There was a heaviness in my head, my eyes didn’t want to open, my hands, still not fully warmed up, ached. My stomach betrayed me with hunger, as if mourning the lost sandwich. Gathering myself despite all the internal confusion, I opened my eyes. And what do you think? The same little man in the black top hat stood before me. Now I could examine him closely and in less stressful conditions, and most importantly, he was actually there, alive, right next to me. So I hadn’t gone crazy yet, although that’s a relative concept.
“Finally, you’ve woken up! I was starting to think you died of fright. At your service, Sir Haverlock, the esteemed guardian of the secret entrance. My list of titles is much longer, of course, but you don’t need to know all of them just yet. I’ve saved many in my lifetime, and it’s been quite a long one, but never has anyone dared to fall asleep on me! They’d either sit there, terrified with bulging eyes – though your eyes don’t differ much – or they’d start wandering around in the dark prematurely, bumping into things they shouldn’t, and even shouting. But you fell asleep! Well, I’ll be!” The little man didn’t pause for a moment; his words flowed incessantly. I didn’t grasp the full meaning because, at the same time, I was trying to comprehend what was happening and where I had ended up.
This fellow was about the size of a cat, or maybe a bit taller, but that didn’t diminish his importance one bit. His suit was as black as if the fabric had just been made, untouched by fading, creasing, or wear. But it was his cane that truly caught the eye. Seeing it, I couldn’t tear my gaze away, completely forgetting to listen to the eloquent spiel of the monologue he was impressing upon me. The base was adorned with a golden tip that could switch from blunt to sharp in a matter of seconds, how exactly, I couldn’t say. The shaft was made of wood, as if two branches were intertwined so tightly that there wasn’t a single gap between them. The handle was cross-shaped and similarly metallic, with a precious stone on top. The color of the stone constantly changed, making it impossible to determine its true hue.
“Are you just going to stare? Can you even speak? Saving heaven knows who! Get up and follow me,” he exclaimed. After these words, my precious savior turned around and walked off into the darkness, lighting his way with the cane. For some reason, this didn’t surprise me at all. If there’s such a thing, it can probably perform even more impressive tricks.
To keep him in sight, I had to gather myself from the floor and carry my body after him. We didn’t walk for long, I didn’t count the steps, but there was a thought, maybe two minutes, no more. Here’s the door, opening beautifully. As soon as the cane touched it, colorful lights started to light up one by one across the room, or maybe not lights, who knows what they really were. Then our reflection appeared in the door, like in a mirror, but it reflected slightly different things than what I actually saw around me. There I looked like a grown man in some incomprehensible high-tech suit, resembling a pilot or an astronaut. There were many strange plants around, and Sir Haverlock was slightly older and a bit thicker than he is now. Above our heads was something incomprehensible instead of the usual sky with clouds, which I never managed to make out. I was literally dragged into the room.
“Come in, sit down! Let’s wait a bit longer until you come to your senses and start talking,” the owner of this abode said in a businesslike manner as he climbed the stairs on his short legs to fetch a bottle of some drink from the shelf. Unbeknownst to me, I found myself already sitting in a rocking chair, wrapped in something warm, swaying slowly back and forth. There was still a lot in the room to take in, and it would probably take more than a day to understand it all. The warm light from the fireplace brought tranquility, the logs crackled, and my eyes began to close on their own…
“Eeee!!! I’ve just woken you up! Here, have a drink; it’ll quickly perk you up! And why am I fussing over you like this? I should have sent you on your way a long time ago. Are you my protégé or something? I’ve been watching you on the roof for quite some time now; you didn’t see me, but I’ve known all about you for ages. Those sparrows are quite the chatterboxes. I don’t really have anyone else to talk to besides them,” he said, placing a mug of hot drink next to me before settling into the chair opposite, which seemed to have appeared there unexpectedly. It smelled very appetizing, and for some reason, I wasn’t afraid that I might be poisoned. Maybe because I was already dead, or maybe not. Hmm, it’s so delicious, like wine, but hot.
“It’s very delicious. Could you tell me what I’m drinking?” The words came much easier now. “Look at him, and nothing else interests you, kid?! Well, at least it’s good that you’ve started talking; you haven’t forgotten how to speak out of fear. Don’t worry, it’ll all pass soon; this potion can handle worse. Its recipe is complex, nearly impossible to obtain, so we have to retrieve it from another time, and that, you know, is a risky venture; you might not come back. Many have tried to brew it in the central world, but there’s no Sun there; without its rays and energy, it becomes just ordinary compote. In our time, you can’t even find those herbs, let alone talk about the strength they put into making this potion. So finish your drink and get ready; it’s time for you to go, you’ve lingered long enough.” The last words didn’t immediately register in my understanding. Words had been passing me by more often lately.
