He lies on the Jester's cart - 28 pt.4
The light is on. I close the door behind me. A large pipe blocks my view of the room, supported by an L-shaped iron bracket. I have to crouch to get around it.
The room is small. To the left is a desk, with its short side against the wall. There’s a blank sheet of paper with a pen on top of it. There’s also a candle, its flame tall and thin. It burns quietly, and its warm light fills the room with soft tones.
To the right are some filing cabinets, made of wood, painted green, lighter than the door. They protrude from the wall. Each has three drawers.
In front of me is Marzio. The color of his skin is warmer than what I’ve become accustomed to seeing in these recent days. He still doesn’t show any emotion, but at least now… at least now he doesn’t seem dead. I don’t know if it’s because I’m happy to be here, seeing him, or if it’s the candlelight enchanting me. He stands motionless. His gaze is still lost in the void, as always. Behind him, I see a painting. The wooden frame is simple, smooth, and entirely black. At the top, in the center, there’s a tiny glowing dot. A star in the cosmic void.
Behind the desk, there’s a wooden chair with a curved, worn backrest. Further back, there’s a small hallway leading to another door. I see another pipe, one that would require you to crouch to get through.
My gaze returns to Marzio.
He’s looking at me.
I feel the other arm wrap around my waist. I feel its legs pressing against mine, and its weight bearing down on me. It squeezes and climbs. The right hand is on my shoulder. It tightens and climbs higher. I feel pain. The weight is too much, but I look at Marzio. His gaze is so gentle. Anything could happen to me now. Anything at all. I’d be happy. My Marzio. My Marzio is here.
I see him move, his arm… his arm lifts. His index finger points to his side, to my right.
Is there something I need to see, Marzio? Is this why I’m here? Is this what you wanted?
He stares at me and points to his side. He’s pointing at something I can’t see.
I take a step forward. He’s pointing beyond the filing cabinets. I still can’t see, so I take another step. I get close to the desk. He’s moved to the left and keeps pointing there.
I lean past the last cabinet.
Down below is a green metal cube. The surface looks painted, matte. I get closer. There’s a dial with numbers around it and another concentric dial with a slot to insert a finger and turn it. Beside it, there’s a keyhole. It’s a safe, a heavy-duty one. Very heavy. I slip my hands into my pockets and grab the keyrings.
Of the two, only one has a long key that might fit in the keyhole. The keychain has the symbol of a zodiac sign.
I bend down, I have to kneel to insert the key.
The demon is at my neck, squeezing in a deadly embrace. I feel his cold skin pressing against my right ear.
- We’re here. – he says.
His lips brush against my ear, they’re dry. Harsh. Rough.
- How many things will we find? How many toys did the child leave us? They’ll be our toys. Our toys. We’ll play with them forever.
The key slides fully into the lock. I try to turn it, and it turns. The mechanism makes a noise. It seems like it hasn’t been opened in a long time, but the key turns easily in the lock. I make a full turn until the key returns to its starting position.
The door opens. I pull it toward me by the keyring.
Inside, there are papers. Ochre-colored sheets. I gather them up.
It’s a file inside a folder. On the cover, there’s “UF–11” written in block letters. It’s Marzio’s handwriting. I open it. There are diagrams, formulas, and calculations. There’s data on chemical composition and the production process. Is this your work, Marzio? Is this what you wanted to leave behind? I close the folder. There’s another sheet beneath it. I take it and place it on top.
It’s handwritten, in his cursive. I recognize it.
I, Marzio Solimena, in full possession of my mental faculties, hereby declare my sole and exclusive heir to all…
I stop.
I can’t read anymore. Tears fill my eyes. I bring my hand to my mouth and sob once again.
- I don’t want all of this. I just want you. I just want to stay with you. – I get up and try to turn around – The weight I carry on my shoulders is too heavy. It’s such a struggle. I bend under the burden. I can’t see Marzio’s face. – Let’s stay here, let’s stay here for a while. Let’s talk. Let’s be together. Tell me how you feel, like we always did. Let’s stay together. Please. Time flies when it’s just you and me, doesn’t it, my love? An eternity could be nothing if spent with you. I’m not afraid now. I just want you. I don’t want to go back up. Not without you. My love.
- Beautiful words. But now step away from there and give me what you found.
I startle. I turn abruptly. At the door stands a tall man. Blonde. His long hair is wet, hanging to his neck. His soaked gray sweater clings heavily to his shoulders, and his dark jeans are drenched. He holds a pair of pliers in his hand. His arm extended toward me, he gestures for me to give him the documents.
- Who are you? – my voice chokes in my throat. The weight of the demon presses heavily on my shoulders. I gasp.
- A friend of Marzio. Give me the papers.
I step back.
- Bullshit.
- Listen, bitch. I’ve already taken care of your pig cop. Now it’s just you left. Give me the papers, and I promise it’ll be quick and painless.
He steps forward.
I keep moving back. I feel the safe press against my knees, I can’t retreat any further.
He comes closer. His face twisted with rage.
- It’s here, close now. He wants you. – the demon’s voice hisses in my ears. Surprised, with a hint of disappointment.
The man keeps advancing. The deep lines around his mouth carve black furrows. The light casts sharp shadows over his brow. His eyes dark pits beneath them.
He circles the desk. He’s close. I glance around. I could jump over the desk. I could run for the door.
He’s right on me, Marzio beside him, his gaze lost in the void.
