Ebbing Into the Past
"Was it satisfactory? Your first kill? Well… my." The aged man chuckled in his restraints as he was planked upright in his bindings, a cold plastic bite-guard plastered across his face. His voice was muffled against the steel bars. His eyes trailed towards the youthful and handsome teenage boy across from him, who was sitting comfortably on the bed.
"Oh, yes. I sang him Mischa's favorite lullaby.." A sick smile spread on his lips as he gazed up in return. Maroon eyes clashed against crimson moons. The glint in the aged man's face was more faded and less spry than that of the boy's. Another child chirped up behind the man. He was petite and was extremely young, more or less a child. He smiled innocently at the two gentlemen.
"Mischa!" He grinned, giggling and raising his eyebrows happily. "Where is she?"
"Hannibal.." The man said, a glint of sadness reflected in his blood red orbs. His hands released the tough tension once focused in his palms due to his realization of the current situation.
"Why?" The teenager looked at him. Hannibal could only look at him with a hopeless stare. "Why did you let Mischa die? Why couldn't you do anything? Answer me, Hannibal!"
"Answer yourself, then. Besides, I was not strong en—"
"YOU WEREN'T STRONG ENOUGH!? Is that what you were going to say? You turned me into this. You turned me into a monster! You led yourself into this hellhole!" In that moment, the teenager flashed in and out of the cannibal's gaze, blood spattering more and more on the boy's figure each second. The child Hannibal had disappeared from his gaze before falling in a heap on the prison floor seemingly unconscious. For a brief moment, the body rested there before disappearing. The aged Hannibal now confronted his younger self, eyes of livid pure rage staring back in return. Young Hannibal's face had contorted into fear, anger, and sadness in a matter of seconds. He was desperate.
"We have much more to live on, now. I have much more to live on. If not Mischa, then Clarice." He took labored breaths, hurrying his words as he spoke, but profoundly made his last statement clear. " I love Clarice." Hannibal blurted out, tears welling up in his eyes before shutting tight. Distress was evident as water released from the corners of his eyes, trailing down his cheek. Opening his eyes, the boy was gone.
"Starling.." A familiar voice rang out to him. Turning abruptly in his restraints, Hannibal faced the pure Venus. He tilted his head at the figure. Blinking once more, the fecund streets of Bimini sprang alive, the noise of the crowds bustling, but her voice was more profound to his senses. His composure quickly regained, he blinked calmly. He tilted the phone to his mouth and spoke after having a moment's ideation.
It was all in my head. You are the answer, Clarice. You're the answer to everything.
"Hello, Clarice." He said in a raspy lisp. "Have the lambs stopped screaming?"
No more turns. We will be on the same page. Together now.
"Doctor Lecter?"
"Don't bother with a trace. I won't be on long enough."
Unfortunately.
"Where are you, Doctor Lecter?" A pause. To her, it was a brief second. To him, it was much more than a moment's hesitation.
"I have no plans to call on you, Clarice." A fib. He had barely managed to catch himself from breaking his lucid tone. "The world's more interesting with you in it." Hannibal could not reiterate that fact any clearer. "So, you take care now and extend me the same courtesy." He smirked, waiting for a reply.
"You know I can't make that promise…" He did not dare to break his stare when she said that. His heart almost leapt, though.
"I do wish we could chat longer," He smiled warmly, gazing over at a familiar 'companion' exiting an aircraft which had recently arrived, "but I'm having an old friend for dinner. Bye…" His voice disappeared, but her voice rang clear in his head, pounding against his skull.
"Doctor Lecter?… Doctor Lecter?.. Doctor Lecter." The last call out to him was a moment of realization.
So close, Clarice. So brave. Do you think that if you save me, the lambs will stop screaming?.
A/N: Hope you guys liked the story. Feel free to review/subscribe. If I have enough requests, I'll definitely continue posting up other FFs that may branch into a series. Also, any requests would be welcome as well. I hope to write more.