Yet another day at the store of which name inherited ancient woes– so much that their destiny is theorized to be of crackling into dust and swept away somewhere beyond the sidewalk, as fireflies say: at night i spread these wings; at morning i face hot screens.
Poor bastards, aren't they? Big as a queen or small as a pet, such creatures insist on falling down traps settled not for the suns, but for the brainless ones.
Meaningful,
it is a rainy day. Smelling the air one could feel the acrids laying down the streets meddling with the wish for hopes from oceans above, down the end of any land's atmosphere.
Closing down a well worn umbrella, viper doesn't need to knock the commercial gate to have a pass in: despite only ghosts around, he still kept it open.
Swing it, and you're at the Moscenetro.
"Good afternoon, Alli."
Until out, name of self:
"You again, Dragonfly. How i can be of service?"
"To be fair, i might be the one needing a shoulder this time around."
Dragonfly took his equally well worn feet across the set of brilliantly crafted rings for the hands and the ear, through forests of glass and metal; ignore these showcases and polished surroundings so you can see clearly how a pub was settled before extinct, leaving only a flicker of its past self: seats renovated, counter hollow for other items to shine at glass forest's peak.
Putting down his ever travelling bag, Sancreyeth reached then peace of the physical.
"Moreover, drop the formality. It's no biggie for me to come see your fateful eyes anymore, is it?"
"With you, it's always a surprise. What broke today?"
"Nothing makes sense."
"Not unusual. Dare to elaborate?"
"Not 'care'?"
"Smile itself turned into a frown; the explanation for it surely is a challenge on its own. Tell me so, San. What broke today?"
"Nothing. They got nothing."
Did not take a genius to understand the situation. First take a route to east, walk until you enconter guards, it is further you wish to go; you will have reached your destination once your last breath comes. Roar out loud: i am at the Acid Town.
Home of our dear rattle journalist. Journalist who despite incessant shine was under custody in a small, frail spot of penumbra. And it is trying to leave it, investigate how to leave that his concerns turned true:
“The team was trustworthy, this long time friend i had worked on it and still the results were that my photos, my testimony and even trips around the dead zone were a fraud. What do i even do now?”
Lifting out a mystical small bottle the jeweller replied. Interesting was its description, as for his pupils engulfed the letters while the mouth still moved.
“In such a corner, i hardly have the comfort you need. You’re not a policeman or a detective, nor the power to convince others to hold you any kind of evidence. It trully is a shame the survivors will never see their once home again, because...?”
“I don’t know, your guess is as good as mine. I traced on the map what i had found, the curious bodies freshly lying around and our obvious yet far encounter. Did the fog confuse their eyes? Did i... commit a–“
“Do not question your habilities. It will drive you trully insane, dear.”
Clink, shivered the bottle against the showcase-balcony. Always in a flourish, Allijarti lightly landed his arms alongside the object.
"Then... what?"
"Take me for you, i'd long given up on this case. Specially now, that will likely return only dry cackles. However..."
"You are not me."
"Precisely. I only hold as much willpower as i enjoy snacking on rats and roaches."
A little smirk, better than the old look of one lost in the abyss.
"I'd recommend you do so one day, you'd be surprised."
Surrendering a shy amused snicker followed by a light head shake, *cloud* finally reached his conclusion:
"Only time will tell. Sit back and think, act and react... but please, avoid paths of no return."
"...You know i can't promise that. But for the sake of wishful thinking, i tell you i'll try."
Maybe that was good enough. Had already given his warning and passed a vital moment of silence, Allijarti fidgets with the oh-so-mysterious bottle once again. Clink, clink, clink.
"Why do you want show me this?"
"It is probably what both of us need in the moment. Rain alone calms, yet hilarious are my organs... nothing feels quite healthy."
"I'm getting that too well today."
"...For your sake, i will get sooner to the point. It is a cocktail."
In this small bottle, the puzzled dragonfly could only imagine it was either a joke or liquid gold.
"The catch being?"
"It will give us what we all need... a simple time far from the land of the living."
"Isn't that just sleep?"
"Far from it. You'll be awake, head sinking inside the void. A few minutes will gift you some peace already."
Another sardonic smile from the scale-skin, as he already recognized this idea: a void drink was a pretty well famed joke around the world; alas! It materializes right before his eyes. In such convenient timing, too.
“I’d go as far to explain it as a cocktail of drugs rather than brewed golems. It’s easy to see these around, but witches are not. The feeling is peaceful, though nothing magical really happens.”
“Cocktail of drugs? Thanks Alli, but i pass. In how many countries is this illegal again?”
“I’d say it is legal here.”