“Oh, what a frightened look! What’s so incomprehensible here? Here, take these matches. Keep in mind that their quantity is limited – just one box, and I don’t even know how you’ll manage with them, so don’t waste them. Well, I guess I’ll have to give you the backpack; it’s too big for me, but just right for you. It has a secret; figure it out, and you won’t go astray. Here’s a candle for the meantime; it should last you. My savior neatly packed this small load into the backpack, which was quite nice-looking. I couldn’t distinguish the color in the semi-darkness again. He zipped it up and silently handed it to me.
“That’s it, I’ve fulfilled my duty. It’s time for you to go. You’re on your own now.” Before I could learn or ask anything more, I found myself in complete darkness again. I was afraid I wouldn’t make it in time, and I was right. What a fool I am. Where do I go now? The candle. I need to light it. Its light didn’t reach very far; I could see just over a meter ahead. It felt like I was in a corridor. There were walls on either side, but what lay ahead or behind was completely unclear.
Well, here goes nothing. I’ll go there, or maybe there, my head turned from side to side. Making the wrong choice was daunting. What my inner voice suggested this time, and it was perplexed, despite our opinions always differing. Perhaps there was another “me” inside me, and indeed, more than once, it, meaning the second “me,” had pulled me out of trouble.
Well, I must go. The candlelight isn’t eternal, although even in that I wasn’t so sure anymore. We’ll decide, as they say, on the spot, depending on circumstances. And I went, right or left, who knows, depending on which side you’re looking from. I walked slowly as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. The thickness of the corridor varied, in some places I could even see the ceiling above me.
It’s a shame I didn’t have a watch or a pencil to leave arrows on the wall. I saw it in some movie, to avoid getting lost. And as soon as I thought about it, there was a fork in the path ahead. Well, here we go, where do I go now? I don’t even have coins to flip.
The darkness around me didn’t scare me before, I don’t even know why. After all, I’ve always been a scaredy-cat, with my imagination sometimes not even the brightest light would help. I guess I understood that if I allowed myself to start being afraid even a little, I would be lost in my own fear in this empty dark place, alone with myself.
Suddenly, about a meter away from me, I heard the clink of a coin. And then all the fear and horror of the darkness came crashing down on me. Where did all my composure and reason go? All the terrifying monsters were ready to come out of my imagination and devour me, bit by bit, while smacking their lips sweetly, and then craft unsophisticated trinkets and amulets from my bones.
But I quickly pulled myself together and forbade myself from thinking about it and imagining all the details. As it turned out later, it was not in vain. Turning towards the sound, I realized where I needed to go. The decision came to me naturally, I just understood, that was all. I didn’t even bother to see what had fallen into my hand, I just got up and went, taking a half glass of confidence with me.
After several more hours and about five more intersections, I was completely exhausted. My legs felt heavy, as if my path had been solely through sand or drifts. My head was searching for a spot on the walls to lean against. Hunger made itself known, painting various pictures of food in my imagination. “Hey, who’s there, and how are you? Maybe you could toss a couple of sandwiches my way?” I sincerely hoped for another miracle as I looked around and waited for food to appear. But it was quiet, nothing fell. “Of course, a coin wasn’t a big deal, maybe you haven’t had time to prepare yet, so I’ll wait, I’m in no rush here, the candle has already burned a third.” I found myself starting to talk to myself, feeling like someone was listening after all. Images of the biggest hot sandwiches with a variety of fillings filled my mind.
The visions were so vivid that I began to smell the food. That’s how hunger affects you. The scent grew stronger and was right nearby. I couldn’t be mistaken: the smell of meat slices, thin rings of onion, and even a sprig of dill. Oddly enough, they never put dill in hamburgers, I’ve never encountered it, but I love it so much. My hand instinctively reached for the backpack, and yes, the smell was coming from there. It took me exactly a second to pull out a huge sandwich and even take a bite. It was a real miracle; I had never eaten with such pleasure before. It was as if every bite transported you to the most blissful state imaginable, where nothing else mattered. Not realizing that I had already eaten more than half of it, I began to understand that this treat was exactly as I had imagined it. And you know, I wasn’t even surprised anymore. What bothered me was that I still didn’t understand how it all worked. Why hadn’t the food appeared earlier, considering how hungry I had been for hours? Apparently, I still have to figure that out. The main thing is that I no longer feared hunger, and I even found the strength to continue, and, dare I say it, my mood became completely different.
