Twisted to Perfection
Chapter 3:Problems are arising
(2800 words)
I stand in the endless void and its ever growing shadow of darkness. It’s growing day by day, hour by hour. It seems like it stops from time to time, but never lets its growth stop for long. It does not seem to be ever truly stopping, even when it doesn’t move. I just wish it would, as I do not know how long it will take for it to grow beyond my wildest dreams. It seems like it wants to swallow the whole world.
It seems to be slowly creeping up to me. I would run, but my body is rooted into the ground of this world. Like a plant which blooms so magnificently during the spring and summer, which roots stay ever strong, keeping it alive and safe. The darkness reaches me. First, I couldn’t feel my legs, then my lower body, my chest and arms and as it finally reached my face I closed my eyes.
I open my eyes. I’m in my bed. My whole body is running cold and I could feel my whole body being wet and sweat slowly dancing from my forehead to the tip of my nose. I slowly rise from my bed and glance upon my clock next to my bed.
3:23
I sigh. Another night, same dream.
I know far too well that I won’t be getting any more sleep than this, so why waste time turning in my bed. I get out and look at the calendar on my wall. It’s been three days since the last time I was at work and the accident occurred. Since then, whatever this thing is has remained silent. After a few unsteady steps I reach the kitchen. I consider turning on the light but why waste money on that when your eyes are perfectly fine in the dark?
I walk over to the kitchen sink and take a cup out. I take a few breaths and I can feel something is gonna happen. I put the cup down over and I lean over the sink. After a few seconds of gagging, a liquid began pouring out of my mouth. It was the same type I had cleaned off my mouth a few days ago during the breach. After a few seconds, just as quickly it began, my sickness ended. I don’t know if this is happening as the result of some internal trauma or damage or because of this thing being inside me.
My eyes are filled with tears and I tower over the sink. After a few seconds I open the tap and let the water cleans the liquid. I reach for the cup and allow some water to pour into it. I clean my mouth and spit into the sink. I open the water boiler and let the water run into it. I turn it on and sit down on an old wooden chair. I reach for a tissue to clean my eyes of the salty tears while waiting for the water to boil. I reach into one of the lower cabinets in hopes of finding some snacks I can munch on. I end up finding some cereal with chocolate filling, good enough for me. With the water heated, I place a tea filter in it. I don’t bother pouring out the cereal, I just eat it straight out the box.
I only got 3 more days to get my shit together, if I fail, the higher ups might discover something and as someone who made it out without any injury I could be in the list of people who they might question and monitor.
I rub my eyes as I consider my options once again. Maybe death would have been preferable? The pain, suffering the torture of life would have been all snuffed out just like my life. Maybe, it isn’t too late to change my possible fate? Maybe I still have time to take my life into my own hands? I could try to run but that would be a straight signal to them that I have things to hide.
I let my hands run across my hair. Whatever was happening, it wasn’t a result of my choice, but we both wanted to live. What else was to shoot? It’s not like either of us had any better option to make then this. But….. This doesn’t mean that I would have taken it given the choice and given the possible outcomes.
I take a sip of my tea. The fruity taste does its best to wash down the burning feeling in my throat, but to no avail. This, whatever I’m vomiting up, its burn is a lot stronger then normal stomach acid would. It hurts and it takes way too long for the pain to be gone.
My chair lets out a painful creek as I stand up from it. I glance out to the dark night. The night was of its darkest hours, only illuminated by some dim lamps, but even their struggle was futile as the darkness seemed never ending. As I gaze out I can see a few drunk people walking. Perhaps walking is a bit of an overstatement, I think a better description would be that they tried to keep each other from falling face first onto the cold concrete. The odd hours of the night truly deserve their name.
My mouth can’t resist, and takes up a smile. Those people reminded me of myself and Lauri. Except It was him who was this drunk, I usually only drank enough to get the good feeling. That magnificent feeling, as the warmth runs down your throat, it ever gently heats up your body. This feeling, like when your mother made you a hot cup of chocolate on a cold winter night. These days, I get it from alcohol, mostly wine.
