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THE MYSTERY CITY CHAPTER 54
Choking with tears, Fox sat down directly on the grass. Hugging her knees, she gave vent to the tears that were waiting in the wings. When she is alone. When Charlie does not support her with warm hugs or a kind word. The darkest hour has come. Even They are not needed to make it painful."I could not! Didn't stop! I was there, but he still died alone! They took him away and I was there. I could have stopped everything. To correct. But she didn't!" — shuddered all thin body from tears of contempt for itself.Alice, what are you doing here? The Man's voice sounded like something otherworldly.“Let him go! I must say that I just breathe air!“I…” her voice trembled after a flood of tears, betraying her with her head. - Nothing! Don't worry."Devil! I must say that I just need to get some fresh air and send home!The director was in no hurry to return to the tent. On the contrary, he sat down on the grass next to Alice, almost touching her. The girl's shoulders tensed. The girl was in no
THE MYSTERY CITY CHAPTER 55
The last phrase was said almost angrily, causing the Fox to flinch involuntarily. The Headmaster's honesty was unaccustomed, cruel, but could not help but evoke a sense of belonging. Perhaps the reason for this was the shared memories between them.- One look. One full dive. And all the forgotten wounds began to bleed with renewed vigor. It was as if the Mask had not even existed for two hundred years! My personal nightmare is back! And neither the pale-faced Demon, nor the Mask, nor the new weirdo can make old wounds heal! There are very similar ulcers inside you and me, Alice! he finished, cradling the Fox's face in the cradle of his palms.The girl didn't look away. Sad eyes gazed at him. And in my mind there is only one question:Does my presence hurt?“ A still alive girl wanders around the dead Circus with the Dead at the head. The more life you have, the more I feel its absence in me. It's painful, but if you leave it will hurt a lot more! »“I can imagine what it cost you,” Li
THE MYSTERY CITY CHAPTER 56
The morning after the night of the discovery of the nursery rhyme, Alexa Lis met with a bouquet of conflicting feelings. Embarrassment and awkwardness became dominant among them. After the moment of mutual exposure of the most painful wounds to each other, the girl was shy to look in the direction of the Man. Waking up, contrary to tradition, not in an empty tent, she darted behind the screen on unbending legs and tried to wash her burning face with embarrassment.What seemed absolutely natural and correct in the arms of the night, in the pitiless light of the day looked like insanity. In the morning, the Man, in whose arms she shed the most bitter tears, again turned into the Great and Terrible Master of the Circus, and she into his subordinate.“Damn, why am I so worried, like we… But in all honesty, if we just slept together, I would worry a lot less. Attraction, nothing more!” - from her chaotic thoughts, the Man involuntarily smiled, admitting, however, that everything that happe
THE MYSTERY CITY CHAPTER 57
“The winner cannot demand revenge!” he retorted. “Dear Alice, it’s a sin for you to complain. Victory gives you freedom and the books you so desire. Fair play will force you into unpleasant training. Just swallow this lie and claim your prize.“My honor is not sold so cheaply!” the girl said indignantly."If you're selling your soul, never let the buyer cut the price!"So it's just a matter of price? - the eyes of a predator, sparkling like arctic ice, looked at the girl searchingly.“I demand fair play from you, Human!” The fox didn't flinch. Opposite the Director sat an angry Fury with flared nostrils and lightning flashing from her eyes. “Even if it means my every defeat.- May it be so! He bowed his head meekly.“ Won't you regret your defeats in the future, dear Alice? »Ten minutes of silence. The Black Kingdom suffered critical losses. Alice was already anxiously peering into the emerging party. Perhaps the Man was not an absolute master of chess, but many times he surpassed ev
THE MYSTERY CITY CHAPTER 58
"Oh yeah! Questions about the former! Lis smiled wickedly.- Neither one nor the other. I wanted her to take a seat beside me,” he answered curtly.How is Jossie?— No, like the Mistress of the Circus. Like my queen, - at the last word, he caught a barely noticeable surge of displeasure from the girl. Not enough to even form into a tangible thought, but palpable at the level of emotions. Almost jealous .— That's how! she chuckled. - Strongly, then, upset when she preferred anything to your generous offer ?"Are you planning on chastising me?" You yourself know exactly what I felt at that moment, ”he twitched impatiently, but the Fox butted his head again, this time with the back of the head. “She really was special.“Someone needs to enlighten you on what that girl, Human, felt!”“ For the first and last time! »- I must say right away that in her place, I would not only refuse, but look for something heavy or sharp. Frying pan or knife! What you did is unforgivable !“The Great and
THE MYSTERY CITY CHAPTER 59
- Let's sum up: in the Circus I don't see nightmares, I can sleep normally. I am not pursued by Them, and there is no need to drink poison from the Tea Witch. I am neither invisible nor ghost. I can do almost anything I want. And I have someone to play chess with, to talk like a human being, not to mention the rest... But all this will disappear in less than a week, when my imprisonment is over and I get my freedom.I lie on the grass in my dream, ignoring the enchanting skyscape as I speak to the silent Mask.“I don't think the Human would mind if I wanted to stay. But then I will play my part in his performance, not because I have to, but out of good will. And I don't know if it's good or bad. Punish bad people? What he does is terrible, but they deserve it differently? My ten months of nightmares show that some people deserve only execution! The Tea Witch...doing something bad to her will only make me happy! But there is more! Something important... I don't know, but I feel like th
THE MYSTERY CITY CHAPTER 60
- We continue! The Man once again announced. The fox moved her numb shoulders in response, inwardly hoping that he would get tired and these memory jumps would end.“ Early morning. The dew is collected by a small hand. The second palm is protected by the father's hand. We go to a large shopping area. Father says there will be something for fun today. He hurries me. He himself wants to be in time for this entertainment. I move my naughty legs faster, I don’t want to be late.Revival in the square. On the faces of the gathering crowd there is an anticipation of something curious. Father goes around people to find a place from which he and I will have the best view. People are excitedly discussing something. The very center of the square has been cleared. It has a design that is not entirely clear to me. A lot of branches and firewood are stacked in a hill from which a pillar rises.Stop. WHAT?! We didn't agree!!!No no no! I do not want! Human! Stop it! Stop this!People begin to clamo
THE MYSTERY CITY CHAPTER 61
- Yah you! Liz growled, trying to get closer to him.After burning the girl, she shook a little, and the feeling of the Great and Terrible Masked Man nearby inspired hope that not a single executioner would come for her. And if it appears, it will be twisted into a ram's horn at the click of long fingers.- When people are escorted on their last journey, they kiss on the forehead, and not like you! she remarked when they were at the chess table.The confusion in the head, "reviewing" memories with constant breaks for flashing emotions, distracted the Human. And the "loud tone" of these thoughts did not allow one to abstract from them. Without knowing it, Lis forced him to listen to her experiences. The strategy of the game did not work out, the game was chaotic on both sides.- Escorted? I still hoped this wasn't the case! - from everything that happened and is happening, there was neither the strength nor the desire to throw on the mask of the master of the situation."Then why?" - i