Lavender and Roses
By Devion Cummings
Chapter One, The perfect Day
It was Tuesday September 1, 194X. I peered out of the window of the bus as the pitter patter of the rain hit the listless glass. The grey sky loomed over the city as a perfect blanket of forlorn insanity reached across the infinite horizon. The gloomy weather was better than anything I could have ever hoped for on a day like this. I had gotten off the bus and walked up to a newspaper stand. It was covered with a tattered grayish-blue tarp that was riddled with holes of many sizes. Under the cover of the tarp I picked up a paper and read the headline. The size was the font was ridiculously big and wasn't proportional with the columns beneath, it was also pushed over a bit to the left to make room for a picture. It didn't line up with the rest of the other words; the word "The" was twice as big as the other words in the headline. It annoyed me. Truly the works of an amateur. It was a war campaign that promised equal rights for both domestic and overseas in racial tolerance. It had a lame title with an even lamer slogan, "The Double V campaign, a victory over seas and a victory at home." or something along those lines.
I was born in Memphis, Tennessee so naturally a proper education was scares. It wasn't good for whites but what blacks had wasn't as good as the whites either. My mother, in wanting us to peruse a better education and thus live a happier life moved us, my brothers and I to Philadelphia up north were we attended a rather upscale boarding school. My mother was a nurse who worked at the school so my brothers and I were able to attend for free or of very little charge. On the condition were kept our grades up and never gotten into trouble.
It was about three O'clock in the afternoon, when I walked past a flower shop with a tight grip on my umbrella. I wore black boots with dark grey denim jeans, a long black leather coat with a hood and wielded a large black pointy umbrella. As I made my way past the shop I saw two women one was much younger than the other. The younger one was slender and had blonde hair that went to her shoulders. Her eyes were a translucent violet and her lips were a dark blood red. She wore a red and black plaid scarf and a fluffy virgin white parka. She walked away from the women carrying a bouquet of chrysanthemum and poinsettias. A burst of bright colors that shown like vibrate lights of life on this dark and dreary afternoon. As she walked towards the exit with her head tilted down she seemed to be unaware of her surroundings. Her bangs were cut at an angle to cover her left eye. A few cluster of hair on the right side of her head was longer than the rest of her hair. It went down to her breast and had red and black streaks in it. She walked past me with a sullen expression on her face. The warm smile that was present as she talked to the elderly woman vanished as soon as she got through the mahogany arched entryway. Her hair bellowed in the wind, her perfume carried with it. It was elegant and yet classy. It was also a bit tantalizing and mysterious. The fragrant of lavender and roses she carried with herself was perfect with every last detail, as if it was tailor made just for her. I walked past the flower shop and up to a coffee shop, despite the weather there sat two fairly elderly men sitting outside in the rain with umbrellas fanned open.
"Hear about the war back o'er in Europe?"
The shorter one slumped over and scratched his head.
"Ah I'm too old to be fighting in some damn war. It started in Europe let them damn Europeans handle it themselves."
The taller older looking one sat up and tugged on his beard.
"I hear ya. America needs to stay out of it this time. We don't need to be sending off our men to some forsaken country like in the Great War."
The two chuckled and drank their noxious swill. The shorter one looked at me, as we locked eyes he shuddered and went back to his business.
"What's wrong bill?" The taller one acquired.
"No-nothing, just felt a chill going down my spine." He took a sip from his cup and dared not to look my way again.
I was headed to a recruiter's drop off spot. Essentially it was a warehouse that those who signed up to enlist were to wait until a shuttle came and took us somewhere to prepare until we were shipped off to fight.