It’s over. I raise my left hand to shield my face, clutching Marzio’s will and the project’s formulas to my chest with my right. My legs buckle.
- Oh my God.
It’ll end like this. Like a sob in the dark.
It’s not fair. It’s not fair. Not after coming this far. So close to justice for you, my love. You don’t deserve this. You don’t deserve to be forgotten like this.
The blonde man raises his arm. The pliers glint in the air. He’s coming.
I look up. My final goodbye to my love. I’m coming back to you. Finally.
He grunts, flexing his arm to gather strength. He aims for my head. I close my eyes in fear.
Every muscle tenses. Mortal tension.
A sharp blow to the back of my head. I feel the bone shift against the others. My skull vibrates. Everything spins around me, and the drum beats a violent march against my eardrums. I’m spinning, I’m about to fall. I feel wetness. I bring my hand to my head, then to my eyes. There’s blood, red blood, fresh blood.
The blonde man in front of me, his hand raised to the sky again, the expression of animal fury on his face.
- Oh. – the jester whispers in my ears, surprised. – If that’s what you want. Go on.
The man’s arm pulls back, one last strike ready for me. My head spins. I can’t understand. My thoughts whirl chaotically. Control over reality slips away. My knees give out. I feel my senses abandoning me. His hand, his outstretched hand. The blurred figure of Marzio beside him. I think I’m afraid now. My eyes close, as if a gentle hand has been placed on my forehead.
An electric explosion, glass shattering. I feel it on my face, my head. It falls on me.
I open my eyes, jolted awake as if from a nightmare.
Marzio’s hand is raised. He’s gripping the man’s wrist. The man struggles, terrified. The lamp flickers. White flashes in the night.
- What the hell is this? – he screams.
Marzio’s eyes are open. They glow with white light. The lamp goes out. His eyes are the only thing illuminating the room. The profile of the blonde man. His hooked nose. He brings his other hand to his wrist, trying to free himself. Marzio stands still, like a pillar of steel. The man doesn’t see him, writhing like a venomous snake.
- Is this our game? Our toy. – the jester’s voice is a sharp hiss in my ears. – You didn’t want me to touch him, did you? Yet he gave himself to me, piece by piece. To save you? How important are you? Do you even know?
Marzio, no, what have you done? What have you sacrificed? I’m afraid. I can’t afford to lose you. But I have no strength. I remain still, a helpless spectator. I hate myself. Images spin around, madly.
- It’s inevitable, child. We are all slaves. Evil doesn’t take us. It pervades us. We are made of it. So delicious. – the monstrous voice booms in my ears, only I can hear it. – The unnecessary must be eliminated. The relics you call humanity, love, just illusions. Accept me, for I am the truth.
No. I can’t accept that. How much evil has taken you, how much has consumed you, my love. More than I can bear, more than I can understand. I know now. The same fear gripping my heart now. Wrapping me like a cloak of thorns. I wanted to be with you. In every moment you were alone, scared. To heal your pain with mine, to find refuge in each other. It hurts, like walking barefoot on broken glass. But I know it would have taken us where we wanted. Where we deserved. Our home.
- So, foolish girl. Do you think any of this makes sense? That it isn’t just my game? My feast? One last illusion before the dark? As you wish. I’ll show you the substance, then. And you’ll decide, in the end, what’s to be believed.
My shoulders are free. On the desk, the jester advances. Slowly. His long arms dangle at his sides, attached to his stocky body. He approaches the man, who continues to thrash violently, trying to free himself.
The jester places a hand on his shoulder.
The man freezes and turns.
His scream of terror fills the room. I cover my ears.
The jester leaps onto him, wrapping himself around his neck.
The room shakes violently, as if struck by an earthquake. I lose my balance and fall against the desk. My side hits the edge, and a sharp pain stabs into my flesh. Another tremor causes some filing cabinets to open. Dust puffs out from the papers now exposed to the light. I see Marzio on the other side. The star in the painting behind him shines intensely. I look at it, and it stings my eyes. I hear footsteps outside the door. Heavy footsteps. Advancing. With each step, the room shakes. I’m afraid.
The man collapses to the ground. The demon is on him. His scream is cut short. His back arches in a spasm of pain and terror. The jester raises his hands to the sky, as if in a blasphemous prayer.
Then everything goes silent. We fall back into the darkest black.
And yet.
And yet, his breath is near.
Hands tighten around my neck, squeezing, squeezing until I can’t breathe. With one hand, I try to loosen the grip, and with the other, I reach out toward Marzio. Bent over the desk like this, but he’s too far away. I can’t reach him. The weight pushes me back. I stand up. I’m scared. I see Marzio’s shadow stretch. I hear the wind blow hard, like a door suddenly opened, and a cold gust of death rushed in. I’m afraid. Papers fly from the filing cabinets, scattering, opening. Terror grips me. I can’t stay here, the walls will collapse. Marzio will die, I will die, it will all be over. I crawl backward and turn, the weight on my shoulders, a single effort. I stand with all my strength.
I try, and I feel him climbing with me. Pressing on my chest.
- I’m hungry, my love.
I scream. I can’t bear the demon’s voice inside me. Everything spins around me, and the drum beats a violent march against my ears. I’m spinning, I’m about to fall. I bring my hand to my head, then in front of my eyes. There’s only black. I look toward the door I came through. I only know it’s open, but it’s far away. I can’t see anything anymore.
I can’t see anything anymore.
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