The Castrator by Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov (short books for teens txt) 📕

I DIDN'T FLINCH. "THINGS MIGHT GET OUT OF HAND.

- "RELAX, YOU'RE TRAVELLING BACK TO YOUR ROOTS, WHICH ISN'T SO BAD," SHE TOLD ME WITH SOME COMPASSION.

I KNEW ZONARA WAS CAPABLE OF ALL SORTS OF CRUELTY AND RAMPAGES. SHE'D PROBABLY ALSO ORDERED SOMEONE TO BE SOAKED IN A VAT OF ACID, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO QUESTION HER.

- "YOU KNOW, ONE GETS NUMB AND STARTS TO FEEL LIFE DIFFERENTLY?," SHE TOLD ME. "DON'T TELL ME YOUR MIND DOESN'T FEEL ANY REMORSE."

I THOUGHT. FELISTER HAD FLOGGED HIS MISCREANTS, ONCE EVEN CRUSHING A PRISONER'S HEAD WITH A ROCK, BUT HE WAS NEVER LATE IN DELIVERING DOPE TO THE MEXICAN CARTELS.

- "OKAY, LET'S PLAY CARDS," I TRIED TO BE SERIOUS, "WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT TELLING ME? I'M SURE SOMEWHERE DEEP DOWN YOU'RE HARBORING SOMETHING ELSE ABOUT FELISTER, BUT YOU'RE NOT SHARING IT."

WE HAD ALREADY ENTERED UTAH, AND IT WAS A PLACE THAT RARELY OCCURRED TO EVEN THE AMERICANS THEMSELVES. THIS STATE REPRESENTED THE FAR WILD WEST - SUCH AS IT WAS! HERE THERE WERE CANYONS AND MANY BIZARRE ROCK FORMATIONS.

WE HAD TO STOP FOR A MOMENT TO REFUEL.

WE PULLED OFF ON HIGHWAY SEVENTY, BUT WE WERE MAKING FALSE TURNS THAT WERE MEANT TO DOUBLE CHECK WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS A QUEUE BEHIND US.

HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME ZONARA GOT RESTLESS AND I COULD CLEARLY SENSE THAT SOMETHING WAS BOTHERING HER. APPARENTLY IT WASN'T JUST THE SECRET SHE WAS GUARDING TOO JEALOUSLY FROM ME, AND WHICH I WOULD PROBABLY NEVER, EVER KNOW.

- THE TRUTH WAS, FELISTER OWED TOO MUCH MONEY TO RIVAL CARTELS. SOME OF THEM WANTED HIM TO CHANGE HIS TRADE POLICY TOWARD THEM, BUT HE WAS STRETCHING. THEY WERE WILLING TO FORGIVE HIM IF ONLY FOR THAT AND KEEP WORKING WITH HIM. BUT HE CRINGED AND POINTED OUT THAT NOTHING COULD CHANGE HIS MIND, AND DEMONIC CONTROL OVER THOSE ENTITIES WOULD HAVE HIS BACK.

I WAS STARTING TO GET CONFUSED - WE WERE SUPPOSEDLY LOOKING FOR FELISTER'S LEGACY, AND HE PROBABLY HAD DEBTS. SOMETHING DIDN'T QUITE ADD UP.

- "SEE," ZONARA TURNED BACK TO ME, "FELISTER PAID OFF EVERYTHING HE OWED AND EVERYTHING IS FINE. HE IS NOT INDEBTED TO ANYONE. AT LEAST NOT IN THIS WORLD! IF HE HAS TO PAY, HE WILL PAY IN THE AFTERLIFE!"

WE DROVE ALONG THE HIGHWAY, WHICH WAS QUITE DESERTED. THE STERN DESOLATION OF NATURE WAS REVEALED AROUND US, WHICH SUGGESTED THAT SADNESS OF WHICH FELISTER SPOKE.

AT ONE TIME, HOWEVER, WE REALIZED THAT WE DID HAVE A TAIL - HOW THEY HAD BEEN HIDING FROM US ALL THIS TIME WE NEVER KNEW.

THE VEHICLE WAS A BLACK CHEVY, WHICH WAS SO BRUTALLY EQUIPPED FOR THESE DESERT CONDITIONS THAT YOUR MIND BOGGLES!