When I arrived the downpour was beginning to shift into a storm. There were about thirty of us, most of which were black. I made my way behind the crowd of people and secluded myself within a dark foreboding corner. Watching as more and more people showed up, I reached for my coat pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. In front of me was a lean black man with corn rolls, a shorter white man with a Mohawk and a woman dressed in white. The woman had black hair and black lipstick. She wore heavy dark eye liner and shadowing. One eye was brown the other red. From what I could remember she always had a hand or something to cover the red eye. Hiding it from the world. The man with the Mohawk was covered in tattoos from pin up girls to demon spawn. He had a long scar that ran from his neck down through his left arm and a mole that was under his right ear. He wore a black tank top and a pair of dark bluish-grey jeans that were torn at the knees. Finally the black man, his corn rolls were loose and sprung up. They had rubber bands of different colors, red, blue, yellow and green. He talked with a low melancholy tone of voice as he twisted his hair attempting to fix his appearance. We waited 'bout three or four hours, it was dark and cold and the rain had yet to let up. A few steps down the street was a flickering streetlamp, it was crowded with moths and other insects that too were vexed by the light. The storm picked up as thunder could be heard in the distance and the occasional lighting sparks never seemed to fill me with so much joy as it did tonight. It was thirty past eleven when a bus finally showed up. By this time most of the people here had already left, a few of which were the black man with the corn rolls and the white man with the Mohawk. I took at puff from my cigarette and started to stare into the distance soon after the shuttle bus appeared and parallel parked next to the dull red curb. The first person to walk off the shuttle was a bulky black man, his head was shaven bald, actually the only trace of visible hair as far as I could tell was his short goatee and eye brows.
He spoke with grandeur as if he knew of gold, money and finer things. The tone of his voice was slightly demanding as is he knew he was superior to us-to them and was putting us-them in their place before they had the chance to justify their rights.
He shouted at us with a low hollow tone from his chest "Listen up, I want each and every one of you to stand in two lines, men here and woman over there."
He pointed to the restrooms nearby making it easier to place us within categories.
Another man walked off the bus; he was a white man and was much shorter however he was more built than the black man. As he stepped off the bus you could hear the metal creak and press as the bus leaned to his direction as he pressed upon the steps.
The tone of his voice was raspy. There was a scar on his neck that may have affected the way his voice sounded. But I wouldn't really know.
"Hmm…" He paced about the ground completely oblivious to the rain, thunder drums, lighting and the flickering streetlamp. He walked over to the line of men.
"…nope this will never do. It just won't."
"What the hell are you talking about?" said a Caucasian man about my age. His voice sounded like a high pitched squeal of a pig about to be slaughtered.
"Well because you asked so politely I'll answer you." He took a breather. "I asked for men, but all I got were nothing but little boys" the level of voice was low; he furrowed his brow with a frown on this face. His meager and rather pathetic insult seemed to set off an imp of a man who came running at him holding up his fists.
"The fuck, who callin a boy?!", before he had time to rethink his decision he found himself laying face first in a puddle of his own blood and dirty water with a gun pointed to his head.
"Best reconsider yourself before you get yer ass killed."
With everyone else distracted I smothered out my cigarette and made my way onto the bus. I looked around the bus, the inside was in pristine condition, the seat were a sickly blue green color with plastic on them, then floor was tiled and was freshly polished. The outside of the bus was a navy-blue color. It had a military logo depicting peace and harmony. I chuckled at the irony. The driver however was nothing like the bus. He was an overweight middle aged man; he wore a grey sweat shirt with several stains on it, a dark brown beanie that covered only his left ear and grey sweat pants. On his right hand he was missing his middle finger and had a skeletal tattoo going down his left arm. There was a silhouette of a wedding band on his ring finger; I assumed he was a divorcee. If not he sure as hell was a piece of work. I sat at the back us the bus with my hood on slouched over with my head against the window. The heater was blazing and was much more relaxing than the brisk outside open air. The hum of the fan was enticing and was making me doze off.
"Hey, hey dude…"
"Wh-at?" I yawned while stretching my arms.
"Sure you don't want to suit up front with the other col-"
"You can stop with your racial slur right now. I prefer the back, now be gone with you."
Just as he turned around a brutish yet slender blonde man whose hair came to his shoulders appeared behind him, he pushed the man down to the floor and continued down the aisle. He walked up to me raising his fist. His voice sounded like a lace ribbon wrapped around barbed wire shredding a tin aluminum can into bits. His hoarse voice was mixed with a few high-pitched semi-pleasant interruptions. It was a blend of ferocity and docility, he seemed to be very hostile and yet gentle.
"Oh hell no nigga you gotta move"
"Excuse me but I don't gotta do anything. I'm not moving for anyone, so instead of you badgering me take the seat next to me."
