I’m not a fuckin’ ghostbuster!», shouted I, «I don’t fuckin’ know how to exorcise a ghost! Help!», I cried out, hysterically.
«Bianca», Cogito called me, calmly.
«Help!»
«Bianca!», said again Cogito, irritated. «That’s not a gho...»
«Help!»
«Shut up! You idiot!», he insulted me.
«Who da hell you called idiot?».
Despite the ghost was ten seconds away, Cogito appalling remarks made me enrage anyway.
«I didn’t say a word», said a voice. I turned around and saw Tail standing right in front of me.
«Oh, it was you. Please, help me! I’m stuck», I asked, trying to draw me out.
Tail came up to me and, bending down, he checked up my wedged leg; he took his knife and began to scratch the rotten wood, until the gash expanded unblocking my leg.
I breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him whilst putting on my feet again, albeit my leg was sore and stiff: «Shit! That’s not good», I said.
«I think the house is waking up», Tail said looking around. «I feel something».
«Ghosts?», wondered I, swallowing.
«Demons».
«Oh…Okay», I was hassle-free.
«Of course, Demons are okay, huh?», uttered Cogito, ironically.
«I think it’s better to go back downstairs», suggested Tail. «There is no much chance to have nasty encounters, there».
I nodded but as we turned to go back, we both heard some laughters tortuously mingling each other in sparkling echoes.
Three men appeared in front us, or so they seemed according to their builds. They were exactly alike: ruffle-haired and with big hooped earrings on; they were fully black-eyed and with their wiry bodies all wrapped up in suits and ties, but they kept their feet naked and each one had his tail as slim as the devil’s one. What would set them apart were some little details: the demon on the left had green hair and a black and white suit; that one on the right side, instead, had blue hair and wore a chequered suit; whereas the demon in the mid was a redhead and wore a vertical-striped suit.
«It’s time to dance!», said the demon in the mid — probably their leader — and, a moment later, all the three were holding musical instruments: they began to play them exaltedly, hopping and rhythmically moving their feet.
At first, I was so dumbfounded that I thought: «These three are nuts!», but when my body began to dance – unwillingly – I realised something wasn’t right.
«What the hell is goin’ on?», I asked Tail, while we were both stepping an Irish dance.
«They’ll make us dance ‘till death! », he exclaimed.
«Among the dances and tunes, in the world, we gotta dance right this dance?», I stated huffy.
Tail did not take the bait, he chose to think a way to save his neck.
«It’s just… Irish music isn’t really my thing», I tried to justify.
«If I could only open my haversack!», he exclaimed.
«Wait! Next twirl, I’ll try myself! But... why?», I asked scampering with my feet and making the skirt spin.<
br />
«Just do it!»
As soon as I turned around him, I managed to open just one of the rucksack’s strings. «Damn it!», I cursed.
Then, Tail and I took each other by the hand and danced back and forth, hopping in small steps. As soon as I was again at his back, I unlaced the second string whereas the three demons kept on playing engrossed and unaware.
«Bravo! Next time you’ll have to open it», he recommended.
«My feet hurt! My leg’s still sore!», I whined. Arm in arm, we began to dance in circle and soon I stretched my arm to open the rucksack. «Done!»
«I want the singing demons to jump in my rucksack!», he shouted.
The three became paralyzed and the music left off. Few seconds later, the backpack sucked them inside leaving their instruments dropping on the floor in a ear-splitting thud. Tail pulled his backpack down from his shoulders. «I have no criminals inside here to deliver, so…», he lifted his foot and fiercely crushed the backpack several times, until it turned a purplish red, «Tsk! I’ll have to wash it», he said scornfully.
He voice had changed. This pushed me to take the defensive, making me flinch fearfully. «Who are you, actually?»
«I’m a bounty hunter», he confessed.
«I had figured it out, I saw you entering the tower», I stated while staring at him sullenly.
«Yeah, today I handed over two hundred, more or less… I was on a very long journey and so I had the chance to meet many!», he told me.
«That’s why your backpack was so big before! But I guess it has a limit, after a while...».
He did not answer.
I took a closer look. «A bounty hunter as strong as you are, who has definitely put on a nice nest egg, today, what are you doing here?». I drew back a bit. «Maybe, you were looking for someone, right?»
«Bianca! You idiot!», Cogito reproached me, «Don’t let him know that you know!»
Tail stood briefly silent and then I sighed: «How could I not recognize you. A beauty like yours, you HAD to be Snow White…»
«Your binoculars…»
«100 points! They see people faces beyond their masks», he explained. «You know, I see a young girl of a rare beauty heading for a city of crooks, where inside the Screw Tower Prison is locked up: Darknight, the staunchest ally Snow White has. The rebel girl! How was I supposed not to recognise you?», he said, mockingly. «You’ve been careless! A total idiot!
The Dreadful Nightmare of Snow White Page 6