Lavandula

Pot on the windowsill

How describe a feeling when you don't even know if you feel at all? How do you react to the news of the death of a someone, you cared deeply about? Should you start crying? Should you start screaming and demanding answers? Should you just stare blindly or pretend you just did not hear the words coming from a disfigured mouth of men still standing still in the open door?

Svetlana felt all at once and still, it felt like she was empty. No, Viola wasn't dead, that was impossible. She could still smell her perfume in within this room, like if she left just yesterday. Was it yesterday?
When did Svetlana saw her for the last time? What day was even today? Who was that man standing in their room? What's the scent trying to choke her? Why was everything so blurry? Was she crying? Where was she? Who made her feel all of this? When the world turned black?

***

She fainted.

Great.

Eskel quickly approached the lying body on the wooden floor. He did not tell her much but, enough for her to understand.

Brush on one of the nightstands beside the more distant bed was filled with blonde hair. This was definitely the victim's room. And if the little details weren't enough, the passed out girl was surely a big proof of that poor victim's identity.

The girl folded herself under her table. Eskel carefully kneeled by her side and secured her neck so she would not choke on her tongue. Her light brown hair covered most of her face. She was young not that young to be a first-year student, but certainly not old enough to have her title. She was covered, head to toe in a plain shirt and loose trousers, possibly her night attire.

Her eyelids slightly moved like she was having a bad dream. Eskel reached out into his pocket and pulled out a tiny glass and placed it under her nose. The horrific smell of the glasses insides did its job and coughing filled the till now deadly silent room. The girl quickly pushed Eskel away in shock. Her weak attempt to free herself from him felled like a punch of a weakling and even thought Eskel didn't intend to make her feel threatened he still wasn't sure that she was not injured and fully back to her senses. He needed some answers and getting them from someone with a concussion never bearded the right fruit.

The world felt hazy. She did not recall how she ended up lying on the floor, neither the man being so close before. She knew one thing for sure: he was too close to her liking. She made another attempt to free herself from his grip, but without much success.

"Lie still, you may have injured yourself. I mean no harm to you." said the man with a deep voice that was maybe too flat and dull, hard to read just like his face.

Sometimes it's even harder to remain calm when you are told to do so. That's what Svetlana experienced at this moment, so she putts more force into her limbs while trying to regain her freedom. And this time, the capturer is at least little affected, she feels his grip loosen for a moment just to tighten again.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" The world doesn't make sense. Why is this man here? And why is she on the floor? And where is Viola?

Viola. The scent of lavender. Cheerful laughter. Beautiful voice. Floating melodies. Caring hands. Delicate movements. Friendly spirit.

Just the spirit now. Everywhere and nowhere just like the lavender odour coming from the pot on the windowsill. Just nothing.

"She is dead, right?" her view was suddenly drawn in watercolours again and the man's cat-like eyes were watching Svetlana filled with pity or empathy, she was not sure. Maybe she was projecting it onto him because his expression stayed the same for the whole time.

***

"She left the dorm two days ago. I think she wanted to meet with someone." the girl's voice was quiet and shaken. Her eyes sad and tired, with bags underneath. She was probably staying up all night and day before he came. Tears that fully dried made her look even more exhausted. Eskel almost felt bad for interrogating her. But time was commodity he did not possess the required amount.

"Do you have any idea who she wanted to meet with?" His eyes wandered around the room, looking for... something.

"I... I am not sure. Maybe Marius or Lotha, her classmates. They were working on a play together." Svetlana blew her nose into a handkerchief and winked few times to chase the tears away. Her nose, pulled up a little bit, wrinkled in her fight with the urge to cry.
"You should be able to find them tomorrow in the university park in the noon. They are rehearsing there every day." her voice broke. It was time for Eskel to leave for now.

***
The inn Eskel stayed in stunk of the river near it. Pontar river may have seemed beautiful in the paintings or while looking at it from shore, but this inn captured a whole new picture of Pontar. The smelly one. The inns' shield proclaimed that they are serving the best trouts in the city, considering the smell they stored them in here too. For way too long for them to be still fresh.

The darkness of the night surrounded the whole city already. Just the moon stayed to help the guard bring just some light into the murky corners and alleys.

Who knows where the beast was. Crawling in those shadows, waiting. Or somewhere else, or hidden at all, for everybody to see. Hopefully, those two kids that the gloomy girl told him about will have some answers.

Eskel rubbed his eyes and sighed.
I am tired.