He huffed knowing there wasn't really anything he could do. He sat down the seat and put his feet up then preceded to fall asleep. I looked over to him and saw something that perplexed me. A few cluster of his hair on the right side of his head was longer than the rest of his hair. It went down to his chest and was dyed with black and red. In the seat in front of him sat the woman with the dual colored eyes and flawless black hair. She sat there silently looking through the window. Her reflection revealed to me that she had been crying. Her makeup was running down the side of her face as she attempted to wipe it off with a white cloth. I sighed mumbling to myself then turned to the window seeing it as the only source of entertainment. I slowly closed my eye lids and dozed off.
I woke up with a stinging pain in my right arm; I looked up to see the brutish blonde man looking at me with his arms crossed.
"Get up, we gots to get goin"
"…was hitting me necessary"
"Well how else was I supposed to get you up?"
"Shaking or perhaps tapping me or-"
"Get the hell off the bus!"
We turned to see the official from earlier. His voice boomed and was-still is ringing in my ear. He grabbed us our arms and pushed us off the bus; I tripped and fell on my face cutting my chin whereas my blonde acquaintance landed perfectly on his feet without even the slightest stumble. He was always quite nimble and light on his feet. We were pushed into a boring grey room what had no ventilation what so ever, the only form of cooling we had was the door that had ajar. However our quaint yet enjoyable breeze was violently interrupted by the colonel who walked in and shut the door. Within moments the heat got to us as we started to sweat. I was perfectly fine with it but that's the least I can say for blondy to the right of me who was squirming in his own salty filth. The room didn't help his feeling of disgust either. It smelled of rank must, mildew and of something sour. Then you opened your mouth to speak it was like drinking sea water. The pungent taste of salty bitterness was enough to make a grown man cry, but crying was forbidden here. The foul aroma was sickening. My stomach wrenched and cringed every time I took a breath or tried to speak. My eyes were teary and I wiped away and all tears that dared attempted to escape my ducts. Each time I gaged I cupped my hands over my mouth repeating "Oh god oh god oh god" over and over again. This is what I could have imagined was going on in the mind of my mutual friend. In the corners of the wall was mold, it was a black and a bit of white something that grew on the walls and the floors. Some was even present on the ceiling and dripped onto the floor. I kept my eyes shut as much as I could, to be present in such conditions as long as we were could have been possibly life threatening.
The colonel didn't seem to mind the wretched place though. In fact he seemed to enjoy being here. The truth is the colonel was a disgusting man and could have had a matching theme to the room. The light dangling from a ceiling lamp was fixated over his shinny balding head. His greyish white hair glistened as grease shinned with his bald spot. He'd always swallow deep and gargle a bit before speaking. When he talked he mouth would always be wide open, you'll see the saliva splashing about in his mouth. It would then leak from the corners of his lips and foam up slightly. His teeth were yellow except for one incisor that was greyish yellow. His gums looked to be red and always bleeding. The scent of whiskey and coffee from his breath would always make you gag, that is if his appearance didn't make you vomit first. His appearance was an arsenal; with one glance he'd have a full scale assault on your eyes and nose. His nose was large and looked as if it took up the majority of his face it was riddled with pimples and warts, his eyes were small and grey and the only sensual part of his complexion. Aside from his facial features he wore a dark navy-blue uniform with a medal attacked to the left side of his chest. He wore a black leather belt that had a large gilded buckle, it was almost as shinny as his head as the lamp danced upon it. The buckle had an image of the American flag and an eagle with a quote etched underneath it "Stand or die, be the light in the nefarious darkness." Beside him against the wall was a cane propped up, it was a mix of mahogany and oak and had a golden cap at the bottom. There was a leather tether tied to the hook. Carved into it said "Cornelius McStr üdder, the great equalizer." It was carved to mimic classic gothic calligraphy but was a tragic failure.
He snapped his fingers and a petite woman came in. She had her face covered with a white veil and was carrying clothing. She handed the clothing to both me and Blondy and turned around and left. She turned back to look me in the eye, she then shuddered and scurried away.
"These ladies will be your uniforms."
I sneered, "Why must you people deter us and refer to us by perverse means?"
"Why must you be a smart ass?"
"Simple, I attended an upscale establishment and graduated valedictorian; nevertheless I still retain my knowledge and know how."