With such enthusiasm, I rose to my feet, finishing the remnants of the pleasant snack, and continued on towards the unknown. The long corridors were beginning to tire me with their monotony. And the silence varied; sometimes it was so heavy that it felt like it was pressing on my ears, while other times, lost in thought, I barely noticed it. At other times, a ringing would appear in my ears, and it seemed to be coming from inside my head rather than from around me – I could clearly understand that. If I found food, then perhaps I could try to find other things as well. I hope they don’t have a limit on my requests. Let’s see, a pencil, please, into the studio. So, let’s check our spacious backpack; where are you hiding, my dear? Oh well, you’re not there. Too bad. What’s wrong with the system? Maybe I should wait? Alright, I’ll continue on for now. Maybe I’ll ask for a durable flashlight while I’m at it, because it looks like I’ll be walking for a while longer.
“Friends, did you hear the request? Could you at least respond to me somehow? Surely it’s possible. “As soon as I said this, I immediately realized that I was being answered; I just needed to understand how to recognize and hear it. But why and how did I understand that just now? Wait a second. Let me try asking another question.
“How much longer will I have to wander around here? “It wasn’t even a second before the answer formed in my head, as if I had answered it myself, but was it really so? I could wander here for the rest of my life if I don’t understand all the principles that will lead me to the way out. So, there is a way out after all. My life isn’t doomed to languish in these dark, silent corridors. It’s not bad already. The main thing, I suppose, is not to be afraid, or else I might find a monster in my backpack.
Let’s go back to the sandwich and think about what I did to make it appear. I really wanted it, imagined it, and almost felt it. Now, let’s try with the pencil. I want a red wooden pencil. Here, I take it in my hands and use it to draw the first arrow in this mysterious place. It yields softly, and on the wall, there’s a clear, bright trace of the red line. Well, that’s enough; this isn’t like summoning a sandwich. I don’t have that much imagination for it. Let’s check the loot. Ha, there! I’m just a magician and a wizard; behold, our third find: a pencil!
In my short life, there weren’t many stationery items, and those that existed were quite basic, as manufacturing for them had greatly diminished. Most were destroyed by earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, which were becoming more and more frequent on our planet with each passing day.
The candle was almost burnt out in my hands. I urgently needed a lamp; I could deal with drawings later. Using the same method, a lamp appeared. I tucked away the extinguished remains of the candle in my backpack, just in case. The new light illuminated the path farther than before. After walking several dozen steps, I found myself at a dead end. Well, that’s not what I wanted; a dead end was far from ideal. Who knows who else might be here besides me? There was no retreat, and going back was quite a distance. Leaning against the wall, I heard a faint sound, as if something was dripping. The wall under my palm and ear began to turn into wet sand, slowly cascading to the floor in waves. Startled, I recoiled to the side. Beyond the sand was glass, through which thin streams of water trickled. Whether it was water or something else, I didn’t know; there was no time to think about it. Beyond the glass was an oval-shaped hall with two passages facing each other. I moved aside so as not to be seen through the glass. If there’s a hall here, then there are those who use it. It must exist for a reason. Along with the sound of dripping water, I heard the noise of an unfamiliar, hoarse, heavy breathing and slow footsteps. Now I was sure it wasn’t my usual scary monsters; I hadn’t thought about them in such detail, or at all, right now. A slight tremor began inside me; I needed to make a decision urgently. Panic clouded my thoughts; they raced back and forth so quickly that forming coherent sentences was incredibly difficult. An answer, just give me an answer, without questions.
I tightly closed my eyes and suddenly fell down somewhere. Now there were four walls around me. There you go, got the answer, game over. Now there’s nowhere else to go, except maybe to fall in different directions, but for some reason I didn’t want that either. Especially didn’t want to accidentally end up in someone’s soup bowl for lunch. Maybe this is the answer, maybe I was given time to calm down, think, and make a decision… Then I felt myself falling again, without even having time to realize it, I found myself in this very room. The floor was wet, water was seeping through the walls, and I hurried to get up. The walls were lined with dark blue tiles, in which I could see my own reflection. The lighting wasn’t very bright, rather quite dim, and darkness still lingered in the distant corners of this not-so-small space. I didn’t need the flashlight yet, so I decided to put it back in my miracle backpack behind my back. Of course, there have been bigger rooms in my life, like the opera and ballet theater; it’s been abandoned in our city for a long time, perfect for playing hide and seek, but after such a long time, wandering through narrow, long corridors, finding myself in this room was unexpected. Everything would have been fine if the sound of slowly approaching footsteps hadn’t disappeared. With each passing second, their heavy growling, mixed with hoarse breathing, became more distinct in my ears.
