Бесплатный фрагмент - Direville in the red fog

DIREVILLE IN THE RED FOG

By Lina Dee

Edited by Lyudmila Termeneva

Translated & edited by Igor Stepashkin

Illustrated by Monaskrel`art

“Direville in the red fog” – this is the third collection of 9 stories-sketches about the life of a fantasy city in Western Europe in the first half of the XX century.

The sweet spring air scattering around the city, even more swirled the residents of Direville in the improvised carousel of his small world, bringing the spring ball and… a new danger as a red mystical fog that could harm the city or completely wipe it off the face of the Earth.

In the meantime, the vagabond hoarder Austin, managed to solve a few creepier secrets of looking like very nice residents. And beauty Kenna managed to capture the attention not only the famous violinist Rockwell, but also the twin princes and someone else…

Will there be a person who can save Direville from the looming threat, and what is so unusual about a snow-white crow that secretly watches over many residents?

The rain of rose petals

After leaving the big red-and-white circus tent, painted with festive stripes, like a small caramel cane, which usually with the taste of peppermint, the man in dark glasses and black hat seriously thought about something, stopped for a moment, dusted off the pink spangles and suddenly… sneezed loudly. Laughing from this unexpected, almost explosive sound (and maybe from something else), he changed the expression on his face, hidden under big glasses, to a softer one, and walked with a strange gait, slightly throwing out his legs either from importance or from excess feelings overwhelming him on this spring day.

Mingling with the crowd, the mysterious man counted out a few gold coins, took the waffle cone with chocolate ice cream from a benevolent vendor, and began to eat it with a special childish passion, licking and smiling to everyone around him as insane. He looked at the details of the clothes of street vendors, bright clowns and people walking with curiosity, turning into delight, coming off from time to time on a carriage with a large crew passing by, probably next to Smoggiburg castle. Chocolate drops of melted ice cream dripped down the hand on the pavement…

Having finally reached the remains of the waffle cone, the man took a handkerchief out of his black suit, wiped his sticky hands and smiled smugly, seeing an approaching zeppelin from far. The pearl giant, enveloped in bronze stripes to match the lower part of the aircraft, resembling a boat, dropped the speed and altitude and, crossing the clear sky, approached the rides. Above the circus tent, it as if reaching the designated goal, seemed to be frozen, but in fact continued a quiet movement. The small hatch opened silently, and from there a bright rain of scattering red roses scattered in different directions. Petals covered tents coming out of circus artists, freaks from freak shows, wanting to watch at a miracle, jugglers, photographers with monkeys fussing around, small dogs and other animals and birds, rotating carousels, attractions «Loope-loope», roller coaster… and adults people exclaiming louder than children, who admired the fragrant petals ripping up the spring air and tried to catch them on the fly.

At that moment, a surprised girl in a sparkling pink dress jumped out of the tent that Mr. Villares had left and looked at Adelard, who, looking at her embarrassedly, turned away at the fabulously beautiful white horses, took off his glasses and rubbed his unusual yellow -blue eyes a little sticky hands, and then, put on his glasses again, reached the stop and jumped on the immediately arrived tram, following to the final stop the cemetery.

Meanwhile, the petals that filled the whole space continued to spin in the air and to pave the already scarlet ground… Victoria, wiping away tears of joy, pushed the crowd and ran to the tram, but it started moving. Adelard waved her, stopped to smile and turned back, slipping away into the thick of the crowd of the tram.

The tram followed the crooked route, a sad weaver Maya rode in it (Adelard had already met her in a quiet alley), a plump butcher from the «Three Bones» shop and many other residents whom Mr. Villares saw for the first time in Direville. They all stared at the scarlet rain of petals, continuing to envelop the city with their tenderness.

***

After fate played an Old Harry trick with him, Mr. Adelard Villares fence off to everyone and became like a real snail, inshelled for a very long time.

At that moment he lost his despotic wife Monique, who went to another man and disgraced herself and his shame. Then, due to strong unrest, he lost his work, and at the end, depressed by endless grief, pushed away his friends. And, one by one, without special reasons they capable of vetoing a long-term friendship, people put behind Adelard from their lives, so he was left completely alone soon, despaired, feeling like a looser.

At that time Mr. Villares lived in a small house, by the seashore, inherited from his parents, who had moved to Direville. Adelard could see a flashing beacon and multicolored shimmering waves in the distance. In the most difficult moment, when there was no hope for a brighter future and the ringing of the last coins in his pocket seemed like a capricious mock of fate, only the sea could calm him down and give inspirational power that didn’t let him go completely crazy.

***

Having stood for some time in the cemetery, lit by the sun so that grey and dark tombstones with readable and unreadable inscriptions and figures were covered in green and purple spots of light, and the walls of old crypts, kissed by time, surrounded by beautiful urban landscapes, fascinated as ever before, Mr. Villares slowly walked to the exit. Now he recalled that period of life with gratitude and some nostalgia, which he associated with the smell of sea fish, beautiful ships and acquaintance with beautiful Victoria, who turned his life upside-down.