"You're the first black man I've meet to be able to speak with such linguistically skill"
"I seriously think you're using the term "linguistically" in the wrong context"
"Does that honestly mat-you need to stop bad mouthin' me boy! When you get yer ass out there you better watch your back!"
"Oh? Did I strike a nerve?" I chucked insincerely.
The blonde man coughed and cleared his throat, "Um do you want us to put these on?"
The colonel put his hands on his hips and stood like a skyscraper "Right here and right now strip down to your unmentionables and put these on."
"…" Blondy looked anemic I honestly he was going to faint.
"Want wrong with your friend?"
"There are two things wrong with your statement, one he isn't my friend I don't know him. Two how the hell am I supposed to know what he feels?"
"D-di-d you say change in here…?"
"Yes is that an issue."
"In front of you people…?"
"…yeees…"
He started to stutter and choke on his tongue "Don't you think this room is rather small and well for a lack of better words gross to change into clothing this immaculate?"
He glared at him, I couldn't help but to think to myself "Why is he lying to the geezer? These garments are just as nasty as this room and as gramps."
"I-we can't change in here, this is too inhumane. Do you want us getting sick on the first day?"
"Stop yer bitchin and change."
"Stop being a pig-head and let us change elsewhere!" His voice cracked, a high pitched feminine screech was heard-"Are all men this intractable?!" He turned to me "Are you fine with this?"
I turned to the wall and jeered "I'm perfectly fine changing here." I looked him in the eye and winked. He face became red, partly blush partly fury. "To hell with you!"
The colonel cleared his throat. "If you're going to whine so much then go ahead but you'd better watch your back too. I got extra work just for the two of you."
Blondy picked up his clothes then ran out. Cornelius turned his attention to me as I fixed my tie into its correct position.
"How the hell are you already dressed?"
"I did say I was completely okay with changing here didn't I"
"Hmm…" He stroked his chin as if he had a beard. "Why did you decide to enlist?"
"Does my personal goal really matter?"
"No need to get defensive, I'm only asking what are your dreams for the future."
"If you insist. I guess I only joined this war that has nothing to do with me is primarily because of a stupid childhood dream, to be able to fly and touch the clouds, even if I'll be bound to a metallic winged death machine.
"That's a pretty damn fine dream to have." He said with a triumphant tone of voice. "You know if you open up more people won't see you as such a prude."
While thinking to myself I smirked. "Perhaps if you focused on your hygiene more people wouldn't talk to you from across the room."
"What's with the grin?" He raised a brow.
"Nothing, nothing just remembered a joke from earlier."
"…" He turned to walk out the room. "When your friend or whoever is his gets here you two are to report to your barracks and get some rest."
As soon as he left Blondy walked in fully dressed in the uniform and carrying his clothing folded neatly in perfect squares.
"What took you so long?"
He scoffed "Does it really matter? I'm here aren't I?"
I shrugged.
"Where's the colonel go?"
"I don't know probably to his office or something."
He sat adjacent to me and pulled out a photo. The image was in black and white of some man dressed in a fancy suit. He bore a pitiful frown crossed with a half-assed smile.
"I'm in this for my dad you know."
"Hmm?" I looked at him with a blank expression.
"He's dying. I'm doing this for the money to have him treated."
"What's he dying of exactly?"
"He needs a heart transplant. We have a donor but not the money."
"You know that even if he gets the money for his operation there's a very slim chance of him actually surviving."
He stood up and slapped me grabbed me by my tie and forced me to stand up.
"You stupid son of a bitch. You can't just go and say twisted shit like that!"
I exhibited a state of apathy for the man. "Why should I care if your father dies? Everyone dies eventually it's just the cruel fact of life."
"Oh god, what the hell are you talking about."
"You spoke of god. God is a cruel beast. It watches us toil in our suffering knowing it has the power to give us eternal happiness. God is an unfair entity; it chooses those who get to live in paradise while the others are to reside in hell. It is the master of life and death yet it bestows death upon us." I titled my head to the right. "If god loves us so much and we true are his favorite creation then why grant us the gift of pain and punishment."
He loosened his grip on my tie as his legs gave out. He scurried to the back of the wall and cupped his ears. "You're sick! You need help! No man in their right mind would ever say anything like that!"
"Guess you're right. I may not be within the right mind." I held my head and looked up to the ceiling.
