BROKEN BUTTERFLY; Beyond The Night That Differs Love And Lust
CHAPTER 13. NETHERWORLD
“What does miss have to do with the murder that happened a month ago in this park?”
I gathered all my courage and finally managed to ask this woman the question I always wanted to ask.
“How yes..” the woman closed her book, staring deep into the sky as if looking for the answer there. “If asked like that, maybe the answer is yes.”
Good, okay next question!
“Why did the lady keep following me this past month?”
“It's not reversed huh? You're the one who tried to follow me, boy?”
Just keep calling me a boy and then I'll call you grandma.
“You are not the killer, are you?”
Finally the woman looked at me, but not in the way I had anticipated. She smiles. Yes, he smiled, as if holding back an anxious laugh. The red lipstick showed a row of white teeth behind it.
“You really think I'm the killer?”
Of course not.
“...I don't think I need to answer that question, I leave the answer to your imagination!”
I laughed when I saw him who could no longer hold back his laughter. This helps me reduce the tension of this dangerous conversation. Anyway I don't know much about this guy I'm talking to. By giving an answer “...userudy the answer to your imagination!” he keeps me wondering. And the more I wondered the more I realized I didn't know anything about this woman.
Laughter began to subside, and I didn't know what else to ask for information from this woman. Usually when talking to someone I can get the information I want by being a good listener, or yes with a question like the lure I just asked. This time I met someone like this.
I saw he was starting to relax, he was no longer holding his book, his sitting attitude was no longer firm when he read. He leaned onto the park bench.
“All that we see or see. Is but a dream within a dream.” he said as his eyes looked far into the sky, no matter what he was looking for. “You know?”
“What is it? Poetry?”
“A Dream Within a Dream, Edgar Alan Poe.”
Well, it's worth it I've heard of.
“Are you human, you have been living in a dream. Everything you experience and feel every day will only be a vague memory when you wake up later, even so you still live and live life as if that is the most true truth.”.
“I don't know which quote from where.”
“That just wasn't a quote, that's what I thought about you guys, man.”
From now on this woman is talking like she's not human, I'm not sure how to follow the direction of the conversation.
“So.. This lady is not a human, is she?”
He smiled back.
“That I leave to your imagination!”
And laugh. This time without me, only he laughed.
…
Well, maybe this is one of those scenarios. An office worker woman who is bored with her routine decides to skip work and flirts with a young man in the park. Well, I'm sure it must be like that. That's the only plausible explanation for this. I feel so stupid and abused.
Unfortunately, it's Sunday, and even though this woman is wearing office clothes, I'm sure she's not an office person.
“You're interesting yes, Juno. This time I can let you live. Rarely do I meet something like this.”
“What does it mean to let me live!? Is the missus all this time looking for my life!?”
And the laughter broke even harder. He's teasing me! This fucking woman is teasing me!
“Actually who are you?”
I asked that with the most serious face possible. I'm not kidding, I have a lot to ask this woman. I had a lot of information to extract from him, but with his attitude like that I couldn't get anything out of him. So maybe now's the time for me to be more to the point.
The laughter stopped too. It took him a few seconds to understand how serious my question was. But that smile did not disappear from her face, making me even more convinced she still wanted to tease me further.
“An answer to that question. I can't give you now.”
“What does it mean?”
“You know? There are a lot of people out there who will do anything to get information. Depending on what you know and how you use it, information can become a weapon in this age
“It.. is also true.”
“You should be able to more carefully provide information about yourself to others.”
“But.it feels too much. Who would do such a thing?”
“Only because it is invisible on the surface does not mean it does not exist.”
“Means?”
“The back world. Behind deserted walls and alleys, there is a world where most people are too afraid to look there and prefer to assume it never existed.”
I don't understand what he's talking about anymore.
He could be anyone. With such an appearance, what else in this city of many offices like Vandour he can blend in very easily. Does he really need that? To be able to blend in with his surroundings like that? Hmmmm.. Oh yeah, that suit's two-pointed. And. There's some kind of strap running under his chest. What's that.. Oh shit!
“Hei! Look where are you, boy?”
Firearms! This woman carries a firearm under her suit!
I was caught looking directly at the thing, well hidden inside its black suit. Yeah, no one's noticed this whole time because he's always buttoning the suit. If the button is removed it will look a strap that runs right under his chest, tightly binding a holster behind his suit.
His eyes pounced on me like a predator that had just gotten its prey. I must have looked deathly pale in front of him, unable to struggle let alone defend myself. Behind her black suit the woman hides a firearm!
“Your parents really didn't teach you manners huh.”
He lifted my chin with two fingers, keeping my eyes away from the thing he was trying to hide. Even though it was too late, I had seen it, as well as the butterfly carving in his hand grip. Right now I would be very grateful if what happened was a scenario where I was being teased by a more mature woman while sitting in the park alone, and was caught staring at the cleavage of the woman he opened because of the hot air. Well, I don't mind being stamped on or even being harassed by this woman right now. Anything! Origin is not this.
This proves what he said about letting me live was not just a joke.
I'm sure it only lasted a fraction of a second. But that second, the second that he looked into my eyes with his predatory eyes, for me lasted for centuries. With his eyes he has caught me, completely overpowered me, and at any time can destroy me. I can't describe how much intimidation he's instilling in me right now. And that smile, a triumphant smile as if celebrating my conquest before him. This woman is really terrible.
And he just let me go.
Yeah, after making me subjugate like that, he just let me go. I am no longer able to even speak, even think straight I do with death. She let go of my sweaty face anticipating what bad things could happen to me afterwards. The book he put in the bag, he stood up and he buttoned his suit. I was in a position before I couldn't react.
“Basic boy..” he said with a cynical smile, “You must have first seen ‘itu’ right?”
This lady..
“If you live a long life maybe we'll meet again. Until then, don't do anything stupid!”
And by saying so he left me still petrified in shock. Unable to react or respond to his words. Until his figure is invisible I am still sitting in that chair.
With trembling hands I took my smartphone. Trying to figure out what kind of weapon I just saw on the internet.
DEG
“holster it.. well more or less size this way.”
Short breath. Damnit damnit! It feels so cramped.
DEG
“how many cm? from chest to waist means.”
DEG
Damnit damnit! Type wrong! Come on hands stop shaking!
DEG
“Not! Not Glock! The Hand Grip I saw wasn't like this!”
DEG
“Not! Baretta is not!” either
DEG
Focus Juno! Focus up!
DEG
“The butterfly's thought.”
DEG
“Revolver! Definitely revolver, unmistakable must be revolver!”
DEG
“But not Smith and Wesson. then, definitely.”
DEG
And all of that was white in my eyes. No sound, no visual, just white and silent. And an incredible urge to meet someone. Yeah, I gotta see him! My knees are still limp but I'm forcing a run.
Passing alleyways, shops, highways. The people I almost ran over during the trip. It has been a long time since I last ran like this, I ran as if my life was in danger. It was as if it slowed down I would be swallowed by the invisible darkness that was stalking me. And the place I'm headed to right now is the safest place on earth!
I reached the apartment building, where I was going on the third floor. I climb the stairs after the stairs with a snore that can collapse at any time, losing strength. I finally got to the door. Yep! It's almost within my hand.
I could not help but feel a tremendous relief in my chest. I'd love to shout..
“Weena! That woman..the woman used Colt!”
…