“Fear has remained in place, my King,” the Fox answered in tone with a smile, softly butting him on the shoulder, “but even if this walk is one way, it doesn’t mean that you can’t seize every remaining moment and ... enjoy life?” Hmm, it seems that I partially inspired this message to the residents of the city. They began to crave more everything that is outside the routine. Although, perhaps, this is not my doing, but their freedom of action was intoxicated.Does the city inspire confidence in our work?“On the contrary, the City in the catacombs is blind, and our idea does not like it,” the Fox answered reluctantly, “it is afraid that I will not return from there alive.” Everyone is afraid ... and what, now they don’t sing songs at all because of this? she was indignant with mischief and continued in a low voice under the silent admiration of the Man:- In spite of the earth's gravityYou send movement to heaven!Be above all obstacles!Sometimes breaks wingsWe fail fearLet you no
In the center was the flowerbed that Lis had seen in Claudia's memories. Phytolamps hung over the flowerbed, powered by ordinary batteries standing nearby. The bright purple light of the lamps contrasted frighteningly with the amber glow of the crystals, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere that made the Foxes' skin goosebumps. This place caused a very disturbing feeling from the inside. Something carefully hidden in memory. Not even scary, but very annoying...The small buds of the Black Hellebore stretching out of the ground were not yet ready for use in rituals, but they were in no way inferior to the flowers growing on the territory of the Circus. The fox gently touched the fleshy petal and squeezed it. As if in response to her action, the gray smoke began to move, imperceptibly rising from two narrow corridors of entrance and exit to the center of the cave. The "barrier" holding him receded. A thick purple juice with a familiar sugary-sweet aroma remained on the pale fingers. The
The sound of footsteps became louder and more distinct. So even the Fox, immersed in the drama of the last coven of witches, paid attention to him. Tea Witch? No. The steps are familiar, but it's definitely not her. Like a small forest animal, she rose warily to her feet, ready to cling to anyone who came in, even if she didn't carry any weapons. The sound of footsteps got louder. But the steps themselves slowed down. The visitor was in no hurry to show himself. Alice cautiously took a few steps along the wall. Convenient to keep your distance, but free to see anyone who is about to emerge from the narrowed part of the catacombs.Step. No one is visible. Another step. Nothing again. Unable to resist, Alice took a small step forward. In the part of the "corridor" immersed in darkness, a dark silhouette became visible. As soon as she took a step towards him, he also took a step towards her. It doesn't look like the Tea Witch at all. Lis ventured to take another step. The Visitor followe
— Hello, Gray Cardinal! - from the smile of Alex, the soul of the Foxes almost left the mortal body.My heart sank painfully. His last words began to jump in my head over and over again. Closing everything that exists, a poisonous hot lump grew in the throat.Alive, real and fully tangible. Ghosts cannot cast shadows. There is no echo from the footsteps of the ghosts in the cave. The legs of the ghosts do not push the earth scattered by the hands of the girl on the floor of the cave when walking."Magic? Hallucination? Ghost? Zombie?" - she mentally went over in her head the possible answers to the question “who is in front of her?”.A red flask slipped from his soil-stained fingers. Alice took a timid step towards her dead friend, whom she could not keep on the roof of the ill-fated hotel. After the meeting with the "coven" there was no room for tears anymore, deep sorrow was reflected in dry emerald eyes.— How is this possible? she whispered, touching the warm hand of a friend who
- Useless! the voice of “Annette” rang like a bell, keeping up with the Man. “It was enough for me that you were distracted just for a moment to take her away. And you provided so much more! You can stop your useless search! Let this divination of mine be worse in quality, but you will not meet! Never again. It's a pity that I won't be able to personally kill her, The City will wall me up here in revenge! But there are other ways to get rid of ..."You still don't believe I'm real?" - Alex tried to touch the pale hand, but she stopped all attempts with tears, exhaling painfully every time the rebellious thoughts fought again in the unanswered question: who is in front of her?Guilt, however, was equivalent to the ghost conjured up by the witch in front of her, the revitalization of the City's cave, or the cruel hallucination of Claudia's authorship. It was enough to hear his voice, and the inner executioner slowly cut off thin layers from her heart. The torture promised to be long. Pe
Alice stood up resolutely. Friends continued to look at her with anger and resentment. Her impulse was not interpreted as something serious. The last push of a useless creature. And it was that spark in their eyes that helped her see the hidden truth. Even at the worst of times, they would never look at her like that . She is a gray cardinal, not a spineless snail torn from its shell!— CLAUDIA! she barked, looking slightly to the right of the trio. - Stop it immediately! Let them disappear!The trio of friends fell silent in puzzlement. They did not expect a rebuff, seeing how Alice's scrap was growing more and more with every second. Clamped in a corner, she seemed to hold on for her last seconds before finally falling into the abyss of despair. And to exist for her in this abyss, until madness completely consumes the mind of a worthless witch. And then the kind Madame Claudia will step out of the shadows, hand her a cup of soothing tea to create a man-made dummy. The puppeteer and