"Unlike the rest of you dogs. I'm the alpha wolf not chasing his own tail. Truly insignificant beings we are. Nothing more than a translucent speck of dust." I looked at the puzzled man, his look of lunacy and speculation was profound.
"Let me tell you something."
He hesitated, almost hoping not to reply "W-what?"
"Earth has a skin, the skin riddled with disease. One of such disease is man."
He stood up with wobbly knees, "Why do you talk like this?"
"Because I've been forsaken by the one you call god."
I started to pace the floor adjusting my cufflinks.
"The only reason why I'm here is simply due to the fact of sheer boredom. Life is a game that takes too long. As humans we make it more bearable and enjoyable. However this war has been on for far too long. It's become stale and needs to end."
"W-why not just end it all?"
"Not in the question, suicide is simply a way out for the weak. I refuse to be lumped in the common weaklings that manifested from their own bile."
"You need to die!"
"Well that wouldn't be to interesting now would it?"
"I don't understand."
"What fun would I have in killing myself when I can kill first then take my life, they can only hang you once right? Besides it'll be more fun to be killed than to take my own life don't you agree?"
"… What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I have this undying urge to kill."
"Kill what?"
"Not what, but who. In this world the strong prey upon the weak. I simply reacting on animalistic urges that you've suppressed for eons. Suppressing such urges isn't natural. It dulls the senses and awareness. Why distort the only means of natural defense these fragile bodies actually have?"
"…How?"
"How what?"
"How did you pass the entrance exam? What made you like this? You're clearly a psychotic sociopath."
"Simple really. My mind is completely rational. It is you who think irrationally. I am composed and stable. My demeanor is that of any other man. Reality is only what you perceive of it."
"You belong in a loony bind."
"And we all belong in hell."
McStr üdder walked through the door. "Ladies done chatting yet? Get yer ass to the barracks now!"
I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes. "Sir with all due respect, you're a raging anus. We weren't given a tour of the facilities therefore we don't know where it is."
He looked stun. Honestly, was he not accepting an insipid comment from me after barging in when he did, he's such a fool. Albeit as it may be fools usually die foolish deaths.
Strangely enough I almost envied the man. Being a dimwitted fool is the best gift one can be bestowed in this world. Knowledge is chaos, knowing will be our downfall or so it has been said.
"I can't wait to see you on the field!"
I chuckled. "Careful old geezer, such a spiteful tongue is bound to be bitten by the persuasive serpent."
McStrüdder huffed and turned around. "Follow me."
He turned to walk away swaying his arm. A golden watch fell from his scuffed sleeves. It glinted in the broken light that shown through the windows. I noticed how I was fixated on the watch, especially on the numbers on the clock. The black diamond encrusted numbers had chipped paint, the numbers read one, two, three, five, four, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, and thirteen. Clearly a bootleg. Made by someone who clearly couldn't count well. I mean come-on. What third rate third world child made that hideous crime to fashion? I looked over to the blonde man, he turned his head to look at me then grimaced. Biting his lips he whispered to me.
"I hope you die out there."
Softly chuckling, "I hope I die out there."
"Know this, I hate you!"
"And I feel indifferent towards you.
"Good!"
"Excelle-"Would you pussy-willows care to shut the hell up?"-nt"
The colonel looked back to me. I had my arms crossed glaring directly into his soul. He shuddered then turn back. He turned back muttering something under his breath. Forever cursing my name. As we walked he pointed out areas on the campus, basic areas like the mess hall, rest rooms, and barracks so on and so on. He stopped and scratched his head.
Chapter Two, Lachrymose and her Hollow Burden
"And this here be da courtyard."
I cracked my neck, "And? What's so special about it?"
"Some say it's magical."
I huffed as I rolled my eyes, "magic."
Blondy spoke up, "Well it certainly is peaceful."
The courtyard had been beautifully decorated with cherry blossoms that were always in full bloom. There was a cross like pathway that led up to a fountain, the statue on the fountain was a seraphim holding the body of a small child dawned in rags, the water dripped from her eyes as the angel wept for the loss of the innocent. Her expression of sorrow was magnified by the petals that blew in the wind, as they crossed her face the petals withered and died, decaying into dust as they hit the ground. This weird phenomenon perplexed even the brightest minds. Because of this she's earned the name 'Lachrymose' or tearful, the young child earned the name 'Anima' or soul. At the base of the fountain was a plaque, it read "We honor our fallen, for it's their light that give our souls room to breathe and memories to forge." The courtyard was named 'Hollow Burden'
McStrüdder stroke his facial hair, "Say what are your names anyway?"