THEY TRIED TO RUN US OFF THE ROAD, BUT ULTIMATELY FAILED. APPARENTLY THEIR GOAL WAS TO GET BETWEEN US AND THE OPPOSITE LANE AND PUSH US OUT OF THE WAY, LIKE THEY DID IN THE MOVIES.

THEN SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENED. THE WOMAN IN RED LOADED HER SECRET CURSES, WHICH SHE MIGHT HAVE LEARNED FROM FELISTER, AND THE CAR LAGGED SLIGHTLY BEHIND - APPARENTLY THE DRIVER HAD FALLEN VICTIM TO HER ENERGY INTERFERENCE.

WE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND SHE TURNED TO ME:

- YOU SEE FOR YOURSELF THAT THE PARTY HAS BEGUN. THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO LEAVE US LOCATED.

- "IF UTAH'S LIQUOR LAWS WEREN'T SO RESTRICTIVE, I'D INVITE YOU OUT FOR A DRINK," I JOKED, BUT REMAINED SERIOUS.

MY JOKE SEEMED TO ANNOY HER A LITTLE, BUT SHE ORDERED ME TO TIGHTEN UP ANYWAY AND WE BOTH HEADED TO A ROADSIDE MOTEL. IT SEEMED CALM AND TRUSTWORTHY ENOUGH, BUT I HAD LEARNED LONG AGO NOT TO TRUST WHAT MY EYES SAW.

NO ONE WAS FOLLOWING US FROM ANYWHERE ANYMORE, BUT TO MAKE SURE WE WERE SAFE FOR THE NIGHT ZONARA GOT HER REVOLVER READY. IT WAS A LOVELY SMITH & WESSON THAT WAS OF SUCH HIGH QUALITY YOU JUST WANTED TO STROKE IT WITH YOUR HAND. YOU WANTED TO HOLD IT, TO PRESS THE HAMMER GENTLY IN READINESS TO REPRODUCE THE DEADLY SHOT.

ZONARA TUCKED IT UNDER HIS PILLOW AND FELL ASLEEP LIKE A STUMP, BUT WARNED ME TO STAY PUT. SOMETIME DURING THE NIGHT WE SWITCHED.

WHEN DAWN BEGAN TO BREAK, SHE TOLD ME QUITE SERIOUSLY:

- NOW THE TIME HAS TRULY COME TO LEARN THE TRUTH THAT HAS BEEN BEFORE YOUR EYES ALL ALONG. TOO MANY PEOPLE HATED FELISTER, AND I WAS THE TRUE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DRUG CARTELS, ONLY I WAS WORKING IN THE SHADOWS - I WAS FELISTER'S RIGHT HAND MAN. AND YES, MY DEAR, I AM FELISTER'S LEGACY. OR AT LEAST THAT'S HOW IT WOULD NORMALLY BE! BUT FELISTER WAS NEVER NORMAL!

FRANKLY, I COULD ALMOST HAVE HAD A NERVOUS TIC. I KNEW THAT THINGS WERE UNPLEASANT TO SAY THE LEAST, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND I WAS AWARE THAT THERE WERE SOME OTHER SITUATIONS THAT ALSO HAD TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. ZONARA WAS ANYTHING BUT A HYSTERICAL, SCHEMING, OR EVEN A FRUMP, SHE WAS A VERY SERIOUS PERSON.

- "WHAT NEXT?," I ASKED HER.

- IF WE JUST KEPT GOING ON HIGHWAY SEVENTY IT WOULDN'T BE A BIG PROBLEM, ONLY THERE WAS SOMETHING IMPORTANT.

ZONARA TOOK MY HAND AND WE SLOWLY WALKED THROUGH SOME ENDLESS GRASSES THAT WERE BEHIND THE MOTEL. WE WALKED FOR A BIT AND STOPPED. THERE WAS A ROCKY AND SANDY ROAD WINDING THROUGH THERE, AND THE SKY ABOVE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL - WITH PURPLE HUES, AND THE STARS - THEY WERE JUST BRILLIANT AND EACH SPARKLED WITH THEIR OWN BEAUTY. SOON MORNING WOULD HIDE THEM FROM OUR EYES, BUT I WAS MORE THAN SURE THAT THE ZONAR WAS NOT AT ALL EXCITED BY ANY ROMANTIC SIGHTS OR OTHER WILDNESS. APPARENTLY HE WASN'T PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT MONEY EITHER, BECAUSE HE LEFT A TIP OF MORE THAN FIFTY DOLLARS, WHICH WAS ENOUGH TO EMBARRASS HIMSELF AND NOT NEARLY ENOUGH TO MAKE TOO MUCH OF AN IMPRESSION.