I chuckle a bit faintly as one of them trips, resulting in all of them falling face first. I look, making sure they are alright, which they are. I put the cut to my mouth and down the remaining tea. I now gaze onto the night, it’s never ending glory, so calm, yet ever dooming. The night, who never answers to no one and obeys only to itself. It’s coldness, but ever blooming light, granted by the stars ever shining upon our humble little life's. The lands, which we live on, which we were born on.
I cannot know what these landscapes mean to others, for me, my native country is here embraced by these flames, a small country, a far-flung world of my childhood. I grew from him, like a weak branch from a tree trunk and I hope my body will also sink into this earth. I'm home. And if it sometimes kneels at my feet every bush, I know its name and its flower, I know what they're going, where they're going, and I know what it can mean, on a summer twilight, reddening pain dripping from the walls of the house.
This landscape is a map for those who fly above it, and they do not know where most of our great ancestors lived, what does this map hide? factory and wild barracks, but for me a grasshopper, an ox, a tower, a gentle farm, he sees the factory in the binoculars and fields, while I also see the worker, who trembles for his work, forest, whistling orchard, grapes and graves, mother among the graves, who weeps softly, and a railway or factory to be used until they crumble, the mayor’s house and the mayor stands in front of it and speaks, holding a red flag, surrounded by many children, and in the yard of the factories, a dog is rolling; and there is the park, the footprints of old loves, the taste of kisses in my mouth is sometimes honey, sometimes cranberry, and going to school, on the edge of the sidewalk, in order not to be picked for a test that day, I stepped on a stone, here is this stone, but it is not visible from above, there is no machine that can show all this well.
But, who would even bother learning? For them, the past of these lands are nothing but a burden to learn in school and forget. For me, it is a reminder, whatever may come, we will prevail. We prevailed against invaders, plagues and against nature itself. We will prevail against these non-humans of the underworld.
My lungs are filled with air as I take a deep breath.
Non-Human…..Am I now one of them?
I shake my head. This question and especially its answer does not concern me. Why would it, after all, It is still my life, my actions and decisions. I’m not anything else than what I was a week ago, a year ago and on the day I was born. I may only hope that I will still be the same on the day when the bells toll upon my body and my soul.
The house echoes as a faint ringing noise wanders around the building. I gently place the cup down and walk back into my bedroom. I pick up the phone.
“Hello?”
I speak.
“Horthy, It’s me, Lauri! Hey, I know I am calling in an hour that you most likely don’t appreciate, but I need to talk with you, urgently. I pulled some strings and I managed to get some info. Imma be real, don't look too hot for you buddy. I don’t wanna tell this through a phone call, can you come down to the bar that’s down 2 blocks from where you live? I’m already here, I just need you to dress up and come. See you there.”
Lauri said it as fast as he could, I couldn’t even say a thing before he put it down, but if I know one thing, urgent and not looking hot are two things which, if comes out of Lauris mouth, he MEANS it.
I sigh and throw on some clothes. The nights of the late summer days are usually still warm, so I didn’t need a lot on myself, but I still had to wash my face, gotta look presentable.
As I lean over the sink and wash my face with warm water I glance upon the mirror. My body froze. For just a fraction of a second half of my face wasn’t mine. It was that god knows what beast. It was smiling. It wasn’t dead, as I hoped it would be, but seemingly wasn’t awake either. Or at least this is what I think. Within a blink, my face was back to its usual way, no trace of that thing. My heart sank deep. I swallow my fears and walk out the door.
The dead night was silent as the class was reckless when the teacher walked in. Knows that it can only fool around for so long before someone steps in. Now, what once was filled with drunk people and the homeless, now had no trace of them. The light sources of the lamps flickered every so often, enduring the torture of long nights of shining. Only my steps could be heard, but they sounded ever so loudly, I thought the city could hear me.
I reached the bar quickly. I walk in and look around. The bartender looks me in the eyes before returning his gaze to the glasses, which he was washing.