"I'd don't think we'll be around long enough to actually develop some kind of sentient relationship, so I doubt it matters that you know our names."
He sighed. "I'm just trying to be plight, damn."
Blondy cleared his throat. "I'm Sam. Sam Brown."
"Ah, Sam. A nice name for a lad like yerself. And you tight ass?"
I looked away and started to move towards the fountain. I found it odd and fascinating that there were no plant matter floating in its rich mineral waters, nothing was in it or on it. There were no coins laying in its depths nor was there bird shit on the statues. In fact there wasn't even a chirp or tweet from any animal. Actually there weren't any animal in the open field courtyard at all. I dipped my fingers into the waters, it was icy cold, and even made me a bit thirsty, however a burning sensation crept through my fingertips, it was like being set on fire while being branded with super-heated liquid metal. It was truly agonizing and yet I couldn't scream. I couldn't even move. It was as if someone was holding me down covering my mouth, a pressure was placed on my chest, and I swear I could have tasted blood. Just as it felt as it couldn't have gotten any worst I heard a creeping voice in the right side of my ear. "Bear my vengeance and avenge my blood." As the voice faded I regained the ability to control by body. I took my hand from to fountain's maw and looked around. No one else had seemed to have noticed, it was like they didn't hear anything. I moved over to Sam and McStrüdder, they acted as if they were frozen, suspended in time space. I looked around, there wasn't a sound to be heard, petals that were flowing in the wind placed perfected in freeze-frame within midair.
"What the hell..."
I heard a voice, a soft soothing voice that had a heavy tone to it, it spoke in long eloquent utterances as her voice gave way to pandemics of sobbing.
"I am she…"
"Who?"
"The one she named her…"
"What? What are you talking about? Who-what are you?"
"I am the heart she hollered, the tears in the wind. Gaze upon me my child, see your maker in purest form."
"I don't u-understand."
"Turn around foolish judging one. Turn to see the one called Lachrymose."
I turned to the fountain, the water ran red like blood as the figures moved and convulsed. A flesh like growth took to grow on them, seeping from her eyes and out of the open mouth of the child. The Lachrymose moved her legs and she began to walk off her pedestal, she came up to me carrying Anima. Her height staggered over me, dwarfing me like a Tool shed to a sky scrapper. Her height was magnified way more than the original human like size she had while resting at her plinth. She wore a crooked smile with large angular fangs that protruded from her lips. The habit of the holy maiden was torn at the ends a stained with a black tar like substance.
I started to back way towards the entrance but the gat was closed, it was covered in the tar substance and now had black tendrils reaching for light from its dark depths.
"Oh you cannot leave just yet boy."
"Wha-what why not?"
"You must accept my gift…"
"And if I refuse?"
"Then my calamity will devour any trace of happiness you have. Leaving you a soulless husk waiting to die a death that will never come."
"….Looks like I don't really have a choice now do I, but why me? Countless people stuck their hands into the fountain but why did you pick me?"
"You are guiltless, remorseless and uncaring. You're only purpose in life is to kill. You only purposed a high education only to revel in the marvel of being a high level intellectual, only to brag to your fellow humans how superior you are to them. You don't want anything to do with humanity, no love no friends no family. You merely see humans as tools to be used and disposed of when they break, or toys to be destroyed when you're bored of them."
"Wow you clearly know everything about me now don't you? Fine, I'll accept your gift or whatever then I'll be on my way."
"You must accept it willingly…"
"Can't you hear? I said I accept."
"Lies! I can smell deceit. Humans aren't very good at lying and you are no exception. But very well, you dull me to sleep. Be on your way."
The gate behind me flies open, I'm pushed through by a powerful gale, soon after I'm out I find myself in the infirmary with the Nurse looking at me. She had a sullen expression, she had her hair over her face but I could see her eyes, one was red the other brown. Most of her hair was covering the red eye. Her deep black hair covered her name tag as she walked to the counter and back.