- "FELISTER'S REAL AIM AND LEGACY, I THINK," SHE BEGAN CAUTIOUSLY, "WAS TO ACHIEVE GREAT HEIGHTS IN THE MAGICAL ART. HAVE YOU HEARD OF ABRAMELIN'S BOOK?,“

- "ABRA...," I STAMMERED, "IT SEEMED LIKE A JOKE, BUT MY FACE DIDN'T FLINCH.'BUT WHY WAS HE DOING IT..."

- "IT IS SAID," SHE BEGAN CONFIDENTIALLY, "THAT THIS BOOK CONTAINS ONLY A SINGLE RITUAL, WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE ADEPT TO PERFORM, BUT WHOEVER IS PIOUS AND HUMBLE ENOUGH CAN COME INTO CONTACT WITH HIS OWN GUARDIAN ANGEL AND HE WILL GIVE HIM GREAT POWERS."

- "YOU MEAN TO SAY THAT THE TRUE LEGACY OF A FELISTER IS PURELY AND SIMPLY A BOOK?," THAT FINISHED ME OFF DEFINITIVELY.

- I SUPPOSE WE MIGHT FIND OTHER VALUABLES, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I SET OUT FOR. FELISTER HAD A CONSIDERABLE FORTUNE, AND BY MY RECKONING HAD SAVED AT LEAST TOWARDS A HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLIONS OF PURE MONEY, IF NOT MORE. BUT LET'S FACE IT, I CAN'T DO IT ALONE, SO THOSE WHO DIDN'T MAKE US A PITA ON THE HIGHWAY FOR A WHILE MIGHT FIND US AND THEN IT WOULD GET SCARY. DONOVAN IS NO FOOL EITHER, AND HE'LL GET THE MESSAGE SOONER OR LATER WHAT THE WHOLE THING WAS ABOUT - THAT THE OTHER GRIMOIRES WERE LIKE CHILD'S PLAY COMPARED TO THIS ONE.

- "SO FELISTER WASN'T QUITE THE MERCIFUL SAMARITAN WE THOUGHT HIM TO BE AFTER ALL, AND HE WANTED IMMENSE POWER!," I DIDN'T HOLD BACK THIS TIME. "BUT WHY DID HE NEED ME?,“

- "I'LL TELL YOU THIS TOO," ZONARA REASSURED ME, "FELISTER WAS TOO OLD ALREADY, AND THIS RITUAL NEEDS YOUNGER BOYS WHO ARE PERFECTLY SUITED TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE GUARDIAN ANGEL. THE POWERS AN ANGEL IS CAPABLE OF BESTOWING UPON YOU REALLY GO BEYOND CONVENTIONAL NOTIONS."

NOW THE PICTURE IS BEGINNING TO CLEAR UP FOR ME. I, THE MARGINALIZED CHILD TAKEN IN BY MISTER EMBANKS, WAS BEING GROOMED AS A SACRIFICIAL LAMB TO SATISFY THIS PSYCHOPATH'S DESIRE FOR INEXHAUSTIBLE POWER. I REALIZED THAT MY PATHS WITH ZONARA HAD NOT CROSSED BY ACCIDENT AND THAT SHE WAS JUST ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. I ALSO REALIZED THAT DETECTIVE DONOVAN HADN'T JUST WIPED OUT FELISTER.

- "I WANTED TO REMOVE HIM," ZONARA REVEALED HER CARDS FURTHER, "SO THAT AFTER EMBANX'S DEATH OUR PATH WOULD BE COMPLETELY CLEAR AND WE COULD PERFORM THE RITUAL UNDISTURBED!"

WE WERE WALKING THROUGH THE FIELDS OF SOUTHERN UTAH, FULL AND DOTTED WITH BEAUTIFUL, BLOOMING CACTI, AND SUDDENLY ZONARA TURNED TO ME, ASKING ME HIS NEXT QUESTION:

- ARE YOU READY TO DO THIS? YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL...

I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE OTHER SIDE WAS WAITING FOR MY FINAL ANSWER.

- "YOU KNOW?," I TURNED TO HER IN TURN, THE WIND RUFFLING HER HAIR AS THE LIGHT BREEZE, AND THE LIGHT BREEZE HAD RUFFLED HER HAIR. I WALKED BACK TO AMERICA TO BREATHE THE FRESH AIR OF FREEDOM.