“Took your time”
I hear an ever familiar voice.
I look in the direction and see Lauri, drinking a cup of whiskey. He motioned for me to come and take a seat, which I did. In front of me was a cup of wine. I look at him and see his soft smile.
“You didn’t invite me to drink, so what is it, spit it out, what is it exactly?”
My voice sounded harsh, but we both knew something was up, especially him.
Lauri shook his head as his smile turned into a saddened expression. He placed his cut down and put his hands together.
“Well…. You see…. I did some digging. The head of the Northern wing seems really interested in you, as you're the only one to escape without any injury.”
I bite my lips. I knew it would cause some trouble to not only walk out on my two legs, let alone uninjured.
“That said.”
Lauri said as he took out a small file from his jacket.
“I thought it would be better if you heard it from me. Horthy. Now you're a member of the White guards.”
My eyes froze.
“What???? the White guards are the-”
I Shouted, but Lauri put his hand over my mouth.
“Keep your goddamn voice down, we still have an ear near us.”
He spoke under his breath as he pointed at the bartender. He slowly let go of my mouth and sat back down.
“Then why the hell did you decide on this location, not my house??”
I asked, enraged.
He chuckled.
“Drinks!”
I sighed.
“Let me get this clear, just cause I escaped unharmed, now I’m an elite soldier?”
Lauri shook his shoulders
“Their reasoning is simple. If you managed to make it out alive, it means you’re either highly skilled or just dumb luck. If skill, they need you. If it is lucky, they will use it until it runs out. I think that’s a fair logic. Also, you need money, you will get more as an elite guard. I’m a bit sad tho, now I cannot mock you for your level.”
Lauri said as he winked at me.
I reach out for the documents. I read it slowly.
“Dear Horthy. We wish to inform you that your recent actions during breach “Amazement” did not go unnoticed by our organization and its members. We are hereby informing you of your removal from the janitor/clean-up workforce and promoting you to the elite White Guards response/contain forces. Your training will begin when the clean-up after the breach has been handled. We also wish to inform you that this is not an offer, as you have no right to decline it. We hope you understand that when you entered the ranks of the defenders of the people, you gave yourself to the cause and to those who plan its actions. A little interview will be held with High general Hindenburg and a few questions will be asked(Mostly about past experience with guns, mental state and pay) . We hope that you will join the ranks of those whose actions will forever be remembered by the people and by those who hold you dear.”
-Head of the Armed forces of the Organisation, Generalissimo, Jacob.
I reach out for my wine and down the whole glass.
I sigh.
“How fucked am I?”
Lauri thinks for a bit.
“Well, on one hand, you will be sent to the most dangerous tasks that can be ever handed out. On the other hand tho, as you are deemed non-expandable, you will be in the highest safety and you will be sent out around once a month. Tho, recent events tend to show that one month is one week, but who knows? If you can pull out that skill or luck multiple times, you will be just fineeeeeee.”
I look at him.
“You think so?”
He shakes his head.
“In all honesty, I do not have the slightest idea. I’m just a soldier.”
He chuckles a bit. Only now I see that the bottle of whiskey next to him is already half-empty.
“But you did pull some strings?”
I ask, finding it weird how he could get such papers and information.
“You see, I never questioned orders. Never spread no information about failed plans and attacks. I never let anyone down. With these things, I managed to get a few favors during my years here. Asking for a piece of paper and asking for me to tell you this was literally nothing. They were even happy, as now they don’t have to bother with you. Heck, I might have earned another favor by just being the one to tell you this.”
I simply stood up from my seat but Lauri grabbed my hand.
“Sit back down, one thing needs to be said.”
I do and he puts the glass down.
“You will be needed tomorrow. You will need to go to the organization. The paper said when they are done, but in reality, the paper was written two days ago. They are almost done by now. So yea, tomorrow you will need to go in. Wish you the best of luck.”
Lauri threw some money onto the table and we both walked out.
I entered my home. My body was hurting and burning.
This is the day I realized how fucked I am actually.
ns 15.158.61.21da2