"Oh, so you're finally up I see."
I sat up. "And you are?"
"My name is Annalise, the nurse who's been serving you. You've been out for weeks you know."
I rubbed my head. "You looks familiar."
She placed a hand on her chest. "I do?"
"You looked like a woman I saw before I came to this dump. She was accompanied by a Negro and a White-man."
"Ah yes, that was me."
"What were they doing with you anyway?"
"Well the white-man, asked me for a cigarette but I didn't have any on me at the time, as for the black man he asked for the time. You know how late it was, I suspect you were there."
"Ah I see, while I'm at it, why were you crying on the bus? Your make up was turning, but I suppose it could have just been from the rain. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
She pauses for a moment, sating down a bottle of formaldehyde onto the shelf. "Oh you saw that…" She move her hair from her red eye. "This eye….is cursed. It burns whenever a dark presence is near." It twitches. She cups her hands over her eye. "S-sorry, it's a bit irritated at the moment."
"Oh?" 'Dark presence?' thinking to myself.
She looked at the dark mahogany clock on the wall, "My, it's gotten late. I believe you should be going. Or, McStrüdder might send his dogs to hunt you down." She giggled. Now that I think about it she only giggled when she knew something about someone. She knew everything about everyone at all times. Her perception and intuition was more than uncanny. Almost as if she was truly omnipotent, or just bless with foreknowledge. More like cursed with the inability to behave privy to the actual existence to her god and of her realm to her indefinite physicality. For better or for worst, she was a highly intelligent woman who was very easy on the eyes.
I rested in my bunk for a few hours. I'd figured I'll go to McStr üdder momentarily. Relaying the events from earlier as the image of Lachrymose flashed over and over again. What gift was she talking about? What even was she?
"Knew you were in here." Sam pokes her head up to the top bunk with a worried like half-smile. "You okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine." I looked over with the same emotionless puzzled expression I've always wore.
"You sure?"
"How can I not be sure, I am me aren't I."
"Yeah I suppose. But just what happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you were looking at the fountain and then took like three steps over to us and then you like fell out, hella stiff like if you were a statue or a body stricken with Riga-mortis. Your eyes were wide and full of fear. What happened to cause that, do you know?"
"If I told you'll think I'm more insane than you already do." Rolling my eyes with tedium I turned over directing my presence to the moldy covered wall.
"Oh please I doubt that's even possible. Come on tell me what happened."
"Why do you care anyway?"
"Cuz we're bunkmates that's why."
"Ugh fine."
I rolled over to him.
"I saw something foul. Something horrible, terrible."
"A horror-terror." He laughed as I glared at him.
"I guess you can call it that. But it was something else. I may have just been hallucinating but it felt so real."
"You probably were. But then again you kinda are the 'friendly neighborhood psycho' and besides you were running a high temp. Just a hot flash that's all."
"I guess you're right."
I sat up and dangled my legs over the side of the bed. Sam back up a bit then turned towards the door.
"McStr üdder wanted us down at the air field thirty minutes ago by the way."
"That should have been the first thing to say to me after you've found me!"
"What give me a break; looking for you was hard enough without him breathing his rancidness down my back." I hopped down from the bed then pulled on my boots.
"Now he's going to chew the both of us out. Damn it."
It took us about ten minutes, with mindless banter and bickering until we finally made our way to McStr üdder. The moment he met eyes with our faces his foul fury exploded.
"Where the piss-blooded hell were you fuck maggots!"
"Um Sir I went to go get-"He interrupted Samuel who made the expression of unease; a frown; small enough for it not to be seen or too obvious, but a frown none the less.
"I didn't ask for your damn answer!"
I was silent as I watched the spectacle of fools. He turned his attention to me.
"What was wrong with you? Seem fine now."
"Nothing really need to explain."
"Hell yeah you do, I'm your damn superior."
"I seriously doubt superiority matters when we're cornered in a trench with guns pointed at our heads."
"Still have that fucking attitude towards everyone who talks to you eh?"
"No, only towards the stupid."
"What was that boy?" He raised his hand to strike me.
"Nothing. Sir."
"Damn right nothing."
He lowered his hand then turned around. "You two are to go to the track and run until I say otherwise."
"Aw what!" Sam detested.
"Now!" He barked.