MY WORDS SEEMED TO STING HER.

- "I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU," SHE MURMURED TIMIDLY, TRYING TO MAINTAIN HER PSYCHOLOGICAL EDGE.

- "FELISTER HAS LONG BEEN A PART OF A PAST THAT WILL NOT RETURN. OF ANOTHER LIFE THAT WON'T REPEAT ITSELF," I SPOKE, STRIDING TOWARDS HER.

THE SITUATION WAS RATHER STRANGE.

IT DIDN'T MAKE MUCH IMPRESSION ON US THAT THERE MIGHT BE COYOTES AROUND WHO WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE UNINVITED GUESTS. AND YES COYOTES DEFINITELY ATTACKED PEOPLE WHEN THEY WERE HUNGRY!

- "YOU MEAN...," HER VOICE QUIVERED AND SHE LOOKED AT ME KIND OF FUNNY, "THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY LIFE YOU WOULD LIVE."

- "NOT QUITE," I INTERRUPTED HER, "I ONLY SAID THAT IT WAS FELISTER WHO STARTED THE WHOLE STORY."

MY WORDS SEEMED TO SOBER HER. SHE ONLY NERVOUSLY TAPPED HER FINGERS, OBVIOUSLY AS THOUGHTFUL AS I WAS. SHE WENT ON THINKING-THAT BRIEF MOMENT SEEMED TO LAST AN ETERNITY, AND I WOULD HAVE DIED FOR IT. FOR THAT MOMENT I WATCHED HER EYES, READY AND COLD AS GLASS, BUT FIXED ON INFINITY.

- "WELL, WELL, PARTNER," SHE MURMURED.

- "I'LL PARTICIPATE," I ENDED THE SUBJECT.

DEMONIC POWER

CHAPTER EIGHT: DEMONIC POWER

 

DETECTIVE DONOVAN DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE A FOOL OF HIMSELF BY TRYING TO GO HEAD TO HEAD WITH EVERYTHING HIMSELF. TO DEAL WITH IT, HE CALLED IN ONE OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED DEMONOLOGISTS - ESANDNER FAWKES.

THE DEMONOLOGIST WAS A SPECIALIST IN ALL THESE GRIMOIRES AND WAS WILLING TO HELP THE DETECTIVE FROM THE BOTTOM OF HIS HEART, AS HE KNEW THE MATTER WAS TOO SPECIFIC. BUT SOMEWHERE IN THERE SOMETHING UNFORESEEN HAPPENED. DETECTIVE DONOVAN SUDDENLY DIED. HE HAD CALLED THE DEMONOLOGIST WHEN HE HEARD A SLIGHT RUSTLING AND AN INVISIBLE HAND GRABBED HIM BY THE THROAT. HE SQUEEZED UNTIL HIS EYES WERE ABOUT TO POP OUT OF THEIR ORBITS. BUT WHEN THAT BRUTAL, INVISIBLE HAND RELEASED ITS POWERFUL GRIP ON HIS NECK THERE WERE NO SCARS. THE DETECTIVE HAD SIMPLY INADVERTENTLY ACTIVATED ONE OF FELISTER'S PROTECTIVE SPELLS, THROWING THE PAPER PAGES INTO THE FIREPLACE FIRE.

WHEN THE DEMONOLOGIST ARRIVED HE WITNESSED A MONSTROUS MESS THAT IN NO FORM COULD BE SAID TO HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF CLUING HIM INTO WHAT EXACTLY HAD HAPPENED, BUT ESANDNER FAWKES WAS NOT YESTERDAY'S MAN - HE KNEW THAT DEMONIC CREATURES ACTED IN A SIMILAR FASHION. THE DEMONOLOGIST WAS ASTUTE ENOUGH TO REALIZE THAT DONOVAN WAS NOT PARTICULARLY FAMILIAR WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE AFTERLIFE AND HAD BROUGHT ABOUT HIS DEMISE THROUGH IGNORANCE. ALL THAT REMAINED WAS TO INVESTIGATE WHAT EXACTLY HAD ATTACKED THE DETECTIVE AND WHY.

FAWKES KNEW THAT DONOVAN WAS A SERIOUS MAN WHO WOULDN'T JUST GO OFF AND PICK A FIGHT WITH FELISTER EMBANKS.

THE FAME OF THE PORK CASTRATOR