“Today, we burned the entire population of a small town to destroy something truly beautiful? Did we have any right to do so? If the Almighty created this creation and allowed it to exist for so long, how can we consider it ungodly?Cigarettes became a bad habit that I did not want to get rid of. On the contrary, each time a gloomy satisfaction and a secret desire rose up inside, so that one day, accumulated in the lungs, the soot would rise to the very throat in a black wave and end its existence the way it deserves - in that very stench of burning human flesh. After the destruction of the City, he felt the growing filth inside him, and tried not to take breaks between departures somewhere on missions. Even the wildest rumors about the supernatural, he was eager to check in the forefront. Most often, in fact, monsters turned out to be either wild animals or people. Not a single worthy challenge that could end his life in a worthy confrontation.In matters of good and evil, Eric has a
However, her eyes grew a little more worried as she looked around at the strangely behaving townspeople. Hope visibly tensed as she watched them go in different directions like blind kittens. But the reaction was quite natural. It is the calm contemplation of sleepwalking people that would be an alarming bell. If not a witch, then her assistant.“You'd better get back there. Last question, how long has the Tea Witch Shop been closed? The way she looked incredulously at the Reverend Hope was the most eloquent answer.Even more eloquent would be the text “How closed ?! It's impossible!"."The Tea Witch's shop? So, openly and brazenly call your monastery, being one of the servants of the unclean? Although, such offensive impudence is quite in the spirit of witches. Hide in front of everyone, and leave a big inscription, they say, witches live here. The chances that all this will pass by the eyes of the hunter are great! he noted involuntarily.Eric followed the departing girl with a look
“Sit down, Eric,” she pointed to a chair at a small elegant table, “this City is special. Even among your own brethren. The rest, like fishermen with a net, caught everyone who passed by. But this one… he invites into his arms those who want to forget themselves and disappear from the outside world. The unfortunate people who are persecuted and hounded, tortured and killed, always easily found him. Unfortunately for them, we were the ones who settled in the City first, being deprived of our essence at home.Speech flowed like a river while the witch conjured over aromatic drinks, deftly wielding an old Turk. A captivating aroma quickly swam around the room, causing the guy to show an involuntary interest in the proposed pastime. A small, hand-painted tray with two steaming cups was carefully placed on the table.- What makes you think that I'm interested in listening to this? Eric asked incredulously, eyeing the offered drink suspiciously.The witch chuckled, scooped a teaspoon of cof
“If during the day people, and at night the rest, then at dusk the City will restore order!” he thought quickly, trying to find a hidden door under the curtains.Teresa looked at him with mockery and a touch of pity. The witch was not afraid of retribution for her words or actions. She felt a strange certainty that she was right. And something stronger than the fear of death. Finally, the Chapter Brother's hands found a groove. The wall under the palms moved. Exit found.“Remember, Eric,” he flew in after him, when he had already left the witch’s abode, “it is in hatred that we create from time to time what destroys us!”The witch's words didn't want to leave her head. As if there were not enough vague thoughts before. Eric ran to the meeting point at the old cinema, knowing in advance that he was late for a long time. He spent a lot more time with Teresa than he thought. Either the magic of the witch herself, or her drink, or the conversation that bites into the heart like a drill, s
- But I have something on her ... - a sharp poking with an elbow in the side interrupted the vulgar phrase before it was completed. - Come on, you bore!I really wanted to smoke. This was surprising, because as far as he could remember, he had never touched a cigarette. So where does this strange impulse come from? And something unimaginable happened in my soul. A ball of strange conflicting feelings haunted. As if he had done something and now he cannot recover from the shock. But what did he do?The next morning, the guy tried to immerse himself in work, since it was dreary enough to make him forget about everything in the world. Acceptance mountain. Too many new films. Everything needs to be checked, a ton of papers filled out, and a schedule of film screenings drawn up for the future. Not his job, but everyone does it except the cleaners and security guards.After lunch, it began to rain, which caused stormy delight in everyone. Colleagues seemed to miss the vagaries of nature. Ev
***Heavy raindrops landed in Jenny's outstretched hand. She smiled fervently. The rain was hypnotizing. By his very existence, for some reason, he aroused children's delight in almost all the townspeople, as if he was something not of this world. Kenny emerged from the service exit. Relaxed and animated, as if there hadn't been that strange week when he walked, as if lowered into the water. There is fire in the eyes, a hundred thoughts in the head, and in the heart there is a thirst to live here and now. The girl, not noticing anything around, quietly purred under her breath a well-known song:- ... I see the flames in the mountain spurs,I see a flame in the crowns of oaks,I see cry-a-amya, souls in burns,I see the cry-a-amya, the blood of the air,Now will you remember me again?- What, Woman, are you hiding from annoying admirers? Kenny asked mockingly, looking at her outstretched palm towards the rain.Even after the inner demons subsided, he could not understand and share this
In Lakeside, autumn came with a special romantic flair. The trees were slowly painted in bright colors, and luring the locals to arrange more fairs and holidays. The brightest and most colorful day was just around the corner, the costumes for which were ordered from tailors, sewn on their own and expected in all themed shops. House owners selected the brightest and most inviting decorations for facades, and pastry shop managers developed designs for “creepy” desserts.In the cinema, with the change of season, a madhouse has set in, forcing all employees to feel like slaves in a galley. The projectionists and their assistants had the worst of it. On the day of the great fog, which closed the Nightingale City with a dense curtain, from which all the electricity was suddenly turned off for several minutes, there was a massive arrival of new films. The unspoken order became self-evident - to introduce all the new items into the schedule and “roll” all the films until the end of autumn. Th
- Yes, you are evil in the flesh! his brother whispered back.Burying their noses on the table, they laughed out loud. Trisha smiled modestly next to her, feeling like a foreigner next to a brother-sister couple.“Not like the last time you played with us!” Jenny waved her hand when they calmed down a bit and an angry Kenny brought them more drinks. In the meantime, Sarah left the company, heading towards the band, who had finished playing a nice song.“Well, well, proud daughter of Lilith², what other atrocities have you done?” Kenny asked, calming down and settling into his seat with another pint of ale.- You were not with us then, but for me it was the first game. By chance, I got the role of a village beggar sorceress, - Jenny began the story, but her brother interrupted her with laughter.“I’d better tell you, sister likes to downplay her achievements. In short, she managed to learn any random spell of her choice from a wandering mage. As a medicine woman, she invented a cure fo