I urgently needed to find shelter; there were only two exits, and it was difficult to determine where the sounds were coming from. Plus, hiding or running through one of these openings would be foolish. If the monster is coming from one corridor, it will likely pass into the next. Looking around, I saw small ledges in the walls, almost at the ceiling. But they were almost three meters away, and there was no time to think about how to get there. Hearing another roar very close by, I didn’t have time to think before fear literally propelled me upward, grabbing onto whatever I could, even though the wall appeared perfectly smooth at first glance. From above, it was clear to see protruding tiles in several places, just enough to climb up here.
My heart pounded throughout my body, my knees treacherously trembling. Taking a few deep breaths – someone once told me it helps, and now it was necessary – otherwise, I might suffocate from my own fear. Barely able to catch my breath, I had to hold it altogether to remain unnoticed by the strange creature that had finally emerged. My astonishment knew no bounds as I saw the gaunt, elongated figure below, as if it had been flattened against the walls a couple of times, yet it was transparent, as if made of water. How could such an innocuous-looking creature, on the verge of dissolving, produce such a terrifying sound? In its elongated right hand, it dragged a club, its intonational weapon seemingly stretching one arm, while the other remained of normal length. The creature passed through the entire hall, ignoring everything around it. I remained in the shadows, forgetting that I hadn’t been breathing until now. It was safe to breathe again; a few deep breaths brought me some calm and understanding of what was happening, although my mind refused to believe what I had just witnessed.
I needed to keep moving, descending down the same protrusions. I realized I heard a new sound, resembling the noise of an approaching avalanche or a dam burst, ready to flood the city. And just like that, it happened – water gushed in with a deafening roar, tearing me from the wall and carrying me towards one of the exits at tremendous speed. I was swept away in an unknown direction, unable to catch hold of anything. The turns flashed before my eyes faster than I could comprehend or discern them. The already loud noise grew even more deafening. Surprisingly, the water was crystal clear, allowing me to see through it even in poor lighting. It wasn’t until later that I realized, despite its clarity, the water was horribly icy. My hands, mostly above the water, began to numb, and I could barely feel my legs anymore. Ahead, I could see light, indicating that I would soon be carried somewhere. Perhaps it was another chamber or, even better, an exit to freedom – hopefully into the sea or a river. But it turned out to be a waterfall inside a large rocky cave. I couldn’t hold on, and with a scream, I plummeted downwards once again, with no hope of survival.
Silence. Perhaps all of this was a dream. My head is throbbing; I must have hit something. I open my eyes, realizing it wasn’t a dream. I’m lying, washed up on the shore of a small lake. Around me, it’s more darkness than twilight, but I can clearly make out the surroundings. I might have exaggerated calling it a lake; it’s more like a large puddle. But where did all the water that brought me here disappear to? What happened to that waterfall? That was completely beyond my comprehension. The cold and wet clothes sobered me up a bit. I need to get out and dry off. Directly in front of me, I see another recess in the rock. It doesn’t look natural; rather, it appears to be a cozy little nook, where I promptly move to.
It’s time to take out the flashlight and think about food and dry clothes. By the light, I saw the remnants of a campfire not far from me. So, someone has definitely been here. Hopefully, the owner won’t show up too soon. On the walls, there were some symbols drawn in red pencil that I couldn’t decipher. Don’t get me wrong, I can read; it’s just that these symbols weren’t familiar letters to me. As I removed my second wet boot, which could easily fit aquarium fish, I decided to start a fire. There weren’t many logs, but it was enough for the smell, as they didn’t catch fire anymore, probably because of the dampness. It was so cold and uncomfortable to remain undressed that I immediately began my requests and visualizations.
Somehow, a large soft sleeping bag and warm dry underwear with a fleece lining came to my mind, I once saw something like that in a fashionable glossy magazine. My visualizations were so realistic that warmth emanated just from the thoughts, and of course, my dreams appeared in the backpack. I was incredibly grateful for this gift, which had already made me the happiest person in the world several times. As soon as I find a way out of here, I will definitely send a package to my savior, but for now, I don’t know what or where. The warmth made me feel drowsy, but I wanted more than just sleep. I needed to come up with something for dinner this time.