A hard no. Sancreyeth wouldn’t mind Allijarti needing this, as his friend’s blood might do need something different from the obligatory pills of everyday. The snake itself was the contrary, however: alone in his apartment, all he’d need was another dose of alcohol and plenty of darkness to face the dreams awating, crawling and nesting inside the worst of places.
Or maybe not. How to face this defeat? It was clear everyone called it quits with this one goal of his, of high hopes burning out too soon for it to not have any backlash.
“A shame, really. “
Maybe hanging out with friends. At the very least it wouldn’t be miserable.
The journalist, like always, pulls up his phone.
“This alone feels... different.”
“Ah, i’m– i’m sorry. Really.”
“Don’t be. Goodnight, dragonfly.”
Step by step, his boots made the same daily travel: up the stairs, enter the bedroom. It was definitely not a lie when the one in blue said he could hear every step there, he feels as it’s invasion of privacy, but what to do?
A sigh.
Checking on the phone. There were some contacts worth calling or texting, yet...
The more he contemplated,
The emptier this action felt.
In three days, it’d be Christmas. How terrible.
The celebration of this man’s birthday wasn’t on his list of favorite things. Not because he was bad, egoistical or a liar– it was the blatant hate agaisnt snakes that got him. Still at fault for something they had never done, for bringing misfortune and lies, from a myth.
Nevermind that.
It symbolized union, family. A time to spread joy between you and your loved ones, may they be in blood or friends, a found family.
He could’ve been the latter, but...
I already loved my own family.
And then?
And then they died, because of that... thing. Because we were just living our lives.
And what about the other who suffered the same?
Little injuries or major losses, the few lonely survivors i never had spoken with before. Going after them... so out of the blue. So pitiful.
Your conclusion being...?
Hand squishing parts of his own forehead, thinking out loud:
“What am i doing...?”
Finally out of his seat, stayed thinking.
Looking up.
And then at his bag.
Again, running the same short circuit.
He could go and complete the whatever journey the now evening could give. But it could be naught, worse, leaving a hole called regret in his memories, than staying.
Then it occured to him and the oneiric surroundings: he was tired. So tired, would these feet stand walking the near hour home?
Was it more worth it to leave?
I can hang with a friend right now. He's upstairs. Lets be miserable together.
A twist and turn and knock on the floor boards, up he went.
Up the stairs, enter the bedroom.
Look down.
Look further.
Get down.
Ah, there he was. Little *cloud* looked at his own ceiling, waiting for something to happen.
"How long until it works?"
"More than i remember. Though, i do feel dizzy. I left it over there."
The soft hand points. About two palms far from this pointer, close enough to grab it while already sitting on the floor.
Huh.
They were facing different directions with their bodies. One to the left, one to the right, not knowing exactly which is which.
There wasn't much left, about just half the bottle.
"... Were you waiting for me?"
"That i cannot answer. I don't want to think about paradoxes now. Maybe tomorrow, Dragonfly."
Sure thing.
And there they layed, looking both at the ceiling in raw, deafening silence, except for once in a while:
"Alli... are we teenagers smoking weed because life sucks?"
"I rather not. Do you?"
"Then we are adults lying on the floor and looking at nothing because life sucks. I like that better."
"Whats the third option?"
"I guess... we are nothing. Theres no life to be sucking, it can't get hard this way."
"Apologies for what comes next, though i must say it... thats what she said."
"Fuck."
"I like this option better, though."
A few minutes pass by, already feeling like a dream. To wait it go, grab hands and sigh emotionlessly.
"It's hilarious... how the hell did we go from 'creepy stalker' and 'vampire' to this?"
"The silica turned into rose quartz and larimar, aiming someday to be tiger's eye and jade..."
"Sorry, i don't speak rock. Hey, should i be seeing these... things?"
"You should. It takes such a long time... you know, your tail is so weird. How much skin does it take just to make some alarms?"
"I... don't pay attention, actually. Shedding has been always routine, for me it's a little piece everyday. Just get it out. And then you have... some alarms."
"Skin– sk... skinny boy..."
Ah, there he goes. It's not Allijarti anymore, is it?
And slow like that, time goes. Rooting down, becoming fog itself.
Nothing magical, huh? Oh, Alli.
Soon enough, no one else is there. Maybe in an hour or so they will be back– lucky they, the potion was watered down.
And there goes another night at the Moscenetro, a little less dreary than it could have been.
YOU ARE READING
SNAKE EYES.nou
Random!!PT/BR - ENG!! How this post is playing out: these are scenes and WIPS of what one day will be my full fledged project. I just want to leave it on a site. Maybe someone is going to have fun reading it. Non-chronologic order, it's all bits and piece...