She began to doubt. The trinity of friends at the cliff looked at her in such a way that uncertainty appeared in their illusory nature. Zoey smiled and waved to join, Alex playfully shook his finger, and Charlie opened his arms for her, resembling a teddy bear. Grass rustled underfoot. Everything was more reliable than reality itself, and Claudia's proposal even more so.“I can do a lot here, my dear! the witch purred, but her voice sent goosebumps down her spine. Trying to seem kind, she was intimidating in earnest. Are you ready for the most desperate adventure? Or do friends not deserve an attempt to save them from the terrible fate that has befallen you?There was falseness in her ostentatious pity, but she remained absolutely confident in her abilities.— And the Man?“What to do,” the witch spread her hands, “in such deals, something will have to be sacrificed.” Is he that much better than the three good people? Almost innocent compared to the inhabitants of the city! On one sid
“ My little fragile beast with an unbending will! My unbroken Man! He gazed at his beloved with admiration.Alice carefully held the mask in her hands, like a fragile sacrificial bowl. Carefully covering every millimeter of its inner side with a dense layer of viscous juice, she held out the mask to the Man, like an offering to a deity.- My love, this is your night! You judge her! Demon answered her in a voice that made Claudia shudder. For the last time in my life.Lis, however, didn't even flinch. On the contrary, desperate for his support, she almost weightlessly touched his shoulder with her cheek. For a moment, under the mask of forced ice, a meek tenderness, belonging only to him, appeared.She glanced at Claudia. No, not on her, but on the dry, terrible Ancient Witch. A woman who destroyed her whole world with her own hands. She sawed all the branches holding her universe. Impatient and cruel. Did she think that a slightly stronger tea for the Foxes would have crossed out all
Over the years, I have long understood that the provision of choice is only a play of his own composition. Man really likes the behavior of his toys in those moments when they think that they still have freedom, but in fact he has been pulling all the strings for a long time. Everything will be just the way he wants. And these "certain conditions" will be fulfilled by me regardless of what I say or do.- The very first thing - together forever, my dear! A blanket falls off my shoulders. His cloak flies to the floor.- Easy! I smile, straightening the buttons on my vest.- And the second, - his hand, bypassing pajamas, moves along the spine, causing pleasant goosebumps, - to the King and Queen ...- Oh no!" ...should..."- No, no, no!- ...to be husband and wife!- Somehow without me! - I try to get out, does not allow.Several years have passed since Kenny's opaque hint, and each time this intriguer, in any case, specified the nearest date of that very day. Over time, Man began to th
For a month, Lis loaded herself with work and new projects so that the breaks between activities were only for sleep. She even preferred to eat food on the go, which could not but worry her friends. But it was easier that way. She did not ignore the support of her brother and the company, and almost every November evening she called to her gatherings with or without an overnight stay. It was more difficult with the nightmares, which instantly returned without the Man. Bypassing the subsequent revival in Brantford, but just as disgustingly detailed. Nights without their King literally became torture.- Would you like to visit me today? - suggested the Fox, locking the doors, although the very idea that someone would break into her cafe in her City caused hysterical laughter.“Actually, we wanted to invite everyone to our place today, Kenny will again liberate modest Wendy,” Trisha smiled, “but if you yearn for the Man, then we can organize gatherings with you!”“I miss you madly,” the
"Month of the Unknown. What if another Four comes along and challenges him and destroys him? Or will the old one gather and, shaking her gray hair, avenge her ruined lives? Or will he find himself another young sweetheart? – the last thought harassed more than others.She had no doubts about the ability of her King to foresee all possible outcomes and become invulnerable for a month with full replenishment from the Circus. As well as how greedy for his mysterious image of girls of all possible ages. And if she could tolerate the townspeople, realizing that they were of little interest to the Man, and if they wished, they would simply go to dinner for the ghouls, then the events of Saintfor ...“All his women are from this Devil City, come to think of it. Even me! she thought displeasedly, looking through the audience from behind the scenes, in search of a potential weirdo with whom the Circus would go on tour completely full. - Devil! Am I like Persephone? Will I strangle any one for