The meeting with Victoria took place long ago, but it always came to mind with a bright yesterday memory.

***

On that day, Victoria Tweedy was gazing at the beach with a darkening golden sunset, when suddenly strange sounds caught her attention… The girl went towards them… She saw a young man desperately was beating stones against each other and he looked like a madman and she was surprised and frightened. So Mr. Adelard tried to understand the universal plan and get an answer to heartbreaking questions. Victoria’s smile and sparkling tender glance, as well as the raging sea, shook Adelard, he stopped his strange occupation and smiled her. He did it for the first time in several years. He was silent, and she chirped like a bird, inspiringly telling about dangerous tricks under the circus dome… But the evening was over, and the girl, inviting a strange acquaintance to the show, disappeared.

At that night, one more miracle happened in Adelard’s life. Returning to a lonely house, a man could not fall asleep for a very long time, and what he had been waiting for so long came stroke of insight. Adelard suddenly realized what he was born for. Feeling his destiny firmly, but not being able to come into fruition at least one idea at that time, he took out the paper hidden in an old chest of drawers and unstoppable began to draw something. These were sketches and drawings of inventions that could make people happy. He could not even imagine how they appeared in his head. Later, Mr. Villares planned to visit an old acquaintance the artist Melville, for whom he had once learned some phrases in sign language to take a couple of tips. Remembering that he could read, Adelard laughed with relief. So far, he did not know and did not even guess that Melville had a friend, engineer Adam, and Adam had a friend investor, Ben Tyler.

Insanity lasted for several days, until the inventor collapsed into bed with tears in his eyes, feeling that he was needed to this world. And the next morning he returned to the coast and took home the stones with which he knocked against each other. As a reminder.

***

The last time, glancing at the old crypt, bricked up in the wall, Mr. Adelard put his hands to his face, hiding his quiet tears from the ghosts, and remembered Victoria’s happy face.

Blume and Frumé Grober

You can ensnare anyone and anybody, but the more sophisticated way and the more uncommon victim you choose, the more interesting it will be…

***

A vanilla-cream house with a dark roof, look like made of chocolate, standing on Twitch Street, has already met the first rains, stayed too long after weathered snow mounds.

In the kitchen of the fabulous of Blume and Frumee’s house in an open jar and silver bowls placed on the table, decorated with convex monogram patterns, like all expensive service, strawberry jam was fragrant. Large bright berries glistened in the rays of the blinding sun, drowning in gummy viscous jam.

While one of the triple sisters, and there were three of them, although few heard about the third one, named Charnett: nobody ever saw her at all in Direville… So, while one of the sisters oldie Blume was going down something in storage space underneath with a lighted candle, and the another, Frumeé, poured out freshly brewed thistle tea to herself and her sister, somewhere in the courtyard in the next street, near the garbage cans, yawned and woke up Zoticus. His new friend Carbre, with matted hair and a black eye, was still dozing on Brase’s dog rolled up like a pillow. That night, they were expelled from the city’s night shelter for inappropriate behaviour. Awakening finally, Zoticus recaptured the whole picture of the night of the incident in a moment, breathed in the pleasant spring air with his nose, rolled up his dirty sleeves and pounced on Carbre with his fists. Bras leapt to his paws and, out of surprise, burst into deafening barking. Zoticus and Carbre fought to the accompaniment of a screaming beagle, who barked, sounding out the neighbourhood. Everyone got from the dog that was near including the young guy, who was driving past by bicycle.

Frume, who was standing at the open window at that moment, shuddered at the noise, glanced at someone’s cigarette case lying on the «flowering» window-sill, and sneaked it to another place. But then she started fussing again, rearranged the glasses that had settled on her nose and hid the cigarette case, this time in another room.

Alarmed, Blume, rising from storage space underneath to the kitchen, joined her sister and took the cup of tea for her. The sisters were only worried about one burning question, but, savouring tasty strawberry jam, they first leisurely discussed an early tour of the exhibition called «The Kingdom of Sand», where all the objects — small sculptures, figures, watches and inventions — were made using sand. And then, remembering the acquaintances they had met, they recalled their favourite store «Rubus».

***

The opening of the exhibition was held under the magnificent musical accompaniment of George Bailley, who played the piano. There were a lot of people, despite the morning hours, and the arrival of the long-awaited blossoming spring reflected on their shining and enthusiastic faces.

In fact, the old women Grober did not care either for the game of Bailley, nor strange objects or inventions, or an entertaining sand labyrinth that captivates many, even themselves. Cute white-haired women walking in armor in identical lavender dresses with lace collars looked at the guests, looking for the new victim… Yes, it was the new victim… They interrupted each other very quietly and, desperately arguing, attentively studied those present. Meeting familiar faces, they smiled at them good-naturedly, politely silencing them to think about theirs, and then they began loudly and defiantly praise the falling sand particles of the clock and the author who created them, who undoubtedly had perfect taste. Their tinted ruddy cheeks and ringing snooty laughter touched many around, even the very restrained cellist Lavinia, who, passing by, furtively admired George.