I need to remember what I’ve always wanted to try in my life. Oh, I remember, grilled lobster! Surely, when else will I have the chance to indulge in such a delicacy? But how can I imagine it? I don’t even know what it looks like, let alone its taste. What a dilemma! It’s frustrating; I should have read more about them. But who knew such an opportunity would arise? If only I had known, I would have compiled a list. Although, even that wouldn’t help in these conditions. Here, you need to know for sure, from the smell to each individual ingredient. But I won’t say no to some fried potatoes, with herring and a lightly salted cucumber. That taste, it’s like coming home. My taste receptors know it in such fine detail that they can imagine the degree of crispiness of the potatoes and the level of saltiness of the herring, recall the scent of dill in the cucumber brine. Anyone would salivate at such thoughts, but in my case, it might just knock me out.
What do we have here, is dinner ready? I leaned over to the backpack, something was definitely there, there was no doubt about it. But the packaging amazed me. The container resembled a pull-out nightstand with two drawers, lined with blue fabric and something like foam on the sides. In the first drawer lay my crispy, aromatic fried potatoes, my beloved comfort food. When we were given this instead of the tiresome porridge at the shelter, it was a celebration. On such days, all the punished and mischievous would gather in the kitchen, sit in a circle, place a large basin of water for peeled potatoes in the center, and each would have a bucket with small knives for peeling. A couple of times, I ended up at such an event, and for me, it didn’t seem like a real punishment at all. What’s so difficult about sitting in a circle of kids, chatting about nonsense, and retelling the same worn-out stories? Then, the peeled potatoes were rinsed again under a steady stream of water and poured into the food processor, from which came out evenly sized chunks, right onto the huge skillet. The sound of sizzling oil, so appetizing, creating anticipation for the desired and expected taste, as if you could already sense it on the tip of your tongue.
Memories engulfed me, just for a few seconds, but it felt like I was there now, with all the kids around the table. Though I can’t say I was attached to anyone there, or that I had close friends, and sometimes a longing for them sneaks into my heart, it’s still better than being alone. The portion I had now was much larger than what we usually got, I had imagined plenty while hungry, and no one was eyeing my plate hoping to snag a piece while I looked away. But I missed human company, even just a little, perhaps somewhere beyond the wall would be enough. Oh, why am I daydreaming like this? Some unknown creature might accidentally pop out from somewhere, and I wouldn’t know where to hide from it. No, it’s better to dine alone.
What do we have in the second compartment of our miracle nightstand? Ah, pickles and herring. Oh, how I love fish, how can one not love it? Such fatty chunks, boneless, a special thanks to my personal chef at the moment. And he didn’t forget the onions, sliced into rings. Everything I took out of the backpack exuded warmth and care, as if my mother neatly packed it all in there for me, with love. Deep down in my mind, of course, I understood that it was because I wanted it that way, exactly like that. But how to explain those little details I didn’t mention in my thoughts? For example, this container, I couldn’t imagine it because I had never encountered anything like it in my life. By the way, the sleeping bag was also of a somewhat incomprehensible shape, I still had to figure out which end to get into. So many unanswered questions, and the further I go, the more there are. Lost in such musings, I didn’t realize how I swallowed everything down to the last crumb.
“Thank you, it was delicious!” I said aloud. It wasn’t often that this phrase, coming from my lips, was truly sincere. But this time, I wanted to repeat it again and again. Rolling over to the sleeping bag in a literal sense, I drifted off with half-closed eyes. Somehow, by some magical means, my exhausted body found itself inside, in the warmth, and it was very soft, like on a huge featherbed.
Chapter 3
I slept very soundly, judging by the numb arm under my cheek, for quite a long time. During all this time, no one attacked me or ate me. And why didn’t this thought come to my mind when I was falling asleep? I didn’t even prepare any weapons nearby, like a ready-made sprat in a can for the festive appetizer of the local population. The same silence surrounded me from all sides, not even the sound of dripping water could be heard. It was difficult to tell what time of day it was, the lighting remained the same, the same dim light, as befitting a true cave.
I had a good rest, got up, did a couple of stretching exercises for my arms and legs, rotated my head in all directions, and immediately felt the blood rushing through my body with renewed vigor, experiencing a warm rush. It would be great to have some morning coffee; oh, how long it’s been since I’ve tasted it. Just the thought of this wonderful beverage made me much happier, as now I could easily order as much as I wanted, in the most beautiful and large drinking vessel, that is, a mug. My mood was excellent despite all the difficulties of my situation. Although there weren’t many difficulties yet, it just took time to figure out this new life, new rules, and where I should go. Let today’s coffee have an additional aroma of chocolate and a cinnamon stick. The mug should be light but capacious with thin edges; I always felt that drinking from such an edge was much more pleasant and tastier. And a hearty muesli bar wouldn’t hurt either.
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