The door bell chimed cheerfully, letting in strangers.– Welcome to Nightingale City! Lis smiled.The city whispered to the girl behind the counter that the customers weren't local. But no hint was needed. It was enough to see their faces. All new people have anxiety, loss and hopelessness in their eyes. Like all guests of the city, they are confused by how exactly they ended up at the doors of the themed cafe. But they couldn't get in. The one who can is not yet born. The trinity of young people is slightly older than Alice herself.– We are glad to welcome guests of the city in our cafe “Alice in the Land of Teas¹”!She politely invited those who entered to sit down at the bar counter, into which the counter passed.Let me offer you tea. For guests of the city, absolutely free! – warning their refusal, she added.“Thank you,” one of them said in a trembling voice, “Miss…- In our small state, you can call me Alice! she winked with a smile on duty as she prepared welcome tea for them
The man sincerely grinned, gently unhooked the pale girlish fingers, dragging Lis forward to hug her from behind. Feeling the familiar warmth in her shoulder blades, enveloping her with a mute promise of protection, she closed her eyes in bliss.- Unusual. Very nice variety!Today the townspeople have outdone themselves! In a good way! she chuckled. – I think this day has become a pleasant change for everyone!“And for you, my singing queen?”“You have hearing like a bat?” she wondered, adding, “Kenny and his brother decided to have a therapy session to get rid of their sad thoughts through public humiliation. By the way, effective, although I could do without it. Holidays are great medicine in and of themselves. And I prefer to sing only to a narrow circle of the elite." Chosen, you mean? - Alice's words thrown as an excuse for timidity were very flattering.Will life be much more boring now? the girl asked, smiling when a scarlet maple leaf fell on her face in a gust of night wind.
Before the eyes of Alice, who was rapidly blushing with embarrassment, everyone who heard Andy's loud announcement, as well as everyone who knew one of them, pulled up to the small stage. Friends with hyenas' hysterical laughter pushed the girl onto the stage, taking away her bag and broom. The band members, meanwhile, descended from the stage, took large lanterns and, for the effect of bright spotlights, began to illuminate the girl from large spotlights.“Brother,” Lis sang with a wide smile of shock, “I hate you!” I'll go down from the stage - I'll kill!“Relax, Kiki,” Kenny winked at her, “consider it part of therapy. We treat despondency with public disgrace!- That's not how it works! - hissed the girl, getting a guitar in her hands. Correcting the instrument, she timidly turned to the crowd, expecting either a song from her, or ... she didn’t even want to think about the second. - Okay, hello people! You know, in my memory - this is the best holiday in our city! I'm right?The
- Why is Robin Hood not included in the support group? Andy asked, looking to ensure that the preparations were going at the right pace, but a boot flying in his direction made the guys step back from the tent one more step.- Don't peek! - the girls printed their will in unison.All three voices were clearly heard in the angry trill.– Because he performs the most important mission – guarding the entrance to the territory of the Circus! Pirate Roberts grunted, brushing off the broomstick.- And if there are no jokes?- If no joke, then with all his inclinations towards your sister, multiplied by his pathological inability to keep his mouth closed and his hands to himself ... think for yourself! Kenny answered in the tone of a mentor explaining something obvious. - Here they will pull out his arms and legs and change places, and deservedly so, and I will also assist!Three girls emerged from the tent. Sarah in a classic ghost costume and Trisha in the image of Rose Cotton paired with
The Man in the Mask himself found himself in a spiral of difficult questions. Does the King need a Queen after a complete and unconditional victory in the last chess game? As it turns out, more is needed. Which for the pragmatic part of his essence seemed strange. When the enemies stopped brightening up the dullness of loneliness, Alice's halo of "usefulness" almost completely melted away. And now that the Mask had no plans left for her, the Man's attitude towards the fragile little witch became even more reverent. As soon as all plans to conquer the city and eliminate the last coven were completed, the temporarily suppressed desire for the constant closeness of the Foxes returned. The fistula called "loneliness" did not poison his existence only with the full presence of his beast in his life. Her presence nearby, when only the body is close, and the soul is hidden in darkness, forced him to make a decision that was unexpected for him.The sun began to move towards the horizon when a
The morning of the last day of October, almost until breakfast, Lis spent in tears. The whole "raw period" Man did not leave her a single step. As in the case of her exhaustion after the first merger with the City, he could not influence the girl. All that was left was to watch helplessly. In the end, poured into the girl by hook or by crook, a transparent liquid with a cloyingly sweet and sour taste managed to stop the endless stream of tears. However, this author's sedative lasted only a couple of hours.Upon awakening, she wanted only one thing - to fall into a dream and not wake up for at least a week. However, the dream waved its tail and left the Fox, gloatingly endowing her consciousness with crystal vigor, with which it became impossible even to doze off. It was comforting that the tears had ended, and clarity appeared in my thoughts, albeit a sad one. Under the soothing roar of the Human's heart, she opened her eyes. Feeling the weightless movements of his fingers on her shou