It took about a few hours before Blume and Frume finally stopped quietly arguing and, at the same time glancing at the same person, experienced terrible disgust and emotional relief, because both felt: the decision was made unanimously — and they smiled delightedly. This happened after the exhibition, when they were on their way home from a familiar sign «Rubus» to buy a box of their favourite cookies with raisins and caramel filling…

Now, sitting in a cosy house, they could exchange thoughts and fantasies about this, thinking over the details of the upcoming «case» without chance witnesses.

***

After a hard day, a tired Direville waited for the night to come, surrounding himself with long-awaited twilight, which like remnants of old tea, casually spilled onto the city. Most residents have already hidden in their dreams after a long, picturesque sunset, driven by a light breeze. Cats, dogs and other animals took comfortable poses in their usual places — in the woods, in the fields or on hilly heights, in booths or on the rug at the owners’ bed. The birds also fell asleep, choosing favourite branches, attics and wires for sleep, fell asleep one by one, hiding their heads under the wing and ruffling their feathers.

A terrible silence fell… The last three burning lanterns went out, plunging the city into darkness. Some time passed, and two charming old women with silver amusing chignons carefully crawled out of the fabulous house into the pitch darkness, firmly holding long threads that look like leashes. The threads were attached to the body, or rather to forebody of the giant eight-legged spider, slightly larger than a very large dog. Looking around, they moved very smoothly and carefully, almost silently descending from the threshold. Amazingly, some vision problems did not affect with the sisters to orient themselves brilliantly at night and be very attentive.

They were very risky to be detected, leading a spider that jumped on shaggy gray paws and sometimes stopped suddenly to lift some of its limbs. From the side it might seem that the spider is performing some kind of amazing, inconceivable dance. Just making sure that no one was watching them, the old women left the courtyard and gathered along the avenue. A strange trinity, merging with darkness, as if turned into its own shadow. By the light of the moon, it was possible to see only the brilliance of eight spider eyes, chameleons and dancing glares on the rim of the glasses of smiling old women.

Passing to the end of the alley, which was covered with snow some time ago, the spider jumped sharply and hurried to hide behind a flowering tree, dragging Blume and Frume out of breath. When a cat as a danger, which could have attracted unnecessary attention with a wild hiss, was over, they continued on their way, in silence, clinging to bushes, trees and courtyards with dense vegetation. After some time, the trio faced the threat again, this time was the «Halladay» car. A clever spider or female spider, having heard the noise of the engine, pressed to the ground, and the sisters disappeared around the corner until the car’s roar subsided in the depths of the street.

Reaching the desired address — Gimp Street, three shadows, one of which was very unusual, found the gate open and slipped inside. Having reached the reddish, just like rubbed with pumpkin, house number 1, which stood slightly out of place, along the road, they stopped.

Mr. Dunn, standing in the living room in the dim light at that time, heard a flicker at the door, froze in place and thoughtfully ran his fingers over his lips. Someone knocked on the house… Yes, it was he who knocked on two hands, but did not call. The knockers looked around the yard, finding an Indian Scout motorcycle hidden under a thick canvas cloth against a wall. Only the motorcycles in fashion in the slightly lost Direville were not very popular, and, as a rule, many knew their owners by sight. This one definitely belonged to the owner of the «Boar and Rose» nightclub.

The door opened surprisingly very quickly, and the big black eyes of the landlord ran in different directions. Upper lip trembled with fear, and Scanlon Dunn, with mouse-colored hair, in a black velvet night gown, backed away. With a sharp movement, he accidentally moved the old table and, leaning on it, felt the switch from the second lamp with his right hand. Turning it on, Scanlon Dunn was holding his balance with all his might. The magnifying glass lying on the table next to the book fell to the floor, and the caustic green light of the lamp illuminated the pale world, which was not decorated with bright hues, like the dead weight of a ship on the ocean bottom suddenly lit by floating luminous fish.

Mr. Dunn could not back down anymore, his weak heart was about to stop forever. The man bent back even more when the furry paws of a giant spider jumped to the edge of a tilted table. Sweat profusely ran down from a green forehead. Only now the «victim» was able to see Blume and Frume Grober emerging from the darkness. Scanlon Dunn looked surprised at the strange guests, not realizing anything out of fear. He wanted to say something, but suddenly turned his eyes upward: at that moment, the spider attacked him, biting his neck painfully, injected a lethal dose of poison. Mr. Scanlon collapsed on the floor, clutching at his throat, squeezed prayers for salvation from the lips of old women, Grober, flew from his lips and silently dissolved in the treacherous silence. The downhill edge of the table was in the usual position, and the loose green lamp continued to spray a dim light at the corners of the living room…

And that was just the beginning…

Solar eclipse

The little girl’s fingertips trembled, her neck slightly swelled and reddened, and her eyes, insanely looking at one point, at first quickly ran from side to side, and then rolled up… The little heart bled and seven-year-old Ramona threw back her head and opened his mouth, baring his even teeth, waved his head and very quickly regained consciousness. If you had seen the poor girl at that moment, it might have seemed to you that some demons had just come out of her, but she… just yawned.